Emergency Bursary
Students who have extenuating or emergency situations can seek assistance and receive an emergency funding application form in the Student Services Office, Room A125 in the Civic Employees Legacy Tower, Downtown Campus.
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Erin Babcock
Crossing the floor from health care to politics
Following graduation in 2013, NorQuest College practical nurse alumna Erin Babcock thought she was in the best position possible to help make a difference.
A nurse and a mother, she was providing for her children while at the same time being a source of care and comfort for patients at the Royal Alexandria Hospital.
That was until a dinner conversation in the winter of 2015. A remark from a friend resulted in her taking her responsibilities to an even higher level, going from frontline health care worker and mom, to provincial legislator and, of course, still a mother.
“It was just one of those supper conversations,” says the 35-year-old. “I was having guests over and a friend of mine who has been an NDP organizer for some time said to me, ‘Erin, I think you should run.’”
Thanks to that conversation, Babcock is now the NDP MLA for Stony Plain, presiding in a house where her expertise will be valuable and her decisions will affect the lives of millions of people.
“I have worked hard to become the very best nurse I could be,” she says. “And I have worked very hard to be a good mom. Now I feel I can advocate for our health care system and that means so much to me.”
Bianca Moyo
Education saves lives
Imagine facing a life and death situation and not being able to communicate properly with the person providing your care.
NorQuest College practical nurse grad Bianca Moyo understands the importance of good intercultural communication skills. Growing up in Zimbabwe, where there are 16 official languages, you would think that her abilities to relate people’s needs and understand their concerns would come from her homeland—not entirely.
Now a full-time employee of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton, Moyo graduated from NorQuest’s Practical Nurse program in 2009. It was the most diverse learning environment she had ever been part of.
“At NorQuest not only did I get an education, but it taught me to be world-ready and ready for the workplace. When I was in class I had students from all over the world. So when I graduated I was able to articulate and empathize with people from everywhere.”
Empathy. Another quality most would associate with good nursing. Moyo knows how hard it can be to empathize and take the proper courses of action with someone whose culture, language, or medical expectations differ from her own.
“I can relate to almost anybody,” she says. “I now understand so much about the local Indigenous culture, I know about Columbia, I know about Nigeria, and I know about Canadians who were born and bred here. And that is thanks to NorQuest College.”
At the Glenrose, Moyo’s managers and coworkers see firsthand the value she brings to the hospital.
“Nurses like Bianca play a key role in building a therapeutic relationship with our patients and their families to improve their rehabilitation, health, and well-being,” says patient care manager, Michelle Wallace. “Bianca’s training and experience are helping her understand our patients, and have given her the skills to communicate with them, their families, and the inter-professional care team.”