Meet Tiffany
Hello, my name is Tiffany and I am a facilitator for the Inclusive Services at the Y. I have been working for the YAFE department since the summer of 2019 where I started as a camp counselor. I had so much fun spending those hot summer days exploring the park and taking a dip in the pool. So much so, that I decided to stay and continue building a supportive community at the Y despite my heavy academic workload.
In terms of, who I am, I will provide you all with a short overview. To begin, I was born and raised in Saylorsburg Pennsylvania, a small farm town. Fun fact: this town was so tiny that it was called the one streetlight town by locals. Because as you guessed it, there is only one streetlight. During my youth, I attended the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, where I was lucky enough to participate in the award-winning touring choir and had the opportunity to perform in Boston Massachusetts and all over Pennsylvania.
When I was 18, I made the tough decision to immigrate to Quebec, Canada, leaving behind my family and friends in order to start my academic journey at Concordia University. Even though this shift was difficult, I quickly adapted to my new surroundings and enjoyed every passing year more than the last. During my undergrad, I was involved with multiple extracurriculars such as performing in vocal show cases, participating in an intensive summer Italian opera course at the Scuola Giovanni Grasso Rossini lab, and I played the role of Cathleen in the opera Riders to the Sea in 2018. Time flew by so fast and before I knew it, I was standing on stage receiving my undergrad diploma. In 2019, I graduated with a degree in vocal performance and a minor in education.
As for what I’m currently doing, I am still studying, because I am obsessed with expanding my knowledge. However, now I am a graduate student at Concordia in the department of education, and currently hold a seat on the Graduate Symposium Committee. I also volunteer as a program coordinator and I am an assistant manager of the undergrad volunteers for the Concordia University Student Parent Center. Based on my life history I can say with pride that I strongly support personal growth. I not only wish to continuously be inspired, but hope to inspire others to become the best version of themselves.
I bet you are all are still wondering what an opera singer with a Master’s in education is doing at the Y. Well, I strongly support community building and I am an activist for creating a safe environment for all individuals. I support the goal of generating positive mental health and well-being through the encouragement of exploration and self-empowerment. Therefore, here at the Y, I feel I am moving closer to this goal by aiding my friends and becoming a part of a bigger mission.
Ultimately, I fell in love with learning more about my friends and seeing them light up when they are having fun. Assisting in their daily adventures, while building a strong supportive friendship created a sense of belonging and community, and this is not only what I strive to create, but what everyone at the Y strives for. A community built on caring, friendship and adventure.
