success magazine 2012 - 2013

SucceSS2012 / 2013

Student of the year finaliStS inSpire

Student of the year WinnerS’ profileS

Student SuCCeSS: taKinG Care of the Whole Student

eMpoWerinG StudentSWith the lanGuaGe

of life

T o S u c c e e d , w e m u S T f i r S T b e l i e v e T h a T w e c a n .

2012 Student of the Year Winners

Student of the Year ESL Award Winner

Winner ($20,000)Fawzi Ahmad

Cardiology Technologist

First Runner-up ($3,000) Manpreet Bains

Hospital Support Specialist

Winner ($1,000)Atsuko Ueda

Early Childhood Education

Second Runner-up ($1,000)Amrinder Sahota

Community Support & Outreach Worker

Second Runner-up ($1,000)Niki Cross

Nursing Unit Clerk

Second Runner-up ($1,000)Jeff Lott

Special Education Assistant

2012 Nominees

2012 Student of the Year Finalists

Fawzi Ahmad, CATEmily James, CAT-D

Amrinder Sahota, CSOWLaura (Lee) Fruhstorfer, ECE

Atsuko Ueda, ECEThomas Liddle, HCAHelen Andres, HCALeah Neubauer, HSS

Eliza Torok, HSSRajvir Nijjar, HSS

Manpreet Bains, HSSSony Lail, MLA

Lani Coloma, NUCTracy Stillwell, NUC

Samantha Desjarlais, NUCKristie Klyn, NUC

Monika Shankar, NUCSocorro (Maria) Estacio, NUC

Niki Cross, NUCAna Petrusic, PN

Laura Goodfellow, PNTravis Pearson, PN

Korey Sutherland, PNElaine Hodson, RDPN

Stephanie Odermatt, RDPNVanessa Currie, SEA

Jeff Lott, SEAJill Bell, SEA

Emily James, CAT-DLaura (Lee) Fruhstorfer, ECE

Thomas Liddle, HCA

Sony Lail, MLATravis Pearson, PN

Elaine Hodson, RDPN

“The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.”

– Leo Buscaglia, author & educator

Mission StatementIt is Stenberg College’s mission to offer exceptional career-oriented programs. We achieve excellence in education through our sustained commitment to program quality, outstanding student services and the professional development of our faculty, staff and alumni. We strive to develop caring and competent graduates who excel in their chosen disciplines and contribute meaningfully to their professional communities and society as a whole.

Contents2012 Student of the Year Winners ...................2Student of the Year Finalists Inspire .................4Taking Care of the Whole Student ....................7How Fawzi Ahmad Rebuilt his Future ..............8Manpreet Bains Rises to the Challenge .........12Niki Cross Didn’t Back Down .........................14Jeff Lott’s Rewarding New Career .................16Amrinder Sahota is a Role Model in his New Career ..........................................18Empowering Students with the Language of Life ...........................................20

president: Jeremy Sabelldirector of education: Sarina Corsi

dean of nursing: Dr. Jacqollyne Keathdirector of educational delivery: Jacquie Stene Murphydirector of practice education & industry relations:

Wendy Turnbulldirector of Marketing & public relations: Les Merson

director of operations: Gary Karbar

CreditSeditor: Les Merson

assistant editor: Samantha Gray Writer: Jackie Wong

photographer: Ken Villeneuvedesigner: Beata Stolarska

Student of the year Committee: Samantha Gray, Cheryl Knorr, Les Merson, Steve Paras,

Tammy Quan, Cristina Ricafort

thanks to: Sarina Corsi, Fiona Glendinning, Anne-Marie Redhead,

Jeremy Sabell, Samantha Gray

This publication was produced by the Marketing & Public Relations Department of Stenberg College

Stenberg College is owned and operated by TEC The Education Company

© 2012 Printed in Canada

SucceSS MAgAziNE www.StenbergCollege.com

Stenberg College is a place of new beginnings for the hundreds of students each year who enroll in classes to train for new careers in

health care and human services. Whether students are taking classes at Stenberg’s flagship campus at Central City in Surrey, BC, offsite at the New Life Childcare Cen-tre in Surrey or the Station Street housing complex in Vancouver’s Downtown East-side, or online across Canada, their experi-ence is often united by profound personal and professional transformation. To celebrate their achievements as they graduate from the college, faculty and staff come together each year to recog-nize exceptional students across all programs and to nominate them for consideration as Stenberg’s Student of the Year. Now in its seventh year, the award goes to stu-dents who embody Stenberg’s mission to develop

caring graduates who benefit their professional and personal communities. “it’s not just about graduat-ing and getting a job,” says Stenberg President Jer-emy Sabell. “We really believe that people coming out of Stenberg can and do make significant and positive contributions to their community and to society as a whole.” With so many exceptional students graduating from Stenberg each year, the competition is stiff.

Just to be nominated for the award, students must maintain a minimum academic record of 80% and must have no more than seven absences during the course of their program. On top of that, they must consistently dis-play excellence as a student, professional, and community member; exceptional lead-ership skills; a positive, caring and proactive attitude; as well as a commitment to com-munity service and volunteerism. Choosing a “winner” is never an easy task. A six-member committee consisting

of Stenberg instructors and staff spent a rigorous, 10-hour day interviewing each of the 11 Student of the Year finalists from this year’s 28 nominations, narrowing their choices down to one Student of the Year award winner. The stakes are high as the win-ner receives a full tuition reimbursement of up to $20,000. The committee also chose four runners-up who were awarded between $1,000 and $3000 each this year. The committee’s choices are informed by interviews with student nominees and letters of rec-ommendation from instructors, practicum supervi-sors, employees, relatives, classmates, and friends.

A new career, a fresh perspective The 2012 Student of the Year award and a cheque for $20,000 was awarded to Cardiology Technolo-gist (CAT) graduate Fawzi Ahmad. Originally from Akko, israel, Ahmad, 30, moved to Canada in pur-suit of post-secondary educational opportunities af-ter sustaining an injury that ended his former career as a professional soccer player. He spent his first years in Canada living alone in a basement suite in Winnipeg, Manitoba, working long, lonely hours at a factory and teaching himself English by night. By the time he arrived at Stenberg, he felt desperate for a fresh start, but had trouble navigating Canada’s public post-secondary education system. Ahmad remembers the day when he met Sten-berg program advisor Jandy Sertic. He was shaking; Stenberg, he felt, was his last shot at education in Canada. Sertic was characteristically reassuring and welcomed him to the campus. She introduced him to Stenberg CAT instructor Ramon Estrella, who encouraged him to take the program. Having met

Student of the Year Finalists InspireGrads embody college commitment

to empower through education

Stenberg College Student of the Year

“It’s not just about graduating and getting a job. We really believe that people coming out of Stenberg can make significant and positive contributions to their community and to society as a whole.”

– Jeremy Sabell President, Stenberg College

Lisa Shaw, Jacquie Stene Murphy and Sarina Corsi present Maricar Smith with the 2009 Student of the Year Award and a cheque for $9,900 for the BC Cancer Foundation.

4 www.StenbergCollege.com SucceSS MAgAziNE

all the program pre-requisites, Ahmad was accepted into the CAT program that day. it was a transforma-tive, joyous moment after many months of hardship and self-doubt. Ahmad’s English language skills were still de-veloping when he started classes at Stenberg, but faculty members like instructor Steve Paras encour-aged him, providing emotional and academic sup-port that helped him exceed even his own expecta-tions. Soon enough, other students were asking him for help in studying for exams. He devised a study rubric that CAT instructor Ramon Estrella asked to use for his classes. “That was one of the proudest

moments i have had,” Ahmad says. By the time Ahmad finished classes in spring 2012 and was ready to graduate, he had earned the respect and admiration of his classmates and instructors. He was chosen Valedictorian for Sten-berg’s spring 2012 graduation and delivered a mov-ing speech that had students, faculty, and family members in tears. “When i showed my dad the speech, he cried,” Ahmad remembers. “My dad apologized because he couldn’t help me financially. i said ‘No, you don’t need to apologize. You raised me; life is about dignity, honour, and values. i learned them

from you.’” Ahmad now lives in Calgary, Alberta with his girlfriend and works full-time as a Cardiology Tech-nologist at Foothills Medical Centre, the largest hospital in Alberta. He was hired immediately upon beginning his Clinical Preceptorship there. Ahmad loves his job, and his employers think the world of him. “Fawzi is a pleasure to have on staff,” says Dave Namur, the manager of Cardio Diagnostics at Foothills.

