School of Nursing to honour more than 350 top students

With a visit to McMaster to compete in her first high school swim meet in Grade 9,
Kristina Skoko knew right away where she wanted to attend university.

Now a fourth-year nursing student, the Mississauga native is being honoured for her
leadership and involvement at McMaster. Skoko is one of more than 350 students from
the School of Nursing being honoured at the School's annual awards assembly Monday
night.

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Catherine Tompkins will join Patty Solomon,
associate dean of the School of Rehabilitation Science, Catherine Hayward, associate
dean of Graduate Studies and a host of faculty members in celebrating the
achievements of students in the McMaster-Mohawk-Conestoga Collaborative Bachelor
of Science in Nursing (BScN) Program and the McMaster Health Sciences Nursing
Graduate Program.

In addition to landing on the Dean's Honour List, Skoko will also take home the Helen
K. Mussallem Award for her leadership and involvement in extracurricular activities, the
T. Russell Wilkins Memorial Scholarship, which allowed her to complete a nursing
placement last summer working with aboriginal towns and villages in northern
Australia, and a University (Senate) Scholarship.

“I'm kind of speechless. It's an honour,” said Skoko, who plans to work in pediatrics or
maternity after graduation. “I really do put 100 per cent into everything I do, whether it
be volunteer or academic work, or in my clinical placement. I'm always asking myself
what I can do better, how I can better help others.”

The event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in CIBC Hall in the Student Centre.