Meet our 2023 HRPA Student Ambassadors!

Isabella Serafim, McMaster University

Hi! My name is Isabella Serafim and I am a fourth year Honours Commerce student at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. I decided to become a Student Ambassador to connect with the HRPA community and meet students who share the same passion for Human Resources. HRPA is a great organization as it offers many benefits to both students and professionals including job search, volunteer opportunities and events, as well as networking with HR professionals and those who aspire to be HR professionals. I learned about this opportunity through one of my HR professors and was immediately interested in the chance to create a connection with HRPA prior to completing my CHRP designation. I hope to use this position to help other students at my school become aware and take advantage of all the amazing opportunities HRPA has to offer.

Maryna Lesina, Laurentian University

I am from Mykolaiv, the city in the south of Ukraine. I moved to Canada several years ago, and currently I am a third year student at Laurentian University in Sudbury and I'm in the Business Administration, Human Resources Management program. I am passionate about volunteering, and using my knowledge, skills and abilities to help people. I have previously volunteered for the University of the Third Age and the Window on America Center (Supported by the US embassy) in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Currently, in addition to being a Student Ambassador at the HRPA, I am also the VP of Human Resources at the charitable organization Students Offering Support (Laurentian Chapter). Getting involved with the HRPA as a volunteer is a great opportunity to learn more about the organization and expand my professional horizons. The HRPA also brings many benefits to students and professionals through regulating the HR profession, hosting events to stimulate professional development and providing access to a wide range of valuable resources. I would be happy, if by volunteering, I could help more students learn about the HRPA and contribute to the organization.

Erica Joyce, Algonquin College 

Hi, my name is Erica! I am the Student Ambassador from Algonquin College. I originally chose to become an ambassador because I am passionate about collaborating with students and ensuring that everyone has as many opportunities presented to them as possible. The HRPA allows students to access exclusive material and new job/volunteer opportunities to help all of us begin our careers. They also offer exciting events which fellow students may not be aware of, so that’s where I would come in. Because of this opportunity, I can connect with fellow students and help others find their career pathways. Although it has just begun, I have had a great experience being an HRPA Student Ambassador so far and I look forward to continuing to promote the benefits of being an HRPA member to my fellow classmates and new HR professionals.

Ethan Bettcher, Confederation College 

Hello! My name is Ethan. I am a student of the Business Administration - Human Resources program at Confederation College here in Thunder Bay, Ontario. After nearly 11 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, I chose to pursue a career in Human Resources so that I could help other people navigate the world of benefits related to workplace injuries. I decided to join HRPA and become an ambassador to help my fellow students connect with professionals outside of the school environment and to help us all gain valuable experiences. Thunder Bay is a small community and networking is key to success. I believe HRPA can benefit all students in the Northern Chapter.

Lule Marevci, Western University 

Hello, everyone! My name is Lule Marevci, and I am a fourth-year student at Western University pursuing a degree in Management Organizational Studies with a specialization in Human Resources Management. I decided to become an HRPA Student Ambassador because I want to be a part of an organization that aims to support HR students and professionals. HRPA exists to provide us with the tools we need to enhance our talents and lead workplaces into the future! I like meeting new people and am always seeking ways to contribute to the HR community. As a result, it is a great honour to serve as a link between HR students at Western University and HRPA. The HR profession is crucial and necessary to any firm so it is equally important for me to expand my interest with the help of HRPA and the resources offered for growth opportunities and networking with my fellow peers. We are all in this together, and I'm excited to kick-start my HR career by being a part of a community that is setting us up for success!

Ninell Dolores, Trent University 

Hello everyone! My name is Ninell Dolores and I am the HRPA Student Ambassador for Trent University, currently in my third year of the BBA program with a specialization in HR. Being an ambassador for HRPA means a lot to me. When I first heard of the opportunity, I knew it would be an incredible experience. To me, it meant meeting remarkable people in the field I love, sharing all the fantastic events HRPA has with my classmates at Trent and being immersed in the world of HR and having the chance to network.

Sandra Hong, George Brown College, Waterfront Campus 

Hi, I'm Sandra and I am a Student Ambassador for George Brown College (GBC) Waterfront Campus. I became interested in studying human resources after working in administration in the fine art field. I love working with people and am excited to connect the HRPA with the GBC community! After classes you can find me in the pottery studio, walking my dog, or reading at a cafe.

Vivian La, Wilfrid Laurier University 

Hi everyone! My name is Vivian La and I am a third year student in the Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) program with co-op at Wilfrid Laurier University. I choose to become a Student Ambassador for HRPA because of my passion and love for Human Resources. As a Student Ambassador, I am able to gain leadership opportunities while meeting other students from different institutions with the same passion for HR. Connecting with other students and professionals within the field allows me to build a professional network for my personal career goals, as well as my Human Resources club at Laurier (HRL). HRPA has many useful resources that can advance and assist me with my career development. A few of my favorites are the different communities, mentorship programs, and career fairs! My advice for anyone interested in joining the HRPA would definitely be to take advantage of all these wonderful resources.

