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Student Success Stories

My name is Hathaikan Keomisy. I am originally from Thailand. I came to Canada in 1995, and I could not speak or understand the English language much at all. Life was very difficult for me then. The communication and connection with other people beside my own kind were almost impossible. I had experienced a lot of depression and hardship just to live my daily life. I began to realize that I cannot live like this anymore. I needed to know and understand English just so I could talk and understood it. Most importantly, I needed a job. It was tough for me to find a job. I began to read and write a lot. I went to English as a Second Language classes from time to time. Mostly I taught myself. By doing this, I improved tremendously. My instructor suggested that I should apply for the Mature High School Program at Portage Learning & Literacy Centre. I thought that was impossible, but I nervously did apply for it anyway. My first assessment test was so hard for me but I passed. It took me a few years to complete the Mature High School Program in 2008. Shortly after that, the local high school held a career fair. I met Evelyne Schirp Asmundson there. Days later, I met with her again and she helped me apply and pick out courses. She was an excellent course coordinator. I just completed the pre-requisite courses for Medical Laboratory Sciences which I intend to take at Red River College in Winnipeg. Campus Manitoba made my goals possible. By taking courses through/with Campus Manitoba I did not have to go to the city or quit my job, and I could study anytime of the day. Thank you Campus Manitoba and Evelyne and Erica for helping me achieve my goals and open doors to possibilities. Hathaikan Keomisy
I might not be what some may consider a typical university student, but at Campus Manitoba it is not an issue. I am 40 years old, married, and have three children. I went back to university after staying at home with my children for thirteen years. Once I returned to University, I saw just how important education really is. Having post secondary centers like Campus Manitoba in rural settings creates greater opportunities for all. Campus Manitoba was a tremendous resource over the past five and a half years. This program offered just the support I needed to reach my goal of becoming a teacher. I am from one of those small communities. The Campus Manitoba Center in Eriksdale was so super helpful. Monica, the center coordinator, was my sounding board and she was always up for a discussion. She consistently made time for me and I did not even have to make an appointment. In my program, I had to do a fair amount of traveling; however with the flexibility of the Campus Manitoba courses I was able to cut that travel time down. I was even able to write some very important exams right at home. So, I have successfully completed a three year Arts Degree and a two year after degree in Education. I feel that during this experience I have not only gained an education but lifelong happiness. I would recommend it to anyone. Education has expanded my life beyond boundaries that I never imagined possible. I am extremely happy that I decided to spend the latter half of my life expanding my mind. Campus Manitoba has had a positive effect on my life and also those around me. There is always something to be learned. Knowledge is a powerful tool! Thank you Monica and thank you Campus Manitoba. Tracy Parkes
Having Campus Manitoba available to obtain my degree has been of great value to me. The flexibility of course choices from the different institutions gave me the ability take courses that met my major and minor requirements. It allowed me to set my time schedule and complete my studies outside of regular class hours. The convenience of being able to access courses, testing locations and have support from the CMB staff really contributed to my success. As a full-time employee with the provincial government, it took me seven years to complete my degree. With my family and work schedule, it was important to have courses that allowed me to study after work hours and family time. My position requires a lot of travel within and outside the province. With access to course material from almost anywhere, I can say I have worked on my studies in Winnipeg, Thompson, Halifax, Ottawa, Texas, and Oklahoma amongst other locations. You cannot do this with regular on-campus courses – while getting the same content, quality, instructor and peer contact. I graduated from Brandon University with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies, with a geography minor. Having this degree is important to me in my job position. The degree enables me to understand the concepts and issues associated with emergencies and disasters. The knowledge and skills (such as GIS, Hazards and Risk Assessment, Appraisal of Disasters and Response) are utilized in my current role. In order to achieve this, Campus Manitoba gave me access to Brandon University, University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba courses. With CMB and its integrated reciprocity, the course choices fit directly into my required degree requirements. Campus Manitoba’s demonstrated ability to offer education throughout the province is also valuable to the Manitoba Fire Service and any person interested in safety, emergency and disaster studies and response. Through CMB, courses are now available that allow people to achieve a Certificate of Emergency and Disaster Management and a Certificate of Applied Public Safety. These certificates are offered by the Manitoba Emergency Services College, and people who achieve these certificates are also given credit towards the BU ADES degree. Only the availability of CMB has allowed the access necessary through Manitoba. If you are thinking about taking educational courses, need to upgrade, or are a full time student, Campus Manitoba will contribute to your success. Robert J. Pike, B.Sc.(Honours), C.E.T., CAE Deputy Fire Commissioner, Province of Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner
Hi my name is Cindy McDonald. I am a mother of 3 school age children and I live in the small rural community of Roseisle. I had completed 2 years of a Bachelor of Education before I got married and had children, but never finished it. I chose to stay home with my children and be a stay-at-home mom for 10 years. I joined the work force last year as an Educational Assistant. While I really enjoy my job, it really made me realize that I wanted to finish my teaching degree. But I was not willing to leave my family to travel to Winnipeg or Brandon to complete it. I heard about Campus Manitoba through a co-worker, and soon realized that I would be able to finish my Bachelor of Arts Degree through distance education, online at home, and at the campus in Carman. I have continued to work full time, be a mom, as well as complete 3 courses this term in the evenings and weekends. Without this wonderful option I would not have finished my degree, and followed my dream of becoming a teacher. The staff in Carman have been incredibly helpful, and are very knowledgeable. I have, and will continue to, recommend Campus Manitoba as a wonderful option to start or continue your post secondary education.

