Each year, thousands of York students graduate from a diverse range of academic degree programs and intent on pursuing their unique personal and professional journeys. It’s no wonder then that we find many of the University’s more than 275,000 alumni living extraordinary journeys in more than 170 countries around the world—and sometimes, we’re lucky enough to have these grads share their incredible stories with us.
One such York grad is Michelle Hooyboer-Winklaar, who graduated from McLaughlin College in 1992 with an honours BA in psychology.
Michelle Hooyboer-Winklaar (BA '92)
Hooyboer-Winklaar has seen quite an interesting and unique career path. After ten years of working in marketing at large telecommunication companies like Bell and AT&T Canada (now MTS Allstream), made the brave decision to uproot and seek out a change of scenery in Aruba.
In 2009, she was only the fifth female in the country’s history to be elected to public office, taking over the position of Minister of Economic Affairs, Social Affairs and Culture. She is currently serving her second term as Aruba’s Minister of Education.
“It has certainly been an experience of a lifetime, and one that I would be willing to share with other York alumni and students,” Hooyboer-Winklaar shared. “I am very grateful for the education that I received at York, and I am proud to tell everyone I meet that I am a graduate of York University.”
Last month, Hooyboer-Winklaar shared her incredible alumni journey with us (see below).
| I still remember the conversation I had with the high school guidance counsellor as I sat in her office contemplating which universities I would apply to. “What subjects most interest you? Would you prefer a larger or smaller campus? What career aspirations do you have?” She had many questions, and I didn’t have answers to all of them. There were some students that had already mapped out an academic and career route; the fact was that I was not one of those students. I wanted to explore my academic possibilities before settling on a defined path.It was hard to imagine what I would be doing a few years in the future, let alone for the rest of my life. I did know that I wanted to attend a reputable, vibrant and forward-thinking university.With that in mind I chose York University after reading about their Psychology program and speaking to other students who were studying there. Little did I know then that York University, and their motto “Tentanda Via” (the way must be tried), would not only provide me with an excellent academic experience, but York’s notion of exploration, discovery, community inclusion and global thinking would inspire me well beyond my graduation day.
After majoring in Psychology, I graduated in 1992 with an Honours Bachelor of Arts. The psychology program offered at York piqued my interest in analyzing and understanding human behavior, as well as a newfound sense of responsibility in making my community a better place. With my degree in hand, I was given the opportunity to apply my newly acquired knowledge towards a marketing career at Bell Canada, and later at AT&T Canada (now MTS Allstream). After 10 years in the telecommunications industry I began to yearn for a change, and I believed I was ready to gain some international experience. In 2003, I moved to the Caribbean island of Aruba to work at Digicel, a new mobile network operator. Aruba, a small island that forms part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and where most people speak 4 languages, was the birthplace of my parents, whom in 1967 immigrated to Canada. I was uncertain about such a major career and location move, however “Tentanda Via” continued to guide me. After a successful 6 years at Digicel as General Manager, opportunity once again knocked at my door. This time it was with an offer to join a political party. It was not an easy decision to make; in fact it was downright scary. Despite the fear of not having any political experience, and having 2 children under the age of 4 at the time, I ultimately saw it as a unique opportunity to combine my business experience, with my psychology background to influence positive change through shaping public policy. And you guessed it, “Tentanda Via” it was once again. After two consecutive electoral wins, I am now in my second term as a cabinet Minister; serving in my first term as Minister of Economic and Social Affairs, and currently as the Minister of Education and Family Policy for the Government of Aruba. Politics in Aruba is probably like politics anywhere; challenging and exciting. Being only the 5th female Minister in Aruba’s history, and the only female in the last 2 cabinets, one of my goals has been to stimulate more female political participation and drive improvements for the socioeconomic well being of women in Aruba. It has been a unique and life-changing experience, and one that I could not have easily imagined during my years at York. However in hindsight it is easy to see that the learning environment provided by York laid the foundation I needed to open up to these possibilities. I believe York alumni, and Canadians in general, have enormous contributions to make around the world. A Canadian education is considered one of the best in the world. My hope is that by being receptive to exploring unconventional opportunities both in Canada and abroad, we can use our knowledge, skills, attitudes, understanding and multi-culturalism to actively participate in building better societies the world over. My journey continues and no matter what the future holds, I will always remember that the best way forward is the “way that is tried.” |