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John Smith

A self-described “talker,” John Smith is known to turn strangers into friends in fast food queues and earn the occasional shushing for chatting too loudly in the library.

This natural extroversion, combined with a keen interest in science, inspired Smith’s decision to study nursing. Plus, he enjoys connecting with people so much, he wants to ensure he can speak with patients in both of Canada’s official languages.

Having completed his K to 12 education in French immersion, Smith opted to enroll in the º£½ÇÉçÇø’s bilingual nursing program. The º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Faculty of Nursing and Campus Saint-Jean collaboratively offer the bachelor of science degree, providing classes and practical training in French and English.

“This program really attracted me to the º£½ÇÉçÇø,” says Smith. “I saw that for the future — for almost any career I want to pursue — there would be value in speaking two languages.”

Turns out, donors also recognize the value in training bilingual nurses. Smith received the Postsecondary Studies in French as a Second Language Award, funded by . This organization, composed of educational institutions in minority francophones communities across Canada, works to increase access to post-secondary French programs.

Donor-funded scholarships are an area of student success supported by Shape the Future, a fundraising campaign to enhance financial support for access and affordability, experiential learning and student spaces. By supporting the campaign, donors can help the next generation of nurses, doctors, engineers, lawyers and other professionals-in-training like Smith make the most of their educational experience.

"Financial support reduces a lot of stress. … It really does make a difference in day-to-day life when there’s so much to balance and manage,” says Smith. “It allows for more time to study so you’re properly prepared — so you have the competencies you need to succeed.”

Smith’s academic success will not only benefit his future career, but help fill a vital gap in Canadian health care. Currently, Francophones living in communities where they are a linguistic minority face a greater risk of poor health, and at least 50 per cent of these individuals report having little to no access to health services in French, according to a study by the Federation of Francophone and Acadian Communities of Canada. 

Receiving health care in one’s primary language can greatly improve quality of care, as direct communication between health professional and patient helps facilitate everything from informed consent to appropriate pain management. 

As scholarships help support a future career in an essential field, they also enable Smith to dedicate more time outside of class to connecting with his cohort of 16 fellow second-year bilingual nursing students, he says. Having spent most of their first year in close proximity at Campus Saint-Jean, Smith and his peers already have a group chat where they share notes, ask questions and plan study sessions.

“It has allowed me extra time to form those bonds so we can support each other in the future — not just with studies, but also personal development and growth,” says Smith. “There’s value in having that group of people you can turn to — having somewhere you feel like you belong.”

“You can make a difference one person at a time. It’s important that people get a good experience in scary times… I would like to leave patients with a little bit of hope.”