From Student to Leader: Steve Schwallie’s Journey at Georgian

March 24, 2026

Over the past few years, Steve Schwallie has taken on many roles at Georgian College while completing his Business Administration program.

Now in his final year at Georgian, he has embraced a wide range of opportunities, from serving as president of Georgian Pride to supporting students as a sexual violence and consent educator, working as a marketing assistant and representing students on Georgian’s Board of Governors.

Those experiences have helped shape both his leadership style and his perspective on what it means to support others.

We sat down with Steve to talk about his journey, the mentors who helped guide him and what makes the Georgian community special.

You’ve taken on a lot of roles at Georgian. What has that experience been like?

“I’ve held eight different roles at Georgian over the past few years, which has given me the chance to see the college from a lot of different perspectives. Right now, I’m the student representative on the Board of Governors. I’ve also served as the president of Georgian Pride for two years, worked as a marketing assistant, been a sexual violence and consent educator and taken on several other student leadership roles.

What I enjoy most is the creative side of the work and the fact that I can truly be myself here. There isn’t a strict mold of who you have to be. The people around you support who you are and what you bring to the table. A lot of my roles involve student support, and that’s something I care deeply about. If I can make even a one per cent difference in someone’s experience at Georgian or help improve their time here, that means everything to me.”

What led you to choose Georgian in the first place?

“Before coming to Georgian, I applied to a number of colleges across Canada. Georgian stood out because of its business programs and the focus on co-op opportunities. I wanted an education that would actually prepare me for life after graduation and make it easier to step into the workforce.

Looking back, it really feels like a bit of a butterfly effect. I was accepted to colleges in Nova Scotia and Toronto before Georgian. If I had chosen one of those, my path would probably look very different. I’m grateful that I ended up here because I genuinely don’t think I would be where I am today without the opportunities I found at Georgian.”

Being part of the Georgian community has meant finding a place where I could grow both personally and professionally. It’s a space where I’ve been able to take risks, try new things and step into leadership roles I might not have imagined for myself before.

Who helped shape your journey along the way?

“There are three people who had a huge impact on my journey at Georgian: Jessica Young, who is no longer at the college, and Hilary Vilneff and Dhwani Patel.

Jessica played a big role in shaping the way I work today. She influenced how I communicate, how I plan and how I approach leadership. She was also the first person to take a chance on me at Georgian.

Hilary has been an incredible support system. She believed in me and helped guide me through different opportunities. She was actually the person who encouraged me to consider running for the student representative position on the Board of Governors, which I eventually was elected to.

Dhwani has been by my side from the start. We both started working at Georgian in the same office and, in my most recent role, it felt like a full-circle moment because we ended up working together again. I’ll always be grateful for the mentorship and trust they showed me.”

What motivates you in the work you do?

“I’ve always taken pride in being a hard worker. For me, the motivation comes from seeing the results of the effort I put in. When an idea becomes a real event, project or initiative and you can see that it worked the way you hoped it would, that feeling is incredibly rewarding.

I enjoy setting a vision for something, putting in the work to make it happen and then seeing it succeed. One of my biggest highlights was planning a drag bingo event on campus. I handled everything from booking performers to managing the budget, and seeing it all come together was a really proud moment for me.”

When you’re not busy with your work at Georgian, what does life look like?

“Family is very important to me. I also work other jobs and tend to be someone who enjoys staying busy.

I’m definitely work-oriented, but I also value maintaining a strong social life and staying connected with friends. Balance matters to me, and I would say that balance helps define who I am.

I also really love to travel. I’ve had the chance to explore different parts of Ontario, visiting communities across the province and seeing how unique each place is. Through those experiences, I’ve also been able to visit all of Georgian’s campuses, which gave me a different perspective on the college and the communities it serves.

I’ve also been lucky enough to travel outside of Canada. I visited Jordan, where my family is from, and that was a really meaningful experience, especially getting to spend time there with my mom. More recently, I travelled to Cancun with friends, where we explored beyond the resort and spent time driving around and experiencing the local culture. If I’m going somewhere, I want to actually experience the country. I’m not really a ‘sit at the resort’ person, I want to see what life is like there.”

What does being part of the Georgian community mean to you?

“Being part of the Georgian community has meant finding a place where I could grow both personally and professionally. It’s a space where I’ve been able to take risks, try new things and step into leadership roles I might not have imagined for myself before. What stands out most is how supportive the community is. Students, staff and faculty genuinely want to see each other succeed.”

If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?

“I might sound a little crazy saying this, but I don’t think I would give my younger self any advice. The mistakes I’ve made along the way are what taught me the most.

Every challenge or wrong turn helped me figure out how to improve and grow. Without those experiences, I wouldn’t have learned the lessons that shaped who I am today. Sometimes the best way to learn is simply to go through things and figure them out as you go.”

What is one more moment that really stands out for you?

“One of the most surreal experiences for me was seeing Lady Gaga live. I’ve looked up to her since I was a kid, and growing up, that kind of experience felt out of reach. Being able to finally see her perform was something I’m incredibly grateful for.

It was one of those moments where you stop and realize how far you’ve come and the opportunities you’ve been able to have.”

For Steve, those experiences inside and outside the classroom continue to shape how he shows up at Georgian. Whether supporting students, leading initiatives or representing the student voice, his focus remains the same: making even a small difference in someone’s experience at the college.