2015 Dr. Ron Stewart Award for Student Leadership in Global Health
Ms. Laura Stymiest
Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick Class of 2015
Dr. Jennifer Hall (Associate Dean, DMNB), Ms. Laura Stymiest, Dr. John Steeves (Interim Associate Dean, UGME)
Laura is our first award recipient from Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick!
Laura’s interest in global health was evident during her first few weeks at Dalhousie. She held the positions of Global Health Liaison Junior and Senior for the Dalhousie Medicine Global Health Initiative from 2011 to 2013. In this role Laura was responsible for engaging other students in global health issues around campus. Her work involved, but is not limited to, organizing training sessions, arranging guest speakers, fundraising, and community events including AIDS awareness day. Laura is also a graduate of our Advocates in Global Health Certificate program.
Laura’s involvement in global health issues extends beyond the classroom and she has been involved in numerous projects with marginalized populations locally. One example of Laura’s ability to lead and motivate is in her work on a database of low cost resources for at risk children and their families in the Saint John area. From this Laura created a “Social Peds Elective” for first and second year medical students to work with community organizations and these families. She has presented this work at local, national and international levels and has encouraged others to create similar programs.
After completing her first year of medical school Laura spent a portion of her summer teaching about Community-driven Health Impact Assessment at the Coady Institute in Antigonish, NS. After second year Laura worked here in Halifax with the North End Community Health Centre on health advocacy research project.
Laura is a clear leader and mentor in global health and we are very honoured to present this award to her.
Laura is a student with tremendous character and integrity. She has been instrumental to advocating for social justice issues in our community and has inspired her fellow classmates to work to give others a better future. I’m certain she will continue to effect change after she graduates.
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