A Lifetime Commitment to Volunteerism and a Stronger Community: Alumni Feature

Manitoba continues to have a well-deserved reputation for leading Canada in volunteerism and support of charities. Dauphin’s Kayla Gillis is a big reason why.

A graduate of Assiniboine’s agribusiness program in 2008, Kayla is RBC’s community manager for the Dauphin area. That’s a demanding job on its own, but she is also the president of the Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival – a position she has held for the past decade – is the vice-chair of the Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference and volunteers with Dauphin Tourism, Countryfest, and numerous other organizations.

In 2023, she received the RBC’s prestigious Global Citizen Award and its Community Leadership Award and the One to Watch Alumni Award for Parkland Campus. Earlier this year, she was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of the immense contribution she has made to various organizations in the Dauphin region.

Asked where her commitment to volunteerism originated from, Kayla explains that “My parents were very heavily involved within community organizations and my brother and I were always there, volunteering at the rink with them or, you know, in the 4H Club. We learned those values in life that you help other people and they’re going to help you as well too.”

“My parents taught me volunteering was kind of everything and it’s been with me ever since. I get excited to help people, and it’s so wonderful to see things continue on that they strive to be the best they can be.” Beyond the example set by her parents, she adds “Friendly Manitoba, right? There are so many small towns in Manitoba, and every small town has little organizations that you need to help volunteer.”

“Whether it’s 4H, the Shriner’s Club or the Lions group, it’s just one of those things that small towns do to survive. If you didn’t have volunteering within the community, those little organizations wouldn’t be there, and the communities wouldn’t be what they are today.”

Kayla also credits her time as a student at Assiniboine for instilling both the importance and satisfaction of volunteering, saying that “Some of my instructors were heading this organization or that. Being with my peers and seeing the success of others when it comes to volunteering or getting involved in other organizations, it rubbed off on me.”

Reflecting on her time in the agribusiness program at Assiniboine and the role it has played in her life and successes, she says “I loved it. Having grown up on the farm, I had a strong connection to that course. The small class size was huge because you got to know everyone. With that, you kind of had your circle of ‘Hey guys, let’s go do this. Let’s do this event, let’s volunteer together.’ It
was a really good connection. It kind of felt like still being in your hometown, even though it was a big organization.”

For those considering the agribusiness program at Assiniboine, Kayla says that “All and all, it’s a great course to take. You don’t need an agricultural background to take it because you go through everything thoroughly, with hands-on experience.”

“They teach you the financial. They teach you the agronomy portion of it. The business side of it. It’s a versatile program, which I think a lot of people underestimate. They think ‘Well, I don’t have a background in ag, I shouldn’t take it.’ You definitely can.”

She offers this guidance for students entering the program: “Go in with an open mind. Every day is going to be a different day, but you’re going to learn so much. Don’t push people away. Continue to be you and the best possible version that you can be, and don’t compare yourself to others.”

Looking to the future, Kayla admits she has been asked “quite a few times” to consider a future in politics. She says that “It’s on my bucket list. I say ’Just give me a few more years, so that I can ensure that the organizations I’m part of are completely set up for success before I step back.’ I’m definitely going to trickle into that before too long probably.”

Stay tuned for that.