Overcoming barriers, exceeding personal and professional expectations Three outstanding Stenberg graduates were awarded $1,000 each as second runners-up for the 2012 Student of the Year award. Manpreet Bains, a Hospital Support Specialist (HSS) program gradu-ate, was the first runner up and was awarded $3,000. She was the first person in her family to attend post-secondary education. The 31-year-old mother of a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter moved to Canada from india in 2007 and was working at a fast food franchise before her daughter was born. going in to the Stenberg program, she didn’t know how to type and was extremely concerned that she would not do well in school. But she came through the HSS program with flying colours, and now works at Van-couver general Hospital. “i love my job,” Bains says. “i like helping pa-tients. i like the environment. All my bosses are very nice, and so are my coworkers.” Comparing her new career to her former job, “it’s a new world,” she says. “i can see the changes. Be-fore, we didn’t have much money … Now we do.” The job, and the personal and academic barriers she overcame through her experience at Stenberg, is “a very big achievement for me.”

Rewarding new careers that don’t feel like work Three outstanding Stenberg graduates tied as second runners-up for the 2012 Student of the Year award. Jeff Lott, a Special Education Assistant (SEA) program graduate, was initially apprehensive about coming back to school after having not set foot inside a classroom for decades. “The most challenging experience was to walk through those doors and come back to school at 41 years old,” he says. But he was glad he did; he emerged as a well-loved leader in his SEA cohort, offering friendship, support, and a helping hand to his classmates. “i looked up to him as a brother while i was going through the SEA program, as he was always there for me,” says classmate Katie Chrysler. “He helped me during a very tough time. Jeff showed nothing but support and encourage-ment towards me.” Lott felt inspired to be part of a Stenberg com-

munity full of supportive, inspiring instructors and staff members. “it’s good people with good hearts. That’s what i found with every employee i came into contact with at the school,” he says. He now spends his days working as an SEA for the school district in Coquitlam, where he lives. He also works for private clients in North Vancouver and Surrey. Compared to the previous work he used to do in


“The most challenging experience was to walk through those doors and come back to school at 41 years old.”

– Jeff LottSpecial Education Assistant

“I think I had that car accident to show me I wasn’t being the person that I should be. I’m now the person that I should be … I feel good about myself for the first time in a long time.”

– Niki CrossNursing Unit Clerk

Student of the Year 2nd Runner-up, Jeff Lott, Special Education Assistant.

Student of the Year 2nd Runner-up and Valedictorian, Niki Cross, Nursing Unit Clerk.

SucceSS MAgAziNE www.StenbergCollege.com 5

construction, sales, and at grocery stores, Lott’s new career as an SEA is the actualization of the person he had always hoped to become. “i wake up in the morning and i’m excited about the day that’s ahead of me,” he says. “My job now is so much better than anything i’ve ever experienced in my life.” Fellow second runner-up Amrinder Sahota shares Lott’s sentiments about the bright new ca-reer that he has stepped into after graduating from Stenberg. Sahota, 24, graduated from the Commu-nity Support and Outreach Worker (CSOW) pro-gram in the spring, and is now working full-time with youth with special needs at Options Com-munity Services in Surrey. Compared to previous jobs as a nightclub bouncer and jail guard, Saho-ta’s new career “doesn’t feel like work,” he says. “You’re going to Science World, you’re going to the zoo. Every day, you’re going out with kids who are very interesting.” He was already working at Options before he even finished the CSOW program. “going into this field is the ideal position that i was looking for. it’s where i can use my skills as well as having a

management team that’s very supportive,” he says. A passionate learner, Sahota is already setting his sights on pursuing a diploma in Psychiatric Nursing from Stenberg. The experience of being a Stenberg student also ignited a lifelong love of learning in Niki Cross, also a Student of the Year second runner-up who graduated from the Nursing Unit Clerk (NUC) pro-gram. Cross, 36, never previously thought that she would go back to school. She has a learning dis-ability, dyslexia, and had left high school in grade 10 in order to get a job to support herself. “i didn’t think that i was somebody who could ever succeed at anything,” Cross says of her former self. She enrolled in classes at Stenberg after recov-ering from a horrible car accident that almost took her life. The accident left her unable to continue working at her former job at a casino. Despite un-derstandable apprehension about starting classes in an academically rigorous NUC program, Cross applied herself wholeheartedly and excelled, even while taking care of five children at home.

Cross is now working at the new BC Cancer Agency near her home in Abbotsford, and her fu-ture feels brighter than ever. She is even interested in eventually going back to Stenberg to take the Cardiology Technologist program. She was chosen Valedictorian for Stenberg’s fall 2012 graduation. “i think i had that car accident to show me i

wasn’t being the person that i should be. i’m now the person that i should be,” she says. “i feel good about myself for the first time in a long time.”

Balancing work and family Other Student of the Year finalists had similar experiences of transformation during their time as Stenberg students. Cardiology Technologist (Com-bined Delivery Format) program graduate Emily James had endured years of hospitalization due to illness and was working as a receptionist in a pet hospital before enrolling in the CAT program. The 30-year-old was interested in a career in healthcare following the birth of her first child, a now four-year-old son with autism spectrum disorder. Navi-gating the healthcare system with her son inspired her to pursue work in the field, but with a new baby daughter in her family, she knew she couldn’t attend classes in a traditional classroom setting. “i knew i couldn’t attend ‘normal’ school,” she says. The CAT program is offered online with an on-site lab and practicum component. For James, who lives in Okotoks, Alberta, the program was ideal for her. “This program has allowed people from all walks of life a chance to complete their education,” she says. She was offered five jobs before she gradu-ated. She now works part-time casual shifts as a Cardiology Technologist in Calgary, an ideal sched-ule that allows her to balance work and family. Her marks in the CAT program were consistently at the top of her class.

“I don’t have a job anymore: I have a career” Stenberg has an excellent and well-known repu-tation in the healthcare and human services industry for graduating the brightest and best new members in their professions. Students are often offered mul-tiple jobs before they even graduate. “i had three jobs before i graduated,” says Student of the Year finalist and Practical Nursing (PN) program gradu-ate Travis Pearson. “i knew what i wanted to do. Stenberg helped me do it.” Pearson, 31, fulfilled a lifelong dream of becom-ing a nurse after graduating from Stenberg. “i came to a private institution because … i didn’t want to wait anymore. i was 29 when i applied,” he says. Compared to other schools he considered for his nursing education, Stenberg stood out because he felt the most at home at the Surrey campus. “it was like, ‘this is where i want to be.’” Today, Pearson is working as a nurse at four hos-pitals across the Lower Mainland. He loves his job. “When i have patients leave the hospital and give me a hug, it makes me feel good,” he says. Of Sten-berg College, he says, “i would recommend any-body to attend. i don’t have a job anymore: i have a career.”


“I knew I couldn’t attend ‘normal’ school. The Cardiology Technologist program is offered online with an on-site lab and practicum component. This program has allowed people from all walks of life a chance to complete their education.”

– Emily James Cardiology Technologist

“I knew what I wanted to do. Stenberg helped me do it.”

– Travis Pearson Practical Nursing

Student of the Year Finalist, Emily James, Cardiology Technologist.

Student of the Year Finalist, Travis Pearson, LPN.


it’s a late-summer Tuesday afternoon, and the Central City plaza outside the main campus of Stenberg College has been transformed into an outdoor music venue.

