Lincoln Nanaquawetung

My journey to NorQuest College definitely came to me inadvertently. In October of 2007, I came to NorQuest with hopes of starting to work towards my goal of a degree in social work. After being out of school for more than 12 years and suffering through significant vision loss, there were many obstacles and barriers that were presented before me. After being assessed for what assistive technology would be most conducive for me to succeed in school, I enrolled in the academic upgrading program and completed all prerequisites required for the social work diploma program at NorQuest.

Along this path, I became involved in the ambassadors program and the students’ association. Both of which I found to be very influential and crucial for me finishing my program at NorQuest. With the ambassadors program, I was able to represent NorQuest and speak publicly on how exactly NorQuest was helping me achieve my educational goals. Advocating for the college was something that I took serious and was proud to do. I learned to proficiently advocate before I entered the social work program. Advocacy is an important aspect of being a student council member as well. A significant aspect of students’ association is to advocate for students on their behalf. Along with advocacy skills, leadership skills were gained as well. The term student leader is synonymous to the requirements for being involved with both the ambassadors program and the students’ association.

The strongest and most poignant attribute that I have gained from my experience at NorQuest is my confidence. At each level of my education at NorQuest, 2 terms in academic upgrading, 2 terms in open studies (post secondary), and the social work program, I felt my confidence grow within myself each term. As my confidence grew, so did my desire to exhaust myself with the ambassadors program, students’ association, and other extra curricular activities, like academic council and ASEC (Alberta Student Executive Council). These opportunities reinforced my desire to finish strong at NorQuest. Because of these experiences, I feel completely comfortable with pursuing my degree in social work at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work this fall.

Now, as the next step in my educational journey is before me, I feel completely confident in myself that I will acquire my degree in social work and enter the workforce fully capable of thriving in a professional environment. It is this confidence in myself that I have gained from my experiences at NorQuest. NorQuest has laid the foundation for myself to extract all the professional qualities I will need for my future. For this, I will always be grateful to NorQuest for providing me with the opportunity to grow as an individual and find my calling in life. It is a bitter sweet pill for me to know that I am done at NorQuest. I am sad to leave but am fully excited to move on with my education at another institution. What gives me solace is to know that I am an alumni member of NorQuest.