We’re so proud of the nearly 2,400 people who earned the privilege of walking across the stage at the university’s Spring Convocation ceremonies on June 18, 19 and 20 at the Winspear Centre, including more than 300 from the Faculty of Nursing.

Here, future nurses look back on their time at MacEwan, and toward their bright futures.

SHELBY BRENNAN
Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Growing up I was uncomfortable around the human body. I felt nauseous and scared any time I got a needle. I ended up having to get blood work frequently when I was a young adult and that exposure helped me overcome my fear of needles. When I looked into programs in the medical field, I found that nursing was the best fit for my lifestyle as I like to interact with people, don’t want to sit at a desk all day and want the freedom to move from city to rural. 

My instructors at MacEwan were incredible! There’s no way you can learn everything about nursing in school. They helped us build up our confidence to ask questions and work through situations where we were scared or uncomfortable. Esther Houghland has been an incredible part of my nursing journey, always going above and beyond, including holding extra study practice for all students – not just those in her class.

Next, I’ll be writing my National Council Licensure Examination to become a registered nurse. After that, I hope to continue my studies and get my master’s. I would like to work in new areas and learn as much as I can. I have my heart set on the Intensive Care Unit as it will allow me to learn and grow as a nurse and as a person.

NICOLE DE GUZMAN
Bachelor of Science in Nursing

My mom and sister are both nurses and my biggest role models. When a family member was sick, they always knew how to care for them. I wanted to do the same – to be able to take care of my patients the way my mom and sister took care of our family. Being in the hospital can be stressful and scary, and I want to be the type of nurse who will make my patients feel cared for and listened to. 

My friends made the most significant difference during my time at MacEwan. I remember coming to my first university class feeling really anxious about not knowing anyone. But once I started introducing myself to other people and making new friends, I realized we were all in the same boat. University can be a massive change. I honestly can’t imagine what my time at MacEwan would’ve been like without the friends who supported me through both struggles and studies.

One thing I love about nursing is the endless opportunities for where I can choose to work. I’ve always been an indecisive person and, throughout nursing school, I never really knew what type of nurse I wanted to be. Currently, I work as a registered nurse in the emergency department and I am enjoying it. It has a little bit of everything – I get to see and learn something different every day. My focus for now is to try to slowly pay off my student loans, and to travel with friends and family!

DAWSON WARREN HARTMAN
Bachelor of Science in Nursing

I love caring for people and have wanted to help others all my life. Nursing is the most direct way I can do that. I have lots of family and friends in health care – all these people around me led me towards the decision that helping others through health care was the only path I wanted to take. 

I lost my cousin, Chris, to suicide right before the start of my second year. I was extremely close to postponing my degree, but I thought Chris would have wanted me to keep going. He inspired me to face my own mental health struggles and I completed my degree in honour of him. 

In the future, I hope to travel to South America to do some nursing there. I also hope to advance into a nursing practitioner program or take the MCAT. I am excited to see what health care has in store for me, and am thrilled to be able to spend my life giving back and taking care of those who need it. 

But first, I’m starting my career at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. I’m known for wearing Disney Crocs or Oilers shirts, and the ability to put a smile on the faces of sick kids is rewarding in ways I cannot explain. I feel like I can never repay the many people who have supported me during my time at MacEwan – my family, my friends Will, Bailey, Eva and Sydney, and my professors, Sue Carlson, Dr. Morgan Wadams and Dr. Paul Kerr.

CONNOR MATTHEW KAPTY
Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing

I've always found fulfilment and meaning in being with people when they're at their lowest points, and helping them through their journeys and back on the path forward. 

I believe everything happens for a reason. When I was 17 years old, a family member of mine faced a significant mental health episode in the form of corticosteroid-induced mania. Thankfully, we pulled through as a family, and I think that's the reason I ended up working in mental health.

On Student Research Day, I presented work from my capstone course. A nursing faculty member approached me to congratulate me and suggested I submit my research for publication. The best part was that my mom was with me that day and she got to see me go from the kid who could never sit still in grade school to the university student who currently has their work submitted for peer review with MUSe.

