384 students admitted

• 346 Fort Garry Campus
• 30 UCN
• 8 Midwifery

973 students enrolled in undergraduate programs (years 2-4)

• 853  Winnipeg
• 128 Self-identified Indigenous
• 1 BPRN
• 138 International
• 98 UCN
• 21 Midwifery

307 Graduates from the Undergraduate Programs 

• 275 BN program in Winnipeg; 28 UCN; 1 BPRN; 3 Midwifery
  • 80 per cent female / 20 per cent male
• 26 (8.6 per cent) Indigenous, including seven at UCN
• 28 (9.2 per cent) International, including six at UCN

97 per cent  employment rate

The Bachelor of Midwifery program received 16 applications for the eight seats in the program or two applications per seat. Eight students were admitted, all were female and one student has Indigenous ancestry.

The Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program admitted 376 students, with 346 students in Winnipeg (120 students in September, 120 students in January, and 106 students in May), 17 students in The Pas and 13 students in Thompson. Gaining entry into the program remained very competitive, having received 800 applications, with 2.0 applications per seat in Winnipeg. Of the students admitted, seven per cent were Indigenous, 16 per cent were international, 77 per cent were female, and 23 per cent were male.

With 951 students enrolled in the program across the three sites, the BN program is the largest program within the College of Nursing, as well as the largest nursing education program in Manitoba. Of the 951 students enrolled across the years, 125 (13 per cent) were Indigenous, and 138 (14.5 per cent) were international.

It was with pride that we celebrated the achievement of our 304 graduates from the BN program, including one graduate from the Bachelor Program for Registered Nurses (BPRN) and 28 from the UCN cohort. Of the graduates, 80 per cent were female, 20 per cent were male, 8.6 per cent were Indigenous, and 9.2 per cent were international students.

There were 29 new students admitted into the Mahkwa omushki kiim: Pathway to Indigenous Nursing Education (PINE). Overall, there were 47 students enrolled in the PINE. Thirteen PINE students completed University 1 and were admitted into the BN program.

The Nursing Students’ Association elected Arij Al Kafagi as senior stick. She served from April to October 2023 and February to March 2024.  

Olivia Molyneaux served as the senior stick from October 20, 2023 to February 12, 2024.

Olivia Molyneaux was elected as the vice-stick of the Nursing Students’ Association and served from April to October 2023.

Vivian Umeohabike and Sydney Taucher were selected as valedictorians for the October 2023 Pinning Celebration.

Naveena Thakur and Chantal Sawotin were selected as valedictorians for the February 2024 Pinning Celebration.

Jessica Angus and Olurinsola Ayantoye were selected as valedictorians for the June 2024 Pinning Celebration. Laura Warkentin was selected as the valedictorian for the Bachelor of Midwifery program.

Taryn Watson, BN graduate, received the University Gold Medal. 

Taryn Watson received the Association of Regulated Nurses in Manitoba (ARNM) Medal of Excellence, BN program.

Muhammed Imam, BN student, received the ARNM Medal of Excellence (UCN, BN program).

Muhammed Imam, BN student, received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, UCN The Pas Campus.

Angel Lefebvre, BN student, received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, UCN Thompson Campus.

Morgan Sawchyn was the recipient of the College of Nursing 2024 Outstanding Student Award. Morgan named Danielle Yaffe as her Outstanding Teacher.

Twenty-two students participated in the Summer Research Internship program and worked with nine faculty researchers to develop their research skills.

Nineteen College of Nursing students attended the 2024 Canadian Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA) National Conference in Edmonton, including nine students from The Pas and Thompson. As the first in-person conference since the pandemic, the four-day conference, with the theme of “Nursing Without Limits: Exploring the Endless Opportunities,” proved to be a very engaging and educational experience.

Miyansh Jhamb and Sofreen Sandhu were elected as members of the CNSA board of directors.

The Nursing Students’ Association (NSA) hosted its ninth annual Orange Shirt Day event to raise awareness of the significant impact of residential schools on Indigenous children and families. The students renewed their pledge to provide culturally safe nursing care.

Fifteen students received the Irene E. Nordwich Foundation scholarship of $3,000: Ronke Aderbigke, Yvonne Ejidike, Oghenetejiri Enaworu, Olubukpola Faji, Emily Krupka, Stacy Lands, Hyo Jung Lee, Charity Manyukwe, Ann Mutuku, Alao Oluwatosin B., Irene Osaghae, Rutvik Patel, Melanie Saffie, Angela Soulsby and Mickayla Ziolkoski.

