Sharing your story

Magdalen Bowyer graduated from Royal Roads with an MA in Applied Communication in 2006 and a Certificate in Executive Coaching in 2008. Working from a studio in Vancouver, she is a writer, a coach and a communicator specializing in autoethnography. Below she shares her story:

Why did you choose Royal Roads University?

I’ve chosen RRU twice. The first time in 2004 was for the MA in Applied Communication program; the second time in 2008 was for the Executive Coaching program. I knew five years ago that RRU was on the cutting edge of progressive education - they are doing things differently from any other educational institution. And I like being at the forefront of change. I’m a pioneer at heart. 

What was it about the program that fit your needs?

The instructional design. The flexibility would allow me to continue working at my job and meeting my family commitments.

Describe the challenges you faced.

Coaching changes our world

Coaching is the catalyst that invites the stories we want to be living in and inspires the action necessary to make them living stories. Coaching changes our world. by Magdalen Bowyer Human beings have always lived with fear. It is a toxic and viral emotion infecting us with anxiety and throwing us off balance. And for many people, it has evolved into something larger, almost into a way of being. Yet fear is created only in the mindscape of individuals. Various studies now tell us we are living in a culture of fear – we are besieged by reports and ideologies that disrupt our lives and leave us feeling victimized. This is how social conditioning works – largely a product of alarmist media – and we must learn to evaluate this phenomenon critically. We need to reclaim the fact that we are the authors of our own existence and we have the power to create the stories we want to be living in. And those stories need not be coloured by pervasive fear. Read more...

I was a lone mother raising two sons. A few years prior to applying to RRU, I had moved back home to Canada after living several years in the Persian Gulf. I was starting over with few financial resources. And I wasn’t sure the Applied Communication program was the right fit for me. In fact, I was on the verge of leaving our first residency when a candid conversation with one of my professors encouraged me to persevere. He believed I had what was needed to succeed in the program and that was enough for me to believe in myself.

You see, I had come into the program with an academic background in Women’s
Studies and Transpersonal Psychology. Most of my cohort were already in the
communication sector and many were media professionals. I wondered what I could possibly have to contribute.

I was also concerned about the online distance-learning component. It was all a bit overwhelming initially, but I soon discovered the writer in me loved working in all the in-between hours and the format was conducive to my auditory learning style. I liked having the time to engage deep research before having to respond online and my response was in the written word which is perfect for me because I never know what I think until I’ve written it!

Have your perspectives on the degree and what it could do for you changed?

It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. I’ve transformed my life. The degree hasn’t given me the perfect “job” - it’s the people I’ve met and worked with along the way that have helped me to find my voice so my work can find me. My MA thesis was one of the first autoethnographies published at RRU. I’ve become an expert in the field and now I’m fusing the areas of autoethnography and coaching. I’ve designed an applied process called First Reader for Thought Leaders for my clients who are teachers, therapists, coaches, journalists, entrepreneurs, artists and academics. They’re people who want help communicating their ideas. So, I continue to be a pioneer and I’m
able to provide services that help others to live into their own potential.

Describe the most valuable learning you did in the program.

I believe relationship is the basic building block of life. The RRU experience gave me the opportunity to cultivate new relationships with people I continue to learn from and to shift the relationship I have with my own work in the world. I now know my innate skills are in the field of interpersonal communication so, in hindsight, the Applied Communication program was exactly the right fit for me. I learned to trust the process. I could not have imagined the possibilities I was engaging by saying yes to this program. I had no idea. I attribute my success to the guidance of three people in particular: Michael Real, who saw my potential and believed in me when I most needed the support; Phillip Vannini, who opened the door to the world of autoethnography and continues to mentor me; and Joshua Guilar, who lit the path of authenticity and invited me to step fully into my own power.

Have you experienced anything at work as a result of what you've learned in the program?

I first experienced my skills as a group facilitator in an interpersonal communication course at residency. It was apparent that I could hone these skills and develop my abilities in service to something much larger than myself. My first job as a Skills Coach at University Canada West proved I was right!

How has your family been through all of this?

My sons have watched me closely and have learned what it means to be committed to growing into our own potential. I couldn’t have completed either program without their loving support. I’ll never forget the looks on their faces when they witnessed me receiving my degree on stage at graduation. My eyes tear up thinking about it! I also met my husband who was part of our cohort. We studied together for two years and upon completion, looked up from our textbooks and knew we had more to say to each other. We’ve now merged our families and our work - I wasn’t looking for the perfect guy at RRU, but he found me anyway!

What would you have done differently?

Nothing. I committed. I focused. I followed through by trusting the process. RRU is not a perfect institution, but it is a living institution. By that I mean it takes its shape and form from the people who engage in it and that’s a beautiful thing. RRU asks for feedback from its learners and then takes action based on what it learns.

What has changed in you since you started taking this degree?

The vision I have for my life has refined. I’ve attracted people who support and nurture my vision. I’m now a professional autoethnographer and coach working from a studio in Vancouver. I’ve always believed that when one person speaks the truth of their life, the whole world cracks open. Now my work holds that kind of space for deep telling and deep listening; people are transformed through storytelling.

I’m currently writing a book - an autoethnography - the seeds for which were planted in my MA thesis. I want to bridge autoethnography from the academy and into mainstream publishing.

What do you think of the professors?

My experience with the professors was life-altering in the MA program; they held me to my academic best and helped me reach a new level in my writing. A few continue to guide my path. The instructors in the coaching program modeled for me how to transition from the academic to the practical. They’ve become my mentors and colleagues and I have a real sense of shared community. I value emergent learning and dialogic education and most of the teachers I’ve worked with are in service to those values.

If someone asked you about Royal Roads University and its programs, what would you tell them?

We are all looking for the keys to personal liberation. When I came to RRU, I wanted to learn about what I could contribute. When we make this kind of commitment, our lives shift. Mine did. And now I witness it in the people I call my clients. What a deep privilege!

So, understand that when you consider taking a course or completing a degree, there is much more going on than you may realize. RRU is about people, about relationships, about academic excellence, and about learning your path of contribution. For me, it’s been a lifeline, and a community. And I believe it always will be!