As Bachelor of Arts Community Studies graduate, MacKenna King, reflects on her time spent at CBU, she has nothing but great memories to share. Originally from Barrie, Ontario, Mackenna was recruited to play for the CAPERS Women’s Soccer team by Coach Ness Timmons. “Being able to play the sport I love while getting a university degree was the best opportunity I have ever been given,” she says. “I enjoyed every minute of it.”
One of MacKenna’s best memories during her CBU journey is the 2019 AUS Finals, hosted in Cape Breton. “It stands out to me because there were so many amazing fans at that game,” she explains. “CBU students and the local community have always been so important to the CAPERS because they continuously come out to support us.”
When she wasn’t on the field, Mackenna excelled in her academics, balancing her studies while taking advantage of the work study program at CBU. MacKenna worked with Placement Officer, Peggy Gordon, to find two work placement opportunities that allowed her to put her lessons to work in the industry. “Peggy went above and beyond in order to help me,” shares MacKenna. “She always had kind words of encouragement and erased any sense of worry I had.”
It’s people like Peggy, MacKenna says, that make CBU such a special place. “What I’ll miss most about CBU is the people, and all of their kindness and generosity,” she adds. “With the class sizes at CBU being smaller on average than most universities, it’s easier to get one-on-one interactions with your professors. All of my professors knew who I was and what I wanted to achieve and I was able to have more academic success because of that.”
Though being a student-athlete is no easy feat, Mackenna says having her teammates’ support throughout her program made balancing athletics and academics much easier. “Since my teammates were going through the same experiences, we were able to motivate and encourage one another to study and complete our assignments,” she says. “I want to thank them, along with my coaches, faculty and fellow students for making my time at CBU so memorable.”
While MacKenna will be returning to Ontario for the next stage of her journey, she says she’ll never forget her experiences at CBU. “I will forever be a Caper and Cape Breton will always have a special place in my heart.”