My CBU Story: Alex Burke
Years ago, if you asked Alex Burke what his plans were for after high school, he would have told you he had more ideas than direction. Looking back, the soon-to-be Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BaCS) graduate is glad he wound up where he did. CBU鈥檚 BaCS program stood out to Alex as adaptable and hands-on, where he could try new things, meet new people and figure out the other details as he progressed.
鈥淎fter I graduated high school, I didn鈥檛 have the clearest idea of what I wanted to do in life. I had so many different ideas floating around in my head! After consulting with advisors and my parents, I found CBU鈥檚 BACS program. This seemed like the best fit for me,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淔our years later, I can confidently say it was a great choice! I now know what I want to do and it was the BACS program that helped me prepare for it.鈥�
What landed for Alex right away was the work beyond the classroom. Community placements and project work put Alex in real situations with real outcomes, from campus initiatives to off-campus 福利免费在线看 partnerships. He says the program showed how people can make a difference on a 福利免费在线看 level. 鈥淭he thing I鈥檝e enjoyed most about this program is easily working within the 福利免费在线看. Throughout the four years of my program, I鈥檝e had so many different opportunities to get to work within the CBU 福利免费在线看 and beyond,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淭he BACS program really exposed me to different ways we can help out within the 福利免费在线看 on both small and large scales.鈥�
While Alex was supported by his classmates and campus 福利免费在线看, he credits his parents as his number one supporters throughout his academic journey. He also credits the CBU Communications department faculty for helping find his voice. He says they helped shape his approach to writing, presenting and working with teams.
鈥淏eing a communication major, I鈥檇 be remiss if I didn鈥檛 give a shout out to all the incredible professors in the communication department, like Felix Odartey-Wellington, Shauna MacDonald and Sarah MacRae, to name a few,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淭he communication classes I took here at CBU helped me a ton. I was able to participate in so many different classes focusing on different aspects of communication, which helped widen my horizons on what I wanted to do for my career.鈥�
A highlight of Alex鈥檚 CBU journey came last March when he and his classmates organized a 福利免费在线看-based action project focused on food insecurity. Months of planning led to a live event filled with music, guest speakers and 福利免费在线看 engagement.
鈥淎fter months of preparation and a few roadblocks along the way, we hosted our event featuring guest speakers and live music from the Turnbull Brothers and others,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淚n total, we raised nearly $500 for the CBUSU Food Bank and collected enough non-perishable items to completely fill a local food pantry in Sydney. Seeing our hard work pay off like that was an incredibly rewarding experience I鈥檒l never forget.鈥�
Alex says what he will miss most about CBU is the welcoming campus atmosphere that encouraged him to take risks and try new things. The supportive environment – from staff and faculty to classmates from diverse backgrounds turned projects and new classes into opportunities to connect and grow.
鈥淭he highlight of my time here has been finding lifelong friends,鈥� he shares. 鈥淲e鈥檝e grown together not only in classes but also in developing our skills, and that鈥檚 something really special to me.鈥�
Reflecting on his journey, Alex hopes his story encourages other students who may be unsure of their next steps after high school. He believes it鈥檚 okay not to have everything figured out right away. 鈥淭he classes you take and the people you meet will help shape your path,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淚t took me a while to decide what I wanted to do, so don鈥檛 be afraid to take your time.鈥�
Looking ahead, Alex feels both grounded and inspired about the future. While he hasn鈥檛 completely decided on his long-term career plans, he鈥檚 developed a strong interest in public relations and is considering Mount Saint Vincent University鈥檚 Bachelor of Public Relations program in the new year.
As November 5 approaches and the Fall 2025 graduating class prepares to cross the Kehoe Forum stage, Alex reflects on how much his peers have overcome. 鈥淲e鈥檝e all come a long way these past few years,鈥� he says. 鈥淔rom pandemics to hurricanes to snowstorms, we鈥檝e faced our share of challenges. But we鈥檝e also shown that CBU students persevere. We should all be incredibly proud.鈥�
Congratulations to Alex and the entire graduating class of Fall 2025