Through TRU’s Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) initiative, Cassidy Jean (BA ’22) travelled from Kamloops to Spain in 2022 for a short-term language and cultural experience. It was an eye-opening trip for the Canadian and one that gave her the confidence and desire to spread her wings even further.

“I have always been interested in travelling abroad, but it was never an option,” she says. “Through the GSO program, I was able to go to Spain, experience life in another country and interact with another culture. I had the chance to see the world from another point of view.”

Jean is now an ambassador for the GSO program, a government-funded initiative that is at the end of a five-year pilot and is up for renewal. Jean and other ambassadors are helping spread the word about the value of the program, sharing the impact it had on their lives and how it is shaping their careers.

She recently shared her story in Ottawa at the GSO Summit, where ambassadors met with government officials and other decision-makers, pleading their case for continued support of the program. Jean spoke to the difficulty many young Canadians have entering the workforce and how experiences abroad can give them the confidence they need to challenge and advocate for themselves.

Cassidy Jean in Vietnam with a group of hospitality students she taught on a TESOL practicum.

“Going abroad gives you the knowledge and the confidence that you can do hard things, and so it becomes easier to try hard or scary things,” she says.

“You learn a lot about yourself by discovering that, ‘OK, I can navigate in a foreign city, I can figure out transit, I can deal with a language barrier. I can order food at a restaurant when I don’t speak the local language.’ You learn it’s OK to make mistakes, and it’s OK if things don’t work out exactly how you think. You also learn to be flexible and adaptable, and I think those are really good skills that translate into the workplace.”

Opportunities abroad for ambitious alum

After receiving her Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English and psychology, Jean began working at TRU World’s International Training Centre (ITC), co-ordinating and supervising groups of international students on outings and activities. She also continued her educational pursuits at TRU and recently crossed the stage again to accept her Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate.

As part of the TESOL program, Jean gained teaching experience at a hospitality college in Vietnam, where she made a lot of connections and enjoyed learning as much as she could about Vietnamese culture during the two-week program. She considers the pursuit of TESOL certification a great option for people interested in travelling and learning about other cultures.

Recently, she also completed a mission trip to Guatemala with her church in support of an organization building schools there. She is considering returning to work in Guatemala as an English teacher.

“That was another very eye-opening trip. I learned so much, and it was inspiring to see an organization that is spreading the gospel and feeding children and supporting families,” she says.

For now, Jean is keeping busy with work and multiple volunteer engagements while continuing to make plans for her future.

“I believe in chasing your dreams, no matter how crazy they seem. I think that everyone has the potential to accomplish things they never imagined, and I work hard to do my absolute best at everything I put my hand to,” she says.

Hard work makes things happen

Working hard is second nature to Jean. Chosen as valedictorian in 2022, she completed her undergrad with a 4.16 GPA, excelling academically while also volunteering in multiple capacities at TRU and beyond, including as a future student ambassador, a peer academic coach and a Sunday school teacher. She also self-published a novel in 2020, Hearts in Harmony, which is available for purchase at Indigo and on Amazon and she is currently working on a sequel.

“I want to challenge myself to move beyond my comfort zone and to grow into the best person that I can be,” she says. “And to remind myself that the goal is growth, and not perfection.”