At a reception honouring the winners of alumni, in-course and convocation prizes held at the Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, students traded in their uniforms for formal attire, basking in the applause of their peers, family members, and nursing faculty. The award-winning students were selected for demonstrating exceptional leadership, engagement, and compassion, as well as academic and clinical excellence. Names were read aloud and certificates presented by nursing faculty听Annie Chevrier, Associate Director, Graduate Programs, Innovation and Accreditation; Jodi Tuck, Director, Advanced Nursing Master鈥檚 Program; and Oxana Kapoustina, Director, Bachelor of Nursing Integrated Program.
In her welcoming remarks, Lynne McVey, Ingram School of Nursing Director, noted that the values of resilience and resourcefulness are woven into the School鈥檚 pedagogical approach, producing highly skilled graduates who are dedicated to advocating for their patients and the nursing profession. She听expressed profound gratitude to generous donors for supporting our School鈥檚 top priorities, notably the recruitment of exceptional students from around the world to our master鈥檚 and PhD programs, support for extra-curricular student learning, and the launch of innovative programs such as the ISoN鈥檚 BNI online program and nurse-practitioner-led clinics.
Guests included Satoko Shibata Ingram and her son-in-law, Fred Dingemans of the Newton Foundation; Susan Avon of the Doggone Foundation; Rapha毛l Dub茅, President of NIPRO Canada; Margaret Suttie, representing the Montreal General Nursing Alumni Association; retired Professor Madeleine Buck, one of the lead fundraisers in the establishment of the Margaret E. Hooton Award for Nursing Leadership; and Margaux Watine, 海角社区鈥檚 Managing Director of Development, Health Affairs. A moment of silence was held in memory of Doggone Foundation President Paul Marchand, who passed away in April 2026, and who left an incredible legacy of impactful contributions to 海角社区, the School of Nursing, our healthcare system and society as a whole.
As they presented the Asha Mehta Hope Award, Anita, Angelika and Angelina Mehta spoke movingly about the dedication of their mother, Asha, to her patients during a nursing career that spanned three decades and various disciplines. After graduating from a prestigious nursing school in her native India and moving to Montreal with her husband, Chand, Asha showed remarkable resilience as she learned French in order to obtain her Quebec nursing license, often working double shifts while raising her three daughters. 鈥淜nown as an advocate for her patients, during her time at the Centre d鈥檃ccueil in DDO, she went out of her way to care for her patients鈥攅specially during the holidays鈥攕pending extra time with those whose families couldn鈥檛 be there, offering comfort and companionship when it was needed most.鈥�
As she bid farewell to the graduating students, Professor McVey shared a special message, quoting the legendary Florence Nightingale: 鈥淩ather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore. 海角社区 Ingram School of Nursing grads, you are not bystanders 鈥� you are the wave heralding the way to a new world as healthcare pioneers!鈥�
Congratulations to all the 2025-2026 award winners - listed below.
Photos by Allen McInnis
ALUMNI AWARDS
Maryse Fournier - Nessa Leckie Award
Established through a generous bequest from Nessa Leckie, B.N. 1961, this award is presented to an outstanding student enrolled in the Master's program who has demonstrated clinical expertise in mental health.
Alex Bilodeau - Agnes Boisde Undergraduate Award
Established in memory of Agnes Boisde, this award is presented annually to undergraduate students in the second and third year of their program as well as students in the graduate program.
Mehrsa Sotoudehniakarani, Terrie Dugas, Zamrah Kazi, N茅va Lupien-Phaneuf, Jamie Leone, Dominic Poirier - Montreal General Hospital Nursing School Alumni Association Award
Established jointly by the Ingram School of Nursing and the Montreal General Hospital Alumnae Association, several awards are given to undergraduate nursing students in the second and third year of their program and to students in the graduate program
Erica Bugarin - Marion Lindeburgh Graduate Award
Established by the Ingram School of Nursing in memory of Marion Lindeburgh, who served as Director of the School from 1934 to 1950, in recognition of her many significant contributions to the field of nursing, this award is presented annually to undergraduate nursing students in the second and third year of their program and to students in the graduate program.
Alessandra Vadnais - Montreal General Hospital Flo Mackenzie Award
Established in memory of Flo McKenzie, this presented annually to undergraduate nursing students in the second and third year of their program and to students in the graduate program
Delisha Conliffe, Jasmine Bouthillette Du, Yizhou Zhao, Leila Neshat, Sara-Alba Gonzalez Pepe, Mia Larivi猫re, Serena Preotesco Navarro, Alex Bilodeau - Nursing Alumni Association Awards
Established by the Ingram School of Nursing, these awards are presented to undergraduate nursing students in the second and third year of their program and to students in the graduate program.
