Sharon Nield Memorial Award

My name is Heather Anderson and I am a 2nd year student in Selkirk College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (BScN- RN).

After completing my Bachelor of Arts Degree in psychology in 2001, I chose to continue to stay at home raising my children. I consider staying at home to have been a privilege but also a sacrifice. Nothing has made me more proud and given me more joy than raising my six beautiful children. However, after 17 years, I was highly motivated to seek another life experience. So when my youngest child entered kindergarten, I seized the opportunity to go back to school myself! I had a strong desire to explore the professional world and develop a career of my own, so that I could give back to my community in a skilled manner and be able to financially support my family as my husband has for years.

I chose to pursue nursing for several reasons. Firstly, I feel that I possess intrinsic characteristics that are required in order to practice safe and effective care. Secondly, I have a high regard for healthcare professionals, their roles, and I recognize the increasing need for nurses. Thirdly, was for logistical reasoning. Having an RN program 20 minutes from home and living in a community that has a high demand for nurses meant that I could study and gain employment without uprooting my family. And lastly, perhaps the most important reason that I chose nursing was so that I could improve other people’s quality of life.

Academic excellence is very important to me. I strive to set a good example for my children and fellow students. I have a strong desire to learn everything that I can and maximize the use of all resources available to me. My goal is to become a valuable asset in the nursing position that I take on at the end of my studies. I will continue to remain diligent as I move forward with my studies.