Students, some still in scrubs from their early-morning classes at the health and human services career college, pack the space as a barbecue team helmed by Surrey Food Bank volunteers grills lunch. The Pompadoors, an award-winning Lang-ley rock band, plays a live set as Stenberg students, faculty, and staff joke and laugh together over hot dogs in the sunshine. “i’ve been in school here since April, and we’ve had four big events like this. it’s pretty exciting,” says Jessica, a student in Stenberg’s Special Edu-cation Assistant (SEA) program. “it’s what i really wanted when i came to college; i wanted that col-lege experience.” The lunchtime barbecue and rock concert is one of several Campus Life events hosted by Stenberg College throughout the school year.

it’s Stenberg’s way of telling students that their hard work is appreciated. For students, it’s a needed occasion to kick back, socialize, and have fun—for free—in the midst of an intensive course schedule. “They treat us really well here,” Jessica says. She appreciates the non-hierarchical nature of Sten-berg’s college environment. “it’s not people above us, people below us. We’re all here together, work-ing towards the same goals. i’ve made tons of good friends here.” Stenberg’s holistic approach to the student ex-perience is evident in its fulsome investment in de-livering the most competitive, up-to-date industry training available while also keeping a sharp eye on students’ well being and quality of life beyond the classroom. Campus Life events are a regular feature of a Stenberg’s students life. The events are designed to be inclusive, affordable (all events are free), com-pletely voluntary, and fun. Regular movie nights are held throughout the year, as are seasonal events like

Halloween celebrations, a chili cook-off, and Stu-dent Appreciation Days. Even though some Sten-berg programs are conducted at locations far from the main campus, offsite students are never left out. “We’re taken care of, 110 per cent,” says Troy, a student in the Community Mental Health and Ad-diction Worker (CMHAW) program, which con-ducts classes in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. “Today, they moved our class here [from the Down-town Eastside to Surrey] just so that we could be included.” For Troy, making time for fun is part of the self-care that he and his classmates study while train-ing for future work as mental health and addictions workers. Campus Life events also provide a wel-come opportunity to mix with students from other programs. “it’s a way of interacting with people from other classes,” says Pawan, a Nursing Unit Clerk (NUC) student of Campus Life events. “You can tell that the school really cares about the students.”

A Student Success Initiative

Taking Care of the Whole StudentAt Stenberg College, having fun is taken very seriously

The Pompadoors perform for Stenberg’s students and staff in the Central City Plaza.


Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - Winner

in just under a year of working in the Cardiac Sciences Diagnostic Department at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Fawzi Ahmad is a well-loved member of the health-

care team among both colleagues and patients. it’s easy to see why. The 30-year-old Cardiology Technologist possesses generous, big-hearted hu-mility and emotional maturity beyond his years. Around the hospital, he is often called upon to act as a translator for patients who don’t speak Eng-lish. Ahmad is fluent in English, german, Hebrew, and Arabic, and knows firsthand how challenging it can be to navigate the world outside one’s na-tive tongue. Ahmad was raised in Akko, israel, and played on a professional soccer team in Kassel, germany, before arriving in Canada in 2007. He spent almost three years working at a factory in Winnipeg, Manitoba to gain permanent residen-cy papers that would allow him to study in Canada. After painstakingly teaching himself English dur-ing lonely winter nights in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he moved to Surrey, BC to take Stenberg College’s Cardiology Technologist (CAT) program, graduat-ing in April 2012. The CAT program is one of the most academically challenging programs at the college. in spite of the fact that he was doing the program in a second language, Ahmad finished at the top of his class. He was also chosen Valedicto-rian of his graduating class, delivering a speech on behalf of all Stenberg students at the April convo-cation ceremony. it’s not like Ahmad to be forthcoming with in-formation about his achievements. “i don’t like to talk about myself,” he says. But he lives a life that deserves celebration. Beneath his gentle friendli-ness is a fiercely resilient spirit who throughout his young life has faced and overcome extraordinary challenges. Hardship is not evident in Ahmad’s friendly demeanor, but his deep understanding of persistence amidst profound personal struggle in-forms the commitment, compassion, and humanity he brings to his new career.

Field of dreams Ahmad was raised in Akko, israel, a community in northern israel, south of Lebanon. “in the Mid-dle East, it’s a life with conflicts between many

countries. i lived through wars in 2006, 2001, and even in the nineties,” Ahmad says. As a Palestinian in israel, he says, “i hate to use this word, racism but i lived with it every day.” Ahmad grew up with dreams of becoming a pro-fessional soccer player. He commuted by train for three hours for practices in the city. “The coaches

started noticing i was good,” he says, “but as a Palestinian in israel, it’s not easy to get some op-portunities.”

Unable to pursue his athletic ambitions in his home country, Ahmad moved to Kassel, germany, to play on a second-division team, a job he tackled with everything he had. “i had never planned for any other future than to play soccer,” he remem-bers. in the course of one day, all of Ahmad’s ambi-tions turned on their head. “We were practicing, doing sprints two days before a game and i pulled my hamstring. And then i felt a pain in my lower abdominal. i couldn’t even run,” he says. “The coach asked ‘Can you run for 10 metres?’ i tried but i couldn’t run, i couldn’t even walk.” At 25 years old, Ahmad knew then his soccer career was over. While an injury such as his would have utterly devastated someone else, Ahmad, ever a fighter, faced his new challenge head on. He moved to Canada with hopes of attending col-lege on the advice of a cousin who had lived in Montreal. “He said [Canada] was the best place to go to school,” Ahmad says. “But i never thought it would be so hard.”

Field of Dreams: How Fawzi Ahmad rebuilt his future

Ahmad grew up with dreams of becoming a professional soccer player and played on a second-division team in Germany. “I had never planned for any other future than to play soccer,” he remembers.

Fawzi Ahmad was a professional soccer player in Germany before injury ended his career.



A long road to Stenberg Ahmad packed his bags, bid farewell to his soccer career and his family, and arrived in Win-nipeg, Manitoba, in January 2007 with $1,450 to his name. He was unprepared for the unforgiving Canadian weather. “it was 28 degrees back home, and minus 47 in Winnipeg!” he remembers. From the basement suite where he lived alone, he woke up at 5:30 in the morning to commute 45 minutes by bus to a factory where he worked for two and a half years. The goal then, he said, was to obtain permanent residency papers so he could eventually go to school and work in Canada. His first years in the new country were lonely and difficult. “Everything was so intimidating. Even getting a coffee, i felt like i was getting it wrong. The language was so hard,” he remembers. Because he arrived in Canada as a visitor and not an immigrant, Ahmad did not qualify for free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, and he couldn’t afford to pay for them either. So he purchased English books and children’s cartoons and spent hour after hour teaching himself Eng-lish in his tiny basement suite during long winter nights after work at the factory.

“i remember walking to the bus stop at 5:30 in the morning and dreaming of the day i could get ahead,” Ahmad recalls of those lonely first months in Canada. He missed his family terribly. Thinking of his physiotherapist brother and his paramedic sister, he aspired to eventually work in healthcare, away from the factory and the isola-tion of his Winnipeg life. “i always wanted to work in a hospital,” he says. “When i started thinking about being a Cardiology Technologist, i learned of Stenberg and how great the college is.”

“When I needed help, they were there” On the recommendation of a friend, Ahmad ap-plied to Stenberg. Desperate for a better situation, he took a train to Vancouver, BC, and immediately went to the college. He remembers that first day when, shaking, he met Stenberg Program Advisor Jandy Sertic. Reassuring and warm, Sertic wel-comed him to the campus and introduced him to Stenberg CAT instructor Ramon Estrella, who en-couraged him to take the program. Having met all the program pre-requisites, Ahmad was accepted into the CAT program that day. “i couldn’t believe i was going to stay in Can-ada and go to school,” Ahmad recalls of that day. it was a joyous moment after many challenging years. Sertic and Estrella believed in him when he had lost hope in himself, and he’ll never forget the day he was accepted into school. Ahmad promptly moved to Surrey and started classes at Stenberg, where the path, at the begin-ning, was long and difficult. He was still struggling with English at the time, and was unused to the demanding school schedule. “All around me were

students who seemed so confident,” he says. But he could barely understand what the instructors said during the first week of the program. Steve Paras, one of the CAT instructors, assured him that he would succeed, extending his hand to help him in tutoring sessions, lending an ear and emotional support.

