How three students found different paths to academic success – Macleans.ca

There’s the traditional way to get a higher education, a three-year full-time program in a brick and mortar building, and then there are the flexible learning options available at Seneca. After all: your life is unlike anyone else’s, so why should it be your path to build the life you’ve dreamed of?

At Seneca, flexible learning options fit your life, not the other way around. (Just ask the 16,500 people who enroll in Seneca’s 400+ online courses each year.)

Students can attend an afternoon or early morning class, register on a course-by-course basis, study part-time, or complete a full-time program entirely online – whatever works for you, flexibility and opportunity are all yours.

Here are three students, a recent graduate, a working parent, and a mid-career professional, who pursued their goals, overcame barriers, and achieved success through Seneca’s flexible learning approach.

students meeting in meeting

The new graduate in search of community

When Bailey Waukey Greer chose Seneca, he had just completed what he calls “a healing journey,” taking the year after high school to work through the trauma that had occurred in his childhood.

He had never had a clear idea of ​​what career he wanted to pursue. “I knew he enjoyed helping people,” he said. “And considering the journey he had been on, Seneca’s social services worker program seemed like a perfect fit,” he says of the two-year program he completed in 2018.

When Greer came to Seneca to complete the two-year program, his main objective was to “soak up” the experience, which he undoubtedly did: “I started to enjoy my day-to-day schedule, something foreign to me until then, “He said.” I made strong friends, had good relationships with my teachers and peers, which is all I wanted from the beginning. “Greer, who is indigenous, also found support from First Peoples @ Seneca, which provides study spaces. , tips and cultural events, among other resources for indigenous students He says the education he received at Seneca, particularly through his politics and diversity courses, helped him understand the context of his own experience as an indigenous person in Canada.

“Before attending Seneca, I just wasn’t aware of the paths I could take to help my community,” said Greer, who now plans to pursue a master’s degree. “Seneca gave me the tools to understand context, both professionally and personally, and I feel more confident than ever.”

When Greer came to Seneca to complete the two-year program, his main objective was to “soak up” the experience, which he undoubtedly did: “I started to enjoy my day-to-day schedule, something foreign to me until then, “He said.” I made strong friends, had good relationships with my teachers and peers, which is all I wanted from the beginning. “Greer, who is indigenous, also found support from First Peoples @ Seneca, which provides study spaces. , tips and cultural events, among other resources for indigenous students He says the education he received at Seneca, particularly through his politics and diversity courses, helped him understand the context of his own experience as an indigenous person in Canada.

“Before attending Seneca, I just wasn’t aware of the paths I could take to help my community,” said Greer, who now plans to pursue a master’s degree. “Seneca gave me the tools to understand context, both professionally and personally, and I feel more confident than ever.”

The working mom looking to accelerate her career.

Maria Levy had been waiting for the right moment to improve her skills, and it finally came when her youngest son was in fifth grade and had the opportunity to move to a branch of her company with a shorter travel time.

Levy, a single mother, had been working as an administrative assistant at Mercedes Benz, which made her want to learn more about the auto industry, where technology was constantly changing. “I was looking for a program that would link my work experience and my interests, and the Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management program in Seneca offered both.”

It was the opportunity to work part-time and learn online that really convinced her of Seneca. “Week nights were generally reserved for ‘mothers driving duties’ for after-school activities,” Levy said, adding that she did most of her homework on the weekend or at night. “What I really liked about the program was that it was very planned with deadlines posted at the beginning of each course,” he said. “I felt like I could always plan my goals each week.”

For Levy, the time he spent at Seneca paid off almost immediately: One year on the show, he was able to move into a role that was based on what he was learning about supply chains. After graduation, Levy’s was promoted to a logistics position at headquarters. On a personal level, it also empowered her, particularly in a field that continues to be dominated by men. “As a strong believer in gender equality, I was even more determined to succeed,” Levy said. “I also wanted to make sure that I show my daughters that they can be successful in whatever they want to do in their lives, no matter how difficult it is.”

The professional who works obtaining the qualification he needs to advance his career.

Tonya Lagrasta planned to pursue graduate school after graduation, but life got in the way. In her case, it was a cancer diagnosis in her senior year that caused her to rack up debt. He took the first job he could find once he was better: working the third shift at an auto plant. Despite everything, Lagrasta did not give up his dream of working in the sustainability field, but realized that he would need another certification to do so. Enter Seneca.

“I saw the program in Seneca as a constructive way out,” he said. “It would take me out of line, gaining the skills I needed to stand out from potential employers and the opportunity to meet new people from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds.”

Lagrasta was able to continue working while completing his graduate certificate in Corporate Communications and Public Relations. She likened it to an “eight-month business boot camp” that gave her the credential she needed to land the job she had always dreamed of. She also made incredible friendships throughout her course, including a friend for whom she was a bridesmaid. His advice to anyone considering a similar path? Just do it.

“If life pushes you in different directions, and maybe it gets in the way of making an investment in yourself and your future, then Seneca is a great solution,” he said. “As a working mother with two young dependents, there is no way I can make the time to attend school and in person. I am currently looking to do my MBA and the only schools I am considering are the ones with flexible learning options. “

“I saw the program in Seneca as a constructive way out,” he said. “It would take me out of line, gaining the skills I needed to stand out from potential employers and the opportunity to meet new people from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds.”

Lagrasta was able to continue working while completing his graduate certificate in Corporate Communications and Public Relations. She likened it to an “eight-month business boot camp” that gave her the credential she needed to land the job she had always dreamed of. She also made incredible friendships throughout her course, including a friend for whom she was a bridesmaid. His advice to anyone considering a similar path? Just do it.

“If life pushes you in different directions, and maybe it gets in the way of making an investment in yourself and your future, then Seneca is a great solution,” he said. “As a working mother with two young dependents, there is no way I can make the time to attend school and in person. I am currently looking to do my MBA and the only schools I am considering are the ones with flexible learning options. “



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