A new kind of medal for grad Camille Ruest

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Practice.
 

Camille Ruest carried an intense work ethic into her studies at Royal Roads University. A former elite level pairs figure skater, she was preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics when a “heartbreaking” hip injury forced her into retirement. She’d spent most of her young life putting in long, grueling hours training both on- and off-ice.

The result at RRU: a medal — but not the kind she was used to winning in arenas around the world. 

Ruest, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Practice, won the Governor General’s Silver medal, which is presented to the graduating student who achieved the highest academic standing upon graduation from a bachelor's degree program this year. She also received Royal Roads’ Chancellor’s and President’s Scholar awards at Fall Convocation, showcasing impressive performance. 

“At any level of sport, it teaches you discipline and work ethic, and what it is to grind and set goals and do everything you can to reach those goals,” says Ruest. “I’m very goal-based. It’s about setting goals and setting sub-goals, and trying to find a way to progress. I took that approach in my studies and I’m taking that approach in my job.”

Ruest left her hometown of Rimouski, Quebec at the age of 15 to access higher-level skating development in Montréal. “It was to touch on everything and maybe have a better picture of what I wanted to do with my life.” 

Immediately after retirement from competition, Ruest moved to Victoria with skating and life partner Andrew Wolfe (who pursued an RRU Bachelor of Business Administration in Innovation and Sustainability).

She began working earlier this fall as Operations Coordinator at the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies, an initiative of the South Island Prosperity Partnership focused on the development of Canada’s sustainable blue (ocean) economy.

Both the job and her studies allowed her to pursue a long-held interest in the environment she hadn’t previously been able to exercise because of her training schedule. The flexible, asynchronous online program gave her a grounding in those topics and allowed her to choose electives to feed her curiosity. 

“My goal with the program was to learn about all the different spheres: policy, diversity, climate change science, ecological restoration,” says Ruest. “Taking the course and having the discussions around all of the topics just showed me how much of a need there is, how much there is to do. But in parallel, it showed me there are a lot of people who are trying to help and who are passionate, and I’m one of them.”

She doesn’t have a set path for what’s next — more work, perhaps a master’s degree down the line — but she is grateful for the Governor General’s Silver medal. 

“It’s a very special award for me because I put in a lot of work and sweat and tears and effort into my studies. In sport, you’re rewarded right away, you know right away where you stand. In academia, it’s different… This is very exciting, and it’s special because it’s my first academic recognition.”

Camille Ruest and skating partner Andrew Wolfe were the 2019 Canadian national bronze medallists and represented Canada at the Four Continents and World Championships, including the 2018 worlds in Milan, Italy.

Ruest will be honoured as part of the Royal Roads University 2024 Fall Convocation ceremonies.