While she completes her undergraduate studies at the University of Guelph, Kayla is taking advantage of the various experiential learning opportunities available to her. Coming from a high school where she was highly engaged in student activities, Kayla knew she wanted to get involved right away. She got her start with the College of Business and Economics Students Association (CBESA) as a street team member in 2014. 

"My EL opportunities have developed my hard and soft skills - from presentation, critical thinking, time management, leadership, literacy, and everything in between".

In 2017, Kayla was the Vice President of External Affairs at CBESA, having developed strong leadership skills through her different roles within the organization. Alongside this, Kayla was a delegate for JDCC Guelph for three years, a business case competition that she says helped her develop her professional speaking skills, ability to think on the fly, critically analyze a situation and give/receive constructive criticism. As the 2018-19 Co-Captain, she says "Leading this team this year is perhaps one of the biggest, if not the best, experiences I am going to have on this campus". 

For her first Co-op term, Kayla worked for HGTV's Scott McGillivray and his business partner Michael Sarracini (both U of G alumni) at Keyspire. Kayla states, "My EL opportunities have developed my hard and soft skills - from presentation, critical thinking, time management, leadership, literacy, and everything in between". Kayla has also completed two work terms at Kellogg's Canada. By working at a range of organizations for her co-op terms, Kayla got the  chance to experience all areas of business and get a feel for what she really want to do. The opportunity to learn from professionals in the industry helped Kayla with her personal growth as well as her career path. She discovered that she could still pursue her dream of becoming a lawyer after completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree. In fact, Kayla was introduced to new types of law that she could specialize in, through her engagement in various EL opportunities. 

"My EL experiences have shown me how to harness all of the potential I see in myself and to continue using that dedication to something I am passionate about as motivation to push myself."

In addition to curricular and out-of-class engagement, Kayla takes the time to volunteer in the community with Special Olympics and the Movember Foundation, which give her a sense of pride and gratitude for the opportunities she has. 

"My EL experiences have shown me how to harness all of the potential I see in myself and to continue using that dedication to something I am passionate about as motivation to push myself" she says. She finds that participating in something she has a genuine interest in motivates her to manage her time better. Kayla recommends that students participate in EL opportunities in a capacity that works for them.