Have You Met…Cameo?

Welcome YouAlberta’s “Have You Met” series in collaboration with @ualbertastudents Every other week we’ll get to know a student from the University of Alberta! 

Have you met Cameo, a Pandas Basketball Team member and President of the University Athletics Board? Spend the next few minutes getting to know her a bit better!

What three words best describe your U of A experience?

Challenging, Exciting, Growth

Why did you decide to study your major?

I have known since I was young that I wanted to be an athletic director, and felt a management major would be the best fit for that. I considered taking a degree in the Bachelor of Arts — Sport, Recreation, and Tourism program, but felt that business was a bit more broad and would keep my options open should I choose to pursue a career outside of sport.

What advice would you give to your first year self?

I would tell myself to not get discouraged when things didn’t seem to go exactly how I had planned them. Turns out, life has a way of working itself out and in retrospect I am able to see that some of the most disappointing moments eventually lead to some of the most exciting and rewarding outcomes. The quote “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” probably would have come in handy for me in my first year.

What is your favourite way to unwind after a long day?

I unwind by just getting together with friends or sitting around the table with my roommates chatting after a long day. I love being social and feel like I get recharged and a new perspective on the day by talking it out and having a good laugh. Some of this has been put on hold due to the circumstances this past year but a good facetime will also do the trick.

What do you miss most about campus/in-person classes?

I miss the in-between moments where I would run into a friend or a teammate when going to another class or studying in the library. That’s probably what I miss most about this entire pandemic situation really is the daily interactions that brighten up your spirits and keep you connected to your community.

What are you most proud of?

I would probably have to say I’m the most proud of the research project I conducted on behalf of Golden Bears and Pandas regarding the varsity athlete experience. It was a pretty big project and focused on something that is very important to me being a varsity athlete myself, so I was honoured to be a part of it. It was also an unreal way to get exposure to the field of work I’m interested in and connect with a ton of staff and student athletes I hadn’t had the opportunity to previously. Being able to have an impact on the future of an organization that is so important to me has definitely been one of the highlight’s of my UAlberta career.

What’s one thing you can’t live without?

My cat Yeti. I got her this year and have since become a full blown cat lady.

What is your go-to study snack?

Popcorn. Any time of day.

Who inspires you?

All sorts of people, but someone that always comes to mind is my Auntie. She is the head athletic director at a major Canadian university and is one of the most knowledgeable and accomplished women I know. Watching her growing up is what gave me the direction to pursue a career in sport, and I’ve been really lucky to have her as a role model and resource throughout my life.

Cameo is a fifth-year Business student from Sparwood, BC. She has been a member of the Pandas Basketball team for the past five years and is the current President of the University Athletics Board. This past year she was the recipient of the Richard Y Charlton Leadership Award, Alan Fitzsimmons Award in Business Management, and a USPORTS All Canadian. She has spent a considerable amount of time working alongside the Golden Bears and Pandas athletic department and aspires to one day become an athletic director at a major university.