It seems like Manu Ganti is ready for anything.
After all, as a first responder, being prepared is second nature to the Faculty of Nursing student and Alumni Entrance Scholarship recipient.
Before starting her program at Memorial University in September 2023, Ms. Ganti was already gaining experience as a lifeguard and a St. John Ambulance volunteer.
“I joined the St. John Ambulance medical first responder program a few years ago,” Ms. Ganti said. “We go to community events and offer medical aid. That really introduced me to health care, giving me hands-on experience. There would be things like concerts, where people would need medical attention. And I realized that I worked well in these sorts of high-pressure environments where I could really use my skills. I knew what I was doing, and I knew that I was good at it.”
Keeping calm
She recalls treating her first client who was presenting with signs of a heart attack.
At first, she says she “kind of froze a little bit.”
“Not in a way that would compromise the quality of our treatment, but more in the sense of ‘Oh my goodness. This is my first time doing this, what am I going to do?’” she said. “The advanced responder that I was working with was on the ball. His confidence kind of put me back into the headspace. I was like, ‘Okay. Yeah, we need to do this, this, this and this. And at that moment, it was kind of like, am I even going to be any good at this?’”
However, it wasn’t long before she found her footing.
While working at a music festival, someone presented with a medical emergency.
“I knew that I couldn’t go wrong if I stayed here. I’m just really glad . . . that I chose nursing.”
Ms. Ganti, now serving as an advanced responder, led a successful intervention for the woman.
“I knew I did everything right and I felt really good about myself,” she said, recalling the incident. “And then one of our more experienced members was also there helping on the phone with the ambulance while I was treating her. After the treatment ended, he tells me, ‘You’re an ace!’”
In that moment, she says she knew she was on track for the right career.
Scholarship a deciding factor
The Memorial University Alumni Entrance Scholarship is valued at $5,000 and is renewable for up to four years.
The scholarship demonstrates the value of donations of every size, as it was funded by collective donations made by the Memorial University Alumni Association.
For Ms. Ganti, the Alumni Entrance Scholarship was the deciding factor to attend Memorial.
“St. John’s is my home, and I did want to stay here. A lot of my tuition is being paid for and Memorial’s nursing program is fantastic. So, I knew that I couldn’t go wrong if I stayed here. I’m just really glad that I stayed here, that I chose nursing.”
Ms. Ganti is continuing to volunteer with St. John Ambulance while completing her degree — something she says the Alumni Entrance Scholarship made possible.
“When I received the scholarship, I was so grateful because it felt like all the efforts I had made were being recognized and felt that someone was appreciating all the work that I was doing,” she said. “It alleviated a lot of financial stress because nursing is very challenging and it requires a lot of time, a lot of studying. It helps me really focus on my academics and it also allows me to still have that time to volunteer within the community, and with the Nursing Student Society.”
One hundred per cent
Memorial University donors’ generosity creates incredible opportunities for student success and 100 per cent of every donation goes to a donor’s chosen award or intended area of support.
For more information about giving to Memorial University or to donate in support our students, please visit the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement.
Gifts of all sizes can make a difference!
