VP Spotlight: Darian Roberts and Kaylee Jang
Darian Roberts and Kaylee Jang are our first year liaisons. Get to know them better.
Darian Roberts
Why did you choose BCIT?
“Previously, I was at SFU and I didn’t like it there because there was no hands on experience. I would be sitting in a lecture hall with 300 other people that I’d never get to know, I barely knew my instructors and they definitely didn’t knew who I was. There was no human experience, I just felt like a number in the crowd. I knew at BCIT I could get that great hands on experience I was looking for. It’s a place to create connections, whether it be with my set or my instructors and it just feels more meaningful.“
What inspired you to be part of the BCITMA?
“I know a few people that went to BCIT for marketing and were in the BCITMA. They had nothing but good things to say. I was never the type to put myself out there and join clubs at SFU, but this program is only two years and it goes by quick. I thought that joining BCITMA was the best way to make the most of my experience at BCIT. It’s a great place to meet new people, network, and feel a sense of community. I was nervous when I first joined, but everyone was very welcoming. I felt at home already and people were very open to helping each other out, so I wanted to be a part of this community.”
What are your duties as a first-year liaison?
“I have a few duties as a first-year liaison. One of them is promoting awareness of the BCITMA among first year student, but this has been especially tough since COVID has moved us online, otherwise we would have been coming to classrooms to talk about what BCITMA is all about. Another is to show the first years what kind of hands on experience they can gain with the BCITMA. We also plan events for first years to experience marketing in real time that will get them excited about their future careers.”
How are you adjusting to online schooling?
“It hasn’t been too bad because I’ve done online schooling while I was working full time at one point. I was taking classes at BCIT while working full time at a digital media company so it hasn’t been a big change for me. The biggest adjustment was meeting people through Zoom. It’s harder to build relationships and real time connections but regardless I’ve been able to build good relationships with my classmates.”
Any tips for learning in a remote environment?
“Set deadlines for yourself to avoid procrastinating last minute. Or split your work up in a way that you only do a few sections at a time. This way you can get an idea of what the bigger picture is and it’s not so daunting.”
Where do you see yourself in five years?
“I don’t really know. My focus has been on PR and I’m still heading in that direction. I think realistically I can see myself working at a mid to entry level position with a sports team. I would like a job that allows some travel, a job where I can enjoy the people I work with and enjoy the things I do. I think I’ll have some rescue dogs by then and if TikTok is still a thing, I would like to be TikTok famous on the side.”
What is on your bucket list?
“I would love to fly an airplane. I want to get my pilots license just for fun. Id’ get to skip traffic, talk to pilots in the air, and really its more efficient than driving a car because you’re communicating with the other drivers. And I could just rent a plane and fly to Tofino for example, for lunch with friends whenever I wanted. It would be really cool.”
What is your dream job?
“My dream is to work for a sports team one day. If I were to which sport it would most likely be the NBA or a Formula 1 team. If Vancouver were to get an NBA team that would be a dream come true.”
Kaylee Jang
Why did you choose BCIT?
“I chose BCIT because I thought their niche approach to academics was very unique and different from other schools. Plus, BCIT offers a marketing internship in the industry, which I thought was a great way to get my foot in the door.”
What inspired you to be part of the BCITMA?
“I think it’s important to be around people with similar interests and similar passions so we can drive each other, learn from each other, and grow with each other. I was looking for separate community outside of my set to offer me that sense of familiarity and that’s what drew me to the BCITMA. And since I’m going into marketing it seemed like the best fit for me.”
What are your duties as a first-year liaison?
“Being a first-year liaison is about community. It’s about connecting first years with who the BCITMA is, what we do, and what it could do for you. The BCITMA is about helping each other through this journey at BCIT; even though we are all in different stages of our lives, we are all going through the same thing right now. As a first-year liaison, my duties include supporting my peers in a way that will lead them to make the best decisions for themselves when they hope to start their career in marketing.”
How are you adjusting to online schooling?
“The online schooling platform isn’t new to me. Over the years I have done online courses in partnership with in-person schooling, but it’s never been like this. I like the format that we’re learning in today, but I miss that sense of community you get with in-school education.”
Any tips for learning in a remote environment?
“I know this is cliché, but maybe for good reason: take time for yourself every day. A lot of people think taking time for themselves is binge watching Netflix for hours, or eating anything you want, but for me taking time means waking up before class and brewing a fresh pot of coffee and sitting down to read a few pages of a book. Even just 5 or 10 minutes. But it sets the tone for my entire day, and I feel less pressure and procrastination because of it. Taking a mindful minute to acknowledge that life isn’t normal right now, that this isn’t how things are supposed to be, and that this won’t last forever is so important to stay optimistic.”
Where do you see yourself in five years?
“I’m hoping to get my BBA from BCIT after I finish this program. Although I don’t know exactly where I’ll be, I trust that I’ll be working in the marketing industry. For the last five years of my life, I had a plan, and it was to go into corporate events. It felt like my calling, but then everything changed after the pandemic. And who knows what that industry will be like in five years. Nonetheless, I have a passion for social media and marketing, so I see myself in an entry level marketing or social media management job within the next five years.”
What is on your bucket list?
“I was supposed to go to Europe this year, but I’m optimistic I’ll get there soon. Europe is a beautiful place and I would love to experience the culture there. I would live in England for a few months; my family is from there so I would like to reconnect with where I’m from and learn more about them.”
What is your dream job?
“There isn’t a specific brand or company that I would like to work for, but my goal has been to work for an organization that commits their brand to doing good in the world. I know this isn’t the most popular answer, but I think I could align my values with non-profit work really well. A big part of why I want work for a non-profit is because there’s never enough money in these places. If I can use my skillset to contribute even the smallest bit, that’s a big accomplishment to me. I want to commit myself to that.”
Written By: Carmen Bhullar