On April 22, 2010, the Dauphin Kings defeated the LaRonge Ice Wolves and won the Anavet Cup, which is awarded to the best team in the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Region. A few weeks prior, the Dauphin Kings won the Turnbull Cup, which is awarded to the best team in Manitoba. Six players on the Dauphin team were enrolled in courses at the Dauphin CMB centre during the 2009-2010 academic year. These students were enrolled in a variety of courses including: Environmental Biology, Introduction to Psychology and English Composition. After the winning game, CMB Centre Coordinator, David Rehaluk, congratulated the students at the entrance of the dressing room. The Dauphin Kings will play in the Royal Bank Cup Tournament, which will be held in Dauphin from May 1 to May 9. They will play against the Vernon Vipers, La Ronge Ice Wolves, Brockville Braves and Oakville Blades.

Campus Manitoba has helped me succeed where I normally couldn’t have. This past year I was finishing up some high school courses and wanted to take some university level courses to get my feet wet, since in three years of high school I’d taken all the pre requisites for most universities while in grade 11. Campus Manitoba helped me take the classes at a university level that I wanted to take without having to move to Winnipeg or Brandon. I have a very active schedule and living in The Pas didn’t make moving out right now in my best interest and with Campus Manitoba I didn’t have to move. The ability to study and take courses when the time suited me best was an asset to my success in this program. Additionally the support staff at the center were very helpful by invigilating exams, answering questions I had, selecting courses, ensuring courses proceeded and academic advice. I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in advancing their education or even getting their feet wet into the world of university level courses, whether you’re a mature student, high school graduate or even a current high school student. Joseph Haraldson

Greetings. Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm currently a teacher in the Souris Valley, teaching music in two schools to some truly exceptional youth. As I think back on how I got to this point, I think back several years ago to when I began my university education in an innovative program known as Campus Manitoba. Campus Manitoba is a program that allows students from across the province the opportunity to obtain post-secondary education, via live instruction, from qualified professors using modern technology. Students from various centres are able to interact live during classes via internet chat and/or voice communication with each other and with the professor. Campus Manitoba allowed me the opportunity to take first year courses while still being able to be active in my local community. I believe this is an excellent opportunity for students in rural settings to still be active citizens in their local community while being able to take advantage of university education. Often those in rural settings who want a university education must leave to a larger centre to obtain their goals. Campus Manitoba allows many of these students the prospect of receiving a university education while still keeping active ties in their local community. In my second year, I ended up taking additional courses with Campus Manitoba as electives while I also began Distance Education courses through the University of Manitoba in order to obtain my Bachelor of Arts Degree. I eventually worked in the local community while being able to save substantially on extra costs that would be associated with moving to a new city. The community coordinator, Dave Rehaluk, was very well organized. He was available to offer assistance for all things that were program related and had some very helpful resources. Dave is a key person to talk to if you are interested in acquiring more information about Campus Manitoba and the opportunities it has to offer. After finishing my time with Campus Manitoba and Distance Education, I obtained my Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Manitoba and went on to complete my Bachelor of Education Degree from Brandon University. For anyone who is interested in obtaining their first year courses from an innovative centre, while allowing for some flexible scheduling and some possible cost savings, Campus Manitoba should definitely be considered. Sincerely, Paul Cwir B.A. , B.E.

