At the peak of my academic journey, I have come to the dawning of graduation from Thompson Rivers University (TRU), TRU, so I contemplate the rise that brought me here and the goals that gave me the energy to advance. I am Kalayevany Couttignane, an outgoing one with a passion for communication, a never-ending desire to know others and the world, and a keen sense of photography. My first journey was from my native Mauritius right through to the cultural greater Canada, and ultimately, like most students, I verified myself at a TRU Bachelor of Digital Journalism and Communications Branch.
My passion lies in the intersection of storytelling and advocacy, where I want to pursue my envisioned career. With the imagination of a freelance travel writer and photographer exploring the world, I see myself journeying the globe to exhume the paints of distinct traditions and experiences, be it by pen and paper or photography skills. This occupation may have been determined by my nature to seek to create communication, mediation, and advocacy – the very things that make the world a better place for everybody by making the remaining be heard. Through my work, I aim to reveal conflicts behind stories, brush up on the cause of social justice, and inspire citizens to act in order to bring about the change they want to see in real life.
During my studies in school, I purposefully concentrated on acquiring skills that would contribute to my career goals after leaving school. Far from the timid freshman I was a year ago, I am now quite confident and have both oral and written communication skills to show for my college learning experiences. Learning the art of effective writing has been a daunting journey where I have been polishing my sentence structure to not only appear grammatically sound but also in a way that my essays can attract the attention of different audiences to help them effectively understand and engage with complex ideas. Further, my resources with such interactive platforms signify my ability to know the power of stories, using digital resources to mesmerize and hold the attention of the audience. Having made an energetic effort for a few years now to improve and apply my communication skills, In every aspect of my life, whether it’s through school or work, I have acquired a variety of broad skill sets that are ready to make a meaningful impact on the world.
Over the years I lived on this campus, significant personal and career improvement exhibited through self-realization and a closer affinity with nature was the result. The college intended to establish good relations, contour those elements, help develop curiosity, and encourage blatancy that resulted in this transformative experience. These fundamental philosophies supported and gave me insight into the university culture, for which I was advised to take full advantage and gain new insights.
I adapted to the environment over the years of college practice by approaching complex situations, building relationships, and broadening perspectives. The experience of being involved in club activities, such as project teamwork, interactive courses, and community events, was a nurturing arena for skill development. I’ve developed many journalism-related skills at TRU, such as interviewing, writing, and storytelling. Through journalism and communications classes, I learned and improved specific skills such as multimedia design, editing, array of media and PR strategies for companies, networking, oral communication, and presentation skills. Being in these situations, I’ve had an insight into how to function in the midst of complexity, establish valuable relations and not dismiss other people’s perceptions. Through all this, TRU has armoured me with skills that will be worthwhile throughout my life, and the image of the three being one will always be at the back of my mind as I move to the following stages of my life.
Education and ILO
The attitude towards my experience through the Bachelor of Communications and Digital Journalism program at Thompson River University (TRU) is that the institutional and program learning outcomes that I have completed are some of the most influential elements of my personal and academic growth. The involvement of all these parts in my studies and school activity has formed a broad spectrum of learning and maturity.
Throughout this portfolio, there are four pieces that I believe demonstrate the institution’s learning outcomes.
My first piece is connected to “Exploration” and “Connection” and is part of the general education course. It is actually centered on the study of historical contexts, media trends, and technology shifts, using an exemplary interview given by Judy Michelle, who grew up in the analog age.
The Beauty Brand Crisis showcases the “Local to Global” category because we needed to examin and compare the two cases to see if this crisis communication strategy is more effective.We had to research behind the scenes of each situation and explore how companies address issues of diversity and inclusion.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts is relevant to the “Engagement” and “Local to Global” theme of general education. It outlines how the salvation of the BFA program is not only an issue for every member of the artistic community locally but also has a part to play in ensuring a better cultural world spread everywhere globally. It conveys the connection between academic programs and society and accidental relevance. Keeping Canadian Press style and ethics in mind while conducting research and following the core principles of journalism.
Lastly, my final piece incorporates a passion for photography. The photography gallery demonstrates “Connections“.
As I proceed on the path of my career development, TRU has definitely left a remarkable footprint of hard lessons and great experiences. While the journey was long and not always easy, I have developed as a person so much over the years. I am confident that I can effect desirable change and bring immense value wherever I go.