Jerrim Rushka BA (Co-op) '15

ARTIST. INNOVATOR. PEOPLE PERSON.

Check out Jerrim! Drama has been a major part of his life since Jr. High, but he wasn't sure he wanted to pursue it as a career. uLethbridge gave Jerrim the opportunity to still develop his acting skills, but focus on another major for his career. The study of anthropology is allowing him to explore the connections between technology and people — shaping his degree around what truly interests him. We have no doubt Jerrim will continue acting throughout his life, but uLethbridge has shown him how he can have both.

Why did you choose ULethbridge? As one of the top undergraduate universities in Canada, the reputation of the University of Lethbridge was definitely a factor in choosing to attend here. The reputation of the Co-op department and its long history of providing excellent work term placements also played a major role. Another huge factor in my decision to come to uLethbridge was the small class sizes. All of my professors know me by name and I have no problem going to any of them to ask for help. The University of Lethbridge truly does care about you as a student, and helps you succeed in your studies and career.

What have you enjoyed most about your program? My favorite part about anthropology is that you can shape your degree around whatever you are interested in. For example, I am interested in the connections between technology and people, and even though there are no professors specializing in this area, the liberal education model at the University of Lethbridge allowed me to take courses from a variety of disciplines including Women and Gender Studies, Computer Science, Sociology, and more, to create a degree experience around what I am interested in. I am even able to design my own course as an independent study and really focus in on my areas of interest. The anthropology department at uLethbridge is extremely diverse, and as such has a wide variety of students taking classes together, exposing you to many interesting ways of looking at the world.

What extra activities did you do while a student at uLethbridge? I am fortunate to have a variety of opportunities to participate in extra activities. For example, I auditioned for and landed roles in a variety of drama productions including Hair, Spring Awakening, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, even though I wasn’t a drama major or in any drama classes. I also completed a full two years of work placements through the Co-operative Education program. These were in a variety of different work environments, including the Canadian Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, the Federal Government, and with Canada Wide Science Fair. This led me to the position of Vice-president of the Co-op Ambassadors club where I am able to share my experiences of working — during my degree. I have also sat as a student representative on a variety of University boards, including hiring committees, honorary degree committees, and more. Finally, at uLethbridge I take full advantage of the many different types of classes offered. For example, I completed a self-directed independent study in an area of research I was interested in, and completed my undergraduate honours thesis in my final year.