2022
Catching up with Former Baffinland Scholarship Recipient and Newly Minted Nurse: Jena Merkosak
A post-secondary degree can serve as a passport to a better future, one that provides the skills and knowledge to build a successful career. To support Inuit students pursuing higher education, the Baffinland Scholarship Program awards five post-secondary scholarships annually, in the amount of $5,000 each, to Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement.
Catching up with Former Baffinland Scholarship Recipient and Newly Minted Nurse: Jena Merkosak
Jena Merkosak always wanted to be a nurse. It brings together her passion for health care, serving her community, and making a lasting difference.
Born and raised in Pond Inlet, Merkosak earned her nursing degree last year from Nunavut Arctic College. She is a two-time Baffinland scholarship recipient, which provided a measure of financial security and independence as she completed her studies. “It can be very costly in the Arctic and resources are limited,” Merkosak says. “The scholarship allowed me to obtain good quality equipment that I could rely on and not have to worry about putting food on the table.”
Baffinland’s Scholarship Program awards five scholarships annually, in the amount of $5,000 each, to Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement who are pursuing a post-secondary education. The Company announced its latest scholarship recipients in February.
Contributing to Wellness in the Community
Today, Merkosak is working as a nurse at the Pond Inlet Health Centre. Entering the field during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been easy, she says, but the joy and satisfaction of helping people overcome their health challenges is everything she hoped it would be. “You’re contributing to wellness, giving quality care, and really serving as a bridge between the Inuit population and the health care system because language barriers are a huge obstacle.”
Merkosak says her family is extremely proud of her and frequently turns to her when they have questions about their health. “Whenever they’re going out in the land, they’re always saying ‘at least we have a nurse on board.’”
Looking ahead, Merkosak continues to have big dreams. “I really want to help prevent illness, improve wellness, and one area that’s special to me is supporting mental health.”
Merkosak encourages Inuit youth to follow their dreams. If one door closes, she says, don’t be discouraged, look for another. “There are many avenues of financial support, moral support, all kinds of support for Inuit that are out there,” she says.
For those who hope to follow her into nursing, Merkosak says she is there to support them and that the need is great. “If you want to become a nurse, I’d say go for it and work with me. Let’s create a better life for our community. It’s super hard, but very necessary.”
ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕐᕕᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᓵᖅᑐᖅ: ᔨᐊᓇ ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ
ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᕐᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎ ᐱᑦᑕᐅᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ, ᐊᔪᙱᓂᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕈᖕᓇᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ. ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓅᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᔪᑦ, ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᓂᒃ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᑐᓂ $5,000-ᓂᒃ ᑎᑭᖦᖢᒍ, ᐃᓅᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᖢᒍ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎ. ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᖃᑦᑕᓕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ 2022 ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᓂ ᒪᓐᓃᑦ (ᔫᓂ) 30, 2022. ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐆᒃᑐᖃᑕᐅᔪᖕᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓴᖅᕿᑎᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᑉᓗᖅ ᖃᒡᓕᓕᖅᐸᑦ. ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ, ᓴᖅᕿᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᖃᑉᓯᐊᕐᔪᐃᑦ ᒫᓐᓇᓵᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᐅᑉᓗᒥ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᑕ ᔨᐊᓂ ᒥᖅᖁᓵᕐᒥᑦ.
ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕐᕕᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᓵᖅᑐᖅ: ᔨᐊᓇ ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ
ᔨᐊᓇ ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᔪᒪᖃᑦᑕᐃᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᑲᑎᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᐱᔪᒪᓂᕆᔭᖓ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᒪᔨᐅᓗᓂ, ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕐᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᓕᖓ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖃᕐᓗᓂ.
ᐃᓅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᑉᓗᓂ ᒥᑦᑎᒪᑕᓕᖕᒥᑦ, ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ. ᒪᕐᕈᐃᖅᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒧᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓂᖃᓕᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖕᒥᓂᒃ ᐱᔪᖕᓇᖅᓯᑉᓗᓂ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓴᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᑦ. “ᐊᑭᑐᔪᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᖕᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᒪᓂᒪᓗᐊᖏᖦᖢᑎᒃ,” ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. “ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᒃᑲ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑐᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᒻᒪᓄᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᖁᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᒋᙱᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓂᕆᔭᒃᓴᖃᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖅ.”
ᐹᕕᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᖓᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᖅ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᓂᒃ, $5,000 ᐊᑐᓂ ᑐᓂᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᓅᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᖢᒍ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎ. ᑲᒻᐸᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᒫᓐᓇᓵᖑᓛᖑᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᕗᓐᓂᕕᖕᒥᑦ (ᕕᕗᐊᕆ).
ᐃᑲᔪᐃᓂᖅ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᑦ
ᐅᑉᓗᒥ, ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᔪᖅ ᒥᑦᑎᒪᑕᓕᒃ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ. ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᕐᓂᖓ ᓄᕙᒡᔪᐊᕐᓇᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᙱᑦᑑᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᖓ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᓂᒎᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕆᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᐃᑦᑐᒪᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂᓗ. “ᐃᑲᔪᐃᓂᖃᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᑲᒪᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐊᑯᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐋᖅᕿᐅᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᑐᓗᖅᑕᕈᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑦ.”
ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓴᕆᒪᒋᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐱᕆᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᖢᓂ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᐅᑉ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ. “ᖃᖓᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᐊᖅᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᑕ, ᐅᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ‘ᐊᒃᓱᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᔪᖃᕋᑉᑕ.’”
ᓯᕗᒻᒧᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᖢᓂ, ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᒐᖃᖅᑐᖅ. “ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖓ, ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᒋᔭᕋ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓗᖓ ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ.”
ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔪᖅ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᔪᒪᔭᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᒪᓕᒡᓗᒋᑦ. ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᓲᕐᓗ ᐅᒃᑯᐊᖅᑐᖃᖅᐸᑦ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ, ᓄᖅᖃᑐᐃᓐᓇᖏᓪᓗᑎᑦ, ᐊᓯᐊᓂᒃ ᕿᓂᕆᐊᕐᓗᑎᑦ. “ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐊᑉᖁᑎᑕᖃᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒥᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐱᑕᖃᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.
ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᕈᒪᔪᓄᑦ, ᒥᖅᖁᓵᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᖕᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᖏᔫᑉᓗᓂ. “ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᕈᒪᒍᕕᑦ, ᐊᑏ ᓇᔭᙳᐊᖑᖅᓴᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᓗᖓᓗ. ᓴᖅᕿᑦᑎᑕ ᐱᑦᑕᐅᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᑉᑎᖕᓄᑦ. ᐊᔪᕐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᑑᒐᓗᐊᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᖅ.”