I tried post-secondary a couple of times before I came to MacEwan, but I floundered and dropped out twice. When I finally got to MacEwan, I found a place that stuck. I had a lot of mentors here, so it's cool to that as an academic advisor, I have an opportunity to be that for other students.

I see between 50 to 100 students in a week – depending on the time of year – and get to help a lot of people who might have fallen through the cracks otherwise. 

Some students have been dealt a bad hand – maybe they didn’t even finish high school. And most students aren’t going to read the admissions policy or every single program requirement – but I have. Academic advisors aren’t encyclopedias, but we know where to find things and can teach students the tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way. 

As a student, I had really low expectations of myself to begin with, but faculty members in the English department were looking out for me. If it weren’t for Dr. Mike Perschon and Dr. Dave Buchanan and Dr. Jacqueline Baker I wouldn't have taken honours English, published some of my papers in the student journal – a huge boost to my confidence – or applied to be a peer tutor at the Writing Centre. I don't want to brag, but when I graduated in 2023, I received the Dean's Medal. 

For me, my job is about making a difference in students’ lives. 

I’ve helped students with everything from completing their high school courses and securing a spot in a competitive program, to getting into an honours program, and volunteering and working for MacEwan. Those things are really cool to be a small part of. It makes me feel really proud that I could be that person for someone else – the one who pushes them to challenge themselves, make informed choices about their academics and have the best university experience. 

I’m passing along the kindness and patience I got from my mentors. That’s my favourite part of this work, for sure.

– Kairo Martens, Academic Advisor, MacEwan Academic Advising Centre

P.S. Academic advisors can guide and support you to make academic plans – from pre-admission all the way to graduation. Chat online, drop-in or make an appointment.