SUNY Canton Honors Convocation Named for Former Nursing Faculty Member

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SUNY Canton Provost Peggy A. De Cooke announced that the 2023 Honors Convocation Celebration would be named in honor of a retired Nursing faculty member.

"It is my great pleasure to announce the upcoming Paula Bouchard Jacques Honors Convocation at SUNY Canton," De Cooke said. "Professor Emerita Jacques developed a great camaraderie with, and earned tremendous respect from, her coworkers both in the Nursing program and college wide."

Paula Jacques in the nursing lab.

Honors Convocation will be held at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26th, in the Roos House Convocation Athletic and Recreation Center. The event serves as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the academic achievements of SUNY Canton students.

Jacques was hired in 1970 by her mentor and college legend Virginia M. McAllister following a brief post at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg. She taught various courses, including medical-surgical, pediatrics, and fundamentals of nursing. She received the SUNY Canton College Council's Distinguished Faculty Award in 2000.

"I used to tell my students that there were three C's in Nursing," she said. "They are confidence, caring, and competence. I think that was essential because a student can't perform if they're not confident, and they can't perform well if they're not competent and caring.”

Jacques worked alongside previous Honors Convocation namesakes and college Hall of Fame members Linda Fay, Margaret Vining and several other close colleagues.

"The best thing about SUNY Canton was the Nursing faculty and my co-workers," Jacques said. "We respected each other and got along so well."

The Ogdensburg native was a member of the college's academic standards and student affairs committees. Since her retirement in 2007, she has remained active in the Ogdensburg Area Zonta Club. She is a Eucharistic Minister at Notre Dame Church. She volunteers for The Gabriel Project and Friends of the Ogdensburg Public Library.

She and her husband, Phillip, have traveled to all 50 states while visiting their four children and seven grandchildren.

About SUNY Canton

Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college’s career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 23 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and will be transitioning to the SUNYAC in Fall 2024. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.