With Stenberg faculty standing behind him, Ahmad committed himself to the CAT program wholeheartedly. “i studied non-stop,” he says. He translated all his work from English to Arabic and back again. His hard work paid off. Eventually, classmates started approaching Ahmad to help them study. He even authored his own electrocardiogram study manual that he shared with his classmates. “This manual, due to its accuracy and comprehensive-ness, has been given to the current Cardiology Technologist class for ECg interpretation and has been implemented as [supplemental] course ma-terial for this program,” says classmate Mandi

In just under a year of working in the Cardiac Sciences Diagnostic Department at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Fawzi Ahmad is a well-loved member of the healthcare team among both colleagues and patients.

“To the Faculty and Staff at Stenberg College who gave us the hope that we were waiting for, thank you for giving each of us an opportunity to fulfill our dreams for a better life.” – Fawzi Ahmad’s Valedictorian speech, 2012

Stenberg Valedictorian Fawzi Ahmad receives congratulations from Jacquie Stene Murphy and Sarina Corsi.

Ahmad stands outside Foothills Medical Centre in Cal-gary where he works as a Cardiology Technologist.



Kilkus. CAT instructor Ramon Estrella asked Ahmad if he could use it to teach future students. “That was one of the proudest moments i have had,” Ahmad says. Ahmad’s leadership, optimism, and passion for learning inspired both his fellow classmates and the staff. He was chosen Valedictorian for the April 2012 graduation ceremony. “At first, i didn’t know what it was,” he laughs. He had not heard the word “valedictorian” before. “When i learned what it was, i was shocked, thinking about the time i spent studying English words in the basement all alone.” Ahmad delivered a beautiful valedictory speech at Stenberg’s spring graduation. His speech used his personal journey to Stenberg as a springboard to commemorate his fellow students for taking their futures into their own hands. His words—typical of Ahmad in their generosity and open-ness—moved faculty, students, and family mem-bers to tears: “To the Faculty and Staff at Stenberg College who gave us the hope that we were wait-ing for, thank you for giving each of us an oppor-tunity to fulfill our dreams for a better life … i’ll never forget the kindness shown from people like Jandy, Steve, Ramon, Linda, Cathy and so many others … Sometimes i think they believed in me before i even believed in myself. And along with calling them teachers and mentors, i’m proud to call many of them friends.” “When i showed my dad the speech, he cried,” Ahmad remembers. “My dad apologized for not being able to help me financially. i said ‘No, you don’t need to apologize. You raised me, and life is about dignity, honour, and values. i learned them from you.’” He carried his father’s teachings with him throughout his time at Stenberg. The faculty re-flected those qualities back to him in spades. “When i went to Stenberg College, the staff was awesome. When i needed help, they were there,” he says. “Fawzi is a pleasure to have on staff” Today, clad in a lab coat and interpreting elec-trocardiograms at Foothills, Ahmad’s past strug-gles are far behind him. But his experiences have left an indelible footprint. They inform his empa-thy, which radiates out to everyone around him. A passionate learner, Ahmad has landed a ca-reer in a workplace perfectly suited to his intellec-tual sensibilities. Foothills Medical Centre is the largest hospital in Alberta and a leading research institution, part of the pioneering Libin Cardiovas-cular institute. Leaders in cardiology converge at Foothills, and it’s no accident that Fawzi was hired immediately out of his cardiology practicum while still technically a student at Stenberg, first as a ca-sual employee, and soon after, full-time. “i have no doubt Fawzi has many great things ahead of him,” says Uthman Aluthman, a Cardiac

Surgery Resident at the Libin Cardiovascular in-stitute. “He is genuinely interested in cardiology and is always asking questions and starting con-versations with me about my work.” Aluthman remembers the day when Ahmad ap-proached him to ask if he could learn more about pacemaker implants. When Aluthman invited him to observe his work whenever he wished, Ahmad stayed two hours after his shift the very next day to learn from the Cardiac Surgery Resident. “This shows me that his time at Stenberg in-stilled a love of learning in him that he is carry-ing into his career,” Aluthman says. He adds that Fawzi’s work ethic and passion for cardiology is even further augmented by his extraordinary code of ethics and depth of character. “Fawzi is a genu-inely great person, who will always go out of his way to help or support anyone who needs it.” Other coworkers are quick to sing Ahmad’s prais-es, too. “Fawzi works on the same floor as me, and

i always notice that he does his work with a smile,” says Ra’ed Abu Hashish, a Registered Nurse at Foothills Medical Centre. “He has told me he finds it rewarding to make people feel better when they are feeling sick in the hospital, even if he only has a few minutes with them … Fawzi is generous and considerate of everyone around him.” it’s rare for someone to be hired on as a casual employee during their first week as a practicum student at Foothills. it’s even more rare to advance so quickly from a casual to full-time position. But considering Ahmad’s exceptional work ethic and dedication to his field, hiring him immediately seemed like a natural choice. “Fawzi has maintained an academic leadership role in taking the time to assist other students with their studies and questions,” says Dave Namur, the manager of Cardio Diagnostics at Foothills. “He has proven to be adaptable and flexible dur-ing the time he has spent with us, leading him to secure a full-time position within the Cardiac Sci-ences Diagnostic Department.” Namur, like others who meet Ahmad, is quick to note his compassion and attentiveness towards patients, taking time to explain procedures, making sure they understand. “Fawzi is a pleasure to have on staff,” Namur says.

A new lease on life Ahmad recently returned home to israel to visit his family after having been apart from them for two and a half years. Coming home as a new col-lege graduate and a working Cardiology Technolo-gist was a profound moment. “My family was so proud.” He remembers the words of his father during his dark first years in Canada. “When i was working in the factory, my dad told me, ‘Dreams are free. Just free your dreams.’” Ahmad did just that. His new life in Calgary is a happy and productive one, the stuff of dreams. He lives with his girlfriend, a teacher, and Foothills Medical Centre is only a 15-minute trip from his home. The lonely days of long winter bus rides to the factory are over. The road ahead is bright and promising. Future ambitions include upgrading his educa-tion with a one-year program on the echocardio-gram and eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Of his new job as a Cardiology Technologist, “it makes me feel proud that i’ve done something. i do it because i really want to help people,” Ahmad says. Thinking about his previous life in soccer, in israel, in germany, and Winnipeg, he commemo-rates a long journey in his typical understated fash-ion. “Sometimes,” he says, “life takes you places you don’t expect.”

He remembers the words of his father during his dark first years in Canada. “When I was working in the factory, my dad told me, ‘Dreams are free. Just free your dreams.’”

Fawzi Ahmad and his Supervisor, Gwen Koenig at Foot-hills Medical Centre in Calgary.


Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 1st Runner-up

At 7 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, most of us are just starting the day, coffee in hand, sleep in our eyes. While thou-sands of people pack the roadways into

the city on the way to work, Manpreet Bains goes against the grain, taking public transit in the oppo-site direction of morning rush-hour traffic from the heart of Vancouver to her home in Surrey and her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Prub Milen. if the little girl is still sleeping, Bains will crawl into bed beside her to sneak a few precious moments of sleep before the child wakes up, eager to play, which Bains will gladly do. The recent Stenberg College graduate works night shifts as a Registra-tion Clerk in the Emergency Ward at Vancouver

general Hospital so that she can spend time with her daughter during the day. “i don’t want to miss out on her moments,” Bains explains. Her affection and deep love for her child is obvious. “i like taking photos and videos of her and

taking her out to parks.” Bains sleeps while the young child naps in the afternoons. After her husband returns home from work, he drives Bains back to the hospital, where her night shift begins at 11 p.m. Despite the late-night hours and the long commute into the city, Bains feels like she’s exactly where she wants to be. “i love my job,” she says. “i like helping patients. i like the environment. All my bosses are very nice, and so are my coworkers.” Her supervisor, Devinder Bains (no relation), has nothing but praise for her work in the hospi-tal. “Manpreet is an outstanding employee who is cheerful, calm, and dependable,” she says. “She is attentive to tasks and works hard to achieve the

Dreams Do Come True Manpreet Bains rises to the challenge of

a new career

Bains’ graduation from Stenberg and her new job at Vancouver General Hospital proved something to her family and also to herself: that she can achieve the stuff of her dreams.

