School & Program
University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management (Business)     

Meadowridge Student Since
Kindergarten

Tell us about your time at Meadowridge and the connections you’ve made.

I still remember my first day of Kindergarten, walking in and sitting at a table. Because of the smaller class sizes, I had a chance to get to know everyone in my grade and all the teachers. I was able to experience all the program areas, like sciences, language, and arts, and I tried to take on as many extra-curricular activities as I could to learn about my preferences. Many of my friends are into STEM, like me, so we’ve spent a lot of time together, and being able to share school experiences with them and even hanging out outside of school has been really special.  

What do you want to be remembered for as a Meadowridge student? 

For being hardworking. My friends always say that all I do is study, but for me, the whole point of the DP is to learn how to study and complete assignments and projects with time constraints. In university and even when we get a job, these skills will be valuable. I’ve always been someone who has tried to find opportunities to go beyond the curriculum and what was expected of me. I’ve been involved with Robotics and mentored younger grades, Model UN, I swim outside of school and coach swimming, I code for fun, I’m an assistant instructor at UBC for quantum computing and coding, volunteered at a hospital, and volunteer for events and children’s programs with the City of Coquitlam.

You’ve been highlighted as someone who takes on a lot and manages your schedule well. How do you balance it all? 

I’ve been consistent with my extracurriculars and didn’t switch them up much, instead, I took on new things. The experience of having to do multiple activities forced me to play on my strengths. If you’re transitioning to High School, I would say take on as many things as you can so you can figure out what you’re into and what you’re not, so you can narrow your focus as you get older. Grade 10 is the perfect time to do this. Some students take on extracurriculars and activities because they think it looks good for university applications, but they’re losing a lot of time they could be using for things they’re actually passionate about. It’s okay to take on a lot, just know your limits and priorities (like finding time to sleep) and find a good balance that works for you early on.  

What will you always remember?  

How much our teachers genuinely care for us, especially in Grade 12, they all want us to do well. Many of our teachers go above and beyond to put together study guides and practice worksheets, provide past exams, and find us everything possible so that we have everything we could possibly need to do well on our exams. With our busy schedules, we sometimes don’t have time to do that, so I’m grateful they did that for us. The way our teachers are with us, especially my science teachers, they bring in practical examples and opportunities which invoke curiosity and leave us wanting to learn and experience more. They give us a lot of resources and provide an environment to want to go beyond the curriculum.    

What are you looking forward to in the years ahead? 

Having more time. I’ll be able to attend more social and networking events and meet new people who share the same interests as me. I have some side projects I’m interested in getting back into like coding, or just learning something completely new, like playing the violin. I used to draw years ago, and I would like to pick that up again. 

What are you pursuing in university? Any goals?   

I’m going to the University of Toronto to study Business Management with a minor in Computer Science. I would like to work as a business consultant and a major firm in Canada. From there, possibly go into something more niche, like private equity.  

How did you make your decision on your program at the University of Toronto?  

In Grade 9 and 10, I thought I was set on going to med-school because I was interested mainly in a career within STEM, so naturally it was between medicine or engineering. When I started volunteering at the hospital, I realized that the hospital environment is not where I wanted to be. I never knew about the career options in Business, but in Grade 11, we really started to get into learning about creating business strategies and presenting them, being consultants for local businesses, and supporting them with ways to become profitable.

I also joined consulting clubs outside of school, where we would work with businesses to conduct market research, come up with solutions, and help them become more efficient. These experiences made me realize that this is something I could see myself doing as a career. I chose UofT because of its location, Downtown because it would be easier to network, attend events, and find job opportunities.   

Any parting words of wisdom for our Meadowridge Community? 

Now is the time to make mistakes. Especially in High School, when we’re learning how to prioritize and prepare for university. We all know how challenging our programme is, so it’s easier to move on quickly. We have the time now to make mistakes and learn from them.