Current
career:
Modern
and
Foreign
Language
Coordinator/Teacher,
England
Co-op
experience:
Junior
Program
Officer,
Environmental
Stewardship
Branch,
Environment
Canada;
Student
Leadership
Program
Assistant,
Organizational
and
Human
Development,
University
of
À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ
Academic
background:
French,
University
of
À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ
Upon graduation from the MPS Class of 2013, Ashley continued her studies with a Bachelor of Education degree in Intermediate/Senior (French as a Second Language, English) at Nipissing University in North Bay, and was named Valedictorian of the Intermediate/Senior Class of 2014. Ashley spent a year studying at l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. She was the youngest member of the 2010-2012 City of Kitchener Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and is a graduate of Leadership À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Region's Youth On Board program. She was also the co-chair of KW's 2013 Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope and was a presenter for Ovarian Cancer Canada. In October 2014 Ashley moved to London, UK to teach full-time; she is now a Class Teacher in an East London primary school, where she is also the Modern and Foreign Language Co-ordinator.
Coursework
Without any sort of financial background, I was incredibly worried about taking economics courses. However, I found these to be the most valuable in terms of real-world application and I came to more fully understand the link between social policy and service delivery, and the differences between cost and social value. The cost-benefit analysis I did really prepared me to do the same for our major team project. In addition, the research skills I developed through writing papers for various courses, as well as the publication examples we worked on in the communications course, were instrumental in helping me get a job with the federal government.
Co-op
I had an absolutely wonderful experience at both placements. Living and working in Ottawa was like nothing I had ever experienced. I really began to understand how government works on a federal level and what being a public servant is like. I was mentored by a senior public servant and this helped me get a more well-rounded idea of working at the federal level as well. My term as the Student Leadership Program Assistant at uÀ¶Ý®ÊÓƵ honed my leadership and facilitation skills, and only further cemented my desire to work with people and see the impact of my work on an everyday, in-person basis - and it led me into my a role as Master of Public Service program assistant.
Major team project
My major team project experience was very unique. Our group focused on a very local issue and had the opportunity to conduct research interviews with people all over the À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Region. Not only did I make invaluable contacts, but I learned more than I imagined about municipal government and the various stakeholder relationships that are entrenched in local policy and service delivery. Because of the major team project, I developed a desire to work at a municipal level, and I enjoy seeing how my arts, culture and language background has helped me to move towards that goal.