Tait Hoyem’s journey to the University of Lethbridge began as a practical decision to transfer credits from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). However, what started as a convenient pathway has transformed into a deeply meaningful academic and personal experience. Tait plans to pursue a master’s degree in human-computer interaction, with a focus on assistive technologies like screen readers and accessible data representations for STEM education. Ultimately, he hopes to work at the intersection of technology and accessibility to create meaningful change for the visually impaired community.

All in all, the University of Lethbridge gave me enough of a leash to find what I really wanted to do and a runway to go for it! Don't get me wrong, they can't find your purpose for you... but if you're motivated, you'll have a lot of resources to get closer.

Meet Tait | Resilient. Resourceful. Self-reliant.
Program: Bachelor of Science | Major: Computer Science (Post-Diploma)

Why did you choose ULethbridge?

Originally, just because it was the only in-person university with a computer science degree that would allow a transfer of credits from SAIT — my first post-secondary school. And, the Calgary Campus was close by where I lived, so it was kind of a perfect match!

Did you know what you wanted to study before you came to ULethbridge?

Yes. I knew I wanted to study computer science, and I even had a specific reason for wanting to learn more: I was coming across problems in some of my personal projects which I knew were much closer to applied math problems than I had previously experienced. But after some time, I found myself wanting significantly more out of school.

Please tell us about your experiential or work-integrated learning at ULethbridge.

I've taken two applied studies at ULethbridge. Both have been in an effort to get text-to-speech to work on computer chips that don't have operating systems (e.g. Windows, MacOS, Android). This turned out to be a monumental effort, and progress is still uncertain. But in the meantime I learned a few very important lessons. The most important was how to prioritize. In one semester, I had three small contracts, an applied studies course, and a full course load. This left me unable to do any of them well; I was spread way too thin. I learned to pay attention to what was important and put what wasn't onto the back burner, so to speak. I now deeply understand my limits in what I can do in a four-month time span, and this allowed for a much more productive next semester.

The next two are:

  1. Planning. Applied studies would have been a lot easier if I had spent more time researching the system I was trying to create before attempting to create it. I've always had this "learn as you go" mentality, but this project pushed me to really spend time learning about how the existing text-to-speech systems work before I went on to create my own.
  2. Networking. It's completely underrated! Per hour, networking has had the greatest effect on my income, friendships, and learning opportunities than any other activity. The student union will even occasionally help out with some travel expenses for academic conferences (wink wink, nudge nudge undergrads!)

What is your most memorable ULethbridge experience so far?

ACM ASSETS, the conference on computing accessibility (travel to which was a portion of my applied studies), was a defining moment for deciding what to do in life. I was trying to balance the idea of future academic and professional goals. But at the conference, I found out that my home is in combining the two. I don't know if professorship is up my alley (I don't like marking!), but it would be an incredible privilege to create tools for the blind, research their usefulness, and statistically prove their ability to make a real, tangible impact.

All in all, the University of Lethbridge gave me enough leash to find what I really wanted to do and a runway to go for it! Don't get me wrong, they can't find your purpose for you... but if you're motivated, you'll have a lot of resources to get closer. Career advisors/councillors, the applied studies and co-op offices, and amazing professors all come to mind.

How have your professors impacted your education?

All of them have had some impact, but the biggest one has been Dr. Jaspreet Kaur. During my first semester or two, she told me: "Have you considered doing research? You'd be a great professor!" and I laughed in her face about how she was "being ridiculous" — not only had it never crossed my mind, but I had mostly thought of research negatively up until that point.

Fast forward eight months: I went to an academic conference on accessibility in computing (ACM ASSETS), and... well, I changed my mind! And it all changed because of that one conversation with Dr. Kaur.

Is there anyone else who had an important influence on your ULethbridge experience?

Two experiences stand out:

First, Chelsea LeFrancios, my applied studies advisor, has told me how much these experiences will pay off in the future: attending conferences, trying applied studies, and working on unique projects. And, she also has been very helpful in turning the negative portions of an experience into learning. For example, when I said, "I've had a very hard time balancing work and school this semester, and my grades and work are going to suffer because of it." To me, this was a failure to manage my time properly. She reminded me that recognizing that it's not working is a win in and of itself, and now I have an opportunity to prioritize better. Without her direction, I think I'd feel neutral to negative about my applied studies, but she has made it an unparalleled success.

Tait exemplifies innovation and community commitment through his work to increase accessibility for the visually impaired. His drive, creativity, and forward-thinking approach make him a shining student and a leader in accessibility advocacy. – Chelsea Le Francois, WIL Programs Instructor

Second, my friends and family have had the strangest reaction to me talking to them about potentially doing research in Human-Computer Interaction: "It fits." This has altered my entire life course. Before, I was quite lackadaisical about education in general.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I used to play blind hockey with the Calgary Seeing Ice Dogs. But outside of that, I really prefer to do computer programming work — it's both my work and hobby, no question! But my favourite project is Odilia: a screen reader for the Linux operating system.

What are your hopes/plans for the future?

I want to do a Master's degree in human-computer Interaction. Specifically, I'd like to focus on the computational side of assistive technologies like screen readers and how they can be made more efficient, as well as how to make accessible data representations for university STEM courses.

After that, I'd really like to work somewhere that combines technology and accessibility for the blind and visually impaired — whether they want to do something new or have a proven track record of success!

What advice would you like to give those about to begin their journey at ULethbridge?

Post-diploma students can participate, too. There were some times when it felt like I could not participate in the same things that other university students did — for example, study abroad does not count towards the 20-course residency requirement at the University of Lethbridge— but what I learned was that there are so many other options for post-diploma students that I had not considered.

You can work with applied studies, independent studies, co-op, thesis option, and degree minors. All of which work towards employment during the summers and after graduation.

Quick Answers

Favourite class: Macroeconomics: Even though I've gained much more experience and specialized knowledge through my applied studies, this course — taught on the Calgary Campus by Moshe Lander — fundamentally changed my worldview.
Favourite social activity at ULethbridge: Getting a beer at The Zoo!
Favourite place to study: Library or dorm room; nothing fancy!

About Shining Students

Shining Students engage inside and outside of the classroom. What makes a student shine may differ from person to person, but they all share a passion for learning. They may be top students, involved in an innovative project, participating in ground-breaking research, playing Pronghorn athletics, fighting for social issues or all of the above! When students find something they enjoy and combine it with what they are good at, they shine.

Each year, the Faculty of Arts & Science's faculty and staff nominate students who exemplify the ULethbridge student spirit. Congratulations Tait!