Helping others is second nature

Page 5

"Alberta's Most Enterprising Employee," is written on Eva Stang's Customer Service - External Award memento presented to her by Alberta Venture magazine in Calgary.

Stang, Aboriginal liaison co-ordinator at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, received the recognition for her phenomenal work of three years on Jan. 31.

The E-Awards is a province-wide employee recognition program. It honors individuals who build prosperous organizations through their personal effort, energy and enthusiasm and who go an extra mile.

"NAIT can make a difference in the lives of students. Many of our staff are dedicated to making that happen. We have one staff member, who has won not only an internal award for customer service, but also has been recognized externally by Alberta Venture magazine, and that's our own Eva Stang," said NAIT's president, Sam Shaw.

"I can tell you, every day Eva provides that human touch to our Aboriginal students and I think creates one of the key directions for NAIT - that's champion student success."

First, Stang was nominated for NAIT's customer service award Shine by her colleges. After Stang won, her nomination was forwarded to Alberta Venture for the provincial award. "I was very humbled," Stang said.

"I never think about it (work) as being anything extraordinary or special because this is what I do for a living. So when I was nominated even for the Shine Award, I was very surprised," said Stang.

"But I was very humbled to think that people believed in what I do for the students, in providing support services . . . People are understanding that when you're in institution, it's not all based on academics and theory, that you have to look at education and success from a holistic prospective.

It's not only textbook knowledge, it's getting support from your family, getting support from your peers in the classroom or in the student club. Because if it's not for the support, you just sometimes can't get through school."

Students can drop into Stang's office any time with questions "as simple as 'I need someone to help me do my resume,' or 'Can you proofread my paper that I'm handing in,' or it could be something as personal as somebody who is considering dropping out because of the fact that they can't manage their own life."

Once a student called Stang in panic because he was late for an exam. She drove to pick him up, brought him to school and asked the instructor to permit the student write the exam even though he was late.

Stang also helps students find proper accommodations, apply for day care subsidy, and co-ordinates the internships.

It seems like too much work for one person, but students help each other through the support network the Aboriginal club has developed. Stang expanded the club's capacity and meaning.

Originally, the club was initiated to bring together students from two programs: business and pre-technology, which had the most Aboriginal students in the college.

"In our Aboriginal student club today . . . we aren't focusing just on one program, we actually expanded it to encompass all Aboriginal students from all programs."

Stang sets up a booth at the registration to make all the students aware that if they need any assistance, they can come to her.

Members often organize fundraisers, parties, tutor new students, and help each other with babysitting.

"Eva Stang has been my mentor since I came here (three years)," said NAIT Aboriginal Student Club's president Karen McCarthy. She added, "If it wasn't for Eva to be in her office and to say 'come on in' and just listen to us and talk to us, a lot of us wouldn't be here today. And I know because I was one of them. There were times when I didn't want to come and I didn't want to finish because . . . it was too much.

"The club wouldn't be a club without Eva."

Even non-Aboriginal students drop in; some come to see what the club is about. "Other students are interested to find out more about the Aboriginal peoples and teir culture, and so they join the student club," said Stang.

Stang has also improved the Aboriginal Awareness Day at the school. "Our spirituality and our customs actually are very rich, there is a lot of meaning behind them. And so what we tried to do is bring in the dancers from First Nations and Metis . . . we represent everybody: Inuit, Metis and First Nations."

It was also Stang's idea to recognize those contributing to Aboriginal education with the Senator Chalifoux Award.