My name is Stephanie Tourand and I am just finishing up my 3rd year of studies at TRU. I transferred to the Interdisciplinary Studies program in Fall of 2017 after completing my Associate of Arts degree at NVIT.

 

 

For more information on me feel free to read through my intellectual biography and values inventory below:

 

Intellectual Autobiography

The interdisciplinary studies program is an ideal path to achieve my academic goals. It gives me the ability to take courses related to the field of planning while also allowing me to get a minor in Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development. I have a passion of improving communities and want to do it with an occupation in community planning. My goal, once I get my Bachelors Degree, is to pursue a Masters Degree in Community Planning. I hope to get into the community and regional planning program at UBC with a concentration in Indigenous Community Planning. At TRU I have greatly enjoyed Geography classes focusing on human geography or environmental issues. I am also taking a Tourism Management course on community and cultural issues.

I grew up spending a lot of time in indigenous communities and would really like to work with bands to improve our First Nations’ communities. I completed the Associate of Arts program at NVIT. I greatly enjoyed being able to take courses with a focus on the indigenous perspective and issues. I took First Nations Studies and Anthropology, but even my English and Sociology classes included talks about Indigenous issues or traditional teachings in some way.  This interest in my learning helped my to excel in my course work despite also working part time at Tim Hortons and as a tutor with NVIT’s Student Success Centre. I became a member of NVIT’s student society as well which helped me continue being in a leadership role while giving back. In my grade 11 and 12 years I worked at Tim Hortons (not a lot of part-time jobs in Merritt) and was a part of numerous clubs and committees including student council, asset committee, LINK crew, Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada, Smart Step, gardening club, and midget house level hockey.     

Between high school and NVIT I participated in a Rotary Exchange in Belgium. I got to spend 10 months there redoing grade 12, learning the french language, and learning about the local culture. As my school was right on the French and Belgian border I got to live in both countries and gain an understanding in the differences in culture. It was an incredible experience that taught me as much about myself as it did about life all around the world. My love of community planning really grew here as I was able to explore new cities and talk about problems in foreign countries with other exchange students. It also gave me a lot of appreciation for my own culture as I felt like I was laking that part of my life.

Last summer I participated a workshop/brainstorming weekend with Lower Nicola Indian Band learning about their land use plan and ways to involve the community in updating it using Google Earth. I then gained employment with Community Futures of Central Interior First Nations where I gave youth workshops on becoming an entrepreneur and helped clients prepare to open their own businesses. I also designed an infographic for Huu-ay-aht First Nations Group of Business to display their strategic priorities (subcontracted under my father). My father has worked at NVIT since I was born and I have grown to see him become known as a leader and an expert in empowering First Nations in education. He, along with past experiences I have mentioned, have really inspired me to want to work with Indigenous peoples. I have always had an fascination about the concept of ‘community’ and really like the idea of helping to improve them.

 

Values Inventory

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