Michelle Chan took a leap of faith, moving across the world from Nairobi, Kenya, to pursue her goal of making the most of what life has to offer.
Her journey led her to enrol in the Bachelor of Business Administration in Sustainable Practices (BBA) at College of the Rockies. Drawn by the sustainability focus of the program and the supportive college community, she found exactly the kind of environment she needed to grow.
“I chose the College because I am passionate about sustainability, and at the time, it was the only institution actively integrating sustainability into business practices,” she said. “The small class sizes and the support from Student Services gave me a personalized learning experience that accommodated and contributed to my comfort and success.”
Michelle’s willingness to bet on herself has paid off. She served as the College’s student representative to Shinyanga, Tanzania for the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICAN) Improving Skills Training for Employment (ISTEP-07) program, and later used this experience in her role as a Study Abroad Ambassador. In her fourth year, she also won first place in the nation-wide Praxar business computer simulation. Beyond these accomplishments, her experience in the program benefited her in unexpected ways.
“My time in Canadian academia has taught me to trust myself, seize opportunities and create a seat at the table for others in the process,” she said.
Michelle graduated from the BBA program in 2020 with a strong sense of purpose.
“The BBA program exposed me to valuable opportunities that enriched my education and set me on the right career trajectory,” she said.
Michelle went on to lead College of the Rockies’ Faculty Association (CORFA) in their first commemoration of Black History Month, coordinating their series of events from 2021 to 2023. She is most proud of piloting the CORFA Ujamaa Bursary. “Ujamaa,” a Kiswahili word meaning “collective economics,” is the name of the bursary that supports BIPOC international and domestic students with education-related or living expenses.
More recently, Michelle joined Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Master of Science in Environmental Economics and Management program, where she is pursuing a thesis focused on Community Economic Development.
While at TRU, she earned a Certificate in Global Competency and represented the University in the Riipen Level Up Summer 2025 Cohort, where she led market research on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy in Higher Education Institutions.
After a stint as a graduate researcher with the Innovation for Social Good (ISG) Cluster at TRU and a member of a local non‑profit organization where she took a grassroots, community‑led approach to economic development, helping local residents & organizations identify and build solutions that strengthen economic well‑being and social equity, Michelle joined Community Futures East Kootenay as the Community Economic Development Coordinator in November 2025. She will primarily be supporting the organization’s regional housing and childcare projects.
She is grateful for her time at College of the Rockies.
“Overall, my years at the College contributed enormously to both my personal and professional growth, introducing me to relationships and experiences I deeply value and that strengthen my character as I chart new paths.”