We often hear stories of graduating students who thank the people around them for supporting them through their education. Behind each student is a support network made up of many faculty, staff, and of course, other students. For some students, dedicating their time to their colleagues is more than an interest - it’s a passion.
Laurentian University student, Ana Tremblay, is one of these students who is going above and beyond for her colleagues. Tremblay (Kapuskasing, Ontario), a fourth year History student, is both representing her peers and supporting them in her many roles. She is currently the President of Pride Laurentian, a Peer Advisor with the Student Success Centre, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Student General Association (SGA). To Tremblay, balancing her studies in tandem with efforts to support students brings her a sense of accomplishment. “I decided to get involved with Laurentian in a variety of ways because I want to make a difference for future students. It is important that the University consider the point of views of students when making decisions, and I want to be able to be that student voice.” While Tremblay attested that her involvement in the University has the primary goal of supporting her fellow students, these experiences have also positively contributed to her confidence, as have they conditioned her to stand up for what she believes in.
Recently, Ana celebrated the success of Laurentian’s Long Night Against Procrastination (LNAP); an after-hours event hosted by the Student Success Centre that links students to services and peer support. Tremblay served as Chair of the student-led committee, and reflected enthusiastically about this experience. “I think that LNAP was a great success! I loved being able to interact with other students and introduce them to services they may not have known about. At the event, we focused on the promotion of student-led services like the peer support specialists and the first-year coaches so that students could discover more about these services, while also discovering ways that they could help other students through on-campus employment and volunteerism."
The Student Success Centre provides transition, academic and career-related support, as well as services for health and wellbeing to help students succeed and thrive through their academic journey. Peer Support Specialists can offer one-on-one coaching for writing and other academic skill building. Appointments can be booked online through the myLaurentian portal or via email: success@laurentian.ca.
To Tremblay, participating in events such as LNAP, and holding leadership roles such as with Pride Laurentian and the SGA has been “really rewarding.” Speaking directly to her role in Pride, she explained that “Pride is currently in the process of transitioning from a student centre to a resource centre and we hope to be able to offer more services and events for students in the near future. Stay tuned.”
Tremblay expects to graduate with her degree in History this Spring. She intends to return to Laurentian in the Fall of 2022, to undertake a second degree in Indigenous Social Work. “I hope to be able to continue to bring positive change to the school.” Tremblay has inspirational goals set for herself, and will undoubtedly continue to make a positive impact in the student community.