Have you met Nicole Dyck, Enrolment Management Service Partner with the College of Natural & Applied Sciences? Spend a few minutes getting to know her better.
What is your first U of A memory?
In my first class on my first day in my first year of my undergrad, I was sitting in my 8 a.m. Econ 101 class in Tory and someone came late from the orientation week pancake breakfast. One of the only seats left in the room was next to me and in the process of them squeezing through, I got a lap full of maple syrup and pancakes. We became fast friends and are still friends to this day!
What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?
Once upon a time, I was a provincial mixed-doubles badminton champion! After my soccer career ended with a torn ACL, I pivoted very quickly to badminton and, to this day, it’s still one of my favourite things to do.
What’s your favourite distraction?
A good, old fashioned game of catch. Or cleaning/organizing.
If you were enrolling in one course, program or degree right now, what would it be?
I’d probably take the plunge and pursue a PhD in Environmental Sociology. I’m fascinated in the many ways we attempt to reconcile human development with sustainability; and particularly, the many frameworks for sustainability, sufficiency and resiliency that exist and the determinants of successful policy that are grounded in particular frameworks.
What’s a weird pet peeve you have?
When people say “I seen…” instead of “I saw…”.
You can invite anyone — alive or dead, real or fictional — to dinner. Who would it be?
Jane Goodall. In elementary school, I declared Jane Goodall as my hero in a speech writing contest based solely on the fact we both loved chimpanzees. My veneration for Jane as an advocate for the natural world, a feminist and simply a light in this world has only grown since then. We’re also both vegetarians so restaurant choices would be a breeze.
If you could see any live performance tomorrow, what would it be?
The Avett Brothers, hands down.
What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Chill out a bit. You’re not going to be an accountant (and the accounting world should probably thank you for that!) but it’s all going to be ok once you figure out that you can fill your university schedule with sociology classes instead of math and stats.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
The “undo send” button on Gmail and PC’s Black Label Salsa.
What three words describe your U of A experience?
Empowering, humbling, home.
About Nicole
Nicole Dyck is the Enrolment Management Service Partner for the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. She is a proud Arts (Psychology/Sociology) alumna of the University of Alberta and also holds a MSc in Global Environment, Politics, and Society from the University of Edinburgh. In addition to her passion for enrolment management and accessible, diversity-informed post-secondary education, Nicole spends most of her time gardening and listening to fiddle music.
Do you know someone who the U of A community should get to know better? Get in touch at blog@ualberta.ca to suggest that they be featured in an upcoming Have You Met.