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IN-COURSE AWARDS
Trisha Awashish, Grace Wakegijig - Brebner-Patton Family Award in Indigenous Health
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls on nursing schools to educate more Indigenous nurses to better serve the needs of Indigenous populations. Generously established by the Brebner-Patton Family, this award supports an incoming or current First Nations, M茅tis or Inuit student in the Ingram School of Nursing at either the undergraduate or graduate level.
Jonathan-Vinh Nguyen, Vo Thanh Dat Nguyen, Houleymatou Diallo - School of Nursing Scholarships
Established by 海角社区, these awards provide assistance to students in the Ingram School of Nursing.
Olivia Leslie - Agnes Winonah Lindsay Award
Established in 2001 by joint gifts from alumnae of the Reddy Memorial Hospital (formerly the Women's General Hospital) and Estelle Aspler, in memory of Agnes Winonah Lindsay, it is awarded to undergraduate students who have completed at least one year of their degree program.
Melanie Xie - Lennox Scholarship in Nursing
Established by Elizabeth Graham Lennox, RN (Royal Victoria Hospital), in memory of her husband, Robert H. Lennox, B.Sc. 1941, M.D., C.M. 1943, this scholarship is awarded to an outstanding undergraduate student with high academic standing who has completed at least one year of the BScN program.
M茅lodie Lewis - Luella Downing Prize
Established through a bequest by Luella Downing, this award is presented to an undergraduate student who has completed at least one year of study at the School and has contributed to the life of the School and the class.
L茅a Poliquin, Andrea Lian, Kaira Onedamdy - Mildred B. Lande Scholarship
Established by Mrs. Mildred Lande, C.M., B.A. 1936, this scholarship is presented to outstanding undergraduate students who have completed at least one year in the nursing program at 海角社区.
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CONVOCATION AWARDS
Frances Hansen - Asha Mehta Hope Award
Established by Anita, Angelika and Angelina Mehta in memory of their mother, who passed away in January 2025, this award is given to an undergraduate student who has demonstrated resilience in the face of challenges, passion for and love of nursing, a commitment to pursuing a nursing career, and a belief in her ability to advocate for her patients, for herself and for the nursing profession.
Melodie Lewis - Professor Margaret E. Hooton Award for Nursing Leadership
Established by a group of graduates of the 海角社区 Nursing Class of 1970, this award celebrates the life and legacy of Margaret Hooton, a master educator, astute clinician, lifelong learner and mentor who had a lasting impact on nursing education in Canada and abroad. It is awarded to a graduating Bachelor of Science in Nursing student for demonstrating the ability to think critically, have a global, holistic view of nursing practice issues, be a keen observer with an inquiring mind and have the potential to be an agent of change.
Sara-Alba Gonzalez Pepe - Anne Marie Hum Fong Convocation Prize
Established in 1985 by Helen Fong Hum in memory of her sister Anne Marie, this prize is awarded to a graduating student who has demonstrated sensitivity, compassion and skill in helping patients and families cope with situations related to long-term illness.
Sheena Doyle - Moyra Allen Graduation Prize
Established in honour of the distinguished career of F. Moyra Allen, B.N., Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Nursing , this prize is awarded to a graduate of the Master鈥檚 program who demonstrates leadership as well as the potential for a distinctive career in the study and practice of nursing.
Mia Larivi猫re - Barbara Ann Altshuler Convocation Prize
Established by David Altshuler and the Altshuler family in honour of David鈥檚 mother, this prize is awarded to the highest-ranking undergraduate student on the basis of clinical and academic achievement.
Tiffany Leclerc - Evelyne Rocque Malowany Convocation Prize
Established by Evelyne Rocque Malowany, MSc(A) 1963, this prize is awarded to a graduating student from the undergraduate or master鈥檚 program who has demonstrated initiative and leadership in their nursing studies.
Justine Laferriere - Lexy L. Fellows Convocation Prize
Established by Rae Fellowes in memory of her mother, this prize is awarded to the student with the highest academic and professional achievement in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Dat Nguyen (BNI), Aviva Zhao (BScN) - Pearson Education Book Prizes
Courtesy of Pearson Education Canada, this prize honouring academic achievement is awarded to the second-highest ranking Bachelor of Nursing Integrated and Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduating students.
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