Opening New Pathways to Education Across the Country: Meet Christine Grant

Born in Ontario and raised in British Columbia before moving and settling in Northern Alberta, Christine Grant saw limited opportunities to grow her experience in different university settings  unless she moved to a much larger city. But that was before CBU came along. “When CBU became an option, it felt like I had a rare, but beneficial opportunity where I could have the best of both worlds,” says Christine. “I feel that I’m equipped to compare my experiences first-hand across Western Canada with students who want to explore their options coast-to-coast.”

The position of Recruitment and Engagement Specialist was created to develop and manage strategic enrollment strategies for Western Canada, more specifically, anything west of Ontario. “I was impressed to see CBU pioneer the creation of this role to be based in-market. It shows that their priority is in the people,” says Christine. “My goals are to increase our presence in the market, act as a reliable pipeline to communicate with our partner institutions and local practicum placements and establish transfer pathways that benefit the student, the community and beyond.”

For Christine, the best part of the job so far has been the responsiveness and support she’s received from other departments around the University on projects and ideas she’s wanted to test out. She feels there is no gatekeeping at CBU, and everyone throughout the University sees the value in trying new things and working together for the benefit of the students. Christine also feels that CBU having a presence out West is good customer service, since she can be responsive in the right time zone, take the time to understand the different provincial education systems and nurture collaboration more effectively. 

Before her work began with CBU, Christine was hired at Northwestern Polytechnic as the Student Success Liaison before quickly transitioning to Manager of Student Recruitment and Retention. “I recognized her extraordinary talent and drive, it was immediately clear that her aspirations extended far beyond her initial role,” says a former colleague, Julie Forbes, Volunteer Coordinator at Rising Above. “True to form, Christine’s trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable. Her ambition and determination have propelled her to become a passionate advocate for post-secondary education across Western Canada.”

Recently, Christine was nominated for a Woman of Influence Award in the Game Changer category by the City of Grande Prairie, Alberta. Upon reading through her nomination, she said there was no shortage of tears. “To be among such a calibre of nominees was a privilege and a gift; I was so humbled,” she says. “I am forever grateful to learn and walk with such spectacular women in our community and the accomplishments highlighted are a testament to just how much of a powerhouse we can be when we work together.”

Despite the overwhelming joy she felt reading her own nomination, Christine says the true moment she felt proudest was upon learning that three of the student ambassadors she hired, trained and mentored, had also been nominated. “I remember their first day on campus, and to see them become leaders in their community 5 years later is a full-circle moment,” she shares.

A key proponent to Christine’s nomination for this award was the realization of an idea she pioneered – Grande Prairie’s Free Application Day. The idea came to her in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel was restricted. Christine saw this as an opportunity to reallocate the budget and put it toward the greater good, and thus this new initiative was born. “Our area has some of the lowest rates of transition to post-secondary training after high school graduation in Northern Alberta,” she reveals. “I was motivated to remove this initial barrier so we could tell prospective students, “if you ever even considered post-secondary, you are now applying without any risk. Now imagine you get accepted, you are now qualified to apply for financial aid and an entire world opens up before you that you never thought possible. How cool is that?”

As Christine continues her efforts toward opening up new pathways for post-secondary education in Western Canada, she also keeps up with various non-profit organizations such as Bridging the Gap at YMCA of Northern Alberta, NWPSA, Northreach Society, Sunrise House, the Communities Building Youth Futures Initiative and Rising Above. “What all these non-profit organizations have in common is that they are full of people who want to change their life for the better,” she says. “Between that and my current position, I am passionate about working with people to help them create futures they can be proud of.”

When it comes to recruiting new students to university, Christine says she encourages them to explore all of the opportunities available to them. “You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it first, so don’t do the same with university. Do your research, attend an Open House and ask questions,” she says. “But I can honestly say, everyone at Cape Breton University genuinely cares about your trajectory and I don’t say that lightly. Whether you end up a Caper or not, we want you to succeed in whatever success means to you.”