My time at the University of Alberta has been enriching! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the complementary mix between my major in Biological Sciences and minor in Philosophy. I recently completed a spring semester of classes, which was incredibly rewarding. Between a mixture of psychology classes and a human ecology course about relationships, I enjoyed learning about the complexities of human nature.

In my main leadership position over the past year, I served as VP Operations for Make Poverty History Edmonton. A highlight of my role was participating in Thrival, a festival encouraging individuals from all walks of life to combat homelessness and poverty in Edmonton. As a policy discussion facilitator for the Student Network for Advocacy and Policy (SNAPP), I’ve met many students with a passion for learning about important problems facing the world today. Essentially, my role entailed guiding discussions about how to construct solutions to public issues. As a team, we wrote and published two policy briefs – one regarding water policy in Alberta and another regarding affordable housing in Edmonton.

I gained committee experience as a member of the Alumni Student Council, which was responsible for the allocation of grants to student initiatives on campus. It was wonderful meeting and working with a group of involved student leaders; I look forward to continuing this role next year.

At The Wanderer Online, my Education Co-Editor and I created the inaugural “Education Visionaries in Edmonton” project. We interviewed an array of leaders in teaching, including a special needs elementary school teacher, a high school drama teacher, and pharmacology professor, for their thoughts on the value of education. Hearing the stories of amazing teachers was a memorable and inspiring experience.

In August, I will be traveling to Europe. I look forward to the many adventures waiting to come in the fall!