Manpreet Bains, Stenberg College HSS grad, is a Registration Clerk in Vancouver General Hospital’s Emergency Ward.


goals of the department. She is an extremely posi-tive employee. Manpreet is an invaluable asset to our department.” it’s easy to see why employers and coworkers adore her. Bains’ optimism and kind heart radiates out to the people around her. Her sense of humour and reassuring smile immediately puts a person at ease. But as much as she loves her career now, her job at the hospital is not the future she imagined for herself after immigrating to Canada from india seven years ago. Shortly after arriving in Canada, Bains took a job at a fast food franchise working for minimum wage. She was reserved, unsure of her abilities, and ex-pected little from her working life in Canada. She says she worked “crazy hours,” days and nights, sometimes 10 to 12 hours at a time. The hours were often well beyond the eight hours for which she was paid. The shifts, she remembers, were chaotic, the work demanding and thankless. She eventually be-came a manager, which came with a pay raise. But after Bains returned to her job from maternity leave, her hourly wage was unexpectedly reduced to mini-mum wage. it was a blow to both her confidence and to her family income. Under Bains’ gentle manner lies an inspired re-silience. She did not accept that her minimum wage job was the end of the road for her. “During my stu-dent life in india, i was outstanding in my school. The best debater,” she recalls. Her father encour-aged her to challenge herself intellectually and work towards a better future.

Eager to re-connect with parts of herself that had been lost in her previous employment, Bains en-rolled in classes at Stenberg College in the Hospital Support Specialist (HSS) program on the advice of a friend. So began a journey that would not only turn her life around, but also empower her with con-fidence and knowledge that resurrected her bright, feisty spirit. From shaky beginnings, the road lit up Bains was apprehensive when she arrived at Stenberg to begin classes in the HSS program. She remembers how she felt during her first days at the college. “i was so nervous. i had no idea i could make it all the way.” But with a diligent and per-severing approach, she tackled her studies whole-heartedly. “i used to study at least four hours a day after class,” she says. After she put her daughter to

bed, she would wake up at 12:30 a.m. to study until 3:30 or 4:30 a.m. Later in the day, she would prac-tice typing while her daughter napped. Her husband, who she calls “a total sweetheart,” was extremely supportive of her time in the pro-gram. “He wanted me to be happy,” she says. “i used to have some negative thoughts and worry, ‘What if i fail?’ Or, ‘What if i’m not good enough and i don’t get hired?’ He believed in me and said, ‘i’m here for you. Whatever makes you happy, you go for it.’”

A trailblazer in her family Bains flourished in the Stenberg HSS program and graduated with flying colours. Her current job at Vancouver general Hospital sees her working on a temporary line, four days a week, but she is constantly called in to cover addi-tional shifts and works five- or six-day weeks. “it’s a new world,” she says of her current work, compar-ing it with her former job. “i can see the changes. Before, we didn’t have much money … Now we do.” Her career, she says, is “a very big achievement for me.” Bains has blazed a new trail in her family, inspir-ing relatives to challenge themselves with a new educational path. Two of her sisters-in-law are now attending classes at Stenberg, one in the HSS pro-gram and one in the Medical Lab Assistant (MLA) program. “They’re really inspired,” Bains says. Her graduation from Stenberg and her new job at

Vancouver general Hospital proved something to her family and also to herself: that she can achieve the stuff of her dreams. “i thought all the hospital jobs were taken and that there was no room for any new people,” she says of her early notions of her capabilities and what she assumed was a hostile job market. “But Stenberg made me feel that yes, i can do it.” She smiles when she looks at her life now. “it’s like a dream come true.”

Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 1st Runner-up

“I do

“I love my job. I like helping patients. I like the environment … All my bosses are very nice, and so are my coworkers.”

– Manpreet Bains Hospital Support Specialist

Manpreet, her husband Gurjeet and their daughter Prub Milen.


Stenberg College Student of the Year Award - 2nd Runner-up (tie)

Niki Cross is the kind of person who lights up a room. Her smile hints at the radiant quality of her gentle con-fidence that immediately puts a person

at ease. in the fast-paced, often chaotic world of the BC Cancer Agency in Abbotsford where she works as a Nursing Unit Clerk, Cross’ compas-sionate, salt-of-the-earth level-headedness is a welcome oasis for the patients and families who walk through the doors. The 36-year-old has been working at the Ab-botsford agency full-time since graduating from the Stenberg College Nursing Unit Clerk (NUC) program in spring 2012, and she’s already courting other offers to work elsewhere in Abbotsford for the Fraser Health Authority. The work is demanding,

but NUCs like Cross are in high demand—in just a few minutes of meeting her, it’s easy to see why. Nursing unit clerks are often the first people pa-tients see when they arrive at the Cancer Agency, and they are also their primary liaisons between doctors and other care providers. Among other du-ties, Nursing Unit Clerks work with doctors and pa-tients to schedule appointments, prepare charts, and book laboratory work. They play a crucial role as members of a hospital’s healthcare team. A NUC’s precision, attention to detail, and grace under fire forms the foundation of daily life in a hospital. “in the cancer agency, your life can change in an instant,” Cross says. “i talk to people on the phone, and they’re like, ‘i’m sorry, i’m having a bad day,’ and they’re bawling. Your heart goes out to those

Strength in the Face of Adversity Niki Cross didn’t back down

“I feel like a totally different person. I’ve become a better mom. I’m a better person. I think I had that accident to show me I wasn’t being the person that I should be. So I’m now the person that I should be. I feel good about myself for the first time in a long time.”

– Niki CrossNursing Unit Clerk


people. You can sure feel the emotions that people have.” Walking with people through their experiences at the Cancer Agency is one of the most illuminating and rewarding aspects of the job, she says. She likes to bring out the beauty in people, even in their most profound moments of suffering and hardship. She has, after all, experienced firsthand what it’s like to have her life change in seconds.

A life-altering accident it was not long ago that Cross’ own life changed irrevocably and all at once. The then-31-year-old mother of three was driving down a Langley high-way in June 2007 when a drunk driver slammed into her car, destroying the vehicle and breaking Cross’ back. “in my 26 years’ experience as an emergency responder, and based on the condition of Niki’s extremely damaged vehicle, i was amazed that she was alive and had prepared myself for what i might expect upon arrival to the hospital,” says Bruce Ferguson, Assistant Fire Chief of Operations in the Township of Langley Fire Department. Ferguson was on shift that day, but not a first responder on the scene. When he learned the accident victim was the daughter of a close family friend, he rushed to Royal Columbian Hospital, preparing for the worst. “When i arrived at [the hospital], Niki was con-scious, but was experiencing extreme pain. i knew at that point that as a mother of three children at that time, she would face many challenges to overcome during her recovery period if, in fact, she could fully recover.” Neurological specialists told her that she would likely never recover from short-term memory loss as a result of the accident. The loss, they said, would impair her ability to learn and retain new informa-tion. But Cross felt she needed to demonstrate to her children how to pick yourself up when life knocks you down. “Our life changed completely since that acci-dent,” she says. “But i just had to show my kids. i always tell them, no matter what life gives you, you’ve got to kick back.” On top of her own injuries that prohibited her from returning to her 12-year job at a casino, Cross’ husband was diagnosed with a chronic lung disease during her recovery. Unable to work, he went on permanent disability. Cross, still reeling from her injuries, knew she needed to begin a new career.

