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I wanted an intimate educational experience, and that’s what I got.
I’ve always had a passion for tourism and have more than 20 years’ experience in the field. But a couple years ago I decided I wanted to further develop my academic knowledge, broaden my network base in the industry and focus on ecotourism.
Royal Roads University offered exactly what I was looking for – an intensive, on-campus experience that would allow me to have face-to-face interaction with professors, be part of a supportive cohort and get back out into the working world quickly.
Their excellent variety of courses not only gave me a greater skill set but also provided real-world learning opportunities. While I was completing my Master of Arts in Tourism Management (MATM), I was hired to work on a political committee with the Commercial Bear Viewing Association (CBVA) to educate government about the importance of grizzly bear viewing over hunting. In fact, I ended up doing my graduate research paper on the subject.
Eventually, I was hired full time by the association and, working with others, helped to achieve the closure of BC’s grizzly hunt in December 2017. I feel my experiences at Royal Roads played a part in the realization of this milestone in the province’s history.
Certainly, my life changed dramatically after my MATM; I’m more confident in my field and working my passion every day as the Executive Director of the CBVA. And I’m hopeful my thesis will help other ecotourism organizations achieve success.