Where are you from? What is your background?
I was born in small-town Saskatchewan but raised right here, in Lethbridge. I have a diploma in Exercise Science from Lethbridge College, a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Public Health from the U of L, and I am working towards a Master of Education in Post-Secondary Studies from Memorial University.
While completing my undergrad at uLethbridge, I met some of my best friends, said yes to some adventures that scared me (Surf Trip 2013), and discovered my passions. I learned a lot about myself during those formative years and I think it’s important for students to consider their experiences outside of traditional coursework while attending university. That likely means participating in virtual experiences for now – but our experiences matter.
When did you join the uLethbridge team and what do you do here?
I had a very impactful experience as the student rep on a program planning committee during my last year of undergrad. I gained a new perspective on post-secondary education and realized that I wanted to keep advocating for and supporting student success. In fact, I had already been doing that in many of my past experiences. I had just never considered it as a career path! That opportunity helped me land a temporary position in academic advising for the Faculty of Health Sciences. After that, I worked in student engagement for Enrolment Services until starting my current position in July 2019.
Now, I work as the Experiential Education Advisor in the newly merged Career Bridge Centre for Work-Integrated Learning and Career Development. I work to ensure the success of the MyExperience Transcript initiative. I support campus colleagues in the integration of experiential learning opportunities into the MyExperience platform, so that those activities can be reflected on a student’s experiential transcript. I also get to encourage student engagement with the platform and spread the word about this awesome initiative across our campus and beyond.
What is the best part of your job?
I love a good collaboration! The best part of what I do is having the opportunity work with, and learn from, the many partners across campus that are essential in the success of this initiative.
Why are you excited about Career month and the work your team does?
I am so excited to share the career development tools available to students in the MyExperience platform! These tools allow them to track their experiences, build a comprehensive picture of their strengths, and articulate their skills to potential employers.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students in relation to their career journey?
My career path has been a long, winding road and I want to let students know how normal that is. Don’t say “no” to new experiences because they don’t fit into the ideal, single lane, straight stretch of highway that is your vision for the future. You discover your passions by taking a few pitstops and overcoming roadblocks along the way.