Mitchel Pedersen: Volunteer of the Month – January 2022

My name is Mitchel Pedersen, and I am a second-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Calgary. I was born and raised in Canada and moved to Calgary 11 years ago. I got the benefit of attending high school without the challenges of adapting to a new country, culture, and language that students new to Canada face. It takes an incredible amount of time and effort to gain the skills necessary to adapt to life and succeed in Canada.

I began volunteering with the Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth (CBFY) in September 2021, and I tutor two students in grades 11 and 12 in the One-on-One Tutoring Program. As a student who graduated from high school recently, I know the methods needed to succeed academically. I do my best to help my students understand what is being assigned to them, how to study, how to research effectively, and how to present their work. The work that the CBFY does for immigrant students helps them to navigate their new environment and challenges, and develop academic skills that will benefit them in the future. It has been an incredible experience being part of a support program that has a lasting impact on students’ lives, and working with my students inspires me to be more resilient and hardworking in my own life and academics. I want to thank the CBFY for this recognition, and am looking forward to continuing to work with the students.