Alumni
Success Stories

Adnan graduated from Pathways Kitchener in 2011. After high school, he went on to study at Wilfrid Laurier University and now works in the tech sector.

As a child, I was always thinking about the present. I was a really ambitious kid, but always had a bit of self-doubt because of my circumstances. I was thinking about things like, ‘How are we going to pay the bills this month? How am I supposed to save up for school?’ I was so focused on getting through each day, I never really gave any thought to my future.

When I joined Pathways in Grade 8, that all changed. I remember my mom just being so grateful that there was something like this. For her, it was knowing that somebody was in this with us—we weren’t alone. I knew that I was stepping through a door that was going to lead me to bigger and better things.

I met so many role models who showed me just how much I could accomplish. Growing up in my community, it was easy to start going down the wrong roads, so having people to influence you and make sure you’re staying on the right path was important. It helped me to see that there are other people who have come from where I’ve come from who are doing well now. Being able to see that in action was a big motivator for me.

After high school I got accepted into Wilfrid Laurier University’s school of Business Administration and from there my career took off. I now work for Shopify, and it’s exciting to bring my unique experience to Canada’s thriving tech industry. Growing up, I never really saw tech as an option for me, and I still feel like there's a gap where a lot of people don't feel like they belong. But I know the world is shifting towards tech, so it’s important for young people to see a place for themselves there.

Now, I’m determined to inspire others to get involved, and I know I’m not alone in that feeling. I know so many Pathways alumni who run their own community initiatives to support women and people of colour entering the tech sector. Pathways creates this feeling—this drive in all of us—to want to do better and want to help other people do better.

Amanda moved from Chile to Canada when she was a young child. She graduated from Pathways Verdun in 2012 and is now studying sign language at Université du Québec à Montréal.

My family immigrated to Canada when I was six years old. When I arrived, the first challenge I faced was the language barrier—I moved to Quebec, so I had to learn both English and French quickly. Even though my mother was a teacher back home in Chile, there was only so much she could do to support me in Canada, because the teaching style is so different here.

As soon as we heard about the Pathways Program, my family and I immediately embraced the opportunity for support. Tutoring made an immediate difference in my life. If I didn’t understand something, Pathways staff would take time to explain it to me over and over again until I understood it, and they encouraged me to ask questions whenever I was unsure of something.

Another challenge I faced was opening up. I was always really shy, but Pathways helped me to build my confidence. They encouraged me to try new things I never thought I could do. One memory that stands out is taking singing classes, then performing a song at Place des Arts in front of an audience. The confidence I gained through that experience has helped me in every aspect of my life since.

I’m now in my final year at Université du Québec à Montréal studying sign language, a long-time passion of mine. I can truly say Pathways helped to shape my journey in life. They made it possible for me to realize my full potential, and I am now pursuing a career path that is so close to my heart. Once I finish my degree, I want to use my experience to encourage other students like me—I want to let them know that graduating from high school is important, and that it’s not impossible, even if you think it might be.

Amanda

Xiang

Xiang is a Pathways alum from Regent Park. After graduating from high school in 2012, he pursued post-secondary education in nursing and currently works in the neurology unit at Toronto Western Hospital.

I got involved with Pathways through a summer program in middle school. I joined when I got to high school and right away, the financial support for public transit was most impactful for me because my school wasn’t close to where I lived. That helped alleviate a lot of stress from worrying about how I would get to school every day.

I also really enjoyed the mentoring aspect. I remember feeling encouraged because there was always someone investing in my success. I started to feel accountable for my grades because I didn’t want to let my mentor down, so I was working harder.

Overall, the Pathways Program encouraged me to become a more empathetic person. I always knew I wanted to help people, so after high school I pursued a career in nursing. I love interacting with patients and being a part of their story—it’s a really rewarding job.

If I had to describe my experience with Pathways in one word, I guess I would say “comforting.” It made me feel like I was part of something bigger. It was a cornerstone of my experience in high school and my journey to where I am today. The support was unconditionally felt, and I was very lucky to be part of it.

Emma is an alum from Pathways Winnipeg. She graduated from high school in 2011 and today, she is fulfilling her dream of becoming a Young Adult author.

When my family first moved to Winnipeg’s North End neighborhood, I was thrown into a new school, a new environment, and had to try and make new friends all over again. As an introverted kid, it was really difficult going through that.

I was relentlessly bullied and didn’t feel like the system was doing enough to stop it, so I started lashing out physically as a solution. Eventually I was getting suspended almost every couple of weeks. At one point I was just ready to be done with the school system. It seemed like it wanted to be done with me, so why bother trying?

Then one day, a friend told me about the Pathways Program. At first, I was nervous. I liked being by myself, and I just wanted to go straight home after school. But the more my friend talked about how great it was, the more interested I became. I started going every single day, even if I didn’t have a particular need. It gave me a support network, and it was like a second home for me—a place to be when I didn’t want to be anywhere else.

Pathways helped me gain a new perspective. When you're an angsty teenager, you feel like you have no impact on anything that goes on in your life. Realizing I had the ability to change my life and make a lasting impact was a real epiphany for me. I knew the only one who was going to fail or succeed was me, so I had some choices to make.

When it was time to graduate, that’s when it all came together for me. Not only did I do well, I was valedictorian of my class. I had so many people rooting for me and they were all crowded together in one room cheering and applauding. It just felt like all of the struggle and hardship was worth it.

Right now, I’m balancing a double major in English and Rhetoric, Writing, and Communication, and I work full-time at Pathways Winnipeg. I’m also really proud to have achieved my goal of becoming a published author—my first book, The Fairy King, was released in 2019, and I have so many more projects planned. I can’t wait to see what my future holds!

Emma