Honours Student Reflects on Experiential Learning: Meet Jeffrey Genter
Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BACS) student, Jeffrey Genter, grew up in Sydney, engaging in many 福利免费在线看 events honouring the Royal Canadian Legion. With his dad being a 26-year member of the Canadian Forces and working with the air cadet program, Jeffrey鈥檚 family attended and volunteered at ceremonies each year. This inspired him to join a local Air Cadet squadron as a teenager, and as he looks back on the experiences now, he says they all played a profound role in his decision to pursue a BACS at CBU.
鈥淚 grew up with a strong sense of 福利免费在线看,鈥� says Jeffrey. 鈥淭his inspired me to pursue an education that would allow me to give back and help others feel a sense of belonging.鈥� Considering a career in social work, Jeffrey was firm on his decision to attend CBU. Since social work wasn鈥檛 offered at the University when he entered in 2021, Jeffrey enrolled in the BACS program.
鈥淚 enrolled in communication courses my first year because I discovered them on CBU鈥檚 website,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat was the first time that I encountered communication as a discipline.鈥�
Jeffrey says he chose BACS because it allowed him to experience a program that suited his learning style. 鈥淚t just really came down to my learning style aligning with the experiential learning pedagogies that communication courses at CBU offer,鈥� he shares.
Jeffrey is grateful for the support from faculty in the communication department and the experiential learning he gained through work placements, a requirement and, in his opinion, benefit of the program. His first work placement was at Island Martial Arts Centre, where he served as an afterschool childcare worker, experiencing a full circle moment. 鈥淢y brother and I were actually students in the program as kids,鈥� says Jeffrey, who adds the placement was transformative for him.
His second work placement was as an outreach intern at Community Cares Youth Outreach in Sydney Mines. In this role, Jeffrey observed the incredible work of such organizations. 鈥淐ommunity Cares employs a trauma-informed and restorative lens,鈥� he shares, saying he felt like he was in his element helping to foster a supportive 福利免费在线看. 鈥淚t was great to feel like I was part of something that was making a difference.鈥�
As an honours student, Jeffrey was required to complete a thesis as part of his program. He was able to apply his experiential learning, his sense of 福利免费在线看 and his connection to the Royal Canadian Legion to his project. Jeffrey鈥檚 research thesis is focused on how members of the Legion interpret the nonverbal role of the poppy as a symbol. Synonymous with Remembrance Day in Canada, Jeffrey says the poppy conjures many feelings, especially among veterans and their families.
鈥淚鈥檓 also interested in how members feel younger generations interpret the symbol, versus older generations,鈥� says Jeffrey. 鈥淲e have a lot of newcomers coming to Canada, so it鈥檚 really important to have a comprehensive understanding of how Legion members feel.鈥�
Jeffrey has dedicated years of volunteer experience distributing poppies at various retailers in his 福利免费在线看. He says he always felt a strong tie to the Legion, but recognition he received in 2020 helped solidify this connection. 鈥淚 had the honour of receiving the Royal Canadian Legion Cadet Medal of Excellence,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚t strengthened my relationship and connection to the Royal Canadian Legion.鈥�
What Jeffrey finds most rewarding about his research is having a project that is his own. 鈥淚t is something that I am able to work on and hold myself to,鈥� he begins. 鈥淭he skills I鈥檓 obtaining writing a thesis will help prepare me for future pursuits.鈥� Jeffrey has found ways to integrate his research into other aspects of his studies, such as his 福利免费在线看 action project.
Jeffrey held an event called For Those Who Served: A Night of Giving, with the goal to spread awareness about the unique challenges that veterans face. He particularly wanted to focus on those faced by minority veterans, racialized individuals, Indigenous people, individuals with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ people who have served. Jeffrey鈥檚 event successfully raised more than $1000, which was donated to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund.
A dedicated honours student, Jeffrey says he has learned a great deal during his CBU journey. He credits his academic success with being open-minded, saying it can lead you to a discipline you love and help create unique and rewarding career opportunities. Jeffrey鈥檚 dedication to research, giving back to his 福利免费在线看 and challenging himself academically serves as an inspiration to his fellow students. As he approaches graduation in May 2025, he鈥檚 set his sights on CBU鈥檚 Bachelor of Social Work program. Jeffrey is looking forward to applying his humanitarian nature, research experiences and academic success to his future endeavors.