I’m working as a mental health clinician at Access 24/7 after working the last four years as a registered psychiatric nurse at Alberta Hospital Edmonton. I'm particularly interested in how mental illness can manifest as religious delusions and how a care provider can respect someone’s beliefs while supporting them. 

I've just started my journey in community mental health, and in a few years I would love to take the experiences and knowledge I gain and bring it back to MacEwan as a professor. 

MADISON FAITH MACDUFF
Bachelor of Science in Nursing 

People often ask why I chose to go into nursing – I just know I was meant to be here. Nursing has shaped me into who I am today.

I strive to be a compassionate nurse who can provide care and comfort regardless of the circumstances, and that both patients and colleagues turn to and rely on. My preceptors were both role models for this – they were not only knowledgeable and skilled, but the kindness they showed patients and their families inspires me to do the same.

I crossed my fingers when I applied to MacEwan and was overjoyed when I was accepted. Growing up in Lloydminster meant I had to move to either Edmonton or Saskatoon to study nursing. For me, it was a no-brainer – I am a die-hard Oilers fan! 

My parents made such a big difference throughout my university career. I was 2-1/2 hours away from home, but I could always pick up the phone and call them, especially after those long and hard clinical shift days. With any big achievement or bad day, they were the first to know. They are my biggest supporters and I couldn’t have done this without them.

Next, I get to start my dream job in pediatrics at the Stollery Children's Hospital. It’s where I completed my final preceptorship and where I had my “aha” moment. I have a passion for working with kids and pediatrics is a whole new world of nursing. I have so much to learn but I can't wait to start!

FRANCESCA ABIGAIL PASCUA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Nursing wasn't initially a career I considered, especially given the stereotype that many Filipinos become nurses. My perspective changed dramatically when my mom was diagnosed with cancer. Spending so much time at the Cross Cancer Institute deeply influenced me and solidified my passion for caring for others. I encountered some exceptional nurses who demonstrated such kindness, skill and empathy providing not only medical care but also comfort and emotional support. They made an incredibly challenging time more bearable for my mom and our family. My mom is now thankfully in remission and is continuing to heal in every aspect of her health.

Even so, it was challenging to maintain that motivation. It took me a while to understand that graduating isn't a race or a competition. So I learned to be kind to myself and took some semesters off. During those breaks, I had the opportunity to travel, learn more about myself and reflect on whether nursing was truly my passion. The unwavering support and love from my parents Marvi and Jimmy, my sister Nicole and my incredible friends, particularly June and Kate, helped me a lot. They saw the best in me and reminded me that regardless of my performance on exams, I was destined to become a great nurse. 

I have been hired as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and I am currently undergoing my Orientation Program for Adult Critical Care in Alberta (OPACCA) training. I am incredibly excited to see what the future holds for me in the nursing world.

ASHLEY STOLTZ
Bachelor of Science in Nursing

I knew I wanted to pursue a health-care career, and nursing seemed the best for really spending time with people, understanding their health goals and collaborating with them. Certain experiences at MacEwan opened my eyes to how humans interact with their natural environment, which led me to sign up to be a research assistant for Dr. Cynthia Zutter’s interdisciplinary project looking at how connecting with nature improves people’s health. 

That project was possibly the most influential part of my nursing undergraduate experience. We published our findings, presented a poster at a conference and I’m now a lifelong volunteer at the community garden where the research took place. To me, health is a state of harmony between humans and their environment that enables them to coexist indefinitely. 

So many people inspired me during my time at MacEwan, especially Dr. Elizabeth Burgess-Pinto who taught me about advocacy and planetary health, and Margaret Milner who taught me about the vital importance of meeting people where they are. 

I was also the official delegate of the Canadian Nursing Student Association Chapter at MacEwan, and helped put on the Nursing Student Gala in 2023 – the first one since 2019. At the gala, I had a moment where I realized: “We did it – the nursing association is revitalized.” It was this incredible feeling of camaraderie, joy and a sense of satisfaction knowing that other students would take what we restarted and move forward with it. Seeing our hard work come together felt like both a beginning and an end.