IPL Discovery Award Winner Making a Difference

How did you find your way to Inter Pipeline?

I’m from Taber where there’s a local IPL office. I’ve always known about IPL as we are heavily involved in the community. I was also familiar with the Discovery Awards Program and was honored to be Taber’s 2024 award recipient in high school. Inter Pipeline was top of my mind when I started looking for summer internships.

Community Investment is a big part of your role this summer, but was that always an interest?

I was the president for two consecutive years of our school’s Leadership Council. I was also on the school and parent council, and I was the high school representative from Grade 10 onwards. I volunteered at the hospital within the senior’s long term residence facility as a recreational volunteer. I also did over 250 hours with the Family & Community Support Services Youth Do-Crew as an elementary tutor and participant in various other volunteer initiatives. I was also a part of Alberta Ministers Youth Council, which is composed of 40 youth from all over Alberta that support the education minister from September to June.

For those who don’t know, what is IPL’s Discovery Awards program, and what did it mean to you to be a recipient?

Discovery Awards are given to students in IPL’s rural operating areas who demonstrate strong academic and volunteer achievement. It meant a lot to me — it validated my efforts in high school and helped financially with my university studies. It also solidified my interest in Alberta’s oil and gas industry.

The award is extremely important to students and especially those in rural communities. It’s a big help financially and provides students with more opportunities to succeed in their education.

With your summer term coming to an end, what’s next?

I will be going into my second year of Political Science this fall at the University of Calgary. I hope to someday work in energy law — either in-house at an oil and gas company, or on a regulatory team at a law firm. Working at IPL this summer has been the perfect place to start my journey. 

What advice would you give to other students thinking about joining IPL?

Be an inquisitor. Talk to people in different departments, go on coffee chats, and ask lots of questions. There’s so much to learn, and people here are eager to share their knowledge.

What’s one thing you want people to know about IPL’s Community Investment team?

Volunteering isn’t just a box to check but a powerful way to give back and connect with others. Additionally, our connections with field offices and surrounding communities play a vital role in the success of our business. Our team is always excited to get involved in making a difference, and we are looking for passionate people to help out at Community Investment events.

What does a typical day on the Community Investment team look like for you?

Well, usually we’ll have an ongoing project. A huge thing this summer has been working on our annual backpack campaign helping families in need prepare their children for a successful start to the school year. In 2025, we’re providing over 1,400 packed backpacks to students across Alberta. And of course, this year’s Discovery Awards. We stay pretty busy, which is great.

Which of IPL’s core values resonate most with you?

This summer, the overarching theme has been Teamwork. I feel like I came in very rigid, and my team has helped me break down those walls and be more coachable.  

My second answer is Pursuit of Excellence. I think that if you’re going to do something, you should do it 100%.

What has your experience been like this summer?

My favorite thing is the people. Every single person is willing to help and talk to you about anything. Everyone is passionate about their job, and they recognize that they play a role in the broader company operation. Everyone is such a great team player, and I have experienced the kindest of people while working here.

What are some of your hobbies/passions outside of the office?

I shoot film photography and like to hike. Recently, I’ve transitioned more to digital photography, but I’ve combined my two passions to do a lot of outdoor photography. I like shooting landscape and portraits. Doing this has been a great outlet that lets me unwind from school and work!

I have a Fujifilm X5, a Pentax K-1000 and a Sony A6000 camera.

What do you highlight as your biggest personal accomplishment so far?

I would say my time as a court support volunteer for the KB Amicus program at the Calgary courts has been a huge personal accomplishment for me. I get to help self-represented litigants find legal guidance through this initiative and it has been a fulfilling journey.