Six Indigenous BN graduates were recognized at the annual Graduation Pow Wow including: Jessica Angus, Krystal Frechette, Madison Morrow, Kerianne Chernenkoff, Winona Widrick and Talia Tumak.

89 applications

• 15 to PhD program
• 49 to Master of Nursing program, Nurse Practitioner stream
• 25 to Master of Nursing program, Clinical Practice/Education/Administration streams

40 admissions

• 6 in PhD in Nursing program (1 deferred until 2022)
• 25 in Master of Nursing program, Nurse Practitioner stream
• 9 in Master of Nursing program, Clinical Practice/Education/Administration streams

122 students enrolled in graduate programs

• 23 in PhD in Nursing program
• 54 in Master of Nursing program, Nurse Practitioner stream
• 45 in Master of Nursing program, Clinical Practice/Education/Administration streams

32 Graduates convocated from graduate programs

• 2 from the PhD in Nursing program, including one international graduate
• 18 from the Master of Nursing program, Nurse Practitioner stream
• 12 from Master of Nursing program, Clinical Practice/ Education/ Administration streams, including one Indigenous and one international graduate
  • 71 per cent female / 29 per cent male

The level of interest in our graduate programs continued to be high. We received 89 applications for the 53 seats available, representing 1.7 applications per seat. We welcomed five international students into the Master of Nursing (MN) and PhD in Nursing programs in the Fall, arriving from Nigeria and Ghana.

College council approved the use of dual delivery format in the MN program, with in-person classes and seminars for onsite students and virtual connections for off-site students located in Canada. The Nurse Practitioner (NP) program continues to use the blended delivery format with in-person classes and online learning. All PhD in Nursing courses were offered using dual delivery format.

Ariel Wilcox and Nicole Prenovault, MN students, provided leadership as co-chairs of the Graduate Nursing Student Association (GNSA).
Graduate students acquired over $804,814 in scholarships, studentships, fellowships, research awards and stipends in 2023-2024.

The GNSA hosted its 14th annual Advanced Practice Nursing conference focused on Intersectoral Collaboration. It was a dual delivery event with 30 faculty and students attending in person, and 25 attendees online. The conference raised funds to support the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network. The speakers were:

• Stephanie Van Haute, RN, MN, PhD student: Van Haute is a Métis woman from Winnipeg, a PhD Student with the College of Nursing, and a traditional ceremony person who has been a practicing registered nurse since 2003. She was employed as patient services director for the Indigenous Health Program at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. She has worked with on-reserve leadership to support the development and implementation of harm reduction strategies to address substance use.
• Lisa Merrill, RN, MN: Merrill is the provincial nursing practice lead, Provincially Coordinated Health Services, Shared Health and has over 30 years of nursing and leadership experience. She has held various nursing positions over the course of her career with a focus on clinical care, education, research, quality and administration.
• Cindy Fehr, RN(NP): Fehr has over 30 years of health care experience, inclusive of varied clinical areas, education, leadership and research. She is currently practicing in southern Manitoba as a nurse practitioner focused on functional, aesthetic, and regenerative wellness.

Abigail Kawadza, MN student, was awarded the Rose Mary and Frederick Allan Johnson Scholarship for $12,000.

Adam Brandt, MN student, received the Dean Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Student Achievement Prize and the Faculty of Graduate Studies Research Completion Scholarship for $5,000.

Andrea Toews, MN student, was awarded the Dr. Shannon Scott’s Prize for Excellence in Nursing Research.

Ariel Wilcox, MN student, was accepted into the President’s Student Leadership Program at the Asper School of Business for the 2024-2025 year; received the Rose Mary and Frederick Allan Johnson Scholarship; and the Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation Scholarship totaling $18,837.50.

Ashley Bell, MN student, was a recipient of the Tylenol Fund to Advance Diversity in Nursing and Health Equity Research Scholarship through the Canadian Nurses Federation; and the Child Health Graduate Studentship in Nursing from the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba totaling $22,800.

Eunice Erhaze, PhD student, was a recipient of the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF) for $72,000.

Brooke Kempin, NP student, received an Association of Regulated Nurses Manitoba (ARNM) Medal of Excellence.

