Aleksandra Foulis started Niagara College with an almost-two-year-old and finished three weeks before giving birth to her second child. Finding school/life balance was tough–especially when she moved to a primarily online platform in 2020. She rose to the challenge, though, and excelled at her studies.
We take a look back at her time at NC and share in Foulis’ excitement of graduating with honours.
Aleksandra Foulis
Hometown: Mississauga
Age: 38
Academic Achievement: Dean’s Award Winner, School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker Studies, Practical Nursing (93.0% average)
How do you feel about receiving the Dean’s Award, achieving the highest GPA in your program?
When I first received notification, I was speechless and then overcome with an immense sense of pride and honor. It took me several reads to realize what an accomplishment this was as I didn’t understand the full scope of what it meant at first.
To what factors do you attribute your academic success?
Factors that I attribute to my success in this program are many, but my drive and dedication along with my husband and peers support are what first come to mind. I think a large part of my success comes from being older and more experienced with time management, recognizing my faults, and knowing how I learn best.
What inspires you to succeed?
My inspiration is my sister who is a successful educator and accomplishes any goal she sets her mind to. My family, especially my two boys, are what motivate me to keep pushing myself further, to do and be better.
What led you to study at NC and to your program, specifically?
When looking into the options, Niagara College was the obvious choice. It has a recognized Nursing program and great opportunities to network within the community where I live and would be seeking employment. (Niagara Region Public Health, Niagara Health, etc.)
What was your situation when you enrolled at NC in your current program?
Before starting the Nursing program, I had spent most of my working career in the food and beverage service industry. My oldest son, Lukas, was born in August 2017 and as the end of my maternity leave was approaching in early 2018, I knew going back to the restaurant industry was not what I wanted for myself or for him. I began the nursing program in May 2019 at 35 years old with a not quite 2-year-old, my husband, Brian, working full time and no child care. To say it was challenging is an understatement, but with my vast support system we made it work.
Why are you passionate about your field of study?
I have always had an interest in health care, doing something to give back to my community and make a difference in people’s lives. The nursing field has endless possibilities in terms of what you can do. Once you get your license the learning doesn’t stop, which is an amazing aspect of this career, lifelong learning. The pandemic has brought so much to light regarding the nursing profession and how vital it is to the health care system, and I am honored to now be a part of that.
Did you work a placement or co-op as part of your program? What you feel you gained from the experience?
The placement components to the RPN program were vital to my academic success as they put into practice what was learned in the lab and theory classes. I did placements in Niagara Falls, Welland and St. Catharines and each site/unit offered different relevant experiences, ranging from nursing assessments to medication administration, personal care, and working with various populations. The clinical supervisors I had, Jaclyn, Carolyn and Nicole, were instrumental in my hands-on learning experience.
Were you involved in any clubs/ teams or extracurricular activities during your time at NC?
I was a peer tutor as well as class representative each term.
Did you face any challenges over the course of your study?
The biggest challenge I found was navigating a school/life (family) balance when we switched to a primarily online platform as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. My husband was incredible in making sure I got time to attend synchronous lectures as well as to study and complete course work. The professors were very understanding that the new delivery was a challenge to many, and we were all navigating this new norm together, which I believe helped us all succeed.
What have you been doing since completing your studies? What are your future plans?
Less than three weeks after completing my consolidation, I gave birth to my second son, Jakub. I passed the Rex-PN exam and registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario in March and was just recently hired by Niagara Health into Mental Health and Addictions at the St. Catharines site. I plan to work part-time while taking in all the excitement of my growing boys. Future plans may include advancing my career and furthering my scope of practice to RN, but right now I am enjoying living in the moment and celebrating the end and beginning of this incredible journey with my family.
What does graduating mean to you personally?
Graduating is a really rewarding accomplishment, and with honours and receiving this award, it is more incredible than I could have ever imagined. I am so proud to finally be able to say that I am a college graduate. I did it!
