Congratulations to all of the nominees for this year’s President’s Award for Student Volunteer of the Year! A new award created for 2014, the Student Volunteer of the Year recognizes volunteers who are students currently attending a BC college or university and have gone outside their comfort zone, shown tremendous spirit and teamwork.
2015 Student Volunteer of the Year
Denisa Orlandea
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“I joined IABC/BC last year when I applied for a Student Communicator of the Year (SCOY) award,” says Denisa. She went on to win an Award of Excellence, and this year, took it upon herself to volunteer with the Student Services committee as Events Coordinator. Thrilled with the opportunity to grow her interests and skills.
Major accomplishments include the overwhelmingly positive response from the Spring into Speed Mentoring Program that she helped organize and host. Denisa contributed to two sold-out events this year and acted as an IABC/BC spokesperson when interviewed with SFU Communique. Another valuable and rewarding year!
“Making the decision to be a student volunteer is an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way, while improving your professional toolkit. By stepping up, you prove that you’re committed to your own professional development as well as to that of your fellow students and transitional members.”
Wise words from Denisa to fellow students, “The communications industry is full of interesting people with unique experiences. IABC/BC is a fantastic place to meet them. There is value is every person’s journey and it’s fascinating to learn about the way each person got to where they are today. Communication is an ever-changing field and also a skill that can always be improved upon.”
2015 Nominee
Shaelah Clancey
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Shaelah joined IABC/BC fresh out of high school last year because she wanted to gain hands-on experience and learn skills that couldn’t be learned in the classroom. Through meeting other industry professionals, she learned more about the communications industry and was determined to reach out to classmates so they could also gain a similar, enriching experience.
She started her volunteer journey by assisting the Bronze Quill Awards Gala team last year, and this year, she volunteered as an IABC/BC Student Community Ambassador at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). She took on a volunteer-lite role (one hour or less per week commitment) that allowed her to stay involved while managing her life as a student. Shaelah promoted IABC/BC through a class project that raised funds for the Eversafe Ranch Outreach Society. She also took every opportunity to mention the association to prospective partners, sponsors and KPU programs.
Shealah works as an intern at Laura Bellance Media Group where she is captivated by advertising and promotions. She enjoys collaborating with clients and ideally hopes to work in tourism and hospitality, with a specialty in theme parks and attractions.
“The best part about volunteering with IABC/BC is the relationships I’ve been able to create,” she says. “But, in order to fully understand what IABC/BC is about and what it has to offer, you have to attend educational events and meet members.”
When asked about her advice for student volunteers, Shaelah says, “Keep connected to the people you work with. It’s very important that you don’t burn any bridges. Not only do they help you in the future, but you can help them in some ways too.”
