This article is part of a series highlighting the Dalhousie Class of 2018 鈥� the graduates of Dal's 200th year. Read more of our Spring Convocation grad profiles.
When you consider everything nursing student Alicia Jacquard has accomplished over the last four years, her tenacity and dedication are undeniable.
As a full-time student raising two children, Alicia has not only excelled in the classroom 鈥� she was also a student leader in the School of Nursing. This week as she graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, Alicia is that much closer to her goal of becoming a registered nurse, something she pursued to give her children a brighter future.
And Alicia notes she couldn鈥檛 have done it with the incredible support she鈥檚 received from her family and friends and the incredibly generous J & W Murphy Scholarship, which she truly credits with enabling her to study at Dal.
鈥淚 cannot understate the impact of the J & W Murphy Scholarship; I couldn鈥檛 have done everything I鈥檝e been able to do without it. Personally, it鈥檚 meant so much to me and my family, and it鈥檚 also made my experience at Dal very positive.鈥�
Success in and out of the classroom
While many of those positive experiences have been in the classroom, Alicia also had extracurricular activities that have been invaluable. It was during her second year that she first got involved with the Dalhousie Undergraduate Nursing Association (DUNS), which ultimately opened more leadership opportunities.
This past year, she served as the vice president (student support) of DUNS and helped implement funding to support students in need. 鈥淚 understand how important financial support is, whether it鈥檚 to buy a text book or assist with unforeseen circumstances.鈥�
While these experiences have been rewarding, they鈥檝e also helped Alicia to discover her passion for advocacy 鈥� a trait that will do her well as a nurse.
鈥淚 want to advocate for my clients and enable them to live the best life they can. It鈥檚 one of the aspects of nursing that I find extremely fulfilling.鈥�
Family pride
With her sights set on community nursing following graduation and her licensing exam, Alicia hopes to continue her education to become a nurse practitioner. The fact that it鈥檚 attainable in the future is just one more reason Alicia is grateful for her scholarship. 聽
鈥淚f I鈥檓 being honest, my grades wouldn鈥檛 be as good as they are if I were balancing a full-time job while raising my children.聽 Because I was able to focus on my academics, I鈥檓 in a position to pursue a master鈥檚 degree at some point in the future.鈥�
But above all, everything Alicia has worked towards these past four years has been for her children. While she says at times it鈥檚 been difficult for them to adjust to her school commitments, she knows they will come to appreciate her decision to work hard to give them all a better future. In fact, a recent comment from her daughter shows they鈥檙e fully aware.
鈥淚 picked my children up from school one day and told them that I had just finished my last exam and my daughter said, 鈥楳om I am so proud of you. You should be so proud of yourself, too, for how hard you鈥檝e worked.鈥欌��