ASET Technology Alberta Spring 2022 - 42

" In my second semester, I also ended every class with a 4.0.
And then in my third semester, I did the same thing. "
That inclination for her field of study seems to run in the
family. Abigail's father was in the robotics field in the '90s,
before moving to physics and chemistry work. Stories of
programming robots impressed Abigail, especially the electrical
aspects and their minutiae.
While Abigail continued to excel academically, external
pressures like pricey tuition and program costs caused
stress to her family in an already very hectic time.
" The stress of me paying not only for tuition, but different
components I need for my classes - Especially this semester,
I have to make a capstone project. So that will take some
money for me to fund it, " she says.
" During the pandemic, my mom, she's a registered massage
therapist, but she got injured. So she wasn't able to practice
it as often, " she says. " Then because of the lockdowns, she
had to go on and off, so it wasn't really a stable income. So
it was also stressful. "
Abigail also tried to land a summer job between semesters,
but the same factors complicated and walled off many opportunities.
Her scholarship wins have lifted this weight.
" It's been tough, but this really helped me so I could just focus
on my classes and not be stressed with having to work
and do my classes, " Abigail says.
The result of this focus is something Abigail believes will
accompany her beyond her classes and into the workforce.
" How well you do in classes reflects how well you do on the
job. So if I'm not doing well in my classes, I can't do well on
the job, " she says. " I'm building the foundation for my career
now, by working hard. "
Once she's in the job market, Abigail plans to continue her
growth in electronics technology. Her ultimate goal is to
demystify these technologies and provide opportunities to
those who otherwise might not have the chance.
" I definitely want to get some experience for the first few
years. And then after that, I will definitely try to make my
own place where I can help people. " That help will involve
teaching others, including vulnerable members of her community,
about various tech to make it more accessible. This
is a continuation of a previous position she held at a preemployment
program.
" Where I was working, I was helping at-risk youth learn
new stuff about technology. So I want to do something
similar there. "
Ultimately, an association operates best
when it supports its members... both
financially, and through sharing stories
of success. Abigail says that in addition
to the awards she's received from the
ASET Foundation, she finds value in the
member stories she reads. One recent
example she took inspiration from was
the pioneering work done by last year's
Capstone Award contenders.
" I use them as inspiration for what I can do in the future.
I can definitely use the examples from ASET to better myself
too, " she says.
With more triumphs sure to come her way, Abigail exemplifies
the best of the technology profession. The ASET Foundation
is proud to support her and those other award recipients who
demonstrate the remarkable future of this profession.
42 | SPRING 2022 | TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA
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ASET Technology Alberta Spring 2022

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