CBNA-McMaster Mentorship Program celebrates success and inspires change.
The Canadian Black Nurses Alliance (CBNA)-McMaster recently organized a gathering at the School of Nursing to celebrate a significant milestone: the completion of the first cohort of its transformative mentorship program.
This initiative, sponsored by the School of Nursing and Faculty of Health Sciences through the 2022/2023 McMaster’s Strategic Alignment Fund, embodies the spirit of collaboration and community building that is essential for driving the nursing profession forward.
The Black Nurses and Students Allied for Success (BNSAS) Mentorship Program is guided by alumnae Tsinat Semagn and Ezinwa Agokei, alongside the Director for the Academic Mentorship Program and CBNA mentor, Karen Fleming. The program’s first cohort included 29 mentors and mentees – 14 experienced Black registered nurses partnered with 15 Black McMaster nursing learners. Each learner was paired with a mentor based on their individual interests along with their professional and academic goals. This method for pairing created a synergy of varied levels, sites, and streams, and over a six-month period from January to July 2023, they shared interests and aligned aspirations.
The hybrid event attracted a total of 26 participants—16 attendees in person and 10 joining virtually. Attendees included guest speakers, mentors, mentees, incoming first-year nursing students, and high school students passionately intrigued by the world of nursing and healthcare.