Stenberg started her on a new path On the advice of a friend, Cross nervously ap-proached Stenberg College to enroll in the NUC program. Her apprehension was well founded; on top of memory loss from the accident, she had struggled with a learning disability, dyslexia, since she was a child. “i didn’t ever think that i was somebody who could ever succeed at anything,” Cross says. “Any-thing i ever started before, i quit.” She had left high

school in the middle of grade 10 in order to work to support herself. Shortly after she became of legal age, Cross took a job at a casino, where she worked for 12 years until the car accident. it was a daunting prospect to begin school again, especially the NUC program, which requires exten-sive memorization and correct spelling of medical

terms. When Cross started classes at Stenberg, she had also had two new additions to her family: twins Kensie and Karson, who had just turned one. The barriers were huge, but Cross didn’t back down. “She was absolutely determined from the get-go,” says Jandy Sertic, Stenberg College Pro-gram Advisor. “i often saw her in class with [NUC instructor Wendy Scott] well after the other students had left for the day. On top of this, while she was in school, her husband was on disability, which left the care of their five children to Niki alone.” On school days, Cross would leave her Abbots-ford home at 6:45 a.m., driving 45 minutes to the Stenberg Surrey campus. Her two oldest children would walk to school themselves, and a friend of hers would accompany her young son. After classes were over at Stenberg, Cross would drive home in time to meet her children at the end of the school day to walk them home. “She would play with us, then when seven

o’clock came, she would study for hours and hours on end or do homework,” remembers 13-year-old Paige, Cross’ oldest daughter. “She would come to my volleyball games and flip flash cards while the game was going on. My mom went through a lot with us going to school, her going to school, and having two one-year-olds. She is an amazing mom!”

“I feel like a totally different person” Cross’ new life at school influenced her own chil-dren’s approach to education. The family would of-ten do homework together, and during Cross’ year at Stenberg, her children made perfect attendance at school for the first time. NUC classmates at Stenberg felt her resilience and inspirational work ethic, too. “i started to struggle with keeping up and staying focused,” says NUC classmate Tabitha Harris. “Niki was there to give me encouragement, positive feed-back, and guidance. i feel i was blessed to spend time with her.” Cross encouraged other students who struggled, sharing her study resources and flash cards to help them succeed. She got a kick out of fully experi-encing student life at Stenberg, from study sessions with classmates to dressing up for Halloween and getting excited about graduation. “i felt like i was back in high school, doing all the things i missed,” she says. Today, Cross carries with her a new love of learn-ing and a renewed zest for life. She has future am-bitions to take Stenberg’s Cardiology Technologist (CAT) program, and she was chosen Valedictorian for Stenberg’s September 2012 graduation. “i feel like a totally different person. i’ve become a better mom. i’m a better person,” she says. “i think i had that accident to show me i wasn’t being the person that i should be. So i’m now the person that i should be. i feel good about myself for the first time in a long time.”


Niki, her husband and their five children studying together.

Niki Cross’ life was forever changed in 2007 when a drunk driver slammed into her car, destroying Cross’ vehicle (above) and breaking her back.


Jeff Lott finished classes in Stenberg College’s Special Education Assistant (SEA) program in spring 2012. Only a few months after completing the program, the 42-year-old has

worked several jobs as an SEA. When we catch up at the end of August, he’s wrapping up a summer program with an 18-year-old boy with autism. As the new school year begins, he’ll start to work as an on-call SEA for elementary, middle, and secondary

schools in School District 43 in Coquitlam, where he lives. He will also continue two private contracts in North Vancouver and Surrey to round out his schedule. Working with young people with special needs is a far cry from Lott’s eclectic previous work history. “i’d done things like construction and working in grocery stores and sales, all that kind of stuff. i was a jack of all trades and a master of none,” he says as

he thinks about his former self, chuckling. These days, Lott’s work as an SEA is something he looks forward to every day. “it doesn’t even feel like work. it just feels like i’m doing what i’m meant to do,” he says. “Before, when i was working, it was work. i’d struggle with getting out of bed: ‘Do i re-ally want to go and do this today?’ Now, there are no second thoughts. i wake up in the morning and i’m excited about the day that’s ahead of me.”

“If you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life”

Jeff Lott’s rewarding new career as an SEA



Lott’s days now consist of working one-to-one with young people with special needs in classrooms or private settings, helping them work through bar-riers in communication or learning, providing them with tools to improve their life skills. The work isn’t always easy. But it’s not difficult to see how Lott would excel as an SEA. A straight shooter with a big heart and an easy laugh, he has knack for relating to another person’s struggle and extending his hand to walk through it with them. He has, after all, experienced his own share of heart-break and pain. “My own life experiences have humbled me a lot,” he says. “They’ve helped mould me into being a person who’s a lot more compassionate, a lot more empathetic, caring, and patient as well.”

“All I wanted to do was isolate and be by myself” Lott is no stranger to how time heals, and how pa-tience can be cultivated in the times of greatest dif-ficulty. He endured numerous ups and downs, both personal and professional, throughout his twen-ties and early thirties. “i was extremely immature; i didn’t want to grow up,” he recalls of the young man he used to be. “i didn’t plan for the future. i lived for the moment.” growing up on the Okanagan, Lott finished high school with average grades. He had planned on pur-suing post-secondary education but was sidelined with what felt like more pressing ventures. “i found other things to be more important to me in my life at the time: girls and fancy items for my car.” Eventually, two major and traumatizing relation-ship breakdowns set Lott down a dark road, spiral-ing him into a deep depression that he battled for years. “All i wanted to do was isolate and be by my-self.” He separated himself from once-close friends and family. “Jeff lost his self-confidence and his will to succeed,” recalls his mother, Helen Lott. “There is nothing more painful as a mother than to see your child lose their self-confidence, their drive to achieve their goals, and their belief in their ability to do so.” After years of work on himself backed by a sup-portive network of family, friends, and healthcare

professionals, Lott pulled himself out of despair. “With help,” he says, “i was able to come back to society.” Looking back at his personal journey, Lott thinks of the at-risk youth he started working with at group homes after moving to the Lower Mainland. Lott observed how his clients, like his former self, were in a place of pain. With help from workers like Lott and his colleagues, he saw how they could return to a productive place in society, just as he did. Lott, inspired by the transformation he saw in his clients on a daily basis, sensed a new path opening for him. “From there, i knew i needed to be working not only with children who need help, but children with special needs,” he says. A new chapter of his life began through his enrollment at Stenberg College.

“Good people with good hearts:” Stenberg “The most challenging experience,” Lott says of his time at Stenberg, was “to walk through those doors and come back to school at 41 years old.” it had been decades since he had set foot in a class-room. But program advisor Jandy Sertic assured him he could do it, and succeed. Other Stenberg staff members were similarly encouraging. “Our instructor, Lisa Shaw, completely modeled to us what it is to be a true professional,” he says. “it’s good people with good hearts. That’s what i found with every employee i came into contact with at Stenberg.” SEA instructor Lisa Shaw does not hold back in her praise for Lott as a student. “Jeff demonstrated a high level of skill when working in a classroom. Jeff was noticed immediately by all the school staff, some of whom are experts in the field with special-ized training and many years of experience,” she says. “Jeff’s practicum was a resounding success

and an excellent example of what a Stenberg Col-lege SEA student is capable of. He was hired im-mediately out of practicum.” Lott’s classmates, like others who cross paths with him in their lives, were similarly inspired by his generosity of spirit and deep compassion for people around him. “i looked up to him as a brother while i was going through the SEA program; he was always there for me,” says classmate Katie Chrysler. “He helped me during a very tough time, while i was dealing with the illness and eventual death of my grandmother. Jeff showed nothing but support and encourage-ment towards me.”

