College nursing student secures funding to complete program

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on February 1, 2023.

Submitted photo Mandy Mabe, a second-year Bachelor of Nursing student at Lethbridge College, received a Colleges and Institutes Canada Paul and Gerri Charette Bursary.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

A second-year Bachelor of Nursing student at Lethbridge College has recently been awarded one of 20 Colleges and Institutes Canada Paul and Gerri Charette Bursaries.

The $5,000 bursary provides support to students across Canada who demonstrate financial need and are facing challenges or barriers to participating in and completing post-secondary education.

Mandy Mabe said receiving the bursary was like winning a mini lottery.

“I am a first-generation Canadian and nursing was a dream of mine that I couldn’t obtain earlier due to a bunch of barriers between me and my education,” said Mabe.

Having been on her own since the age of 16, Mabe is no stranger to adversity. She worked two part-time jobs while attending high school to pay rent. Her grades suffered by slipping from honour roll to below average and initial attempts to attend post-secondary fell short due to family and financial reasons.

Coming out publicly as a gay woman, and the stress it caused on some personal relationships, also took a toll on her wellbeing.

Mabe said it was thanks to her wife that she was able to go back to school, but that has been challenging as a parent of two boys.

“My wife often works overtime so that we can make ends meet, and the scholarship is really important to me, because it means that we all get to spend more time together and I get to spend more time focusing on my schoolwork instead of trying to make up shifts,” said Mabe.

She said she chose nursing because she has always had a passion for helping others.

“I feel like this is what I am meant to do and everything in the medical field fascinates me, and drives my interest and my passion even further,” said Mabe.

She said she wants to specialize in trauma as, oddly enough, that is where she finds herself to be the calmest.

“I think really clearly, and I just feel like it can help people in that area more than anywhere else, so I’d love to end up in the emergency room or ICU,” said Mabe.

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