Bishop's University Viewbook Fall 2022

The Road to Success Isn’t Linear

When Kathleen reflects upon her time at Bishop’s, she says that what drew her to BU isn’t too far off of what attracts most students to Bish- op’s – she wanted to be part of something bigger. Her initial plan was to come to Bishop’s to play basketball. However, when she learned about all that Bishop’s had to offer, she ended up getting involved in so many other things (such as joining Big Buddies, the Lead- ership Community, the Chemistry club, the Green Team, working at Doolit- tle’s, becoming an Orientation Leader, a Tomlinson intern, organized a con- ference on bio-energies and technologies, played intramural sports, and volunteered in Thailand for six months), that she put her basketball plans to the side and her BU journey became one of exploration and change, seizing every opportunity that crossed her path. Fast-forward twelve years and that journey has led her to pursuing a ca- reer in the non-profit sector where she works with the English speaking youth community of Quebec to help them become more civically en- gaged, develop a sense of belonging, and contribute to the development of the place they call home. Being the Executive Director means having your eyes on everything: fromproject management and fundraising, to hu- man resources, advocacy, and community development. Having such an expansive role means that she is often operating outside of her comfort zone and attributes her Bishop’s experience with helping her rise up to the daily challenges. “When I first moved to Lennoxville, I didn’t know a single person. I was far from my family and was in a position where I had to navigate unfamiliar spaces, make connections and become comfortable with the unknown. Because the community is small, professors, support staff, security, and peers are just around the corner (literally within a 2km radius), which helped me feel confident in asking questions and getting help when I needed it most. Today, even though I’m in a position of leadership, the multi-faceted nature of my job means that I am often reminded of all the things I don’t know. I still need to ask questions, seek advice, and rely on my community to ensure things run smoothly. Studying at Bishop’s taught me how to do this with confidence and to approach opportunities from a perspective of curiosity and entrepreneurship.”

Kathleen Mulawka, Class of 2013 Hometown: Belleville, ON Bachelor of Arts – Geography & Environmental Studies major with a minor in French

Current Position: Executive Director, Youth for Youth (Y4Y) Montreal, Quebec

When asked if she had any words of advice for our students Kathleen ex- plains, “My advice? Take chances, make mistakes and get messy (shout out to Ms. Frizzle). University is the place to gain practical experience and skills that will propel you into the work force after you graduate. More im- portantly, it is a prime opportunity to explore what you like or don’t like, and what ignites a fire in your soul. Try things you’ve never done before. Try things that don’t seem remotely interesting. Try things outside of your comfort zone. The more opportunities you have to develop your under- standing from different perspectives, the better equipped you’ll be to create solutions for the complex problems of today’s world.”

That’s not only what a university experience is all about, that’s what a liberal education is all about and is something that Bishop’s does exceptionally well.

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