DOUGLAS COLLEGE
College honours retired Psychiatric Nurse instructor with Faculty Emerita designation

Douglas College honoured former faculty member Anna Helewka with the 2020 Emerita Award on Jan. 24 at the Annual Employee Recognition celebration. The Douglas College Faculty Emeritus/Emerita is an honorary title granted to retired faculty in commemoration of their excellence and distinguished service to Douglas College.

"This award recognizes exceptional faculty who are highly respected by their colleagues, and whose service and contributions to their students, the College and their discipline are notable," said Kathy Denton, President of Douglas College. "It's faculty like Anna who make Douglas College a first choice for so many."

Anna Helewka taught in the Department of Psychiatric Nursing for over 33 years and retired in August 2019. She was highly respected and dedicated to the program and to psychiatric nursing as a profession. Her colleagues see her as a "champion advocate" and someone who has left a rich legacy.

In retirement, Anna continues to be active in her vocation by working as an external consultant for the College, focusing on curriculum projects for the Health Sciences department. She is also involved with the BC College of Nursing Professionals and sits on the Quality Assurance committee for RPNs.

"As one of the first psychiatric nursing programs in British Columbia, Douglas has a long history of educating graduates who excel as psychiatric nurses in acute, community, and primary care settings," said Pamela Cawley, Dean of Health Sciences at Douglas. "Ms. Helewka - dual educated as a Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Nurse - is a stalwart advocate and activist in ensuring the place of psychiatric nurses in British Columbia."

Helewka joins 53 retired faculty members who have received the designation since its inception in 2005. Douglas College is the largest degree-granting college in B.C., combining the academic foundations of a university and the employer-ready skills of a college to provide the most relevant and inspiring undergraduate experience in British Columbia.