Category People
 

Maximilien Roy

President/Director General of Regroupement des jeunes chambres de commerce du Québec
Class of ’09

Since his time studying political studies at Bishop’s, being President of the Political Association, and even DJing at CJMQ 88.9 FM, Maximilien Roy has carved his path into the world of Quebec commerce and politics. Most recently, he was appointed to the position of President/Director General of the Regroupement des jeunes chambres de commerce du Québec. Representing more than 10,000 young professionals, self-employed workers and entrepreneurs, there is no typical day at work for Roy.

Having worked in politics since graduation, Roy has always been motivated by the possibility of having a positive impact: “That’s what really drives me, and I think that’s the most important part of my job is to make sure that whatever we do, it’s really for the greater good.” In attestation of this, he shares that one of the highlights of his career so far, “was working on a project called Watay Power. We started a project to bring hydroelectricity to 17 communities in the North of Ontario, which is about 60% of all the reserves who didn’t have access to hydroelectricity and were being powered by fuel.”

Roy credits his time at Bishop’s for not only the things he learned in small classes, but outside of the classroom: “The first thing you learn at Bishop’s is how to create relationships, how to get to know people and how meaningful these relationships are.” Working in politics, he knows just how valuable these life skills really are.

Carla Oliveira

Journalist and Newscaster
Class of ’00

“Understanding what is happening in society, explaining it, breaking it down, and saying ‘this is what happened; what does it mean? What impact will it have?’” This is why Carla Oliveira loves journalism. Having been a Radio-Canada news anchor for the past five years across the country, Oliveira has most recently been working in the Eastern Townships for the Téléjournal Estrie. Her love of driving debate has played another important role in developing her interest, as journalism provides, “a space for a debate of ideas, presenting different point of views, different opinions and different interpretations of what happened.”

Curiosity is a must in Oliveira’s field, not only about what’s happening, but about people. Being a field journalist at heart, Oliveira admits that her favourite part about journalism is meeting people; “often when you meet someone who is passionate, for a certain cause for example, it’s extremely inspiring.” Oliveira also remarks that to be a good journalist, “you have to stay humble in the sense that you don’t know everything; you always have to go digging to know more.”

Her love of journalism was seeded when Oliveira was doing Portuguese community radio in Montreal as a pastime. During her undergrad, she wrote for The Campus and dabbled in written journalism. “I didn’t become a journalist right after Bishop’s, it took some time. But I think they were all little stepping stones.” When asked what her favourite part of having gone to Bishop’s was, Oliveira quipped; “that’s a hard question: do I give a politically correct answer or not?” as she laughed. “That it was like a huge family, with people coming from all over the country and the world.”

Lily Kobelt

A foot in the door

Music student Lily Kobelt is looking to break into her industry thanks to the B.E.S.T. Projects Fund

Lily Kobelt is an artist striving to perfect her art while yearning to stay true to herself. Not an easy task when that art is music, a highly competitive field where only a few lucky hopefuls get noticed by talent scouts and recording labels. But the Lennoxville native feels confident thanks to the 10-week internship she spent at Studios Piccolo in Montreal, where she got an exclusive look into the music business.

“I received an email about the B.E.S.T. Projects Fund over the holidays,” she remembers. “I started reading it and thought, ‘They’re going to help me achieve my dream if I just submit my project?’ I started to think about how I wanted to improve as an artist. What would I want to do? My internship could help me so much more than being in a classroom, and this is not an opportunity that too many people get. It’s amazing!”

Lily spent her summer understanding the technical side of the business, shadowing several technical and engineering positions at the studio. ‘‘I discovered what sound I was looking for and how to better communicate with the engineers, which makes the recording process that much easier,’’ she says.

The 21-year-old even got the chance to produce a recording for an artist. She also made connections with record label owners and producers and gained a deeper understanding of what it takes to succeed in the industry.

Lily credits her program with putting her on the path toward becoming an independent artist. “What Bishop’s has taught me is that you can take different talents and skills and put them together,” she says. “I really want to be able to make my own decisions when it comes to my art. Nowadays a lot of people are told: ‘If you want to make it, this is what you have to do’, and they have to listen to everyone else. I look up to independent artists who are entrepreneurial and doing what they want and showcasing who they really are. That’s what I would like to do,” she says.

Lily knows she is fortunate to have received the opportunity. “It’s very hard to get these internships,” she says. “Usually, aspiring artists and musicians can’t get an internship like mine because they have no experience. So getting my foot in the door is enough for me. Spending time in the studio was a dream!”

Tirza Harris

Connecting with the ancient world

Classical Studies student Tirza Harris explores her passion in Italy

Tirza Harris is fascinated by the Christian empire and the ancient world.

‘‘When I find something I love, I let it encompass me. I love running away with something and learning everything I can about it,’’ she says. The 21-year-old from Kingston, Ontario, did just that when she visited Ravenna, a city in northern Italy, to complete a two-week program where she made mosaics.

Thanks to the B.E.S.T. Projects Fund, the Classical Studies Honours student used the same techniques and methods that Byzantine artists did in the 6th century.

‘‘That period was the height of the Byzantine Empire in terms of arts and politics. The artwork back then was politically engineered and used as propaganda. With this project, I understood the artists’ perspective. There was so much hard work and dedication put into these works of art, hours and hours of skilled handiwork,’’ she explains.

‘‘It’s amazing that Bishop’s has something like the B.E.S.T Projects Fund. It’s giving me a one-of-a-kind experience that I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else.’’

