Brock employees among Spring Convocation grads

Working in education often comes with a love of learning, so it's no surprise several Brock employees will be among the more than 3,500 students graduating this week at the University's Spring Convocation ceremonies.

Amanda Villella (BA '03), Director of Faculty and Staff Relations, pursued a career at Brock in part for her love of education. She is graduating with a Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in Human Resource Management.

"I couldn't pass up the opportunity to further my own education and achieve a graduate degree that would advance my career while pushing me outside of my comfort zone," she said.

Although the program was challenging at times, Villella is happy to have improved her skills and understanding in areas such as accounting, statistics and finance.

"Human Resources is one factor in a larger organizational structure, and it's important for HR professionals to be aware of that and to align our work to support the goals of the organization," she said.

Teghan Hinksman (BSc '18, BEd '18), Recruitment Officer, pursued a Master of Education in Teaching, Learning and Development to help expand her career opportunities within higher education.

"I'm hoping to advance my career into a managerial role in the future, but for now, I enjoy leading the Smart Start team and working with my amazing coworkers in Student Recruitment," she said.

Hinksman balanced degree demands with work and other life responsibilities by integrating her research into her roles at Brock, and vice versa. When she began the degree, Hinksman worked in International Services, so she focused her research on international students. By the end of the degree, her interests shifted to student motivation and mental health, which is applicable to her current role in recruitment.

"It helped me stay motivated and engaged in my learning, while also providing a great deal of knowledge and experience to meet my work objectives," she said.

Kevin Hastie (BA '19), Student Information Service Advisor, graduated Monday with a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education.

While he enjoyed completing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 2019, it wasn't an area in which he wanted to pursue a career.

"I heard many good things about the Adult Education program and figured I should put our tuition waiver to good use," he said. "I have loved my time working at Brock and I really want to further my career in higher education."

While working to complete the program, Hastie was pleasantly surprised to discover a passion for social justice and education and has since enrolled in a master's program with this focus.

"I am looking forward to integrating my passion into my current role at Brock and to any role I may have at Brock moving forward," he said.

Jennifer Barton, Evaluation Specialist, graduated Monday with a Master of Education in Administration and Leadership in Education.

Several Brock student-staff members are also graduating throughout the week.

If you know of a Brock employee graduating at Spring Convocation, please contact The Brock News at [email protected]

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