Like her mother and grandmother, Stephanie Peters left Dominica to get the education she needed to follow her dreams
Born and raised on the beautiful Caribbean island of Dominica, Stephanie Peters grew up surrounded by some impressive Mount Alumnae; her mother and grandmother! Independent and trailblazing, all three women have been drawn to the Mount for the same reason: an exciting and unique focus on empowering and educating women.
“My mother appreciated the fact that the Mount had women’s education at the center of its curriculum with cutting edge, innovative programs,” she says.
The legacy started in 1951, when Stephanie’s grandmother applied to the Mount’s nutrition program inspired by her high school teachers in Grenada. Hearing about the university’s innovative approach to educating women excited her. She knew this decision would greatly affect her future but she had no idea how far it would go, including inspiring her daughter to take the same journey years later.
Stephanie’s mother always spoke well of her time spent getting her Bachelors in Chemistry and Psychology at the Mount but knew it was up to her daughter to decide what school was the best fit for her. Stephanie enjoyed Canada, having already attended a boarding school in Ontario specifically for international students, but it continued to be a difficult decision to leave her home. Drawing strength from her outgoing personality and ambition, she ultimately knew she would find what she was looking for in the same place her grandmother and mother had.
“I was passionate about marketing and advertising and wanted to know more about the way the consumer’s mind worked,” she explains.
The Business program at the Mount had everything that Stephanie was looking for, and she was glad to find the professors exceeded her expectations.
“It feels great to come to a place where you are an entity,” she says about the Mount, naming Professors Ed McHugh and Don Shiner as two of her biggest influences in the program. “I left Ed’s class inspired and Don and I would have the best conversations in and outside of class. They both cared about who I was as an individual.”
Although there are a few obvious differences between Halifax and Dominica – the weather for instance – Stephanie has found some important similarities.
“There is a sense of family, especially with family businesses in Halifax, which is a lot like my home in Dominica,” she explains. “People look out for each other here.”
She is happy to be part of this community, volunteering at the International Education Centre as the public relations representative and the Caribbean representative. She also stayed active in the Students’ Union by volunteering at the Fountain Play Centre.
With her entrepreneurial spirit, Stephanie aims to open her own business a few years after she graduates. She’s certain the industry experience she’s gained in the co-op program and her ability to speak three languages that will put her a step ahead. Whatever she does, it will be exciting to see how she continues the tradition of courageous, innovative women in her family.