Awards
Distinguished University Professor, University of Alberta, 2016
Pat Griffin Nursing Education Research Scholar 2016
CARNA Top 100 Nurses in Alberta Centennial Award 2015
Nomination YWCA Woman of Distinction 2015
University of Alberta Alumni Honour Award 2014
Awarded the Vargo Teaching Chair 2010-2017
Inaugural Recognition Award for Administration Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada 2010
University of Alberta Graduate Student Association Life Time Member Award for Service 2008
3M Teaching Fellowship 1993
Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of Alberta 1992
The Marjorie Bradford Award in Nursing 1973
Province of Alberta Undergraduate Scholarship 1973
Royal Alexandra Alumni Scholarship 1971
G. Roper Award for Proficiency in Bedside Nursing 1971
Pat Griffin Nursing Education Research Scholar 2016
CARNA Top 100 Nurses in Alberta Centennial Award 2015
Nomination YWCA Woman of Distinction 2015
University of Alberta Alumni Honour Award 2014
Awarded the Vargo Teaching Chair 2010-2017
Inaugural Recognition Award for Administration Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada 2010
University of Alberta Graduate Student Association Life Time Member Award for Service 2008
3M Teaching Fellowship 1993
Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of Alberta 1992
The Marjorie Bradford Award in Nursing 1973
Province of Alberta Undergraduate Scholarship 1973
Royal Alexandra Alumni Scholarship 1971
G. Roper Award for Proficiency in Bedside Nursing 1971
Leadership, curiosity distinguish award-winning professors
AN EXCERPT
by Bev Betkowski on September 23, 2016
Raised in a service family where giving was a way of life, Yonge lives by her mother’s words: “If you have two of anything, give one away. Don’t hoard ideas, power or time. Give it away.”
Throughout her 36 years of service on campus, Yonge has given freely of her time and knowledge as a leader, whether she is teaching and supervising nursing students, conducting research, serving her profession in various committees or serving in several administrative positions on campus, including as the university’s vice-provost, deputy provost and interim provost.
“You step up and do what you can do,” she said. “My philosophy is to leave a place better than I found it.”
Yonge earned a BSc in nursing from the U of A in 1974, followed by a master’s degree in educational psychology and later, a PhD, both from the Faculty of Education, reflecting a rounded approach to learning. Over the years, her work has been recognized with several awards, including a 3M National Teaching Fellowship, the university’s Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and a Vargo Teaching Chair. She’s served on more than 30 committees and co-chaired several task forces on campus.
She’s also a member of the Psychologists Association of Alberta and the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses.
Through all of Yonge’s service runs a common thread of leadership—a key driver in everything she does.
“I value the work that underlies leadership: the principles of governance, the role of policies, working on teams. The rewards are seeing a team accomplish things I couldn’t do on my own, from establishing a scholarship to developing a pandemic plan. Leadership is a form of citizenship.”
The final research project she is focusing on before she retires—her legacy project—is the meaning of courage in leadership. The project includes interviews with 84 women on what they have to say about emotional, moral and ethical courage, with the ultimate goal of building their capacity and developing more female leaders. Yonge wants to leave them with a set of empowering skills. “What are we doing for females in the public sector? How can we teach emerging leaders to be great? If we give them a toolbox, it’s better for them.”
Being named as a Distinguished University Professor is a particular honour for her, she added. “I was pleased that, as a female, I was chosen for this award.”
Besides her research and administrative work, teaching is also a passion for Yonge. Using an assortment of people-friendly methods ranging from a summer book club to writing retreats, Yonge enjoys creating unusual ways of sharing knowledge, whether in faculty development or student courses. Even the basic things matter to her. One nursing leadership course she runs includes a simulation of how to run an effective meeting. The model has been adopted by the Students’ Union and served her well during her own time in the provost’s office.
“I love a good meeting. It starts and ends on time, but after the meeting, people stay and talk. They don’t want to leave the intellectual debate, the successful resolution of the conflict.”
She’s also pioneered research and, with a former graduate student, co-wrote a book on nursing preceptorship, a one-on-one teaching and learning approach that sees registered nurses instructing students in their specialized areas. Yonge saw the practice happening in the medical profession and thought it would translate well to nursing.
“With the specialized instruction, nursing students learn as much as they can, hone their skills and emerge as professionals who are confident and competent.”
As she reflects on her three decades on campus, Yonge feels blessed to be a U of A leader and educator. “The vitality, the creativity we have in academia—there is no other place like it and I feel so privileged to be here.”
by Bev Betkowski on September 23, 2016
Raised in a service family where giving was a way of life, Yonge lives by her mother’s words: “If you have two of anything, give one away. Don’t hoard ideas, power or time. Give it away.”
Throughout her 36 years of service on campus, Yonge has given freely of her time and knowledge as a leader, whether she is teaching and supervising nursing students, conducting research, serving her profession in various committees or serving in several administrative positions on campus, including as the university’s vice-provost, deputy provost and interim provost.
“You step up and do what you can do,” she said. “My philosophy is to leave a place better than I found it.”
Yonge earned a BSc in nursing from the U of A in 1974, followed by a master’s degree in educational psychology and later, a PhD, both from the Faculty of Education, reflecting a rounded approach to learning. Over the years, her work has been recognized with several awards, including a 3M National Teaching Fellowship, the university’s Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and a Vargo Teaching Chair. She’s served on more than 30 committees and co-chaired several task forces on campus.
She’s also a member of the Psychologists Association of Alberta and the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses.
Through all of Yonge’s service runs a common thread of leadership—a key driver in everything she does.
“I value the work that underlies leadership: the principles of governance, the role of policies, working on teams. The rewards are seeing a team accomplish things I couldn’t do on my own, from establishing a scholarship to developing a pandemic plan. Leadership is a form of citizenship.”
The final research project she is focusing on before she retires—her legacy project—is the meaning of courage in leadership. The project includes interviews with 84 women on what they have to say about emotional, moral and ethical courage, with the ultimate goal of building their capacity and developing more female leaders. Yonge wants to leave them with a set of empowering skills. “What are we doing for females in the public sector? How can we teach emerging leaders to be great? If we give them a toolbox, it’s better for them.”
Being named as a Distinguished University Professor is a particular honour for her, she added. “I was pleased that, as a female, I was chosen for this award.”
Besides her research and administrative work, teaching is also a passion for Yonge. Using an assortment of people-friendly methods ranging from a summer book club to writing retreats, Yonge enjoys creating unusual ways of sharing knowledge, whether in faculty development or student courses. Even the basic things matter to her. One nursing leadership course she runs includes a simulation of how to run an effective meeting. The model has been adopted by the Students’ Union and served her well during her own time in the provost’s office.
“I love a good meeting. It starts and ends on time, but after the meeting, people stay and talk. They don’t want to leave the intellectual debate, the successful resolution of the conflict.”
She’s also pioneered research and, with a former graduate student, co-wrote a book on nursing preceptorship, a one-on-one teaching and learning approach that sees registered nurses instructing students in their specialized areas. Yonge saw the practice happening in the medical profession and thought it would translate well to nursing.
“With the specialized instruction, nursing students learn as much as they can, hone their skills and emerge as professionals who are confident and competent.”
As she reflects on her three decades on campus, Yonge feels blessed to be a U of A leader and educator. “The vitality, the creativity we have in academia—there is no other place like it and I feel so privileged to be here.”
See also:
Olive Yonge becomes first nursing prof to receive Distinguished University Professor award
Published in The Gateway on October 7, 2016
Written by Sofia Osborne
Written by Sofia Osborne