A former high school teacher with a Master of Science in Economics, Irene Nyambod immigrated to Canada from Cameroon in 2014. Irene initially hoped her education and expertise would help her find work in the banking sector but faced challenges in her transition due to her lack of experience working in Canada. As she raised her three children, she decided to focus on a career path that would allow her to care for her young family and fast-track her transition to the workforce, choosing to pursue a Practical Nurse diploma at Bow Valley College. Irene entered the program in September 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenge, Irene found the support from instructors made it possible to overcome and reveled the experience of collaborating with other students as they shared ideas and experiences.
Since graduating, Irene has been working as a full-time nurse for CareWest Fanning Centre in Calgary, and found the knowledge, skills and resilience she gained from her time at Bow Valley College helped her face her new role with confidence. In the future, she hopes to become a registered nurse and eventually, a Client Care Manager where she can leverage her knowledge of economics and nursing to care for patients in the most compassionate way possible.
In addition to her roles in motherhood and nursing, Irene is also a volunteer coach for seven-year-old girls with the Calgary Minor Soccer Association and is grateful for the opportunity to share her experience at Bow Valley College as a student ambassador.