Life as a Trent Durham Student – Finding my Path
Meet Billie Clarke, postgraduate student in Human Resources Management
My career aspirations have evolved greatly since I was in high school. Early on, I thought that I wanted to be a teacher, but that changed as my high school graduation neared. In my final year, I applied to three different universities, for three different programs, in three different parts of the province. Like many other students my age, I just wasn’t sure what career I was going to land on.
To help make a decision about my postsecondary path, I toured two universities. I can vividly remember my campus tour of Trent University Durham: My mom accompanied me and a campus ambassador led us around Trent, giving us the “VIP treatment.” I remember how comfortable I found the building, how amazed I was at the prospect of a smaller university experience, and of all the incredible opportunities available to me as a Trent student. I realized that I could take courses in Peterborough if I wanted; that I was eligible to study abroad; that getting involved on campus seemed like a breeze; plus, I was eligible for a full-tuition scholarship from Trent – the possibilities seemed endless.
After my tour, I was sold on Trent. I could live at home, attend university for free under my scholarship, and then I could take my education global, and learn overseas. I would be able to tailor my university experience to suit me.
I applied to the Study Abroad program and by third-year I was in Swansea, Wales, studying in the United Kingdom, putting my courses towards my Trent degree and it was amazing!
But a year in Wales wasn’t the only opportunity afforded to me at Trent Durham. I was a club executive, I was part of the leadership program, I was a Pen Pal, and I was a member of more clubs than I can count on one hand. When I came back from Swansea to complete my degree I was worried that I wouldn’t know anyone on campus anymore, but I easily met new friends. I continued to be involved in clubs, and I began writing for the Student Life Blog where my peers and I contribute weekly posts about all sorts of student-related topics.
When I graduated last year with my Bachelor of Arts, Honours in English Literature, I wasn’t quite ready to start a Master’s, but I also didn’t want to leave Trent. To build my resume, I decided to enrol in Trent’s postgraduate Human Resource Management certificate program, knowing it would give me even more flexibility in my future career. And it has. When I finish this year, I will have another qualification from Trent University – I will be prepared to write the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) test and again, my possibilities will be endless.
So if you’re considering postsecondary education, I encourage you to consider Trent University Durham. In fact, Trent’s Open House takes place next Tuesday, March 14, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. And, I’ll be there as a student volunteer – touring the next group of future Trent students around our amazing campus. I hope to see you there!
Billie Clark is currently pursuing a postgraduate certificate in Human Resource Management at Trent University Durham and is the chief editor of the Student Life Blog.
This piece also appeared as a contributed article in the Metroland Newspaper (durhamregion.com)