Graduation A family affair
Author: Communications
Posted on May 27, 2014
Category: UNB Saint John
Karen Furlong will be seated proudly alongside her son Colin as they both await their turn to cross the stage at the University of New Brunswick’s Saint John’s Spring Convocation.
Education runs in the family
Karen, senior teaching associate for UNB Saint John’s department of nursing and health sciences, recently completed her PhD in Education Studies. Colin has completed UNB Saint John’s concurrent Bachelor of Arts (BA) Bachelor of Education (BEd) program.
Karen is thrilled to celebrate with her son on May 30 at UNB Saint John’s 40th Convocation.
Award recipient
Karen feels privileged to have received the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Regional Partnerships New Brunswick Fellowship in 2011. “This award allowed me to enroll in full-time studies for the past three years,” says Karen.
Her research explored the learning needs of registered nurses who were preparing for, and working with, an electronic health record.
Role models found at home
Colin began the concurrent BA BEd program in 2009 and credits his mother as his inspiration throughout his degree.
“Having my mom work at the university made her a great role model and someone I could look up to during my university career,” explains Colin. “She’s been a huge support.”
In addition to Colin’s international internships in Sweden and Beijing, he will be participating in a teaching career fair in London, England this June.
“It’s incredibly meaningful to graduate with my son,” exclaims Karen. “But the bigger picture is that we’ve been celebrating each other’s accomplishments along the way.”
Karen’s oldest son Curtis Furlong (BBA’ 2011) and his wife Zamantha (MBA’2013) are also UNB alumni. With yet another graduation approaching, it’s an exciting time for the Furlong family.