Award-winning professor 'born an educator'

Val Léonard-Jetté is a leader by nature and an educator at heart.

“Teaching is my number one passion,” she says.

Originally from Kapuskasing, Léonard-Jetté, 52, says she knew she was going to become a professor from the time she was five years old.

She started her career as a registered practical nurse in the early '90s. She received her nursing degree from Athabasca University and she also studied at Laurentian University, Northern College and Université de Hearst.

She says her passion for becoming a professor in nursing and helping others achieve their goals is what made her pursue education in the nursing field.

With over 20 years of teaching experience, Léonard-Jetté says every time she teaches students, she draws inspiration from one of her own nursing teachers and role models Barbara Reimer, who passed away a few years ago.

“I’ve always kept up with how she was teaching us in class. And it works so well because a comfortable student (and) a good environment makes for a student that learns and succeeds. And that’s how my model (is).”

Before coming to teach at Collège Boréal in Timmins 11 years ago, she was working for the college in Kapuskasing and was teaching for Red Cross.

Léonard-Jetté is also a provincial co-ordinator for the personal support worker (PSW) program at Collège Boréal’s campuses in Hearst, Kapuskasing, Nipissing, Sudbury, Timmins and Windsor.

Just before the COVID-19 pandemic started, PSW graduates were able to finish all of their clinical hours and receive a certificate, she says, but there will be a few changes made to the program in the first semester.

From September to December, the practical nursing program for first-year students and the PSW program will be offered via Zoom, except for lab training. For the second-year practical nursing students, the program will be offered face-to-face, Léonard-Jetté says.

The biggest takeaway that she’s learned from the situation around the pandemic is to appreciate what you have and your loved ones, she says.

“And to love your family and take care of yourselves. Because if you don’t have health, it’s the richest thing you can have. And if you don’t have health, there’s not much.”

From a professional perspective, she says the pandemic showed her that students in the PSW and practical nursing programs are well-prepared for the future. She also credits her team of about eight to 10 part-time teachers who closely work together to ensure students’ success.

Besides teaching at the college, she’s also a certified esthetic nurse injector who founded a small business last year. Titled Secret Beauty Rejuvenation, her business is offered out of JustNatural Holistic Spa and Institute location in Timmins.

“On account of that I teach full-time, I’m off in the summer,” she explains. “So being off in the summer, I’m able to do a lot more of the Botox and dermal fillers and then come school time, I do that on the weekends and in evenings.”

Last year was a special year for Léonard-Jetté as she received two awards. One is an excellence award from Collège Boréal in recognition of her merit and exceptional performance, while another one is an honourable mention from Association Québécoise de Pédagogie Collégial (AQPC) for excellence and professionalism in her work at the college.

“That was very special because I’m so passionate about my teaching and the success of my students which is number one all the time,” she says.

For Léonard-Jetté, seeing her students graduate is the biggest “wow” moment.

“My pride and my joy and my gift are when I see them graduate. When I see them on that stage and I had a part in that.”

Being a francophone and speaking two official languages for Léonard-Jetté is a necessity as she says it’s important to be able to provide services in two languages and it’s easier to find employment if a person is bilingual.

In her spare time, she likes camping and spending time with her family and her dog, a 12-year-old miniature beagle named Cocotte. And when she retires, she wants to continue offering Botox and dermal fillers while teaching part-time.

“I don’t think I’m the type of person that would be able to just leave my students and not come back. The thought of it brings tears to my eyes because they’re like my little ones.”

Not many people can say they love their job but she is lucky to say she does.

“I love my job and I love my business because both of them have teaching. When I’m at college, I teach students. When I see clients at the spa, I educate them on the Botox and the dermal fillers,” she says.

“I’m an educator. I was born an educator, I think, and that’s how it’s going to finish for me.”

Do you know a member of the francophone community who is a long-serving volunteer or passionate in their chosen career? Nominate them to have their story shared in our weekly feature. Email their name and details on what makes them unique to [email protected].