John Vanderlee Award

I am honored to be the recipient of the John Vanderlee Award. Not only am I grateful to the Canadian Nurses Foundation for this opportunity, but more importantly, to the donor Mr. Vanderlee himself.  Having such a scholarship be available to male nursing students across the country is significant and will hopefully encourage other male individuals to join this dynamic profession.

After playing semi-professional hockey for three years and dreaming of one day playing in the National Hockey League (NHL), I had a change of heart and envisioned myself as a registered nurse. From a very young age, I had always been fascinated by the human body.  But what really drew me to nursing was the motivation to make meaningful connections and to holistically care for other human beings at their best and worst times.  This was the right career path for me, my wife, and my family.

Receiving this award will not only reduce some financial stresses, it will also give me the opportunity to get that much more involved in committees such as the UNB Nursing Undergraduate Society, the Nursing Peer Mentorship Program, and the Dean of Nursing Search Committee.

My goal as a nurse is not for people to remember my name, but for them to remember how I made them feel. I strongly believe that my passion for nursing and my positive attitude will be contagious as I work to improve our health care system.