Tirza’s opportunity allowed her to take what she learned in the classroom and expand on it. ‘’I feel that students need the interplay of the inside and the outside of the classroom to further enhance their academic development. B.E.S.T. allows you to expand yourself, your perspectives, your mentality, and your understanding of things. I feel very grateful for this unique opportunity.’’

Tirza plans on pursuing graduate studies in the hopes of eventually becoming a professor. ‘‘This is a new way of learning for me. I love school, so this was just another means of learning something, but through a different medium.’’

Tyler Pierotti

Learning from the B.E.S.T.

Pre-med student Tyler Pierotti shadows surgeons in Croatia

Tyler Pierotti has dreamed of becoming a surgeon since he was a child. During his 2nd year at Bishop’s, he enjoyed an opportunity most pre-med students could only dream about: shadowing cardiac surgeons as they work in the operating room.

It all started when Dr. Michele Murray, the Dean of Arts & Science at Bishop’s, encouraged Tyler to apply to the B.E.S.T. Projects Fund. After doing some research, he found an opportunity in Croatia, where cardiovascular diseases affect a significant proportion of the population. What better way to learn how to be a cardiac surgeon than to stand alongside some of Europe’s most skilled experts for two weeks?

“It was so exciting,’’ Tyler says. ‘’The doctors explained to me what was wrong with their patients and how they would normally go about treating the problem. During their spare time, they taught me more about the health care system in Croatia, as well as different tips and techniques.’’“I wouldn’t have been able to get this kind of experience anywhere in Canada,’’ he continues. “Here, a student is not allowed to observe a surgery unless he is in his clinical rotations, typically in his 3rd or 4th year of medical school. So I got the opportunity to see things that I normally would only see three or four years from now,’’ he adds.

Tyler feels this opportunity could give him the edge he will need when the time comes to apply for medical school. He explains: “Getting into medical school is very difficult. The field is extremely competitive. Gaining exposure to methods and techniques in clinical settings sends a signal to the medical school that I know what I want to do.’’

In addition to his insightful medical experience, Tyler travelled to Europe for the first time. His hosts gave him Croatian lessons, and he even learned how to cook native dishes from a professional chef. He feels these immersive experiences have expanded his cultural awareness.

Tyler defines himself by his lifelong passion for medicine. But he feels he wouldn’t be able to fulfill his dream of becoming a surgeon without practical experience. “I think it’s extremely important to get a hands-on feel for your subject. No matter how much you can learn in a classroom, there are things you can never learn in a classroom.’’

Ananya Srivastava

AT A CROSSROADS

Chemistry student Ananya Srivastava uses her B.E.S.T. internship to explore her passion for medicine

Ananya Srivastava is passionate about medicine. The Chemistry major from Mississauga, Ontario, has immersed herself in many extracurricular activities both on and off the Bishop’s campus to gain exposure to the field, including a volunteer position at a hospital and several academic clubs. During her 2nd year, Ananya took an exciting new step in her journey.

‘‘I was surfing the Bishop’s website and found the experiential learning link. I saw that the school offered several opportunities including B.E.S.T. At the time, I knew I wanted to do an internship abroad, so I thought this would be an amazing opportunity to help me achieve that goal,’’ she explains.

Ananya conducted research on anti-cancer agents at Braunschweig University of Technology in Germany. Before her internship, she learned German while staying with a host family in Frankfurt. She was paired with another student who didn’t speak English – a truly immersive experience that helped her during her 2-month long internship.

She adds: ‘‘It’s amazing that Bishop’s is willing to support me financially so I can follow my dreams and figure out what I should do next.’’

For Ananya, these experiences outside of the classroom are the best way to learn. ‘‘Classrooms are very controlled environments. All the experiments given by my professors are known to work. And if they don’t work, then I know it’s because of something I did or that something went wrong that can be explained. Whereas when you’re researching, you don’t know what the outcome will be. My internship allowed me to explore my skill and test how much I’m learning in the classroom,’’ she says.

Lisa Astrologo

Nurturing her passion

Psychology student Lisa Astrologo studies emerging trend in her field

Lisa Astrologo has dreamed of becoming a clinical therapist since the 4th grade. After her grandmother’s health started to decline, she became one of her caregivers. This experience accelerated her interest in psychology as she grew in high school. Now an Honours student in Applied Psychology at Bishop’s, Lisa was given the unique chance to conduct research with Dr. William Bukowski at the Interpersonal Relationships and Developmental Lab at Concordia University.

“Dr. Bukowski decided to take me under his wing. Together we studied the well-being and difference in attachment styles in adolescents. We looked at different criteria from a more holistic point of view. We also looked at the caregiving criterion in these adolescents. How do they care for their friends? How does this affect their attachment style?’’ explains the 21-year-old from Montreal.

Lisa was able to find this opportunity thanks to the B.E.S.T. Projects Fund. “This is one of the best opportunities a student like me can get. I was funded for a project I wanted to do, which will enable me to get my foot in the door as a future clinical therapist and psychology professor. It’s an unique opportunity that you just can’t find anywhere else.’’

Lisa gained precious research experience that will help her get into graduate school. But she’s also hoping to add to the growing body of work at the psychology department at Bishop’s.

“I gained an appreciation for the work researchers do when I started working in a lab with Dr. Lawford and Dr. Linden-Andersen [two psychology professors at Bishop’s]. I saw what went into the research. It made me want to work harder, because I know how many people the research could potentially affect,’’ she says.

“I never thought of looking at data this way, getting different perspectives,’’ she says of her experience with Dr. Bukowski. It was so exciting to learn how to work and conduct better research in my field!’’