I started out 3 years ago trying to obtain my Psychiatric Nursing Degree about the time I found out I was pregnant with my first child. Being a mature student and re-entering the life of academia, I first approach the Campus Manitoba office location in Boissevain. It was at this office I was able to gather information on where I could obtain this degree and who to contact in order to gain acceptance into the program. Once enrolled in the Brandon University program, I was advised I was able to take a number of courses through Campus Manitoba. Most of my first courses were correspondence courses by way of Athabasca University but Campus Manitoba was there to invigilate any exams and answer any questions I had. Last year I completed a sociology class requirement by attending classes at Campus Manitoba at the Boissevain site every Wednesday morning for a year. Every morning I attended I was greeted with by a friendly face, or two. Over the course of last year, these faces also became my friends. I was sad to learn that from here on in I had to attend classes at the University in Brandon as I would not be able to see the staff at Campus Manitoba on a regular basis. I do appreciate that I was able to do the first year of my courses from Campus Manitoba especially as I was experiencing my first year at parenting and I continued working at my job. It allowed me to obtain my education through a very flexible schedule. The staff members at Campus Manitoba, especially at the Boissevain site, are truly missed and I look forward to the day I can return just to say hi. Over the three years I had dealings with the facility, I saw the office grow into a professional office which expanded to accommodate many other’s pursuits. I feel I can honestly say they were a great help on getting my career plans off to a great start as well as assisting me whenever I needed it. I would recommend Campus Manitoba to anyone. I cannot wait to share with them the day I have graduated with my Psychiatric Nursing Diploma. DonnaLee Robertson

After high school I had no idea what I wanted to pursue in University, and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. With Campus Manitoba I was able to try and see what area I felt would be best for myself, and take some first year courses that contributed to my degree. Because of this great opportunity, I was able to figure out that I would like to pursue a career in Zoology through Brandon University. Kelsie Hart

Campus Manitoba is a great opportunity to further your education and obtain your career goals without sacrificing your family and job. After discovering I could use my Early Child Care Degree towards a Bachelor of General Studies, cutting it down from a 3 year to 1 and a half, I decided to pursue a degree in Education. I did not want to leave home or quit my job in order to do so. Through Campus Manitoba I was able to complete part of the required courses and obtain student numbers at the University of Winnipeg and Manitoba. This allowed me to complete long distance courses through both universities and obtain my Bachelor of General Studies. I am now looking forward to my final year at Brandon University and a Bachelor of Education. Without Campus Manitoba, accomplishing my goal would have been impossible. Campus Manitoba has great financial benefits as well. Having gone to Brandon University to complete my Bachelor of Education has helped me realize how much money I saved by completing my BGS through Campus Manitoba. As a prior student of Campus Manitoba I can not say enough about what a wonderful opportunity it provides not only students graduating from high school, but more importantly for mature students such as myself who want to pursue a career without sacrificing their family and job. Thank-you Campus Manitoba! Carol Silverthorn

Campus Manitoba has played an integral role in my personal goals of achieving my C.P.P. (Certified Professional Purchaser) designation. The Red River College distance education Business and Administrative Studies program has met all of my management learning requirements for that designation. Without their access to courses and their helpful staff, I would not have been able to achieve this goal living in Flin Flon. Campus Manitoba was there to offer a vast selection of courses to meet my needs, not to mention answer any questions, and finally even supervise my exams. The availability to learn at my own pace, on my own time was a must for me. Having a career, family, and being involved in the community didn’t allow me to attend a classroom during regular hours. Again, without the help of Campus Manitoba, furthering my education would not have been an option. I highly recommend to anyone thinking of furthering their education to stop in to your local Campus Manitoba and have a chat with them. It was well worth my time, and I’m positive it would be well worth yours. Blair Lemcke, Senior Procurement Specialist McIntosh Engineering.

Campus Manitoba has been a great help to me. Last year I was working full time and wanted to take a couple of courses to get my feet wet. The problem was I was working in Altona and could not drive the hour and a half to Winnipeg to school. So I decided to try Campus Manitoba. It worked out great! The communication between students and instructors during the lectures was excellent. The small class sizes did not lead me to be distracted by others, and it made it easier to make friends. One thing that worried me before I began was problems handing in assignments, but to my surprise it has been very easy. I enjoyed my time here so much I decided to become a full time student here at Campus Manitoba, rather than a University in the city, for as long as I can. Jeff Norris