Posted: Feb 12, 2021
Alumni Stories - Megan Morris - Women's Basketball and Soccer
Varsity Athlete Alumni Profile
Name: Megan Morris
Varsity Team: Women's Basketball (3 years) and Soccer (1 year)
Program: Bachelor of Applied Health Information Science
Current Job: Systems Analyst for St. Joseph's Health Care in London, ON
What do you consider your personal and team accomplishments during your time with Condor Athletics?
Women's Basketball: Made it to playoffs the first year the team was in the OCAA by winning in triple overtime.
Women's Soccer: Placing 3rd place in the regular season.
Personal: Being a positive player in times of adversity. Someone who can be trusted and relied on to get things done and to get plays moving. I remained committed to the Condors basketball team since it was formed, through exhibition year and into the OCAA. I prided myself on being driven and inspiring new players to join the team.
What were the benefits of being a student-athlete at Conestoga College?
Making amazing friendships built on a solid foundation. It is so rewarding to be able to compete and watch your teammates succeed and excel in their element. It is great stress relief, especially when struggling with anxiety and depression - it focuses your energy elsewhere. It's a great way to stay in shape and practice discipline. You get awesome opportunities to travel to different cities and experience different team dynamics.
How did experience as a Conestoga athlete help you after graduation?
Being an athlete really forces you to practice your soft skills which then can translate to your career - time management, relationship building, conflict management, how to communicate effectively, visualize, how to plan and make quick decisions and much more. I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't practice these skills through sport.
Sports have rules, like policies and guidelines in the workplace. When you're an athlete, you must balance school (homework, placement, projects, readings, etc.) and athletics, as well as any other priorities you have in your life. It challenges your discipline, commitment, hard work and effort in order to succeed. I took the path of health care - I work with a team of employees to get things done and produce what we need to achieve goals. [Building] a strong team dynamic in the workplace... reflects... how to build that relationship in organized sport.
How did you transition from Conestoga to your current position? What factors were instrumental in securing a job within your field?
What really helped me succeed in my career was being exposed to two different [work] placements in my 4-year degree. I had experience at Public Health for 2 months, and Grand River Hospital for 8 months. I gained valuable work and hands-on experience that I was then able to apply in my professional career.
The interview process is how you sell yourself - I found that I interviewed very well because I was able to showcase my soft skills without having the exact experience they were looking for. Employers are looking to see if you are coachable - someone who can follow instruction, learn, make smart decisions and have confidence. If you're looking at a job and think to yourself "I don't have 5 years experience...", apply anyway. Always apply. You have nothing to lose.
I have landed 2 professional roles so far since graduating from Conestoga. One was entry-level and now I am in a specialist role. Don't worry if you don't get your ideal job right off the hop. Building experience and working your way up is very valuable in the long run.
What advice would you give to your younger self and current student-athletes towards being successful and enjoying the experience?
Go with the flow, don't worry about the what-ifs. Think about all that you have learned so far as a student-athlete. It might be hard and stressful at times, but if you have commitment and trust in yourself you will always get things done. It's difficult to understand how far you've come in times of struggle. When you fall down or make mistakes, take it as an opportunity to grow!