Long time no writing! The last time I blogged, I updated you on my graduation from the Advertising and Marketing Communications Management (AMC) program at St. Lawrence College (SLC) - Kingston in the Spring of 2021 and had just completed a 6-week remote work placement with the Communications Services team at Empire Life.
So… let me catch you up to date!
From June to December of 2021, I completed a temporary fill-in work contract as a Communication Officer at Queen’s University with the Department of Advancement, implementing key components of Advancement’s external communications and marketing programs and strategies through the use of social, digital, and print media. Some notable marketing communication campaigns that I worked on include: Homecoming 2021, Bader Celebrations, National Philanthropy Week, Giving Tuesday, Olympics/ Paralympics, etc.
Immediately after completing my contract at Queen’s, I joined the Loyalist Township team on a permanent basis in the newly created role of Marketing and Communications Specialist, reporting to the Corporate Communications Coordinator and Director of Corporate Services. In this role, I am responsible for the development and dissemination of a variety of communications content designed to engage Council, staff and residents on ongoing and upcoming projects, programming and events. Notable marketing campaigns I’ve worked on to date include Doors Open, TuNes Days in the Township Summer Concert Series, Community Connection Transit, Elections, etc. These campaigns have been combinations of digital marketing, social media marketing, public relations, sponsorship, and more.
Now here’s where things get interesting!
Ever since I was in the AMC program I knew that I wanted to add to my advanced diploma and complete my bachelor’s degree by STUDYING abroad through partnerships SLC had in Ireland. I have always wanted to do this as I have aspirations to complete a master's degree down the road to open the door for leadership positions and teaching opportunities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic through a wrench in my plans like many around the globe, and I was left to reevaluate my options as I had just completed the last year and a half of my studies remotely and was not interested in paying international tuition rates for a year of study that may very well end up being online, so I decided to take a year off of education and to work full-time in the above roles, while the world slowly crept back to a reflection of how it used to be.
Landing the Loyalist Township role was a joy, and I loved working with the Township team, so when the pandemic began to clear up and studying abroad became a feasible option once again, I was left with the intrusive question of, well what do I do now? Do I complete my degree while I still have full credit transfer and work towards my education goals, or do I stay working at the full-time job that I love?
I struggled with these questions for MONTHS. I asked family, friends, colleagues, and mentors for their thoughts and all came back with the same response, “It’s a hard choice, only you can make it.” So once again, I was weighing the privilege of having a full-time job in an unstable economy but also have the aspiration to continue my educational journey in order to potentially reach desired career goals further down the road. It was insufferably hard.
Long story short, I decided that I was only young once and that experience to study abroad was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I accepted my offer to the Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Marketing program at South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow, Ireland, and began planning.
I was lucky enough to have the Township grant me a leave of absence to complete this incredible professional development experience, with the opportunity to return to my role as their Marketing and Communications Specialist in June 2023.
So, in late August, I packed my bags, left Kingston, and hopped on a plane to start my year journey at SETU! Stay tuned to hear more about my studies and adventures in Ireland!
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