Over the past two years, I’ve also been part of the incredible 20-something team behind BPC, where we fly out students across Canada to participate in our annual National Pride in Business conference. All expenses covered from flights to accommodations to meals during the conference, these weekends of professional and personal development are spaces for mentorship, growth and authenticity. Through BPC, I’ve connected with so many queer folks who are doing amazing work, found friends and chosen family, and most importantly, had the space to show up as my full and true self.  

Lastly, it was really through volunteering with programs like the Information Centre & Lost and Found, Campus Food Bank, and the Q Centre where I’ve met lifelong friends that continue to inspire me to show up with curiosity, compassion, and courage and pride every single day. These spaces have not only given me a deep sense of belonging but also have been continuous reminders of the importance of community care and collective growth, both of which I carry within and outside of academia.  

As I head into the last two years of my undergraduate journey, I carry with me all these experiences, lessons, and friendships that have shaped and continue to shape the person I am today. Looking ahead as I complete my last couple of courses and my year long Co-op with the Recruitment Team as a Student Recruitment Ambassador, I get to reflect about my time at UCalgary, which so far has been nothing short of transformative. I am so excited to be a part of helping future students see themselves be a part of this community and to challenge, discover, explore, disrupt, create, build, and start something!