A new passion, a new path Today, Lott’s passion for helping others expands to all aspects of his life. He is an active fundraiser for Spinal Cord injury BC, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, and Autism Speaks Canada in support of friends and family members touched by injury, disease, or autism. He loves and is adored by his family, and he is excited about the upcoming six-year anniversary of his relationship with his girlfriend, Stephanie Fahl-ke, who he calls “the most beautiful woman in the world.” The two now share a home in Coquitlam. “i commend Jeff for overcoming a rational fear of going back to school at this stage in his life,” Fahlke says. “it has taught me that all things are possible, and it is never too late to go back to school.” Deep into his new career, Lott thinks often of his late father. “He told me, ‘if you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,’” he says. “if he could see me right now, he would be very proud of me. My job now is so much better than anything i’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Lott thinks often of his late father. “He told me, ‘If you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,’ If he could see me right now, he would be very proud of me … My job now is so much better than anything I’ve ever experienced in my life.”




At 24, Amrinder Sahota is not a great deal older than some of the eldest teens he works with as a Community Sup-port and Outreach Worker at Options

Community Services in Surrey, but he possesses a deep maturity beyond his years. Empathetic, intui-tive, and bright, he is the kind of person who would buy lunch for a classmate at Stenberg College if he sensed she was having a bad day, making no big deal of his generosity. He would even extend his hand in helping classmates find housing during their time in the program,. These days, when he’s work-ing with groups of young people through his job at Options, he’s quick to identify the complex needs of individuals he works with every week. Sahota’s clients range in age from three to 18. They are affected by autism or other developmental disabilities. “it’s a huge spectrum of kids,” Sahota says. His job as a Community Support and Outreach Worker is to facilitate group outings in addition to one-to-one work with individuals. The goal, he says, is to help build life skills through community exploration and by developing social and communi-cation skills. Workers like Sahota collaborate with other professionals and clients to create individu-alized person-centred plans for clients, reporting progress to the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

“It doesn’t feel like work” The work can be emotionally and even physical-ly demanding, but Sahota loves his job. “it doesn’t feel like work,” he says. “You’re going to Science World, you’re going to the zoo. Every day, you’re going out with kids who are very interesting.” He started working at Options in January 2012 while he was still a student at Stenberg. He finished the CSOW program in spring 2012. “This is the ideal position that i was looking for. it’s where i can use my skills as well as having a management team that’s very supportive,” he says. For her part, Options assistant manager Lori La-Croix says Sahota has been an exceptional addition to the Options team. “He has been extremely sup-portive to both his clients as well as his coworkers,” she says. “He has been able to take on a variety of clients—some with very high needs. Am has treated clients with dignity and respect. He has also been

able to manage some challenging behaviours and has tried a variety of strategies in order to help cli-ents through difficult times.” Stenberg College practicum monitor Michelle Kotowski has similarly glowing praise for Sahota’s work. “His approach with people is one that’s inter-ested but gentle. He is never in your face and knows when listening is all that’s needed,” Kotowski says. “As a service provider, i would be honoured to have Amrinder as a part of my team, knowing he has great compassion and desire to make the world a better place.”

connecting with people who others could not Sahota stood out in his eight-person CSOW class as both the only male and the youngest member of the class, reflecting a general industry trend towards more females than males working as Community Support and Outreach Workers. An elite athlete who has also formerly worked as a nightclub bouncer and as a jail guard at a correctional institute, Sahota brings unique life experiences and energy to his work. He shares his love of athletics with his cli-ents, and it’s easy to see how he would be a positive role model for the male teens with whom he works, especially individuals who have had previous dif-ficulties connecting with other workers. He recalls one of his first meetings with an 18-year-old male client who had a history of hard-ship with other workers. “The client said, ‘it’s going to be a rough night for you. These doors are very secure,’” Sahota remembers. Unwilling to let such a warning phase him, Sahota spoke directly with the client, and was able to personally and positively connect with him when other workers could not.

They talked about the client’s interest in motorcy-cles, and soon enough, Sahota was broadening the young man’s horizons, bringing him indian food to taste and enjoy. Sahota’s unique ability to connect with people of all stripes stems in part from his team experiences as an athlete. Before embarking on coursework in the CSOW program at Stenberg, Sahota had dedi-cated himself to Olympic weightlifting, wrestling, and playing soccer on national select teams. He eventually injured his knees and was unable to con-tinue performing as he had before the injury. Now, as a Community Support and Outreach Worker, he brings a long personal tradition of commitment, goal setting, and collaboration to his new career. “i’ve never had a job that i could say was better than what i’m doing now,” he says. The work, he says, is exceptionally rewarding. He has future am-bitions to work with youth involved with gangs and drugs. “i grew up in Victoria, a very close-knit com-munity. So you’d always see someone who would venture down the wrong path and there were some cases where it was someone close to me, and the outcome was never good. i’ve seen guys who were top athletes. Now they’re serving life sentences in jail,” he says. “What i’d like to do is try to get into something where it’s helping kids who are experi-encing difficulties, showing kids that there are other options.” Sahota has already proved himself to be a success as a new Community Support and Outreach Work-er, having secured employment before he had even graduated from Stenberg. People in his life have taken his lead by pursuing a new career through Stenberg; Sahota’s girlfriend and her friend are current students in the Community Mental Health and Addictions Worker (CMHAW) program. A pas-sionate student always open to learning, Sahota is already setting his sights on taking Stenberg’s Psy-chiatric Nursing program down the road. He still keeps in touch with his CSOW class-mates, which he refers to as a family. “We all became friends,” he says. He has fond memories of his time in the Stenberg program, and carries it with him in his current work, which he enjoys wholeheartedly. “Every day, i’m learning something new,” he says. “You’re making a difference in someone’s life, and that’s rewarding.”

“Making a difference in someone’s life”

Amrinder Sahota is a role model in his new career

“What I’d like to do is try to get into something where it’s helping kids who are experiencing difficulties, showing kids that there are other options.”

– Amrinder SahotaCommunity Support &

Outreach Worker


English as a Second Language Program

Atsuko Ueda has always loved working with children. After having two chil-dren of her own, she opened a small Japanese library in Vancouver to lend

out Japanese children’s books, provide story time for young children in Japanese, and teach the Japa-nese language. She enjoyed the work, but she was interested in expanding her professional horizons. “i wanted to operate a Japanese preschool and daycare centre in the future,” she explains. “So i decided to obtain my Early Childhood Educator Certificate.” Ueda enrolled in the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) program at Stenberg College in 2011 and

graduated this spring. As of September 2012, she starts work at a daycare centre, gaining the experi-ence to eventually open her own Japanese language preschool and daycare. She says the ECE program was intense, but she appreciated the supportive en-vironment at Stenberg and standout instructors like ECE instructor Pat Bates. “Pat encouraged me, so thanks to her, i kept my motivation,” Ueda says. Originally from Japan and a native Japanese speaker, Ueda is one of many Stenberg students whose first language is not English. She made use of Stenberg’s free English as a Second Language (ESL) services to supplement her studies. She was

Empowering Students with the Language of Life

Stenberg’s unique ESL program builds confidence

“It’s about learning about their families, learning about the challenges they’ve had as an immigrant, and the goals and dreams and desires that they have for the future.”