Helen Zhu, MN student, received the Research Data Centre Graduate Student Award for $5,000.

Jess Crawford, MN student, was a recipient of the Dean Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Student Achievement Prize; the Tylenol Fund to Advance Diversity in Nursing and Health Equity Research Scholarship through the Canadian Nurses Federation; and the Margaret Elder Hart Graduate Study Award totaling $17,450.

Karen Livingston, MN student, was a recipient of the University of Manitoba Graduate Student Award (UMGSA) 2023-2024, and the ARNM Centennial Legacy Award totaling $10,000.

Katelyn Smallwood-MacDonald, PhD student, received the UMGF for $72,000.

Kristen Gulbransen, PhD student, was a recipient of an ARNM Medal of Excellence.

Kristen Steinke, MN student, was a recipient of the ARNM Medal of Excellence.

Lindsey Smith, PhD student, was a recipient of the UMGF for $72,000.

Michaela Bourque, PhD student, Individual Interdisciplinary PhD, received the 2023 PhD Research Training Award from the Canadian Cancer Society; and the Nancie J. Mauro (nee Tooley) Graduate Scholarship in Oncology Research, for $217,250 total.

Nicole Legras, MN student, received the Emerging Leader Award, ARNM.

Raymond Chunn, PhD student, received the UMGF for $72,000.

Stephanie Van Haute, PhD student, received the Indigenous Doctoral Program Fellowship for $20,000.

Vanessa Buduhan, PhD candidate, received the Child Health Graduate Studentship in Nursing from the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba for $7,800.

Victoria Charski, PhD candidate, received the Child Health Graduate Studentship in Nursing from the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba for $7,800.

The leadership team promoted the achievement of the college’s vision, mission, values and strategic priorities. The team is comprised of:

• Netha Dyck, dean
• Nicole Harder, associate dean, undergraduate programs
• Donna Martin, associate dean graduate programs
• Lynda Balneaves, associate dean, research
• Jennifer Shaw, senior financial officer
• Lisa Wong, operations manager
• Ryan English, project manager
• Don Rodil, executive assistant to the dean
• Jessica Bonneteau, joined our team as executive assistant to the dean in January 2024

The operations team supports the delivery of high-quality student-centred education. The team is comprised of the leadership team and:

• Marnie Kramer, director, curriculum integrity
• Jennifer Dunsford, director, clinical education
• Barbara Rose-Lovett, director, skills and simulation centres
• Lori Davis, director, undergraduate nursing programs from July to May
• Kim Mackay, director, undergraduate nursing programs from May to June
• Rhonda Campbell, director, Mahkwa omushki kiim and Indigenous engagement
• Cheryl Olfert, director, nurse practitioner program
• Kim Workum, director, CCA centre and digital strategy
• Fleur McEvoy, director, bachelor of midwifery program
• Trina Arnold, director, faculty development

We welcomed six new faculty and six new staff to our team in 2023-24.

Faculty

• Stephanie Betker, instructor II
• Heidi Elias, instructor II
• Federico Lopez Ficher, instructor II
• Shannon Guerreiro, Instructor II
• Andrew Kerr, instructor II
• Lisa Knisley, assistant professor

Staff

• Jessica Bonneteau, executive assistant to the dean
• Angel Gomez, human resources and payroll coordinator
• Candice Lagasse, student services assistant
• Ivie Osawaru, undergraduate program assistant
• Susan Rahn, nursing coordinator, skills and simulation
• Thara Wijewardana, undergraduate administrative assistant

Congratulations to:

• Diana McMillan on being promoted to the rank of professor
• Trina Arnold on being promoted to the rank of senior instructor
• Alia Lagace on being promoted to the rank of instructor II

We paid tribute to Michelle Lobchuk, associate professor, on her 32-year distinguished nursing career and 21 years of exceptional teaching, research and service within the College of Nursing. Her positive impact has extended throughout the university and across Canada.

Our faculty and staff are dedicated to lifelong learning and advancing their education. We celebrated their excellent work and accomplishments.

Lynda Balneaves, associate dean, research, completed the Heads and Chairs Program offered through the UM Centre for Higher Education and Research Development.

Diane Cepanec, senior research manager, completed the UM LEAD Program in University Leadership. Her self-directed project was entitled Engaging Undergraduate Nursing Students in Research in a Three-Term Model.

