Renee Trogi - 2021 Student of the Year winner and Nursing Unit Clerk grad

Renee Trogi is Stenberg College's 2021 Student of the Year winner and a graduate of our Nursing Unit Clerk program.
Renee worked as a Care Aide supporting older adults for 15 years, until the job became too physically demanding for her. She loved being a Care Aide, loved working in health care and helping others, and chose Stenberg College's Nursing Unit Clerk program for her new career. It took her three times to pass the entrance typing test but she did it!
Like many students at Stenberg College, Renee was nervous about going back to school. She didn't believe in herself at first. But with the support of her instructors and her fellow students, Renee became a "Master Student," achieving a remarkable 98% grade point average.
One of her instructors, Niki Cross, said that "Renee went out of her way to help her classmates with anything they needed. She was the most supportive person, organizing study sessions for all to attend after class and going above and beyond. She was a delight to teach."
Renee excelled in her practicum, applying the theory she had learned in class to the hospital setting. Her supervisors were so impressed with her that just four days after graduating, Renee was hired full-time as a float at Vancouver General Hospital.
"Working in the hospital during COVID was heartbreaking," Renee shares. "Seeing healthy people get sick isn't something that anyone wants to experience. But we also got to witness some of the most wonderful, beautiful things out of the pandemic. As scary and sad as it was, it was a blessing to see how these nurses, doctors and other health care staff worked together."
About the Student of the Year award, Renee says, with absolute humility, that "any person from my class could have won the Student of the Year award. Every single one of them deserves it."
Because Renee's tuition was government-funded, she was given the opportunity the donate her cash award to the charity of her choice. In an incredible display of gratitude and generosity, Renee chose her classmates.
When asked what advice she would give to her younger self, Renee says, "Embrace the fear. The challenges that come your way will give you light. Being content isn't good enough. Know your worth, because you are worth it."