“Virtual campuses might be on the horizon”

Mya Walz, 21, University of Victoria student

As a University of Victoria business student, Mya Walz, 21, knows all about the importance of networking for her future career.

But as an introvert who isn’t always the most outgoing person in the room, building those connections—and finding the right people to network with—can feel a bit daunting.

And it’s one of the reasons why joining the Wavemakers program this past summer was such a fulfilling experience for Walz.

During the program’s virtual career fair, Walz was able to connect with recruiters, even landing interviews for potential internships that will help build her professional experience.

“I am definitely very nervous about a corporate job so I wasn’t sure how that transition would go but starting with an internship sounds like a great way to do it,” she says. “I had never fathomed making those connections.”

At the outset of the program, students are placed into groups which then choose an industry-focused challenge to tackle. Together they must consider big questions and develop solutions, all of which help hone the skills employers are looking for from today’s workforce. 

Walz says that helped her cultivate skills that will help make her more employable. 

“I think my communication skills and leadership skills definitely improved a lot,” Walz says. “I’m so thankful I had this program and the ability to future proof myself.”

And doing it all through a Virbela virtual campus made it even more engaging and accessible, she says. After a year of Zoom classes, the fatigue had begun to set in. But in Wavemaker’s virtual campus, the participants could make the space their own, and have a bit of fun doing it, too. 

For example, her group personalized their classroom with motivational memes on the wall, changed the layout of their space to suit their needs and could choose where to sit and which conversations to join. And after a group meeting, their avatars could head to the virtual field for a quick game of soccer. 

“It was just such a fun medium to work in and I wonder if the future will go towards that,” she says. “Virtual campuses might be a new thing on the horizon.”

“It fights off that impostor syndrome”

Steven Johnson*, 32, Computer Science student, Lakehead University

Virtual reality has been one of Steven Johnson’s passions, so much so that he made it one of his focuses as a computer science student. So when an email about the Wavemakers Network landed in his inbox this year, he jumped at the opportunity to take part in the program’s inaugural cohort. A virtual reality environment, access to mentors and peers, plus a job fair? It sounded like the perfect way to spend time over the summer. 

As a mature student who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), being on campus can sometimes be an intense, overwhelming experience. But the Wavemakers platform meant Johnson, 32, got to participate in an innovative work-integrated learning program within an engaging and dynamic virtual reality environment. 

“As someone with ADHD it can be hard for me to direct my focus appropriately … but in a virtual environment, it’s a bit easier,” says Johnson. “Being able to network with other students and speakers while being in the comfort of my environment— you know, with my cat and a coffee—was really great.”

The online platform offered a way to break down social and physical barriers, Johnson added. For students, having access to experts engrained in industry and academia, and building connections early is important to gain insight into the workforce and how it operates. The Wavemakers program made that opportunity accessible, he says. 

“Being able to have a back-and-forth with somebody who has experience and credentials was really great … it fights off that impostor syndrome and creates opportunities for connection in a low pressure way.”

Editor’s Note: Steven Johnson is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the student participant