On Thursday, May 3, 2012, the School of Nursing hosted a memorable celebration honoring its past, present and future. The spectacular Great Hall at the Museum of Anthropology provided a beautiful backdrop to this evening that featured entertainment, awards, and a chance for colleagues to connect and reflect on the significance of their collective achievements of the past 90 years.
Over the course of the evening, the School of Nursing was able to recognize significant alumni and important partners whose contributions are making a positive impact on our communities and on the school. Genelle Liefso, Dr. Colleen Stainton, and Tim Gauthier were presented with UBC School of Nursing 2012 Alumni Recognition Awards.
Dr. Colleen Stainton, 1961 BSC Nursing:
Award of Distinction - Has made a significant contribution through the advancement of nursing, bringing honour to the nursing profession at a provincial, national and/or international level.
Dr. Stainton helped to develop the four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and the Master’s and Doctorate programs at the University of Calgary. A pioneer in nursing research, she established the international maternity nursing research conference. She has received numerous awards in recognition of her contributions and provided expert consultation to her colleagues on nursing research and practice.
Genelle Liefso, 1997 BSN, 2005 MSN:
Alumni Recognition Award - Has made a sustained and meaningful contribution to nurses and/or nursing at a local or regional level, inspiring other nurses to reach their goals.
Genelle Liefso works as a nurse at VGH, nursing teacher at BCIT, and as a community worker and volunteer working both locally with the BC History of Nursing Society and internationally with the Canadian Network for International Surgery. Genelle recently returned from Ethiopia where she taught a “Safe Surgery Saves Lives” nursing course and developed a companion teaching manual to be used internationally.
Tim Gauthier, 2009 BSN:
Young Alumni Award - Within a relatively short period after graduation (maximum 10 years), has demonstrated exceptional engagement in professional, civic or community activities.
As a member of the Cree Tribe, Tim Gauthier has dedicated his career to helping those who are marginalized and underserved. As a student, Tim worked at Insite, the supervised injection site on the downtown eastside. Today, he is the Clinical Coordinator for three centres providing direct services to those who struggle with drug addiction and other health issues. He is a tireless advocate for improving the health of the residents in the Downtown Eastside.