Assil Miri, King's University College

I chose to be the school ambassador at Kings at Western because I am passionate about connecting HR students with HRPA for better chances for them in their careers. I recently heard about HRPA from a presentation done during my lecture. It is important to be part of HRPA because it offers job opportunities, connections and gives you tools to help you in your career job. HRPA helped me understand the designation process better. For example, I did not know designations existed before so HRPA opened that door of opportunities for me. HRPA connects me to the real world of HR. Going to events also helps me get in touch with chapters in my area and make more networks.

Rebecca Mathew, Durham College

Personally, I chose to become a HRPA Student Ambassador for various reasons. The first being the opportunities this experience could offer me. Once my professor, Corey Gill, asked me if I would be interested, I did my research and my interest was peaked. Being a third year student at Durham College on the verge of graduation, I am eager to network and experience as many opportunities I can going into the Human Resources field. This opportunity, will allow me to fine tune my professional skills and grow my network through attending several events. At Durham College, we are just beginning to implement a Human Resources Association similar to Ontario Tech University. As the HRPA representative this year, I will be the link between the association and the HRPA. I am honored to be a part of this opportunity and am excited to see what doors open throughout my time at the HRPA.

Natalia Staisak, Mohawk College

When it came to answering, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”, that question was always jarring for me. I could never seem to find something that I was good at but most importantly something that I enjoyed. It wasn’t until a professor of mine introduced me to the HRPA and I attended one of their events as a student member that the question became one of the easiest things to talk about. I started studying HRM and continued with my participation as a student member, learning all that I could about the importance of Human Resources. The entire journey has led me to meeting my best friends and re-discovering my love for school that I never thought was possible for me. As the new year approaches, I am excited to join as an HRPA Student Ambassador and continue their message of empowering those in or working towards an HR profession.

Daniella Caggianiello, Ontario Tech University

As I am actively involved within my university community at Ontario Tech and hold a true passion for the Human Resources industry, it was an honour for me to take on the role as an HRPA Student Ambassador within the Durham Chapter. This is my second consecutive year taking on the role as President of the Human Resources Student Association at Ontario Tech and I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Commerce, with a major in Organization Behavior and Human Resources. As a student leader, I am passionate about sharing my knowledge with students and running events alongside the HRPA through my university’s student association to circulate awareness about the industry.

Hannah Heidrich, York University

Hello! My name is Hannah. I am a Continuing Studies student at York University in the Post-Degree Certificate program, studying Human Resources Management. I was inspired to pursue Human Resources Management after graduating from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Psychology. Throughout my undergraduate studies, I analyzed organizational psychology research where I learned about the importance of Human Resources Management in the support of a business. The Human Resources Management topics that I enjoy include Organizational Behaviour, Leadership, and Training and Development. A majority of my experience is in the consulting and mental health field. I hope to become a Human Resources Generalist or a Learning and Development professional after I graduate. (Follow us on social to catch Hannah's video explaining why she decided to become an HRPA Student Ambassador!)

Adna Abdulkadir, Humber College

I chose to become an HRPA Student Ambassador because I want to help my fellow classmates have more information and a better connection to HRPA. The Humber College Human Management Resources program is extremely diverse and full of talented individuals who are passionate about being successful in the industry. We are all extremely motivated, working towards graduation, and ultimately HRPA designations. I wanted to become an ambassador to better inform lakeshore students of the many professional development opportunities provided by HRPA. I believe every student should have equal access to information about these benefits so we can all have better career advancement opportunities. Students do not always have the time or capacity to do it all, even though we may try! Being an ambassador allows me to stay informed while also bridging the gap for many other students.

Ladipo Tolu, Cambrian College

I chose to become a student ambassador so I could create more awareness of the countless advantages of being a member of HRPA and also bridge the gap between HRPA and the student community at Cambrian College. I think becoming a student ambassador has also given me opportunities to connect with peers and mentors in the HR industry. It’s also a great way to build a strong network and create lasting valuable relationships which is one of the key strategies to being successful in life.

Lavanya Mathur, Conestoga College

I decided to become an HRPA Student Ambassador because I wanted to be a part of a passionate community and share my experiences with other students and professionals in HR in this country. I also wanted to get experience in the field of human resource management by optimizing on the opportunities provided by HRPA. As a Student Ambassador, I am able to network with other students and HR professionals. I can learn from their experiences and gain knowledge of the HR profession. I really enjoy the interesting articles and community discussions that I am a part of. It keeps you so much more up to date with HR, which I truly enjoy. I also feel that HRPA events are a great way of learning from HR professionals and connecting with the HR community in Canada. Personally, after becoming the student ambassador for my college I feel very confident and eager to learn more from HRPA.