We have so many stellar Options alumni, and in our new series, we wanted to shine a light on a few of our past clients who have gone on to do great things both near and far. This month, we chatted with Laura about what she’s been up to since she graduated and his advice for current post-secondary students.
What’s your name?
Laura Swaffield
Where and what did you study?
I completed a Bachelor of Science from Western University and a Masters of Climate Change from the University of Waterloo.
How did you choose this institution and program?
I chose to attend Western for multiple reasons. I knew I wanted to go to Ontario for my undergrad, but I was unsure about what program to study. I liked the flexibility that Western offered with the Ivey business school HBA program starting after 2 years of other studies. This allowed me to try out environmental science while keeping options open if I wanted to pivot to a degree in business. I ended up loving my environmental science courses and completed my degree in that area. I was also drawn to Western for its school spirit and intramural opportunities, and I did a campus tour and loved the size of Western’s campus and the facilities they had.
What would you tell current post-secondary students about finding a path?
Try different things. I took a wide variety of courses in my undergrad to see what I was interested in and what I was good at – I took courses on everything from web design to computer science to urban planning to media studies, all in addition to my core subject area of environmental science. If your degree doesn’t have that kind of flexibility, consider joining a club, attending a webinar, or finding other ways to expose yourself to different things. The path you’re looking for might present itself in ways you didn’t anticipate, and if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to create your own path. There are many ways to get to the same endpoint.
Would your high school self be surprised with where you ended up?
Absolutely. I grew up with an older sister who knew exactly what she wanted to do at university and what job she wanted afterwards, while I had no idea. I was concerned about this towards the end of high school because we had to start making these big decisions that feel so consequential in shaping our lives. I didn’t really know what my bigger-picture career trajectory was going to look like, or even what I wanted it to look like, but it’s neat to look back on it all now. Maybe I think I would be surprised because I had no idea where I wanted to end up.
What are you doing now?
Right now I work for MEC, an outdoor apparel and equipment retailer, in the Sustainability team. I lead the environmental sustainability program to help the company reduce their impact on the environment. This includes things like building MEC’s climate action plan, supporting MEC Label choose more sustainable materials, fostering a culture of sustainability across the company and much more. Every day is different in my job and I get to work with people from almost every department. After work, you can find me mountain biking, skiing or trail running, or when I get tired, reading a good book.
What at Options Solutions helped you the most?
Options Solutions was helpful in so many ways. Navigating the application process for Canadian universities, doing personality assessments and career exploration, as well as the writing support services were all very helpful as I moved from high school to university. All the Options Solutions staff are so knowledgeable and supportive, too. I remember one conversation I had with Melinda that has stuck with me all these years later, and it was about time management at university. She suggested trying to treat my university courses like a 9-5 job. Even though the course load seemed awesome and like I had all the time in the world, getting my studying done in between classes and trying to do all my school work from 9-5 really helped me manage my time effectively and balance studying with all the other fun things at university!
A fun fact about you?
My favourite cereal is raisin bran.
Where can our readers find you?
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraswaffield/
