Meet Ellen! She’s the third-year Business student that was just elected President of the Commerce Student Society! She was born in Victoria, but moved to Ottawa when she was 3, then to southern Ontario when she was 11, and finally back to Victoria again at the end of her grade 10 year.
When she’s not studying, Ellen loves to hike, swim, and play the occasional game of Dungeons and Dragons (preferably with a glass of wine!). She loves to travel, has been all around Europe, and even went to preschool in Viña del Mar, Chile. But there is still a lot she wants to see, and hopes to visit India and Japan someday.
Ellen decided to come to UVic because she loved Victoria and all the areas to explore on the island. After debating between Business, Political Science, and History, she decided to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce, finding inspiration from her dad’s work in the field. She plans on attaining a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a dual specialization in Entrepreneurship and Service Management, and possibly a Masters degree in Global Business in the future. If she could give one piece of advice to a first-year it would be to remember that it’s not the end of the world if you fail a class or don’t meet a requirement. “You’ll either find out it’s not for you, or you’ll get more out of the class by taking it a second time. Experiences like these teach you what to do when things don’t go as planned.”
Outside of school, Ellen works as a lifeguard and swim instructor. Her favourite part of her job is being able to work with a variety of different people, from infants to teenagers and even the elderly. “It’s definitely helped me gain patience!” She loves working with people, which definitely showed in her first co-op with Sea Cider last summer. Working as an Event and Customer Experience Supervisor, she helped with off-site events, markets, and liquor tastings, but her absolute favourite part was weddings. “It’s amazing to be a part of people’s’ special day…and you get to see a lot of sweet moments,” she says, reminiscing about a wedding she worked at for a couple that went to her high school. “And the sunsets are amazing!”
Ellen is super excited for her new role as CSS President. She plans to create more accessible events for first and second-year students, and wants to help exchange students feel at home. She hopes to make sure that students feel supported and a part of the UVic community, and her overall goal is “making sure that students are happy.”
Ellen has a very wide open-door policy, and would love to say hi if you see her on campus!
Photo Credits:
1. Krystal D’sa
2. Kat Craats
3. Mackenzie Joyal