As a little girl, I was obsessed with books because it gave me the ability to escape into thousands of worlds and learn from inspiring mentors. I could learn about the value of an education from Nelson Mandela or learn about the responsibility of power from Malala Yousafzai. I would read about science, history, politics, poetry, leadership, and everything in between. From reading these stories I knew I wanted to combine policy and human rights in a meaningful way on the international stage.
When I discovered BGINS, I knew right away the program was everything I was searching for in a bachelor’s degree. As a multidisciplinary program, I had the privilege to learn about the conflict of human rights and ethics from the phenomenal, Professor Marylynn Steckley. In addition, I learned about the complex relationship between the global economy and global political system from the brilliant, Professor Aaron Ettinger. Lastly, I learned about the dynamic and fascinating issues within the North American Security system from the profound, Professor Alex McDougall. While each class was informative, it truly was the professors who helped me facilitate my confidence in academia and helped me challenge global issues while challenging my own biases. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to the professors who encouraged me to keep going and for their support in my educational endeavors. I can confidently say their classes changed my life and helped me become the young professional I am today. Overall, BGINS gave me the foundation to learn, grow, and explore my interests within the context of global and international studies.
Throughout my time in BGINS, I have been a constituency intern for Member of Parliament Lloyd Longfield, a teaching development assistant under the Student as Partners Program (SaPP), a research intern at Development Monitors, a delegate in the National Daughters of the Vote Summit, a research assistant to Senator Peter M. Boehm, a research assistant under OceanWise Ocean Pathways program at the Arctic Institute of North America and currently I am a legislative assistant to the Member of Parliament Ron McKinnon.
I am grateful to share I have accepted my enrollment into the intensive Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management (MPM) for the fall of 2024 at Carleton University. For my future, I hope to continue my career in foreign affairs with a specialization in security and intelligence. One day I hope to represent Canada on the world stage while advocating for human rights and creating sustainable policy to protect both Canadians and the global community.