Inspired to Strive for Change
My two years as an Integrated Environmental Planning student has not only been an amazing experience but it has inspired me to more involved within my community and to strive for change. In IEP, I’ve made friends that have become more like family and teachers that have become friends and mentors. This year dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult but the teachers did not let that stop them from giving us the best learning experiences they could.
Field trip day with Friends of Kootenay Lake.
Finding my Voice
Going into this program I was quite shy and was not a fan of public speaking. With this program, I felt like I found my voice. I was able to make new friends and with how often we had to do reports, I was able to get over my fear of public speaking. Over the two years, I have learned a number of practical skills and knowledge that will help me with future careers in the field.
Value of Hands-on Learning
One thing that I really valued was how hands-on everything was. The small classes allowed for everyone to learn the material easily and how to properly use field equipment. All of the instructors were amazing and you are able to tell how they all really enjoy what they teach and by that it makes the students excited to learn.
Finding Career Focus
During field school at the beginning of the year, we went to a site near the Hugh Keenlyside Dam to do some restoration work. We chose what we wanted to do with an area we were assigned. The three days that my class was out there really inspired me to do more restoration work, focusing on wetland restoration. This is also one of the reasons why I intend to go to Thompson Rivers University and get my bachelor’s degree in natural resource management.
Overall my experience in the IEP program has been an amazing experience. Before this program I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in life, but now I feel like I am going to go down the right path towards a bright future. I owe that to the great teachers and the friends I made along the way which I know I will keep in contact for years to come.
Learn more about the Selkirk College Integrated Environmental Planning Program.
