Student profile: Stéphanie Comeau
Stéphanie Comeau arrived at the Mount four years ago from La Baie Sainte-Marie, Nova Scotia, not knowing anyone and never having studied in English before. But she was determined to pursue a Bachelor of Public Relations and she discovered that no university offers this degree in French.
Stéphanie was inspired to study public relations when she watched a television show about a woman who was an event planner in a major hotel. When she made enquiries, her school guidance counselor gave her information about the Mount.
Although somewhat daunted at the prospect of adapting her learning and writing skills to English, her second language, Stephanie soon rose to the challenge. “At first, I would think of the answer in French, and then have to translate my comments into English,” she says. “But I stayed confident and quickly became more comfortable.”
Stéphanie credits the Mount’s small size and her “amazing” professors with helping her find her feet in her new environment. “The Mount is a small community, which I feel offers students a real advantage,” she says. “You are able to form relationships not only with your peers but with your professors as well. I really like how they bring their professional experiences to the classroom. I feel that we are being fully prepared for the real world of public relations.”
She also found the co-op placements that are part of a public relations degree extremely valuable. She was placed with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Department of Public Works, and the Mount’s own Admissions Office. Getting out into the workplace helped her to put her classroom learning into practice and, most importantly, reinforced her long-term career goals. “My dream job is to plan events in a fast-paced environment where I can be creative and where I will help society,” she says.
Always involved in different activities at school, Stephanie brought her enthusiasm for volunteering to the Mount. Involved with the Conseil jeunesse provincial de la Nouvelle-Écosse since the age of 12, Stephanie successfully ran for president of the organization when she came to Halifax in 2005 and served in this role until 2007. She is currently youth counselor on the board of directors.
“I believe in the CJP because it is about more than being French,” she explains, “it is about not forgetting where you come from. And by participating in its cultural events, I build my leadership skills.”
Stephanie’s leadership skills, community involvement and academic achievement were rewarded with a Harrison McCain Foundation Scholarship.
Some of the rewards of studying at the Mount were more personal and less tangible, however. “I discovered that I can do so much more than I ever thought I could,” she says. "Also, I've learned that no matter where I am, I will always have my heritage and culture.”