1. Where did you do your internship while in MRU Journalism?
KBS Radio in Trail, BC and Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine in Nelson, BC
2. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have liked to give yourself as you started your internship?
Really engage. Don't just treat it like another assignment, or a task to simply get through — really become part of the team and the community, show up for the role 100% and squeeze as much wisdom and experience out of it as you can.
3. What is something that really stands out when you think about your time at MRU Journalism?
Connecting with the other students and trying to see the world from their perspectives. I learned that not everyone is interested in what I am interested in, and if I'm willing to open myself up to try to understand and be enthusiastic about others’ points of view, I will find new ideas and insights that interest me as well.
4. How transferrable were the skills you acquired in your education?
The skills I acquired through my time at Mount Royal were very transferrable to not only the journalistic work I have taken on in my life, but every other facet of my life as well. Learning to be open-minded and interested in other people, asking engaging questions, working together as part of a team, engaging my creative thinking and problem-solving and showing up for myself and others. I continue to put these skills into practice every day.
5. In your career, what type of work has most excited you, and why?
Meeting people who are enthusiastic about their life, projects, and passions is what continues to draw me to journalism. I've always known that every single person I meet is full of interesting stories, insights and experiences and it is my duty to pull the brilliance out of them. I love connecting with people on a deeper level.
6. What is the most important but unwritten rule that you’ve learned on the job?
Be Kind. Everyone really is fighting a battle that we know nothing about, and yet we lose sight of that when things get challenging, or someone says something that upsets us. We take things personally, get angry, build resentment, gossip, complain, and maybe even plot revenge. Over the years, the best tool I've had for calming myself down when things get challenging with others or with a project, is to stop and take (at least) three deep breaths. It can be so easy to fire back in the moment, to retaliate when we feel triggered, to give up. It's important to see ourselves in everyone else, to remember that at times we are rash, abrasive, or unkind. We all have hard days and challenging moments and if we can learn to forgive ourselves for that, we can find it in ourselves to forgive others too. Be Kind, Take Space and Remember to Breathe.
7. Who has most inspired you along the way, and why?
I am inspired by anyone and everyone who is showing up in their lives the best they can with what they know and where they are at. People who show compassion, love and enthusiasm for themselves, their projects, the planet, and others. I'm inspired by people who buck trends and create their own freak show, those who go their own way because it calls to their heart. I'm inspired by these people, because that's how I want to show up in my life and they give me permission to do so.
8. Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience in MRU Journalism?
I really enjoyed my time at Mount Royal and I'm grateful I had the privilege to attend post-secondary to gain education, experience and insights as well as friendships and connections that I continue to cherish to this day. It was a great launch pad for me to learn more about myself and others so I could head out into the world and apply myself to whatever calls to my heart.
