A self-portrait from Andrée Wagar’s online portfolio.For Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) citizen Andrée Wagar, the decision to return to school might not have been possible if it weren’t for the MNO.
For eight years, Andrée worked as an instructor for a company that helped people prepare for new jobs. When the company had to close its doors, this presented her with an opportunity to begin a second career.
“After seeing so many of my former students go to college to change careers, I thought ‘Why not me?’” Andrée shared.
In 2005, Andrée and her family learned they had Métis heritage. Since then, they have been learning more and more about Métis culture and getting involved whenever possible.
With her decision to return to school, Andrée turned to the MNO for assistance with tuition and the costs of some of the required equipment for her program. She enrolled in the Digital Photography program at Durham College.
“Because of that financial help, I was able to concentrate on my classes instead of how I was going to pay for school,” she says.
Due to her diligence in her studies, Andrée was on the Dean’s List for all four semesters of her program. She also graduated as the highest ranked graduate in the Digital Photography program for 2014.
These days, Andrée works for two companies as a photographer and also does freelance work for local businesses in her hometown of Whitby. In the future, she hopes to open her own photography studio to offer portraits and cover special events.
”The decision to go back to school was a difficult one for me to make,” she admits.
”Knowing that the MNO would be able to help me accomplish that goal made it easier for me to take that next step towards a new career. I am extremely grateful for the support the MNO provided.”