This week I had the pleasure of interviewing SFU alumni Shannon Vogels. Following an Honours Degree in Communication with a minor in Women’s Studies at the University of Calgary, she graduated from the Masters in Communication program at SFU in 2012. She is now working in Vancouver as the project manager for mental health programs at the BC Children’s Hospital. Along with her passion for the community and addressing mental health and substance abuse, Shannon has devoted much of her degree to feminist theory and Women’s Studies, writing her masters thesis about the societal implications of the birth control pill, touching on subjects ranging from gender performativity to the medicalization of sex. Sitting down with Shannon at The Five Point, a Mount Pleasant staple and both of our favourite local pubs, we talked feminism, the Communication program, and how Shannon got where she is today.
Q: So after growing up in Okotoks and going to school in Calgary, what made you want to make the move to the west coast?
A: I had a great group of friends who already lived here, which made the move very easy. I was also drawn to the live music scene, the food, and the proximity to Seattle and Portland!
Q: Same here! Not to mention the island, Tofino, the mountains and the ocean! And what made you decide to do your masters in Communication at SFU?
A: After completing my BA Honours in Communication Studies at the University of Calgary, I knew I wanted to continue studying in the same field. I loved that Communication Studies allows you to critically investigate issues you are personally passionate about, and I knew exactly what I wanted to research for my MA. In short, Communication Studies was an obvious choice. I applied to a number of schools across the country and was fortunate to be able to select from 5 different programs. I chose SFU for a number of reasons, including that their Communication Studies Masters program has a great reputation and was recommended by professors I had at U of C. I also had a clear idea of who I hoped to study under and developed a relationship with this professor, who I learned a lot from about the program. And finally, who wouldn’t want to live in Vancouver?!
Q: What would you say was the best part of the program?
A: I really enjoyed being part of a small cohort of both Masters and PhD students. It was a great environment to get to know people and learn from others from a surprisingly diverse range of backgrounds.
Q: And what would you say was the worst or most challenging part?
A: Well, I don’t want to say ‘worst’, but research methodology has never been my favourite class. That being said, the research methods class we took was immensely helpful in preparing for undertaking our thesis research, so I won’t complain! After taking the class we had accomplished a number of the prerequisites for conducting our research, including obtaining ethics approval, so while it might not have been the most exciting, it was certainly helpful.
Q: I understand that your thesis about the social implications of the birth control pill was definitely influenced by your identification as a feminist. When would you say you started identifying as a feminist?
A: I wish I could say I always considered myself a feminist, but I, unfortunately, was the product of a small Albertan town in this regard up until I graduated high school. Shortly after graduating, I met a slightly older young woman who was a very vocal feminist, and studying Women’s Studies at U of C. Through conversations with her, I started to understand the need for feminism, and I took an intro to Women’s Studies class in my first (or was it second?) year of University. I was pretty immediately converted, and ended up taking enough courses in my undergrad for a second major! “Feminism has informed my academic and professional life in a significant way to this day, and I am proud to advocate for gender equity at this troublingly divisive point in time.”
Q: How did you first get involved in the workforce after school, and how did you end up where you are now?
A: “The transition into a career was surprisingly smooth, and I have the co-op program to thank for that.”
I quickly found a co-op position as a Methodologist with the BC Cancer Agency, thanks to my research experience and interest in gendered health issues. After my four-month co-op position, I was hired as a part-time employee and continued to work while I completed my MA. I was then luckily hired full time and continued to work for the agency for another six months. As funding for the project I was working on was coming to an end, I began to search for other jobs within the Provincial Health Services Authority and found an exciting position as a Project Coordinator with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services.
Over the past four years, due to organizational changes and gained experience, my position has evolved into that of a Project Manager for the Mental Health programs at BC Children’s Hospital. I work for two different teams and am responsible for coordinating provincial knowledge exchange networks of healthcare administrators to support system improvement, and for supporting the development of mental health literacy resources for patients and families. I hadn’t anticipated working in health care administration, or in a government role, when I initially began my studies, but I couldn’t be happier with where I have ended up!
Q: What do you find most challenging about your work? Most rewarding?
A: Most people in my role have a Masters of Public Health, so I occasionally lack the background others have in subjects like health statistics and public health, which can be a challenge. Overall, I have felt very supported in developing myself professionally in my role, and I have learned a great deal about the mental health and substance use system in BC, which I find extremely interesting. It is incredibly rewarding to work at an administrative level to improve the system of care to better support patients in BC, especially in the areas of mental health and substance use, which are so often stigmatized.
Q: It’s so great to hear about your growth through the Communication program and your subsequent work experience. The only question that I have left is: What’s next?
A: At this point, my main priority is to take advantage of my vacation time and travel as much as possible. I just returned from a month in Southeast Asia, which was an incredible trip, and I already can’t wait for the next one!