Ashley Boyes - BOLD Stories
We are excited to celebrate Ashley Boyes, Class ’13, as the recipient of Brescia’s
Sister Mary Lou McKenzie Award. This Young Alumnae Award of Merit recognizes a Brescia
alumna, who graduated within the past 10 years, who shows leadership in her career
and embodies the Ursuline values of wisdom, justice and compassion.
Initially, Brescia’s generous scholarship program enticed Ashley to strongly consider Western’s all-women’s affiliate. However, as Ashley progressed through her undergraduate degree, the reasons she stayed at Brescia evolved to reflect the superior classroom and extracurriculars offered on one of Canada’s most beautiful and inclusive campuses.
“I really liked the fact Brescia is an all-women’s university,” shared Ashley. “There
is a very obvious and amazing focus on empowering women across every academic program
and through each of the distinct leadership opportunities offered during and after
class. Right from the very beginning, I became involved with Students’ Council and
had endless chances to develop the skills and portfolio I would need to be successful.”
Education that fosters independent thinking & a shared dedication to serve others
Ashley defines Brescia’s approach to empowerment as one that challenges its students to learn how to think and to articulate those thoughts in ways that are persuasive. While the assumption may be that it’s harder to transition from a women-centric environment into co-ed spaces, the opposite has proven to be true. With participation-based academics, Brescia’s graduates know how to share eloquently, no matter the environment or circumstances within which they find themselves. This Brescia alumna believes confidence development happens much more readily at Brescia than other universities thanks not only to our Ursuline mission but also the campus’s dedication to remaining small and to ensuring supports align with student demand.
“If you are attending a large university, you are really just a number and there are
far fewer opportunities to debate, discuss or think for yourself,” she explains. “At
Brescia, you are expected and encouraged to participate and own your ideas out loud.”
After graduating from Brescia, Ashley went to the University of Ottawa to earn her law degree. She describes the attainment of her Juris Doctorate as “not for the faint of heart,” and something for which students really need a solid academic base, supportive relationships and strong sense of self. Luckily, Ashley developed all three at Brescia under the mentorship of professors, like Dr. Barker, and alongside her two best friends (who she’s now kept for more than 10 years!)
Ashley extends Brescia’s legacy of caring for & uplifting women in vulnerable circumstances
In law school, Ashley pursued various internship opportunities, including working as a Junior Research Fellow for the NATO Association of Canada, as a Dean's Fellow at the War Crimes Research Office in Washington, DC and in the Philippines in International Justice Mission's field office helping to combat sex trafficking. Ashley then worked within the Attorney General's Office during her articling journey. Shortly thereafter, Ashley used her law degree to support survivors of sexual assault through civil court proceedings and worked on medical defense suits at a prominent law firm in downtown Toronto. Ashley’s passion for protecting vulnerable populations has taken her all around the world. Her work has been both extraordinarily rewarding and extremely challenging, and we are in awe of her courageous dedication to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
“Some of my most transformative experiences have happened when I least expected them
to,” Ashley says. “I never expected my journey to lead where it has, but I am so glad
I kept an open mind and pursued opportunities based on passion and purpose, rather
than what they seemed to be able to offer at that time. When possible, I would really
encourage young people to try to push beyond their comfort levels – that’s where the
lifelong lessons will come from.”
Congratulations & see you soon!
These days, Ashley has returned to St. Thomas, Ontario where she is combining all her experiences and applying them as a Regulatory Investigator for Barker Hutchinson. We are glad to have Ashley closer to home and to be able to celebrate her immense contributions during this year’s Homecoming. Please join us in congratulating Ashley and learn from her participation on our Women in Leadership Panel on September 23.
“At Brescia, it was made very clear that giving back and caring for humanity were a priority,” Ashley says. “I am so thrilled to be recognized for the work I’ve done in line with our university’s mission to serve others. I look forward to reconnecting with everyone and I am so thankful for this full circle moment!”
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