Teresa Therrien - BOLD Stories

Teresa Therrien 
Fourth-Year, BMOS with Specialization in Marketing

Attending university at Brescia wasn’t on Teresa Therrien’s radar. However, it only took one year of post-secondary online learning from her bedroom at home, during the pandemic, that she knew Brescia was where she was destined to be.

Originally from Markham, Ontario, and studying at another Ontario-based university in first year, Teresa transferred to Brescia as a second-year student. “To no fault of anyone, my first year was during COVID. I was learning at home, and my classes were all online. It was really hard to find a group of friends and a sense of community at that time," says Teresa. 

Teresa knew about Brescia from exploring universities with her parents throughout high school. At a time when she was yearning for an academic space with a community feel, she recalled Brescia’s small, close-knit campus and was further drawn to the BMOS program. “Going from grade 12 into university, I didn’t really know where I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. I chose the other university ahead of Brescia because I thought I would love the program. It was once I met with an academic advisor in first-year that I learned about what my life could be like at Brescia,” shares Teresa.

She transferred her credits, packed her bags and moved to Brescia. By then, classes were moving away from the hybrid/online model and back into in-person learning. One of the first events Teresa attended was the Second Year Orientation Day. She was already off to a marvellous start following that event – she met friends and, more importantly, the ones she still lives with today.

Since her new beginning at Brescia, Teresa has had the opportunity to be involved as a Soph and is now in the role of Manager of Organizational Affairs for the Brescia University College Residence Council (BUCRC) for the 2023-24 year. 

“Being a Soph and now my role with the BUCRC has really allowed me to make new friends, get involved in events and help incoming first-year students with their big transition into university.”

 

Aside from her Soph duties, Teresa also took advantage of the opportunities available within Brescia’s Professional Mentoring Program. At the time of her application, she was unsure of her vision for after graduation. Teresa knew she was interested in marketing and the entertainment industry but wasn’t sure where her calling was. “I was really looking to connect with someone in marketing, communications and entertainment. It was niche, but that’s how I met Cara Inglis," says Teresa. 

Cara Inglis is a Class of 2008 alumna and is currently the Global Gaming Trust and Innovation Communications Lead at Xbox, Microsoft Canada. Teresa and Cara completed the year-long program through monthly meetings and self-led activities. 

“The Professional Mentoring Program has been an invaluable resource. Cara helped me through discussing the current job market, preparing my resume and learning how I could incorporate personal branding into my job-seeking efforts.”

 

 

The opportunity for students to connect and learn from some of Brescia’s most knowledgeable and successful alumnae is invaluable. Oftentimes, mentors continue to support their mentees following the completion of the program. In Teresa’s case, “We’ve completed the program now but have chosen to stay connected and for that, I am really grateful.”

Heading into her fourth year, Teresa is focused on her courses and executive position on the BUCRC. She is not sure whether she will enter the workforce directly following graduation or if she will take on post-graduate studies, but nonetheless, she looks forward to the opportunities and events of the year ahead.

 

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