Student Spotlight: Kaylah Pascoe Foy

I had been managing a retail store here in Brandon for the last three years. Alyssa Desrochers, one of Assiniboine’s recruitment specialists at the time, encouraged me to apply. I was kind of in a spot where I felt like I didn’t think I was going to grow within the company anymore, and I was at a halt. I knew I wanted to do something bigger, and Alyssa really encouraged me to take the next step and apply to Assiniboine. She talked with me about the program, showed me around the college and really gave me a boost to actually do it; it was the nudge I needed.

I was thinking about it for a long time. I had heard the business programs at Assiniboine were really good. So I knew I wanted to move up within the industry and stay involved with retail but in a position more than just a manager. I’m now in my second year of the Business Administration program specializing in Human Resources. I don’t exactly know what my end goal is yet. I’m contemplating continuing after I’m done and taking the 2+2 program or looking into an advanced diploma or something along those lines. I’d love to further my education even more after Assiniboine.

I like all of my instructors. I’m lucky being in my second year; I got to experience my first year at the college on campus and meet them all in-person. I’ve already been in classes with a lot of my instructors because of the first year, and I know their expectations and how their courses are structured. Getting to know them and having their support has been great. I think Assiniboine’s classes offer a lot of one-on-one learning and interaction. Your instructors know your name and get to know a bit of your background. When I’m having a conversation with them, they know enough about me to be able to link to an example that I would understand. I really like that, especially being more of a mature student and having not been in an education setting for almost seven years. I was really nervous coming in, but they’ve made my experience here pretty awesome. I didn’t feel old or out of place in my classes, it just took some time to relearn how to learn (if you know what I mean).

One of my instructors in the first term, Lisa Park, was a huge support of mine during my first term. Richard Little and the other business instructors all definitely made me feel welcome and comfortable enough to reach out to them if I needed extra help. Honestly, the entire college has felt really welcoming. College has opened up new opportunities and ideas as far as career paths I want to pursue. When I first started the program, my specialization was in marketing, but when I got into Lisa’s class I realized how much knowledge and experience I already had in that area. And with me also being a people person, I decided to switch my specialization. I spent the summer after my first year thinking hard about that decision and which path I wanted to move forward with.

Learning how to study and prioritize my time was a bit of a challenge at first since I was also working and in my manager role. I kind of had to step back a bit and focus on my studies. Heading into the second year and my new terms, I felt a lot better. Holding myself accountable, I really struggled with that at first. I looked for help and support within the college, and I found it within The Learning Curve. One of the classes I struggled with a bit was accounting, so I was able to find some help and get some peer tutoring. The college has a lot of supports, and I tried to use them as much as I could to my advantage. If it wasn’t for The Learning Curve during my first term in accounting, I’m not sure if I would have made it through. They made a huge difference.

I’m proud of myself for getting the motivation to come back to school and actually just do it. In high school, I struggled a bit with my grades, and it wasn’t a high priority for me at the time. Coming to Assiniboine, I definitely shocked myself, and I’m really proud of what I’ve accomplished so far.

Learn more about our Business Administration program or visit assiniboine.net/spotlights to read more student and staff spotlights.