Dr. Crystal Garvey
Director of Education & Student Engagement
My Story
Dr. Crystal Garvey is a PhD graduate from Queen’s University. Her doctoral research studied how bullying impacts students’ mental health in the clinical practice environment as mediated by self-efficacy. Through her research, she has established how intersectionality and racism play a crucial role in the student learning experience(s). Her passion as a researcher and educator is to ensure that minority voices are heard and represented in her profession, and she works to ensure that all students, regardless of their racial background, are given the same opportunities to succeed.
Dr. Garvey's nursing experience spans over two decades, with her area of expertise being Emergency and Mental Health Nursing. Presently, she is a nursing professor teaching in the BScN program at Durham College in collaboration with Ontario Tech University. As part of her scholarship and community commitment, she is an executive member of the Black Student Success Network at Durham College and holds elected seats as Equity and Diversity Steward and Co-Chairs for the Provincial Women's Committee and Social Mapping Committee for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.
Dr. Garvey is committed to creating more equitable and inclusive communities and advocates for the fair treatment of marginalized groups in society. Hence, she uses her talents to support not-for-profit organizations like Big Brother Big Sister and REST Centres by conducting community innovation research projects from an equity, diversity and anti-racism lens. These projects have curated a depth and breadth of deliverables, such as curriculum development, creating evidence-based resources for mentors and mentees related to their mental health, developing a resource bank where community members can freely access age-specific virtual activities and support for those experiencing an alteration of their mental health, and landlord and tenant modules to facilitate onboarding needs for youth who are unhoused or at risk of being unhoused.
In addition to her scholarship, Dr. Garvey is passionate about disseminating information on various platforms. She believes that knowledge and information should be shared widely and that it should be accessible to everyone regardless of their background or social determinants of health. She uses her platform to spread awareness about significant issues and bridge the gap between the academic community and the public. She has done keynotes, podcast interviews, and educational presentations on Black Mental Health, anti-racism, and equity in education. At present, Dr. Garvey is working on a mental health documentary titled “Silent Voices,” which is due to be released in 2024.
Dr. Garvey has developed a repertoire of being an advocate focusing on social justice. Through these endeavours, she continues to make a positive difference in the lives of those she serves / advocates for. As a result, it has captured the attention of community members, stakeholders, and leaders of her professional organization. Her commitment and dedication to social justice has resulted in recognition of her significant efforts and achievements.