Two-time grad celebrated
Rachel Winsor has a lot to celebrate these days. She recently won the Young Alumni Award as part of the inaugural College of the North Atlantic (CNA) Alumni Acclaim Awards program.
Kelly Taylor Hulan, Office Administration instructor at Corner Brook Campus says Winsor was a star student.
“She is definitely deserving of this award; she is a student that stood out. I had her for four or maybe even five semesters of her two-year program, so right from beginning to end she always came forward and volunteered,” she said.
Winsor was recognized for her dedication to her community as well as her academic achievements.
“While attending CNA she worked as well as studied but you would never know it her work was stellar,” she said. “What stood out mostly was how she helped others and helped me if I needed something extra, just an above and beyond student.”
Winsor holds a diploma in Executive Office Management and a certificate in Welding. She was also the first female in Canada to be awarded the Joseph G. Doria Exemplary Student Award, which is a national award from the CWB Welding Foundation.
Heidi Staeben-Simmons, Associate Vice President Public Affairs and Advancement echoed the praise for Winsor.
“Rachel is an amazing alumnus an exemplary contributor to her community. She’s truly deserving of CNA’s Young Alumni Award and representative of what we envisioned when creating this award category,” she said.
Staeben-Simmons said she is impressed with Winsor’s commitment to her community.
“She volunteered with the college both as a student and later in a professional capacity with industry associations, to see her continuing to selflessly contribute it to organizations that do good in her community is certainly not surprising to us.”
Winsor is currently the Client Care Coordinator at Care Givers NL, as well as a board member of Burin Peninsula Brighter Futures — a nonprofit group dedicated to supporting children and families. She has also served as President of the CNA Online Student Council.
Originally from St. Lawrence, NL, Winsor says she is still in contact with classmates and instructors from her time at CNA.
“I think that my experience with CNA has really been a motivating factor for just my life in general. I think that the positive impact I’ve had from my courses, from my instructors, from my peers, I have had so much support from this one community it has been unbelievable,” she said.
It was this positive school experience that set her on a path community involvement, continuous learning, and personal growth.
“It really is a community and I think that that is something that really, really speaks to me,” she said. “I want to give back to my community because this is a community that has given me so much.”
In addition to her most recent award win, Winsor has also received the Fry Family Foundation Achievement Award, two CNA Faculty and Staff Achievement Awards, and the distinguished Newfoundland and Labrador Student Volunteer Award.
“I’m passionate in helping others and I have always been really active in my community I feel that my background with my dad in the military really drove me to want to impact my community and serve in that type of way,” she said. “Volunteerism has provided me with a lot of wonderful opportunities and experiences.”
She has some words of wisdom for future students.
“Stay passionate, be persistent and never underestimate the impact of small actions,” she said. “Engage actively in your community and seek mentorship, never stop learning, embrace challenges and opportunities for growth and approach each endeavor with dedication and enthusiasm.”
For more information or to nominate a CNA alumnus for an Alumni Acclaim Award, visit CNA – Alumni & Advancement.
