Our Health Centre (OHC) proudly celebrated two inspiring local students: Meghan Rudderham and Morgan Joudrey. They are the 2025 recipients of the Our Health Centre Foundation (OHCF) Student Award. Since 2023, this award has helped support the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Meghan Rudderham grew up in Mahone Bay and graduated from high school in Bridgewater. After finishing the Dalhousie Nursing program in 2019, Meghan worked for five years as a nurse. Her work took her to Halifax and to remote communities in northern Canada. These experiences helped her understand the unique challenges of rural healthcare. Now in her second year of Dalhousie’s Nurse Practitioner program, Meghan hopes to work in rural primary care or emergency care after graduating in 2026.

Morgan Joudrey is from Chester Basin and graduated from Forest Heights Community School. She started volunteering in healthcare as a teen at Shoreham Village. She later worked there in the summers and loved the chance to brighten someone’s day. Morgan also volunteered at OHC as a navigator. She is a second-year nursing student at Dalhousie University.

OHC Student Award Honouring Dr. Joy Calkin

2025 Student Award

Meghan Rudderham

Past Recipients

Morgan Joudrey

2024

Ava O’Neil

Nursing student from Digby attending St. Dalhousie University

2023

MacKenzie Connors

Nursing student from New Ross attending St. Francis Xavier University 

Ross Porter

Medical student from Chester attending Dalhousie University

Student Award

Applications for the 2025 OHC Foundation Student Award are now CLOSED! Thanks to all those who applied, please stay tuned for more updates as the applications are considered. Good luck students!

In 2023, the OHC Student Award honouring Dr. Joy Calkin was established as part of our ongoing commitment to the recruitment of health practitioners to our region. Dr. Calkin was instrumental in the planning and opening of Our Health Centre in Chester, Nova Scotia. Up to two $5,000 awards will be given annually to students entering their second year of studies in a Nova Scotia post-secondary institution's medical, nurse practitioner, nursing or doctor's assistant program.

Eligibility

  • All students are welcome to apply but preference will be given to those who have a link to the area served by OHC and to the catchment areas of the South Shore Regional and Fishermen’s Memorial Hospitals

  • Applicants must be enrolled in and entering their second year of studies in a medical, nurse practitioner, nursing or doctor's assistant program at a Nova Scotia post-secondary institution