International Ed Talks 2023

Watch as our 2023 International Ed Talks speakers share their stories of the good, the tough and even the not-so-great moments. From facing challenges, succeeding, and yes, even failing sometimes, the five student speakers open up about what international education means to them.

Veronica Santiago: From silence to roar

Growing up in Mexico, Veronica Santiago learned, “Quiet girls are prettier.”

Steeped in a culture where the expectation was that women come last – in their careers and in their families — the Master of Arts in Tourism Management student followed the script.

“Like so many women in Mexico, I quit my quickly advancing position to get married and support my husband’s career. I chose to put my career on hold; he didn’t ask me to do it. That’s the script many of us unconsciously follow,” she says.

In her International Ed Talk, Santiago shares her story of writing a different story for herself, one where she plays the lead.

Shelley Doyle: My journey from loneliness to belonging

When Shelley Doyle immigrated to Canada during the pandemic, she found herself battling not only a devastating housing crunch, but also debilitating loneliness.

“The restrictions of the previous 18 months, juggling a fulltime job with two children under five, left me feeling disconnected,” says the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies student.

But Doyle’s not alone; loneliness has been recognized as a global public health concern. 

Watch her full talk and find out how she’s using her experience and education to find a solution.

Paula Kent: When best laid plans go awry

It was during an overseas field study trip that Paula Kent, 54 at the time, became starkly aware of her age.

“I was consumed by a limiting belief,” says the Master of Arts in Tourism Management alum and current Doctor of Social Sciences candidate. “’You fool, what are you doing here? You’re too old,’” she recalls thinking.

But when her best laid plans went awry, she learned something that changed the course of her future research, and her life.

Watch her International Ed Talk and find out why she says failing is actually more educational than succeeding.

Michael Ip: From social work to soil work

Master of Arts in Environment and Management student Michael Ip shares a story from his native Hong Kong, where both he and an 80-year-old farmer in his community had the chance to change each other’s lives for the better.

“I had the opportunity to safeguard a farmland in my community. So what should I do?”

Learn more about Ip’s unexpected journey from social work to social media marketing.

Graham Kelly: Near-death to rebirth

Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies student Graham Kelly was searching for something missing in his life. Unexpectedly, he found it in the Ecuadorian jungle with a brief, but life-changing encounter with a beaded shell-clad shaman.

“It was like a bolt of electricity flashed through me,” he recalls of his encounter.

Hear is incredible story of how a near-death experience and this encounter shaped the course of his research at Royal Roads.