Mikayla Kardynal
Education: Public relations and innovation + entrepreneurship
Current Passion: Using yoga and meditation to achieve equanimity
Fun Fact: A professor once looked at me and said, “You know, I think you will excel in public relations, but what I see you doing is synergizing your passion for creativity and art to spark social change.” I had an unstoppable drive to make it happen ever since
“The only person getting in the way of my dreams is me!”
Why Trico Studio:
I chose to pursue my undergrad at Mount Royal University because I wanted to graduate feeling like I’m ready to spearhead my career. Joining the Studio at MRU has provided me with hands-on, inquiry-based learning into systems and social innovation which I see as a vital 21st-century skill. I love seeing first-hand the magic that happens when students across disciplines build relationships with the Studio’s community partners to bring new ideas to life. Above all, I see the Studio as a bridge between academics and life after MRU where students can get a glimpse into what it would be like to dive into a changemaking career post-graduation.
Daily Motto:
I knew at a young age that I had the changemaker’s DNA, but I didn’t know how to express and exercise my passions. My journey started in high school when I was raising donations for a hurricane relief fundraiser. The first few days didn’t go well, so I realized that the only way to increase support was to engage students in a discussion about their power to ignite social change. That simple approach not only generated a copious amount of donations but was the defining moment where I knew the path of a changemaker was for me. From there, I leveraged my network to obtain donations, and much to my surprise, I received 20 boxes of brand new clothing and accessories to help me raise $1300 for the Calgary Drop-In Centre. In the end, it was an honour to receive an award and share my story, but I’ll never forget that moment when a room full of people thanked me for the impact I made as I walked down the cafeteria aisle at the Drop-in Centre. Ever since then, I’ve been an avid relationship builder because I see connections and resources as necessary building blocks to take my changemaking journey to new heights.
Fuel for Inspiration:
Steve Jobs inspired millions through his one-of-a-kind approach to high-impact leadership. While Jobs had a larger-than-life goal of achieving global dominance, I’m driven by local impact and dream of engaging students in the same way that he did with his employees. Today, I am proud to develop and co-lead the Student Changemaker Network at MRU in collaboration with SAMRU and the Studio to keep students’ changemaking juices flowing and connect them to meaningful opportunities.