Julia Greer

Give a brief bio about yourself/your background/your history.

Brandon has been my home for nearly my entire life. I became a bookworm at an early age, often preferring to spend recesses in the school library instead of on the playground. My fascination with literature and arts was nurtured by my parents, who helped me haul my boxes of books back and forth from the public library and enrolled me in music, dance, and art classes at an early age. Their hard work, sacrifices, and encouragement have allowed me these opportunities to explore and discover myself.

While I have been fortunate to have had these opportunities, I still experienced barriers in the form of neurodivergences and chronic illnesses. With the support of my family, friends, and instructors, I have been able to find satisfaction and success in all areas of my life. Brandon University’s Student Accessibility Services has been instrumental in that, and I am pleased to now be a current employee of SAS and provide students with the same resources and services that helped me in university.

What education have you taken?

I graduated from Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in 2017. In May 2022, I graduated from Brandon University with my 4-Year Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree with a major in English and minors in History and Women & Gender Studies. I am currently in the first year of my Bachelor of Education After-Degree at Brandon University, where I am in the Senior-Years Stream with teachable subjects of English Language Arts and Social Studies.

How did you become interested in your field/area of study?

As far back as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a teacher. I remember playing school with my younger sister and cousins, where I was always the teacher and they were my students, though sometimes begrudgingly since I never allowed us to switch roles in our games. As I made my way through pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, and university, my love of learning grew, and I became increasingly excited to take my spot in the front of the classroom.

My greatest inspiration to study Education is my aunt, Janice Greig. She studied Education at Brandon University and worked as a teacher in Melita School. My aunt was an amazing teacher who left a lasting impression on her students, and I want to be a creative, kind, and encouraging educator just as she was in her career. Though she is no longer with us, I am still finding inspiration and strength in the legacy she left behind.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I am proud of my academic accomplishments, in which I have received recognition in the form of numerous scholarships, annual placement on the Dean’s Honour List, and induction into the President’s Honour Society upon my graduation. I have had two opportunities to work as a Research Assistant, first with Dr. Jonathan Allan on his project regarding fashion in popular romance novels and then with Morganna Malyon in her research to investigate and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on students who are neurodivergent. In addition to my academics, I have received awards for my performances in Vocal Arts for Brandon Festival of the Arts. Finally, I was the recipient of the Deborah and Srdjan Adventure Scholarship in 2016, which allowed me to spend that summer studying abroad in France.

I have also found fulfillment in helping others. I have been part of various efforts to provide free programming for my community, and my family and I regularly partake in volunteer work, most recently with Bear Clan, One At A Time Rescue, and Westman Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Association.

Finally, I am honoured to be recognized by the Status of Women Review Committee for International Women’s Day. This award truly means a lot to me, and I am grateful to Morganna Malyon for her acknowledgement of my work.

Where do you see yourself in the future? What do you hope to undertake or accomplish once you leave BU?

Upon my graduation in May 2024, I hope to begin teaching in my community. I want to create a positive classroom culture to encourage and inspire my students the way that I have been encouraged and inspired by my past teachers. I am also committed to building an educational setting where all students, regardless of ability, can thrive. I believe in creating an equitable classroom, and so I am committed to advocating for students and their different needs.

I will always pursue improvement and education. With such a strong love of learning, I see myself finding opportunities for formal and informal education throughout my career. Ultimately, I hope to pursue a Master of Education in Inclusive Education to better myself for my students.

What is your philosophy in life?

My guiding principle comes from the artist Brandan Odums’ quote: “I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”

As a formally educated Indigenous woman, I think about this quote nearly every day. Whereas none of my grandparents graduated from high school, I am the first person in my family to graduate from university. I am also studying and working in the education field, which is the very institution that tried to diminish Indigenous peoples only decades ago. My family’s hard work, sacrifices, and encouragement has made it possible for me to have had these opportunities, and I wholly attribute my success to them. The opportunities I have today did not exist for those who came before me, and I have a responsibility to take advantage of these opportunities and continue creating them for the next generation.

My philosophy, therefore, is to feel gratitude for the sacrifices made so that I could succeed and remember that those successes belong to my family as well as myself.

In one sentence, how will you #EmbraceEquity?

I will #EmbraceEquity by advocating for students with disabilities.

Nominator’s Comments:

It is a great honour to nominate Julia for this year’s International Women’s Day award. I have had the pleasure of knowing Julia in several capacities over the years, including as a student, research assistant, and current staff member in the SAS office. Julia’s academic abilities are evidenced by her numerous scholarships, annual placement on the Dean’s Honour List, and induction into the President’s Honour Society in during her first degree. She continues to find academic success as a first-year student in the Bachelor of Education (After Degree) program.

Julia uses the skills and knowledge she is learning in her program as a pre-service educator and applies them to her work as a student employee in the SAS office. Because her workstation is in the main entrance of SAS, Julia is often the first point of contact for students coming into the space. This can sometimes be a difficult role to navigate as a peer. However, Julia continually handles this work with ease and professionalism. In the summer of 2021, Julia worked for me as a research assistant on a project that explored the value of peer connections for students with disabilities as part of post-pandemic recovery. Julia has taken what she learned through the research and frequently applies it to her daily work. In being open about her own experiences as a neurodivergent Indigenous woman with chronic illness, Julia has opened the floor for authentic conversations with her peers about stigma, access, inclusion, and colonialism. She is, without a doubt, an advocate and strong peer leader for students with disabilities. She is admirably creative, and continually suggests programming and takes on initiatives to that make the SAS office a safer and more inclusive space for marginalized students. For example, Julia spearheaded a peer study group for students in the SAS office as well as wrote a blog post about acceptance and belonging. As a lifelong learner, Julia continually impresses me in her willingness to challenge herself and grow. She a is the type of student and pre-service professional I am honoured to know and grateful to have on staff. I have learned a lot from Julia, and I know her future students will too; they will be lucky to have her leading the way.