Meet your Smart Start team for 2025!
Learn more about their program of study, future plans and more.
Aliyah
What is your program and year of study?
2nd year, Child and Youth Studies with a Minor in Psychology
What is your plan for life after Brock?
I would like to do a Masters and possibly a PhD to become a Child Psychologist
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
Not much to be honest, I was more involved with residence life and attended a ton of BUSU and Welcome week events
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
I would love to go to the grape stomp because I couldn’t attend last year
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
I like going to the movies (because the chairs are great) or studying in a cafe downtown
Andrea
What is your program and year of study?
4th year, Concurrent Education – Intermediate/Senior with teachables in History and English
What is your plan for life after Brock?
I would like to become a high school History teacher and/or teach abroad!
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
I am currently the president of the Concurrent Education Student Association and have participated as a student caller in the Brock call campaign! I will also be joining the Brock Press as a Digital Media Coordinator this upcoming September!
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Watch a Brock Musical Theatre show!
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
Visiting cafes in downtown St. Catharines!
Bridgette
What is your program and year of study?
6th year, Concurrent Education – Junior/Intermediate with a teachable in French, a Minor in Educational Studies and French Studies, and a Micro-certificate in Gender Justice and the Art of Activism
What is your plan for life after Brock?
Complete my MPEd in the Field of Global and International Education, after which I hope to work for an NGO researching patterns in global education
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
Brock Cheer (manager, athlete, VP), Brock Dance, Brock University Volunteer Association, BUSU-Advisory Council, Concurrent Education Student Association, Winter Club, Student Success Navigator, Brock Ambassador, CWC achiever
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Dive from the top of the Brock dive tower
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
Go to Stoke Deli Bar and study!
Dunmomi
What is your program and year of study?
4th year, Bachelor of Kinesiology (BKin)
What is your plan for life after Brock?
My goal is to work as a kinesiologist either with a sports team or in a physiotherapy clinic, then go to medical school and ultimately become an orthopedic surgeon.
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
Former treasurer and current president for the Destiny group club. A member of Brock University Volunteer Association, Black Students Association, Nigerian Association, Ghanaian Association and Brock Moving Image clubs. I’m also a Brock Sports Medicine Student Therapist for the track and field team
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Attend Grape Stomp and complete my CWC
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
Finding new and fun places with my friends
Izzy
What is your program and year of study?
3rd year, Concurrent Education – Intermediate/Senior with teachables in Physical Education and Geography
What is your plan for life after Brock?
After I complete my 6 years of concurrent education, I plan to do my masters of education at Brock! After that, the goal is to become a high school physical education teacher and eventually a high school principal.
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
I was on the Smart Start Team last year and have worked with Student Success as a Student Success Navigator! I am also on various intramural teams!
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Complete my CWC!
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
The go karts at Clifton Hill!
Jami
What is your program and year of study?
4th year, Applied Linguistics – Teaching English as a Second Language
What is your plan for life after Brock?
My goal is to earn a Master’s in linguistics: teaching English as a Second Language. Afterwards I would like to be a linguist and a teacher, as well as be a swim team coach.
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
Varsity Swim team captain; studied abroad in Japan through Brock; part of the Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese Student Associations; Intramural Ultimate Frisbee
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Perform on the stage in the Marilyn I. Walker music campus, playing my viola.
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
I love to go on walks with my friends in the area and enjoy the scenery in Niagara.
Kassie
What is your program and year of study?
1st year, Master of Sport Management & Graduate of Concurrent Education – Intermediate/Senior with teachables in French and Mathematics and a Minor in Geography
What is your plan for life after Brock?
Work in Game Day Analytics or Operations for a Hockey team or High school French Immersion Math & Geography Teacher
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
Brock Hockey Game Day Staff, Brock Recreation (Hockey), Student Success Navigator, Brock Dance (President), Tourism and Geography Society (Executive member), Concurrent Education Student Association (Spring Playday), Brock Musical Theatre (Crew) & Brock Intramurals (Dodgeball). I also competed my CWC!
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Grape Stomp!
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
The hiking trails, Sunset Beach, The Niagara Outlets and Avondale Dairy Bar!
Lauren
What is your program and year of study?
2nd Year, Medical Sciences
What is your plan for life after Brock?
I want to go to dental school and eventually become an orthodontist
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
Volleyball intramurals, BLCS, Niagara health volunteerism
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Grape Stomp
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
I really love going to the beach
Lily
What is your program and year of study?
4th year, Child and Youth Studies
What is your plan for life after Brock?
Hopefully staying at Brock! I’m looking to go into academic advising or other administrative or support roles.
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
Pride club, winter club, and 4 different Brock jobs!
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Take a tour of the service tunnels!
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
I love trying new cafes (my favourite is Soban Sandwich Cafe)!
Luke
What is your program and year of study?
3rd year, Accounting – Co-Op
What is your plan for life after Brock?
Thinking about potentially going for my Master’s in Accounting after finishing my program and looking to get a job in the accounting field ideally at MNP where I do my Co-Op terms. No matter what I do however, I think I will in some way try and stay involved at Brock, potentially looking to work here after graduating instead.
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
The main thing I have been involved in at Brock is the Smart Start Team with this being my second year on the team, and the different events we assist with like OUF and Brock’s Open House, etc. I have done a few other things like attend the fun swims at the pool, play some of the drop in sports in the gymnasium, and volunteering for different Brock and Goodman school events!
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
The number one thing on my Brock Bucket List is to utilize some of the spaces on campus more like The Makerspace, Brock LINC, and The Zone!
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
My favourite thing to do in Niagara, is to go out to all the pool halls in the area with my friends to play some pool!
Michael
What is your program and year of study?
3rd year, Labour Studies and Sociology – Combined Major
What is your plan for life after Brock?
I’m keeping my options open, but I definitely want to do further work in student support services, maybe even go for a masters too!
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
I’ve done lots of volunteering for the Brock call campaign, student accessibility services, and other campus departments. I’m also co-president of the recently ratified Brock Accessibility Association
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
I really want to do a photoshoot with the cherry blossom trees 😎😎😎
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
I love the Midway Arcade! Especially the dump truck game!
Serzna
What is your program and year of study?
5th year, Concurrent Education – Intermediate/Senior with teachables in Biology and English
What is your plan for life after Brock?
Become a high school biology teacher.
What extracurriculars have you been involved in while at Brock?
CESA, Intramural Volleyball, ExpressFit classes (Spin & Full Body Strength), skating (Frost week), drop-in sports (badminton, basketball), swimming, Let’s Talk Science
What is the #1 item on your Brock Bucket List?
Use the Tarzan rope at Eleanor Misener.
What is your favourite thing about/to do in Niagara?
Rock climbing at Gravity Climbing Gym