“I wanted to be excellent; I wanted to be the person the award describes and excel at adult education…continuing education has played an important role in my career and life, and this award has motivated me to never stop learning.” - Michael Coelho, SCS learner.
Michael Coelho never considered himself to be someone who could win an academic award, let alone an award of excellence. However, while studying at the School of Continuing Studies (SCS), he decided to push himself and apply for the Marilyn Booth Award of Excellence. “I never thought I could earn an award of academic excellence; those weren’t words you associated with my name growing up,” reflects Michael. “But I was eager to keep learning at SCS, and knew that if I won, I could put the money towards my education. My fiancé encouraged me to apply for the award, which motivated me to keep going and excel.”
The Marilynn Booth Award of Excellence was established in 2017 in honour of former Dean Marilynn Booth upon her retirement from SCS. The award recognizes career-focused learners who have demonstrated academic success, personal commitment, and exemplary leadership, with a value of $1,000. “I wanted to be excellent; I wanted to be the person the award describes and excel at adult education,” says Michael. “Continuing education has played an important role in my career and life, and this award has motivated me to never stop learning.”
Michael first came to SCS in 2014, while he was working for a construction company. “I decided to earn my Project Management Certificate, and was immediately able to apply the skills I was learning, which resulted in a promotion to Junior Project Manager. But my love for travel drew me abroad, and I ended up buying a one-way ticket to Europe and working as a tour guide,” recalls Michael. “I loved learning about every city, different cultures, and developed an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. When I came home to Canada, I started working for a startup tour aggregator company, and was reading everything I could get my hands on. I was longing to learn and satisfy my hunger for knowledge, so I again turned to SCS and pursued my Business Analysis Certificate.” Almost immediately, Michael was able to leverage his new skills at work, formalizing processes at the startup. He was able to apply charts, analysis, techniques, and stakeholder strategies in his daily operations, earning him a promotion. Then, the pandemic hit.
“When COVID-19 happened, my company quickly shrunk by 50%, however my position was maintained because HR was impressed by my commitment to continuing education. They saw value in me, because I was always growing, learning, and showing initiative,” says Michael. “As the pandemic wore on, I decided I wanted to move out of travel, and knew that enhancing my skills would help me in this transition. So, I started earning my Certificate in Advanced Business Process Management. While completing the certificate, I applied for the Marilyn Booth Award of Excellence. When I won, I was really proud, and even more motivated to keep going in my learning.”
Today, Michael is using his award winnings to continue pursuing his Advanced Business Process Management Certificate, and has a new role at a prominent password management company. “One of the greatest things I’ve learned from my instructors at SCS so far is to be reflective. To take a moment to step back and assess a situation after the fact,” asserts Michael. “It sounds so simple, but it’s truly a powerful technique. Take the time to reflect and learn from experiences. Gather feedback, looks at situations objectively, and find ways that you can improve. That’s a powerful tool, both at work and in life. I’ve learned that my capacity to grow is endless.”