Nicolas graduated from Pathways Ottawa in 2020. He is currently in his final year at Queen’s University, majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Global Development.
At age three, Nicolas moved to Ottawa from his home country of Colombia. His parents dreamed of providing Nicolas and his brother a better life and believed Canada would give their family more opportunities. This meant leaving behind everything they knew and had, including their established careers back home—his father was an economist and lecturer, and his mother was an engineer who worked with computers.
It was difficult for Nicolas’ parents to navigate an unfamiliar environment and a new language. That ultimately led to them divorcing, his father moving back home, and Nicolas, his mother, and his brother relocating to a new community in Ottawa. Experiencing that as a teen was tough for Nicolas: “I was going through my developing years, and there were a lot of emotions involved. We also had our own financial difficulties as a result.”
The opportunity to join Pathways came at a perfect time for Nicolas, as it gave him a space to belong. “One of the big takeaways of Pathways for me was the community aspect of it, and that was something I wanted to be a part of,” he explained. Through the program, he was also introduced to students from similar backgrounds, making it easy for him to bond and relate to them.
Pathways staff being there for Nicolas made his high school experience easier in many ways. He had access to grocery gift cards, which lessened the financial pressures on him and his family. And his support worker always stepped up for him when it came to his studies. “Exams were stressful for me, but my support worker was really helpful. She’d dedicate hours of her time to help me study and make sure I would ace them. And I did!”
When deciding on his post-secondary plans, Pathways helped Nicolas explore his options. In his mind, he was set to go to Carleton University or the University of Ottawa since they were close to home. However, that changed when staff organized a tour to Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. “We had the chance to tour the campus and listen to presentations from Queen’s students, and I was sold. I wouldn’t have known it was an option if it weren’t for that day.”
Like many students his age, Nicolas graduated from high school during the height of the pandemic. “A part of me felt bummed to miss out on milestone moments—prom, graduation, and saying goodbye to my friends and support workers.” He also completed his first year of university entirely online, but once restrictions were lifted, Nicolas finally experienced campus life at Queen’s and involved himself in various community activities, including volunteering at homeless shelters and running polls at the federal and provincial elections.
Today, Nicolas is in his final year at Queen’s, majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Global Development, which was an easy decision for him. “Seeing my mom working with computers and my dad always talking about the world, my interests and passions were naturally aligned with that because I grew up in that space.”
What’s next for Nicolas? He recently earned a scuba diving certification and would like to use that to join an NGO in Australia, where he wants to help remove plastic from the ocean. Eventually, he’d also like to do his Master’s. “Ideally, I’d like to pursue urban planning because it combines two of the things that are the most interesting to me—technology and social causes.”
Once Nicolas starts working, he would like to give back to Pathways, “It’s a special community that’s willing to support you and help you with anything and everything. And I don’t know if I’d be where I am today if it wasn’t for them.”