If Rebecca Korceba could go back in time, she wouldn’t recognize her first-year self. The once self-described shy and quiet student who struggled to initiate conversations has grown into a campus leader who’s building an entire community.

“I’ve learned that stepping out of your comfort zone almost always pays off – whether it’s joining a student group, applying for a leadership role or talking to someone new at an event,” says the Bachelor of Commerce student. “Taking those small risks shaped my whole experience.”

She has packed a lot of risk-taking into her student life – travelling to Ontario and speaking only French for five weeks with students from across Canada. Working with Strathcona County artists on a new virtual- and augmented-reality art exhibition. Becoming a MacEwan Ambassador and stepping up as a student group leader to help young women succeed.

During her three years with the Girl Up MacEwan student group, she’s led initiatives that promote gender equality and education centred on women’s health and wellness. Now, as club president, she’s building a welcoming space for students through events like movie nights, helping local women in need with donations of period supplies and leading creative fundraisers, like selling “blind dates with books,” to raise money for Global Fund for Children projects that help girls access education in underserved countries.

Addressing big, systemic issues while making a difference in the lives of real people will continue on the next step in her journey – family law.

“The confidence and leadership skills I’ve built at MacEwan really reinforced that this is the path I’m meant to be on. Connecting with people fuels everything that I do now and want to do in the future.”