Minerva BC’s Learning to Lead™ program helped Darcee Hiemstra find her calling
For Prince George resident Darcee Hiemstra, helping others has always been second nature to her. As a child, she was always motivated to “make a difference” that led her to volunteer in various capacities during her early teen years.
It was not until she took part in Minerva BC’s Learning to Lead™ program however that her decision about what she wanted to do with the rest of her life became abundantly clear. Since graduating from Prince George’s Cedars Christian School, Hiemstra, currently 18, has completed her first year of studies in the field of health sciences at the University of Northern BC (UNBC). With a year of study and a leadership program completed, she has been able to set her aspirations on becoming a family doctor.
“My plan is to become a general practitioner,” explains Hiemstra who currently devotes much of her time serving as a hospital junior volunteer at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia.
She explains having a clear career focus was just one of the benefits she experienced after attending Learning to Lead™ approximately two years ago. While immersed in the weekend’s activities held at the University of British Columbia, Hiemstra says she was able to converse with a lot of women from different professional fields who were only too willing to act as mentors and share their experiences that helped them shape their careers. Having that opportunity to network with women she could call leaders was something Hiemstra says she felt was profoundly inspiring.
“When I got back home after the program was done, my mom said I was glowing,” recalls Hiemstra.
“It’s a weekend of really inspirational and fun activities where young women learn about themselves and that is so important. As young women, we need to be in touch with these things and build platforms for ourselves.”
More importantly, Hiemstra says, the leadership workshop taught her what kind of leader she will aspire to emulate and how she wants to integrate those leadership values into her chosen vocation.
