Graduating student just can’t get enough of Georgian

Tell us a little bit about yourself. I love things that glitter. Have a slight Starbucks and stationery obsession. Enjoy singing, playing the piano, portrait photography and video games. Have a dog named Winston.

I’m teaching myself how to crochet. My love language is gifts. I make greeting cards under the name Tiny Unicorn Post, with funds raised supporting the Barrie Food Bank. I love superheroes and comic books. I also recently discovered a love of nail art and have been learning different techniques during the pandemic. I adore fashion – vintage when I can afford it.

Why did you choose Georgian for your studies? Although I was accepted to all the other schools I applied to, Georgian made the most sense for cost and location. It meant I could continue living at home as well as work at the bakery I was employed at. 

What was your overall experience like? Probably a bit different than your average student. I was homeschooled from Grade 7 on, so going to school and attending classes was a bit of a culture shock for me. I remember my very first day I had an accounting class but wrote the room number down wrong. I scrambled to find it and was about 15 minutes late. I was mortified!

I learned going forward that it never hurts to be overly prepared. Other than that, I made some incredible friends I still keep in touch with and have many fond memories of my time as a student.

How would you describe your professors? I had the opportunity to collaborate with several of them when I worked for a year in the Business and Management area. It was great to have a personal relationship with them and then get to have a class with them.

“So many Georgian professors love what they do and it’s evident to students they care about their success. They truly have a passion for teaching and many of them even kept in touch with me to see how the rest of my academic journey progressed.”

Any assignments that stood out? The hardest was a capstone project myself and two of my colleagues put together, called Safe Plates, that was taken on and implemented by the Town of Collingwood. While other students were simply pitching a plan to a local business, we directed a team of co-op students and delivered a full-blown project before the end of the semester!

Why did you decide to go back to school for your degree? I like to challenge myself and it felt like the right time. I was ready to really focus on my studies and work hard. A lot of jobs require a degree these days, and the flexibility and cost of the program made the investment worth it.

Any particular course you loved? Project Management! For my final project, I worked with a group of fellow Georgian employees. We came up with plans for a new brewery run by students for students, with a portion of the proceeds helping them pay for tuition and associated fees. I created a mock brewery in the Sims 4 video game and our team and instructor took photos of us celebrating the end of our presentation. It was well received and a lot of fun.

Were you inspired by anyone during your studies? I have to give a huge shout out to Bob Saarimaki – he’s amazing. I’m terrible at math, absolutely terrible, and he made learning math fun and easy. I passed both courses I took with him and appreciated how he cares about his students.

Professor Mike Muxlow also deserves a huge shout out. I was diagnosed with Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD) in March 2020 and it caused me to have severe issues with my voice. Not only did he help to accommodate this learning curve for me but he also had to switch the last half of his semester to remote learning due to the pandemic. He’s a fantastic and engaging professor who helped us navigate such a huge change.

I also had the privilege of having Debbie Roberts for my diploma and degree law courses. She’s brilliant and even helped me with a personal challenge. 

What was it like to complete your degree remotely? I did all of high school online and was self-taught, so being able to work on my degree at my pace and while working full-time was convenient. Online learning has always appealed to me – purely for the convenience of it. I was lucky to have a manager who allowed me to go to in-person classes when I needed to, but having them remote made balancing work and school so much easier. 

Did you face any challenges? Finding time for self-care. Working full-time and taking three or four courses a semester is a lot. I struggled setting boundaries since, during the pandemic, work, learning and personal time has all been in the same space. I couldn’t leave work at the office or my studies in the classroom.

“It’s funny how sometimes you only learn a lesson at the end of your journey, which is exactly what happened with my degree. It’s only now I’ve begun to achieve balance and take the extra time to make sure I’m giving myself the care I need.”

I also struggled with group projects. Because I wasn’t following the same course progression as full-time students and I’m an introvert at heart, I didn’t really know anyone. Remote learning made it more of a challenge.

Have you used any services as a student? I used Accessibility Services for my last three semesters due to MTD. Being on vocal rest and modified speech posed quite a challenge, especially when it came to virtual lectures and online presentations.

I worked closely with Sara-Jane Neid, who is lovely. She sent letters to each of my professors letting them know about my medical condition and accommodations each semester. It made scheduling so much simpler and my last semesters less stressful. It was nice to experience part of the college I never interacted with before. 

Any memorable Georgian moments? Getting to perform in the Georgian’s Got Talent…or Not Benefit Concert for the first time. I absolutely love to sing but don’t get to often. That first year, I sang Think of Me from Phantom of the Opera and everyone was so shocked that a big voice can come out of someone so little. I’ve performed in the concert for a number of years and look forward to when we can host it again post-pandemic.

“Getting involved at Georgian is an amazing way to feel part of the community.”

Tell us a little bit about your job at Georgian right now. Since graduating from my diploma program in 2014, I’ve worked at the college and in the community in a variety of administrative roles. In my current position, I work with domestic and international students to review their education history to see if they meet admissions requirements for our hospitality and tourism programs.

The best part of my job is when I get emails from students letting me know I made a difference in their application process. I always try and go above and beyond when communicating with students so they feel more like a person and less like a number.

You just can’t seem get enough of Georgian, can you? Why is that? The people.

“I’ve met some truly incredible and wonderful individuals working at the college. I’ve loved meeting new people and finding out their stories and why they chose to work or study at Georgian. The people make all the difference.”

My last co-op position during my diploma program was in the International department. I fell even more in love with the college then and there, and knew I wanted to work here permanently.

What’s next for you? Eventually, I’d like to earn a master’s degree. I’m currently working toward my Grade 9 certification with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Voice, with the goal of obtaining my Associate Diploma in music. My MTD set me back a bit. Volunteering is very important to me too.

Any advice you’d give future Georgian students?

“It’s never too late to learn. It’s also OK not to know what you want to do with your life. Even if you do know, you might change your mind.”

When I was in high school, I wanted to go to pastry school and open a bakery. Now I love my work at Georgian processing applications! It’s important to try new things to see where you find interest. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you can always learn new skills and start again.

Celebrate our graduating students virtually

Graduates and their supporters from across the globe are invited to visit GeorgianCollegeConvocation.ca (starting at 10 a.m.) to watch the virtual convocation ceremony, learn about alumni perks, shop Georgian Stores, take part in a fun photo booth, and more! 

The web page will remain live until the end of July.