Student Life
Student’s experiences, stories, research, events and more
Choose UCalgary Podcast
Welcome to Choose UCalgary, the University of Calgary’s prospective student podcast!
Season 5 Episode 3: In this episode, season 5 host Aidyn Vanattan chats with Cayley Hodgson, a current student in our Community Rehabilitation and Disabilities Studies (CRDS) program in the Cumming School of Medicine. Cayley explains what makes the CDRS program unique and shares all of the amazing opportunities she’s been able to become involved with at UCalgary.
Kylah Wilson-Zelmer
Kylah shares with you her journey within the CRDS program as well as what to look forward to after graduation.
Kylah graduated from the BCR program in 2020. During her bachelor’s degree in Community Rehabilitation, Kylah was inspired to start her own program after evaluating current community-based services. Working to further her skills in caring relationships, she is advocating for inclusion in work and community and looking forward to building a career in Community Support as a co-founder of Embrace. A Community Project.
I want you to know that there will be many doors open to you, and many different career opportunities available to you after the degree
Kyla Wilson-Zelmer
Founder, Program Coordinator at Embrace / BCR Alumni
Global Learning
Discover new ways of thinking about disability, community, and rehabilitation beyond borders and immersed in other cultures and educational learning.
A study abroad program will build on and enhance on what you are learning in this program through new courses, people, and sometimes new practicum experiences.
There are many opportunities to meet new people, build a network and gain valuable personal development experiences without interrupting your studies or your career path.
University is quite different from college! It takes time to adapt to the university experience, but it can be fun when you embrace challenges as learning opportunities. Believe in yourself, you can do it!
Dan McDonald
Previous Transfer Student
Dan's CRDS Transfer Student Journey
What advice would you give to diploma transfer students starting this fall?
- University is quite different from college! It takes time to adapt to the university experience, but it can be fun when you embrace challenges as learning opportunities. Believe in yourself, you can do it!
- A drop in grades compared to your college grades is completely normal, so do not stress! Reach out to your professors, peers, and the utilize helpful university resources so you can do the best you can.
- Find other diploma transfer students in the BCR program to study with and support each other. My classmates and I bonded regularly about our common struggles trying to navigate the university experience as a transfer student.
- Study the BCR planner closely and use the Schedule Builder to learn when courses are offered. Some courses are only offered in the Fall semester and some only in the Winter semester, so plan accordingly.
- Pick your electives as early as possible! Try to get in the classes that you will find interesting or that will support your career ambitions. Make sure you identify your back-up options, just in case your first choice does not work out.
What were your favourite courses in the CRDS program? - CORE 573 Disability and the Law was my favourite course. Although this is an optional elective, the knowledge you gain from this course teaches you how to utilize the legal system to advocate for the individuals we will support as disability service providers. You also get a thorough overview of the Canadian legal system, which will benefit you regardless of the career path you take upon graduation.
- CORE 569 Recovery Models: Mental Health and Disability was another favourite of mine. This required course will guide you to reflect on the field of psychiatry through a critical disability studies lens. Students will learn how discrimination, stigma, and social control have influenced the ethics and practice of mental health clinicians throughout history. You also get to study the stories of psychiatric survivors, whose voices are too often ignored by mental health service providers.
What are your plans now that you have graduated from the BCR Program? - I am fortunate to be employed as a supervisor with the Calgary SCOPE Society. I hope to continue working on future projects with the organization and help make Calgary a more inclusive place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- I also hope to continue my education with the University of Calgary. I look forward to submitting my application to the combined Juris Doctorate and Master of Public Policy program, with the Faculty of Law and School of Public Policy.