Jain is graduating this year with a post degree diploma in Global Business Management. He decided to start getting involved as a way to meet fellow students and get to know the community.
“When you’re new to a community and busy studying, it can be hard to meet people outside of your classes,” said Jain. “For me, getting involved was a great way to meet students I wouldn’t have connected with otherwise.”
Through his time at NIC, Jain has been involved in a variety of groups, from peer mentoring to the North Island College Students’ Union (NISU) and currently sits as the student representative on the Board of Governors. He was also involved in numerous events, including serving as the event coordinator for the World Day for Cultural Diversity event, which celebrated diversity and inclusion.
The experiences, especially with organizing events and serving as a board member, has also helped Jain with knowledge and skills that transfer into the work force.
“I’ve learned so much about planning, governance and management of organizations and how to function in those kind of formal, professional environments,” said Jain. “I’ve learned how to communicate better. It doesn’t have to be a big prepared speech – just share your thoughts and ask questions.”
Jain’s term on the NIC Board of Governors ends in September. He’s looking forward to staying connected to the college after graduation and is encouraging other NIC students to get involved.
“It can be intimidating at first to put yourself out there, but there’s so many opportunities – big and small – to be involved,” he said. “Everyone is here to support you and help you learn.”
It’s also important that the student voice is heard, especially at tables like the Board of Governors and Education Council, which make decisions that impact students, he said.
“It’s easy to think that I’m just a student, but your voice matters and they want to hear what you have to say,” said Jain.
Learn more about opportunities to get involved at www.nic.bc.ca/life-at-nic/.
