People of Georgian: Chris Hadfield visit tops nursing co-ordinator’s college experiences

People of Georgian: Meet Corrine Lalonde

One of my favourite Georgian memories still comes up in my Facebook memories every year.

At a conference at Georgian a few years ago, we had this jam-packed day of super interesting speakers and different activities.

And of course, this was pre-COVID-19, so it’s a whole different world. You were mingling and networking in different rooms.

At the end of the conference, there’s this one little networking event. And Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield shows up, and he starts playing with his brother in a band.

We’re in The Last Class, and he’s there and we’re like, “this is the craziest thing ever.” It was super cool.

I have this picture of him and I and another faculty member. He’s one of Canada’s superstars.

‘Education has always been a part of everything I’ve done as a nurse’

My other top Georgian memories are attending graduation for students.

I love seeing them cross the stage and love seeing how proud their families are.

I love seeing how excited they are and hearing where they’re working after graduation.

Education has always been a part of everything I’ve done as a nurse, so I love the idea of helping new students and seeing their growth over the course of their educational careers.

It’s a really significant hallmark of nursing that you have the ability to make an impact on somebody every single day.

Corrine Lalonde, co-ordinator of Georgian’s BScN program

Personally, I kind of fell into nursing.

I always had an interest in health care. My mom has all these pictures of me pretending to doctor up my sister with bandages.

My mom worked at the local hospital in an administrative role, and so every once a while, she’d come home with various things they were getting rid of or no longer had use for.

She gave them to my sister and I to play with, so we’d dress up in gloves and gowns and masks, thinking this is super cool.

It was only after I completed some of my nursing studies that I looked back and realized I always really wanted to be a nurse.

I love being able to make a difference in patients’ lives. It’s a really significant hallmark of nursing that you have the ability to make an impact on somebody every single day.

Corrine Lalonde, faculty member and co-ordinator in Georgian’s BScN program. Learn more about our Health, Wellness and Sciences programs.

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