Wylee Fitz-Gerald

What area(s) of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are you pursuing for your undergraduate degree?

Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at University of Victoria

What is your favourite inspirational quote? 

“I sit before flowers

hoping they will train me in the art

of opening up

I stand on mountain tops believing

that avalanches will teach me to let go

I know

nothing

but I am here to learn.” 

― Shane Koyczan

What is a little known fact about you?

I have an intense passion for travel! Spending a summer exploring Germany, Amsterdam, Switzerland and Italy, I hiked the Alps to spend a night close to the milky way and climbed the via ferrata in Kandersteg reaching above cloud level to look down on the world. This past summer I sailed to Greenland on the Sea Adventurer with Students on Ice. While touring the fjords in a zodiac, a polar bear kept us company diving for fish about 20 meters away. The magnitude of these experiences has shaped my future aspirations to be a scientist focused in geography. My goal is to explore all seven continents before I reach the age of twenty-five.

Why do you think you make a great Schulich Leader? 

I believe I will make a great Schulich Leader as I understand learning is an interactive journey not to be taken alone. I’m not afraid to make a new friend, discuss a new issue or go to a new place. My excitement for the world around me is contagious and my commitment is solid. I have a fierce passion for learning that engulfs everything I do, but I never lose sight of simplicity. I have broad shoulders that can withstand the weight of expanding my experiences and finding depth in my life.