My long-term goal is to become a teacher. I want to create supportive, engaging learning environments where students feel comfortable and connected. I have always been drawn to working with youth through coaching, mentoring, or running my own volleyball program, West Van Volley. I find it incredibly rewarding to watch their hard work pay off. Alongside my future in education, I plan to continue coaching and growing my business.
I am passionate about using sport as a platform to help youth build confidence, foster community, and develop meaningful life skills. For me, teaching and coaching feel deeply interconnected; both allow me to build relationships, support youth development, and create spaces where young people feel capable and valued.
My Communications degree at TRU has been foundational in shaping both my path toward teaching and the development of my business. Through coursework in professional writing, public relations, and interpersonal communication, I have learned how to adapt my message to different audiences, design clear and engaging content, and collaborate effectively in team settings. These skills have directly supported my work as a coach and business owner, including creating promotional materials, designing camp curriculum, and communicating with parents. More importantly, these same skills transfer seamlessly into the classroom. Teaching requires the ability to break down complex ideas, communicate with clarity, and build trust with students, families, and colleagues. My degree has strengthened my confidence in these areas and prepared me for the next step in my career.
The TRU Institutional Learning Outcome that has most shaped my development is Connection, particularly through communication and teamwork. One of the most valuable skills I developed at TRU is the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences. This has been essential not only in my academic work, but also in building and promoting West Van Volley. Through my CMNS coursework, I learned how to create clear messaging, design professional promotional materials, manage social media, and collaborate with others to bring projects to life. These skills are reflected in my portfolio piece on West Van Volley, which showcases the branding, media strategy, and communication planning behind the business. This project demonstrates how I have applied Connection to translate theory into practice by developing a consistent brand voice, creating accessible content for parents and athletes, and coordinating with partners to launch and grow the program.
Overall, these experiences have shaped the educator I am becoming: someone who communicates with purpose, collaborates effectively, and understands how strong communication builds trust and community. My time at TRU, along with my work in coaching and business, has shown me that meaningful learning happens when students feel supported and connected. As I move into teaching, I will continue to draw on the communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills I developed at TRU to create environments where youth feel confident and like they belong.
To Summarize…
- Long‑term goal: become a teacher who creates supportive, engaging learning environments.
- Strong background working with youth through coaching, mentoring, and running West Van Volley.
- Passion: helping young people build confidence, community, and life skills.
- Gained skills in professional writing, PR, interpersonal communication, and teamwork.
- Applied these skills to West Van Volley through branding, promotion, curriculum design, and parent communication.
- Communication skills transfer directly to teaching: clarity, empathy, and trust‑building.
- TRU ILO: Connection had the biggest impact.
- Learned to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
- Portfolio piece highlights branding, media strategy, and communication planning.
My goal is to become an educator who communicates with purpose, collaborates effectively, and builds trust and community.
I am committed to creating learning environments where youth feel supported, connected, and able to grow with confidence and curiosity.