Barbara Rose-Lovett, director, skills and simulation centres, completed the Women in Academic Leadership Program offered through the UM Centre for Higher Education and Research Development.

Rhonda Dube, instructor II, and Sufia Turner, instructor II, completed the Teaching and Learning Certificate Program offered through UM.

Faculty also completed courses in the CASN Simulation Program, including: Amber Hemminger, instructor II; Jane Kraut, instructor II; Danielle Yaffe, instructor II; and in the CASN nurse educator program by Shakerah Jones Hall, instructor II.

The expertise of our faculty and staff was recognized with the presentation of numerous prestigious awards.

Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba (ARNM) Award recipients:

• Megan Boscow, ARNM Award of Excellence: Education 
• Mandy Archibald, ARNM Award of Excellence: Research
• Tara Horrill, ARNM Award of Excellence: Research 
• Wanda Phillips-Beck, ARNM Award of Excellence: Research
• Marnie Kramer, ARNM Award of Excellence: Outstanding Administration
• Jennifer Dunsford, ARNM Award of Excellence: Outstanding Administration 
• Nicole Legras, ARNM Award of Excellence: Emerging Leader
• College of Nursing Remediation Team, ARNM Award of Excellence: Outstanding Interprofessional Team. The members include, Lisa Banman, Marcia Funk and Barbara Rose-Lovett

Lorraine Avery, recipient of the 2024 St. Boniface Hospital Nursing Excellence Award of Leadership and Advocacy (nil appointed assistant professor).

Kathryn Chachula, recipient of the 2024 Brandon University Tier 1 Senate Award for Academic Teaching Excellence.

Miriam Gonzalez, research associate, received the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Research Excellence, Diversity and Independence Early Career Transition Award, 2023, for their project Enhancing service accessibility and the health of underserved families raising a child with neurodevelopment disability, total funding $270,000.

Nicole Harder and team (Verkuyl, M., Attack, L., Violato, E., Southam, T., Lavoie-Tremblay, M., Goldsworthy, S., Ellis, W., & Campbell, S.) recipient of Best Abstract Award– Patient Safety category for their project entitled Student survey results from a pan-Canadian virtual simulation program at the Society in Europe for Simulation in Prague, Czech Republic.

Jane Karpa, recipient of the 2024 Excellence in Leadership Award from the Registered Psychiatric Nursing Foundation of Manitoba.

Lisa Knisley, assistant professor, recipient of Women and Children Health Research Institute; and Evidence in Child Health Outcomes Graduate award.

Lisa Knisley, assistant professor, recipient of a two-year training award to participate in the ENRICH PILLAR pathway (PILLAR: Programs and Institutions Looking to Launch Academic Researchers) as a Pediatric Outcome ImProvement through COordination of Research Networks (POPCORN) early career researcher for $30,000.

Kim Mitchell, assistant professor, received an Honourable mention for the 2023 Doreen Starke-Meyerring Award for the best article or chapter in writing and discourse studies for the article “Language as a proxy for race: Language and literacy and the nursing profession” published in Nursing Inquiry.

Diana McMillan, professor and HSC Clinical Chair, recipient of the UM 2022 Merit Award in Service.

Veronica Reimer, preceptor, received the Nursing Students’ Association Teaching Excellence Award in the Bachelor of Midwifery program.

Marla Robson, PINE student advisor, recipient of the 2024 Honouring our Indigenous Campus Community for Indigenous Staff Members.

Annette Schultz, professor, recipient of the University of Manitoba 2022 Merit Award in Teaching.

Lynn Scruby, assistant professor, recipient of the Community Outreach Award.

Danielle Yaffe, instructor II, received the Nursing Students’ Association Teaching Excellence Award in the Bachelor of Nursing Program and achieved the distinction of being a nine-time recipient of this award.

Danielle Yaffe, instructor II, recipient of the 2023 Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) Nursing Education Excellence (Non-Tenured) Award.

Danielle Yaffe, instructor II, selected by Morgan Sawchyn as her most impactful teacher in the Bachelor of Nursing program at the STRR 2024 recognition reception.

The expertise of our faculty and staff has been sought out by various organizations as evidenced by the following expert appointments:

Mandy Archibald, assistant professor, was appointed to the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Working Group.

Lynda Balneaves, professor, has been appointed chair, PhD Proposal Defense, for Vanessa Budahan.

