Recognizing Jessica Nelson's exemplary commitment
The Red Deer Polytechnic Board of Governors is proud to recognize Jessica Nelson (Bachelor of Science, Nursing, 2024) for exemplary citizenship by awarding her the Board of Governors Scholarship for Citizenship for her extensive and committed volunteerism.
“The Board of Governors believes strongly in community service and good citizenship. This scholarship celebrates the impact that Jessica’s volunteerism has in our community and acknowledges her hard work and commitment to her studies. It is no easy feat to balance such commitments, and our community is enriched by her contributions,” says Emeka Nwachukwu, Vice Chair, Red Deer Polytechnic Board of Governors.
Jessica's volunteer service commitments range from speaking engagements to project management, and she has worked with dozens of organizations, from the Canadian Red Cross to the Central Alberta Humane Society to the Calgary Silver Linings Foundation, which supports individuals recovering from eating disorders. These varied volunteer experiences reflect Jessica’s varied interests and a personal commitment to live intentionally.
"When I joined the army reserves in 2019, one of the captains gave a speech that our time with the Canadian Forces was what we made of it - it could be awful if we let it be, or it could be the best choice we made. That concept really stuck with me. I decided that I could be involved in whatever I was passionate about and, as a result, I became active in many areas, including emergency management, eating disorder recovery and animal welfare,” she says.
Jessica is most heavily involved in Emergency Management/Emergency Social Services and eating disorder recovery. Her post-secondary journey started at NAIT with a diploma in Disaster and Emergency Management, and it was this experience that introduced her to volunteer work. She has worked on disaster and emergency response teams with the Canadian Red Cross and the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, contributing to both response and training efforts. Prior to attending post-secondary, Jessica experienced mental health challenges and an eating disorder. Completing her formal recovery helped her to find the focus and the courage to pursue her interest in joining the military and later post-secondary education. Now, in her volunteer work, Jessica works to address some of the struggles, challenges, and gaps she experienced when she was in recovery.
Jessica’s approach to volunteerism and life follows advice she received from her mother: be open to trying new things.
“Early on, I talked myself out of volunteer opportunities because of my lack of confidence. There is a misconception that volunteering requires certain skills and knowledge, but many opportunities only require passion! Learning this, I would agree to be involved in areas I had little experience in, knowing that I didn’t have to commit immediately,” she says. “Meeting others and networking have led to volunteer opportunities in many different areas, such as cancer fundraising and being involved with RDP’s Nursing Advisory Committee.”
This approach also applies to her future planning. While she is uncertain of precisely where she would like her career path to ultimately lead, she knows the areas that she is passionate about and the communities that she wants to make a difference in. “Reflecting on the past five years, I have come along in a way that I would never have predicted. If I had set more specific goals, I might not be where I am today,” she says. In her work with eating disorder recovery, she would like to contribute to improving the availability of eating disorder resources for central Albertans, and to continue supporting others in recovery, perhaps developing a peer-support group.
Academically, Jessica sees endless opportunities and wants to continue higher education, potentially attaining a Master in Disaster and Emergency Management, a health-related graduate degree, a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Above all, she is committed to continuing her personal growth.
“I think there is value in always working on bettering who you are, while appreciating and respecting where you currently are,” she says.
“Jessica’s volunteerism provides her with opportunities to explore career paths and connections to the many potential outcomes that the program she’s enrolled in provides. Her committed approach to helping others overcome challenging circumstances improves our community while also providing her with opportunities for meaningful personal growth. Jessica’s commitment exemplifies what we are so proud of as Board of Governors members in identifying the impact that our Polytechnic community creates within our province and abroad. The Board of Governors celebrates Jessica as the 2022 Scholarship for Citizenship recipient, and we thank her for her commitment to our community,” says Nwachukwu.
Please join us in congratulating Jessica Nelson on this recognition, which acknowledges her compassionate service, committed volunteerism and her contributions to improving the quality of life for central Albertans.