Hello NSI alumni, industry leaders, film enthusiasts and supporters. I’m Rachel Young, NSI’s new alumni outreach coordinator – a 10-week term position funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada Summer Jobs program.

I am a recent graduate of the Creative Communications program at Red River College in Winnipeg where I specialized in media production. During this two-year intensive program, I focused on broadcast journalism and filmmaking. It was here that I discovered my love for storytelling.

Due to COVID-19, I spent the last semester of my schooling at home. In-person interviews became phone calls − and I had to work harder to find the stories I wanted to tell. The obstacles I faced gave me more of a drive to pursue my love of journalism.

The arts have always been a huge part of my life. My first step into the creative world was through theatre. I worked as a stage manager and was able to see characters and stories brought to life right in front of my eyes. When I began writing, I learned there are many ways to tell vivid, captivating stories – whether on stage, screen or paper.

With many artistic outlets on hold during the pandemic, I’m discovering new activities that help me feel more connected to the world. Biking, reading, painting and binge-watching funny movies are just a few of the ways I like to keep my creative brain flowing.

As the new alumni outreach coordinator with NSI, I aim to share more stories about the distinguished alumni in our community and help shine a light on their accomplishments. If you have alumni news, please email me at ra**********@ns********.ca.

I look forward to sharing your stories with the NSI community!