Lynda Balneaves, professor, has been appointed reviewer for the Canadian CAM Research Foundation 2023 Competition.

Lynda Balneaves, professor, has been appointed external reviewer, UBC PhD dissertation, for Venkata Jaggumantri.

Lynda Balneaves, professor, has been selected as a consultant for College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, for updates to the RNNP Practice Direction on the Authorization of Medical Cannabis.

Lynda Balneaves, professor, has been appointed a member of the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology.

Els Duff, associate professor, has been reappointed to the editorial board for the Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

Ryan English, project manager, was appointed as Project Manager/Interim Operations Manager effective May 1, 2024.

Nicole Harder, associate professor, five-year renewal of her Mindermar Professorship in Human Simulation.

Michelle Lobchuk received the Senior Scholar designation, University of Manitoba.

Susan McClement received the Professor Emeritus Award, University of Manitoba.

Susan McClement, professor, served as an abstract reviewer at the CASN Biennial Canadian Nursing Education Conference, Transforming Nursing Education: Unlearning, Disrupting, & (Re)Learning, Calgary, AB.

Kimberley Mackay, instructor II, was appointed as director, undergraduate nursing programs, effective March 1, 2024.

Fleur McEvoy, instructor II, was appointed as director, bachelor of midwifery program, effective July 1, 2024.

Stephanie Nunes, instructor II, was selected as a volunteer test item writer for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Stephanie Nunes, instructor II, selected as a member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing NCLEX-RN item writing panel.

Stephanie Nunes, instructor II, was a reviewer of Lewis’s Medical Surgical Nursing in Canada, 5th edition, by Tyerman and Cobbett.

Jamie Penner, instructor II, was appointed as director of curriculum integrity, College of Nursing.

Vladan Protudjer, instructor II, appointed as Interim director, Office of Interprofessional Collaboration

The Dr. Margaret Elder Hart Distinguished Visitor featured Dr. Kristen Jacklin who presented on, “A multi-model pathway to address age-related dementia care needs in Indigenous populations.”

Our community engagement committee engaged faculty and staff in a number of volunteer service events.

Support services were provided at Siloam Mission by Wendy Ducharme, Rhonda Dube, Lyndsey Enns, Andrea Friesen, Brenda Longclaws and Tyla Turman.

Home building support services were provided at Habitat for Humanity by Christa DeGagne, Lisa Banman and Alia Lagace.

Faculty provided volunteer services, together with our students, at Agape Table, including: Pat Pruden, Donalda Wotton, Asha Pereira, Kim Mackay, Federico Lopez Ficher, Lisa Banman, Alia Lagace, Elyze Griffith and Christa DeGagne.

We are immensely grateful for all our donors who contributed generously to the College of Nursing this year. 

In 2023-24, 213 donors contributed $175,201; in 2022-23, 215 donors contributed $383,207; in 2021-22 90 donors contributed $220,146; in 2020-21, 98 donors contributed $218,960; and in 2019-2020, 107 donors contributed $33,519.

We are profoundly grateful for the enduring support of our donors, whose commitment to our student community and initiatives fosters excellence within the college.

We extend our sincere appreciation for the contribution of the Nursing Students’ Association (NSA). The NSA held a successful referendum and made substantial contributions to various funds, including the Endowment Fund, Humanitarian Fund, Student Initiatives Fund, and the Student Lounge and NSA Office Improvement Fund.

We are also grateful to the Graduate Nursing Students Association who held their referendum and voted to contribute to the College of Nursing Endowment Fund.

The Bill Stevenson Fund continues to grow the endowment fund for the Penny Diane (Stevenson) Brydon and Walter WM. (Bill) Stevenson Memorial Scholarship in Nursing. This scholarship, which he established, is dedicated to supporting doctoral students in the College of Nursing.

In addition, the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences received a remarkable $1M donation from an anonymous donor to fund bursaries for two Indigenous nursing students and two Indigenous medicine students. When the endowment reaches full maturity, each student will receive approximately $10,000 per year.

We also express our immense gratitude to the Irene E. Nordwich Foundation for its sustained generosity in supporting our undergraduate and graduate nursing students.

Peri Venkatesh, a former faculty member and active member of the UM Alumni Association, donated $5,000 for the purchase of a bladder scanner that is well utilized by our students in the Skills Lab.