After last week’s post, I found myself thinking about some of the other moments that led me to who and where I am today, and specifically how I found my way to working in Student Affairs.

Now you might be asking yourself – didn’t Gareth say his undergrad was in theatre? I did, however that was only part of my story. Somewhere around the halfway point of my degree, in a moment that can best be described as kismet – I was looking to get involved and make my university experience more than just about classes – and in that same moment walked past a recruitment poster for a fraternity called Delta Upsilon (DU).

Now, let’s get a couple of things out of the way right out of the gate. Yes, we have fraternities and sororities in Canada, and no, being part of one is not like what you see in the movies.

Friendship, Volunteerism, Student Government and Mentorship
In my experience, the men I met who became my Brothers, and the women, both Greek and non, who became some of my closest friends all shared a common desire to make a difference in their communities and in turn make a bigger impact together than any one of us could alone. Looking back, the moment I made the decision to walk up the driveway of the DU house – though I didn’t know it at the time – was the moment that would not only change the rest of my undergraduate experience but forever change the trajectory of my life and career.

At the time, I had originally planned to complete a 3-year BA. Joining DU led me to turning that BA into an honors degree, and simultaneously completing a second degree. It also planted the seeds that would lead a few years later to pursuing graduate studies and made me realize the responsibility my education came with. It was these years that changed the way I viewed volunteering, and introduced me to student government and councils, including my two years in Vice President roles.

In another moment of kismet, my time in DU led me to meeting a senior university administrator who saw something in me, took me under his wing and became my first mentor. It was thanks to his investment in me that I was introduced to the larger world of Student Affairs. After I graduated, he gave me the opportunity to volunteer in different offices on-campus and introduced me to a graduate program (and his alma mater), which I would soon attend.

On the banks of the Red Cedar, there’s a school that’s known to all…
These experiences led to the next big moment of my life, when in July 2006 I moved away from home (and to a different country) to start my graduate degree in Student Affairs at Michigan State University.

Coming Up Next on the #WhatsYourSparkBlog
July 20: Next Tuesday, I’m delighted to welcome my dear friend and colleague Reagan Markwell. Reagan is a proud Metis woman from Manitoba, a recent graduate of the University of Calgary, and the Indigenous Student Access Program Coordinator at UCalgary’s Writing Symbols Lodge. In her post, Reagan will write about coming into her power as an Indigenous woman, the importance of stewardship within Indigenous culture, and how we can all be allies in reconciliation and renewal.

July 27: Following today’s blog, my next post will pick up at the beginning of my MSU years, why those years were so significant, and how they led me to working in the area of student leadership development.