How did you decide to pursue a degree in SA? What interested you most about it?
I have always been interested in people and the way they interact with one another. When I first started my post-secondary journey, I was studying hospitality management at Douglas College. Before I graduated in 2019, I took a few courses in sociology and anthropology and was instantly hooked. It was then that I knew sociology was the right field for me because it helped me learn to create relationships between people. When the 2020 lockdown started, I couldn’t find a job in hospitality because everything was closed, so I decided to jump back into studying sociology full-time at SFU in 2021. And the rest is history.

What was your favourite SA course? Why?
My favourite SA course would be SA 302W: Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism with Amanda Watson. In that course, we explored just about anything and everything that can be traced (or linked) to the ideologies and behaviours of capitalist society. This course made me realize just how easy it is to buy into the idea that everything and everyone has a transactional value, which in turn affects the way we communicate with one another.

I’ve always liked to joke that sociology and communication work so well together because 'you don’t know how to connect with people without knowing how to communicate with others, but you also won’t know how to communicate with people without first understanding them.' Thanks to this course, it inspired me to find the courage and belief to always look for hidden, hopeful, and non-transactional values in every interaction I’ve had.

What’s something you’re proud of accomplishing during your time at SFU?
I’m very proud of my community involvements on campus. I served as a FASS mentor and as a student council representative for SASU with the Simon Fraser Student Society during my time at SFU. Those experiences allowed me to apply what I learned in class to real situations and also made me happy that I could contribute to enriching the campus life, even just a little bit!

What are your plans post grad/what are you up to now?
I’m very passionate about helping other people find their own way, and I’d like to work in the post-secondary system in the future. My current plan is to look for jobs in that area to gain experience and to help me financially sustain any future studies.