Mentorship Program
I graduated from the BRM in 2020. I have always been passionate about recreation and had wanted to change my career path, as I currently work in Engineering Services for the City of New Westminster. I am fortunate to have a great mentor in Steve Kellock who was a graduate of the Bachelor of Recreation Management and empowered me to take the program in 2017. The online format allowed me to complete my degree while working full-time and still be able to fulfill my volunteer commitments.
My fondest memory of Langara was the faculty and how they treated me and my classmates. Since I joined the program in 2017, I had lost my grandmother and had both my parents diagnosed with cancer. The Recreation Studies Department at Langara was extremely empathetic and supported me through one of the most difficult times of my life. I could not have achieved my professional and academic goals, without their leadership throughout my time at Langara.
I am currently the Acting Superintendent of Street Use Enforcement, Parking & Animal Services for the City of New Westminster. I am also actively involved in my community, as I volunteer for St John Ambulance, Honour House Society and Emergency Support Services.
I am currently completing a Diploma in Local Government Management and I am exploring Master programs in leadership and/or public administration disciplines. I strongly feel Langara has given me the skills to succeed in the next level of my academic endeavors.
Professionally, I have always loved the dynamics of the public sector and with my education and experience, I hope to one day be a Director of Parks & Recreation. I feel this would give me a platform to empower leaders in the parks and recreation sector, as well as provide high-quality service to the community.
I have a strong passion for mentorship and have recently started a non-profit called Evolve You that focuses on personal development in health and wellness. I hope to use my experience and education from Langara to empower the next generation of leaders, as well as provide support and education for a variety of demographics.
Contact: dmyers@newwestcity.ca
I am 2014 BRM graduate! Prior to deciding to further my career in recreation, I worked for 8 years in the fitness industry as a fitness coordinator, instructor, and personal trainer.
I found the BRM program extremely flexible, and well rounded. I highly recommend the BRM to those seeking supervisory and management positions in the recreation field.
After completing the BRM I accepted the position as the Programs Manager at the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club- one of Vancouver’s oldest and most prestigious private racquets/social clubs. This job includes managing the fitness and aquatics programs, acting as a liaison between the tennis, squash, and badminton professionals, overseeing the sport shop operations, and managing all tournaments and special events.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like insight or support from a BRM graduate.
Contact: hnivison@vanlawn.com
I graduated from Langara’s Bachelor of Recreation Management in 2012 and Recreation Leadership in 2010 – taking these programs was the best decision for my career in the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. Like many young and eager recreation workers in the Vancouver Parks Board, I started off as a Youth Leader; coincidently, it was the same week I entered the Recreation Leadership program. It was an amazing opportunity to apply school learnings to the workplace, and take applicable examples from the workplace to school; as the teaching modules got more complex, my ability to take on more tasks and roles quickly followed. With my graduation into the Recreation Management program, because of its online design, I was able to spend more time at the community centre, honing the skills and experiences that are essential to excel in the organization. In addition, I enjoyed the online discussions with other like-minded students which allowed me to open my mind to new ideas and best practices. At the same time, though, I enjoyed a classroom setting and was able to have the option of taking some of my courses on campus. I appreciated the flexibility of the program, and easily graduated within two years while maintaining a healthy and balanced work life, social life and sports schedule.
Currently, I am one of the Recreation Programmer IIs at the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre, and I could not have done it without my education at Langara. Recreation professionals trust and seek those from the program – I have had the pleasure of working not only at the Roundhouse Community Centre, but also Douglas Park, Hillcrest, Coal Harbour, Kitsilano, Champlain Heights, Strathcona and Trout Lake Community Centres.
On my spare time, I embody recreation and leisure. I am an avid outdoorsman (hunting and fishing), I play ultimate, ride my bicycle, dabble in photography, play the cello, and most importantly, I’m slowly trying to travel to every continent. I believe that being a well-rounded individual, when it comes to investing in myself, transfers positive energy to my working life.
If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an email. I am always open to chat, and want nothing but success for those who take on the challenge of Recreation Management at Langara!
Contact: Jeremy.Quan@vancouver.ca
I graduated from the Bachelor of Recreation Management program at Langara in 2012 and was the recipient of the Graduate Excellence Award.
