The Emery and Geraldine Cawsey Nursing Education Award
The Emery and Geraldine Cawsey Nursing Education Award is a one-time $1,000 nursing education award administered by Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. Established in 2018, the award supports a third-year nursing student at UNBC who is preparing to enter their fourth year of studies and who demonstrates compassion, commitment, and a genuine dedication to nursing care.
2026 Application Deadline: March 31, 2026
Successful Applicant Notified By: April 30, 2026
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS MUST:
★ Be a current third-year nursing student at UNBC
★ Demonstrate a passion for nursing and a commitment to patient care
★ Be willing to meet with the donor to receive the award
★ Agree to sign a photo release, if required, to further the intent of the Foundation and its donors
TO APPLY:
Submit a letter addressed to Aimee Cassie, CEO of Spirit of the North, to Jennifer.Bourcier@northernhealth.ca (subject line: 2026 Cawsey Nursing Award) outlining your passion for nursing and demonstrated financial need.
Please include your contact information (only the successful candidate will be notified).
Any questions can also be directed to Jennifer.Bourcier@northernhealth.ca or via phone at 250-565-2515.
Emery and Geraldine Cawsey
Since 2018, Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation has had the privilege of working alongside Emery and Geraldine Cawsey to present an annual nursing education award that honours the dedication, compassion, and heart of future nurses.
The Emery and Geraldine Cawsey Nursing Education Award was established to support a nursing student entering their fourth year of study - someone who embodies the care, commitment, and resilience that define the profession.
This award holds deep personal significance. Geraldine served as a nurse for many years, and together with Emery, she chose to continue supporting the education of future nurses. Their decision reflects a deep appreciation for the vital role nurses play in patient care and in the well-being of communities throughout Northern British Columbia.
Through this award, Emery and Geraldine’s values live on, not only through financial support but through recognition of the dedication, empathy, and purpose that nursing demands.
Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation is deeply grateful to Emery and Geraldine Cawsey for their continued dedication to nursing education. Together, we celebrate not only academic achievement, but the passion, resilience, and purpose that define what it means to be a nurse.
“Nursing has given me a path to reclaim my voice, reconnect with my identity, and advocate for those whose stories often go unheard. Being accepted into this program at 17 was daunting, but I couldn’t have chosen a better path. My journey through post-secondary and nursing has been one of transformation, rooted in resilience, community, and purpose. From feeling displaced in my adolescence to finding a calling where I could channel my lived experience into advocacy and real change — this path has shown me what’s possible.
This award isn’t just financial support. It’s affirmation that my story, my work, and my voice matter in the future of healthcare. Thank you to my friends, family, peers, and community for walking beside me.”
- Araiya J. Bernard, 2025 Cawsey Award Recipient