– Lisa Seminoff ESL Instructor

ESL Instructor, Lisa Seminoff, builds a unique community of support in the classroom, acknowledging and celebrating her student’s accomplishments.



an exceptional student, and Stenberg commemorat-ed her achievements by naming her ESL Student of the Year for 2012 and presenting her with a cheque for $1,000. Stenberg’s ESL program embodies the college’s mission to empower students through education by equipping them with the tools to navigate both work and life – the two after all, go hand in hand. The ESL program is free to students intent on enrolling in a Stenberg program and students can stay in the

progam for as long as is necessary. The supportive, community-minded learning environment often serves as a home base that has a stabilizing and mo-tivating effect on its students. “i believe in supporting the whole individual. i think it goes beyond ESL,” says Stenberg ESL in-structor Lisa Seminoff. “it’s about learning about their families, learning about the challenges they’ve had as an immigrant, and the goals and dreams and desires that they have for the future.” “We want people to know that there is a way,” says Stenberg College President Jeremy Sabell. “There is an opportunity, a pathway for people whose English hasn’t had time to evolve yet to the point where it’s at the required level for employ-ment in a Canadian setting.” Stenberg opens the doors for people from all walks of life to learn, and the students’ commitment, in turn, is rewarded with success at the college and gainful employment in their field of study. As a Teacher Trainer with a psychology back-ground, Semenoff’s approach to ESL is rooted in building community and trust with her students. “i think a lot of the [conventional] ESL programs are just dealing with the grammatical and reading and writing,” Semenoff says. “They’re not actu-ally looking at the individual as a whole person and what the challenges are that the person needs to overcome before they can successfully move forward. We do that right from the beginning at Stenberg.” Semenoff focuses on giving students the tools to make a successful transition into Canadian society. Her classes equip students with empowering skills to help them advocate for themselves, to clarify information, to ask questions with confidence, and to deliver information clearly and accurately. The main goal, she says, is to help students improve their self-confidence in using the English language such that they can readily apply it to real-life situ-

ations. Her lessons and the unique community of support she builds in the classroom goes far beyond textbook grammar drills, acknowledging and cel-ebrating the accomplishments of the students who take ESL classes at Stenberg. “A lot of these students have amazing back-grounds—doctors, nurses, they have medical back-grounds already,” Semenoff says. “The barrier they find is not only language, but also acceptance into our culture—understanding what the dynamics of our culture are, understanding some of the nuances that are part of the healthcare industry and that are part of the education industry.”

Semenoff’s ESL instruction is bolstered by Sten-berg instructor Steve Paras’ one-to-one study skills and tutorial workshops, where he works individu-ally with students to build tools for improving their language ability. He will offer tips like using body

language and facial expressions to augment com-munication. Paras, like Semenoff, is committed to empowering students to improve their language skills as well as their self-confidence, which often presents a significant barrier to communicating with clarity in any language. Paras’ relatively brief appointments with students cover a lot of ground. “i’ll say, ‘i’ll give you the three most important tools to overcome this weak-ness. Within half an hour to an hour, they have enough where they say, ‘Wow, i’m okay. i know what to do.’ Rather than feeling insecure because of my weakness, they are able to overcome it,” he explains. “instantly, they come back to the class and rather than feeling defeated, the instructor sees them engaged. Somehow, i’ve got them jumpstarted. i’ve been able to give them something they didn’t have

“We want people to know that there is … an opportunity, a pathway for people whose English hasn’t had time to evolve yet to the point where it’s at the required level for employment in a Canadian setting.”

– Jeremy Sabell President, Stenberg College

“A lot of the [conventional] ESL programs are just dealing with the grammatical and reading and writing,” Semenoff says. “They’re not actually looking at the individual as a whole person.”

Atsuko Ueda studies in the Fleetwood Library. Ueda graduated from the Early Childhood Education program in summer 2012 and was named ESL Student of the Year.

Jasbir Rai was a family physician for 17 years and a nursing instructor for 2 years in his native India. Rai graduated from the Practical Nursing program in 2011 and received that year’s ESL award.



which will help make them successful.” Like many newcomers to Canada, Stenberg ESL students often have professional credentials in their home country that they have difficulty applying to working life in their new surroundings. Practical Nursing (PN) program graduate Jasbir Rai was a family physician in india before he moved to Can-ada with his wife in 2009, in search of better edu-cational opportunities for their two children. Back home, Rai had worked as a doctor for 17 years and a nursing instructor for two. His wife was a school-teacher in social sciences. But like new Canadians whose native tongue isn’t English, Rai and his family struggled to suc-ceed in their new home. Rai spent his first years in Canada working as a security guard in downtown Vancouver. The new life he was hoping for just wasn’t panning out, due in large part to the signifi-cant language barriers he faced every day. When Rai arrived at Stenberg to enroll in the PN program in 2010, his confidence in himself was at an all-time low. But he was intent on obtaining an education to return to work in the healthcare field that he loved back in india. When he first met Steve Paras at Stenberg, Rai’s language skills prohibited him from entry into the program. But Rai shared his hopes and experiences with Paras, who was moved by Rai’s strength of character. “What i discovered was a man who had integrity, who was a people person, who was full of heart. And he needed this opportunity,” Paras says. The instructor so believed in Rai’s abilities that he per-sonally put his career on the line to admit Rai into the Practical Nursing program on the condition that he enter Stenberg’s ESL program and work hard at improving his language proficiency. Rai rose to the occasion and dedicated himself completely to the ESL classes and the Practical Nursing program.

“Words cannot express how grateful i am to have Steve as my instructor,” Rai says. “He refused to register me in the PN course on account of my not being a perfect communicator in English. His deci-sion jolted me and at the same moment, i promised him that i would leave no stone unturned to master all of those weaknesses.” Rai praises ESL instructor Lisa Semenoff for re-invigorating the belief in himself and his own abili-ties that Rai and students like him had lost since ar-riving in Canada. “Lisa Semenoff encouraged me to build up a self-confidence that i was lacking due to mal-adjustment in the new culture,” Rai says. “in fact, the language barrier was not as big an issue for me as the loss of self-confidence.” Rai graduated from the PN program in 2011 and received that year’s ESL Student of the Year award. He continues to work in the field today. Rai’s jour-ney at Stenberg College embodies the intent of its ESL program, and the college as a whole: to em-power students through education in order to live as their best selves and contribute positively to society. “Doctors, health practitioners, nurses and people who are trained in the health industry in their own country deserve the chance to make it in Canadian society,” Semenoff says. “Here at Stenberg, we allow that to happen. That’s what makes us different compared to other colleges. We care, we want them to be successful, and they deserve that opportunity. We see great

things happen with them. My reward is seeing stu-dents progress. Not only in their language, but as individuals, and as individuals who can make the successful transition into Canadian society.” “Hard work is the key to success, no matter how weak you are at English, no matter your lack of self-confidence,” Rai says. Stenberg’s ESL program gives a new lease on life to students like Rai. His advice to prospective Stenberg students in his shoes mimics his Stenberg instructor’s guiding principles: believe in yourself and work hard.

Semenoff’s ESL instruction is bolstered by Stenberg instructor Steve Paras’ one-to-one study skills and tutorial workshops. Paras, like Semenoff, is committed to empowering students to improve their language skills as well as their self-confidence, which often presents a significant barrier to communicating with clarity in any language.

In as little as one hour, instructor Steve Paras can “jumpstart” a student’s learning by giving them important tools to overcome their weaknesses.

Seminoff focuses on giving students the tools to make a successful transition into Canadian society.


Student of the Year2010 - 2011

12 Stenberg College SucceSS MAgAziNE

Student of the Year2010 - 2011

The Student of the Year Award is full reimbursement of one student’s tuition, a value of anywhere from $7000 to a maxi-mum of $20,000*! We encourage every instructor and staff member to nominate the student that they feel is deserving of this honour.

The Student of the Year Award is presented to the student who best embodies Stenberg College’s values of excellence, caring and community spirit. In addition to a minimum academic record of 80% and an attendance record of no more than seven absences, we are looking for the student who best exemplifies the following attributes:

• Excellence – as a student, a professional, and a person

• Leadership and responsibility• Positive, caring & proactive attitude• Community service & volunteerism

(both within and outside the classroom)• Campus spirit

Who is eligible for nomination:All students in good standing who attended class after Sep-tember 21, 2012 and have or will graduate by the September 2013 grad are eligible.

There is no limit on how many students can be nominated per instructor/staff member.

Nomination forms are available from reception.

*Students who received ELMS/WCB funding or other scholarships, grants and/or bursaries will be eligible for nomination. If they win, the tuition reimbursement will go to a recognized charity of their choice.

604-580-2772 • www.stenbergcollege.com

Calling for Nominations …

2013 Student of the Year

www.stenbergcollege.com

Some people dream of SucceSS, oTherS make iT happen.

success magazine 2012 - 2013

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