Since 1998, I have had the pleasure of working for the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission (NVRC) where I get to make a difference in the community I live in, every day. Having worked in a wide variety of roles and facilities for NVRC I enjoy working closely with community members of all ages and backgrounds to develop and implement programs and services that reflect the diverse needs and interests of the community.
I currently work as the Facility and Program Supervisor at Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre in North Vancouver, where I recently hosted an Internship student from the Recreation Leadership Diploma program.
I am a passionate supporter of the recreation field and look forward to connecting with, and continuing to learn from current and future students in the BRM.
If you have any questions about the BRM or working in the Recreation field, please feel free to contact me!
Contact: BrownJ@nvrc.ca
New West Youth Centre and Queensborough Community Centre
Thinking back to when I graduated high school and asked myself the age-old question, “so, what now”? I remember feeling a great deal of uncertainty about which career path to embark on. I had next to no idea of what I wanted to study, so obtaining a degree seemed far out of reach for me; however, thanks to a mentor of mine at the time, I discovered Langara’s Recreation programs and never looked back! Over the years, I worked my way through the Recreation Leadership Diploma Program, and after graduating this, jumped straight into the Bachelor of Recreation Management Program. By no means was this an easy journey (those visitations and DQ’s though), but thanks to the support of some truly amazing Instructors, great classroom communities (both online and offline), and having a strong passion for recreation, I was able to graduate the BRM this past June... Huzzah! Looking back on these years, a few things I am most proud of are receiving a scholarship for excellence in youth work, being filmed as “one of the faces" for our department's promotional videos, and all of the wonderful relationships I formed with classmates and instructors along the way!
Professionally, I currently "wear a number of hats”. My main gigs are with the City of New Westminster as a Youth Worker and Recreation Leader, and on the side, I am a rink rat for the City of Richmond where I work in their arenas as an Ice Leader and Skate Shop Attendant. I have planned special events, coordinated volunteers, led exciting programs, and skated around in a Snoopy costume just to name a few things. Some recent highlights include helping run a satellite youth centre as part of Rogers Hometown Hockey New West, sitting on a committee that is helping bring a new skate park to New West, and being a positive role model for the youths I work with. Although I may not have a full-time position (yet), I enjoy the work I do and the flexibility that comes with working auxiliary positions. It is this flexibility that will allow me to travel and see the world, which is what I currently have my sights set on doing before I settle down into a full-time career.
Personally, when I am not cycling all over Metro Vancouver, I spare for a few hockey teams and practice power yoga once in a while. I also dragon boat in the spring and summer months and enjoy cooking and watching Top Gear (the original one) in my spare time. Since finishing school (for now), I have been looking for new ways to challenge myself so I do not get too comfortable with life. Something I did recently was complete the GranFondo Whistler, a 122km (mostly uphill) bike ride from Stanley Park to Whistler. Next up is a one-month trip to Costa Rica to volunteer as a P.E. teacher as part of a sports education project.
After my awesome experience with Langara’s Rec programs, I find myself in a position where I want to give back to a department that has been so good to me. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about balancing work and school, time management, what to expect with some courses, etc. - I will do my best to help you out!
Contact: matthewbains92@gmail.com
I want to live in a world where recreation is synonymous with arts and culture, emails are face to face, chocolate is free, and dogs at work is the norm.
As a recreation diploma and BRM graduate I feel fortunate to have learned from such dedicated and passionate instructors at Langara, in addition to meeting some great Recie friends along the way. I currently work for the City of Vancouver as a Community Engagement Specialist at Vancouver Civic Theatres. My education and career path have not always been straight forward and clear, which is why I’m eager to act as a mentor and share my experiences in hopes of helping others through their education and career paths.
When I’m not dancing, watching movies, reading, or hiking with my dog, I keep busy with diverse work projects. Everything from city wide events and initiatives, centre based programs, to the Grey Cup half time show or the FIFA Women's World Cup closing ceremonies. My background in theatre, dance, film, and non-profit organizations has proved to be an asset in my recreation career thus far.
I encourage people to think about all the moments in their life where they felt lost in time, gaining skills, feeling especially human and joyous, and tell them that is recreation. Finding ways in which to foster those moments and improve quality of life, that’s what our job is all about.
I’m happy to answer any of your questions, including top 10 best hikes, movies, and food places in town….oh and of course questions about the program and career paths.
Contact: taranazemi@hotmail.com