Laurentian Leadership Centre Experience
Read what former students had to say about their semester at the LLC...
Working in a small NGO, I got to do a little bit of everything. This gave me the opportunity to see what I really liked and was an education in both how an NGO works and what is happening around the world.
Living in community is a great experience. I had the chance to make some amazing friendships and to be both encouraged and challenged by the people I was living with. Not only do you get to live in the capital, you get to spend a semester learning and living with people who have similar goals.
Andrea Smith- International Studies
World Hope Canada
Fall 2009
When you live at the LLC you are living your education; the community, the classes, the downtown and the work is all about applying yourself to the lessons you have been taught. To no small extent, it forces you to engage the world while thinking about your and others’ souls. To me, the LLC has been the perfect bridge to cross from the theoretical world of TWU to the practical world of politics, by equipping you to face this world grounded in heavenly certainty.
Tyler DeJong- Political Studies
Office of Bev Shipley, M.P
Fall 2009
That which distinguishes a semester at the LLC from a “normal” semester at TWU’s Langley campus is your interaction on a variety of different levels with your peers, your professors and those who you meet through your internship. A morning class about modern Western society would have me working through things intellectually until I would get to work and be confronted with that society on a very practical level. As a Christianity and Culture major, I found the LLC to be a perfect fit.
Nicole Den Haan- Christianity and Culture
Office of Brad Trost, M.P
Fall 2009
"Just as merely owning a toolbox will not build you a house, merely attending the LLC will not change your life. The LLC gives you every tool and resource possible, but you are the one who must show the initiative to use the tools available to you.
The Laurentian Leadership Centre is the best program that Trinity Western University has to offer because of its live, learn and work environment. It has given me the best opportunities available and has prepared me to confidently transition into full-time work as a political staffer. It has stretched me and grown me to adapt to the balancing act of a very busy, but fun life here in Ottawa.
We have a tradition of excellence from the calibre of alumni who have come before us and it is this precedence that opened doors to me, and will continue to open doors to future LLCers. I feel that I would not have had these doors opened had I not attended the LLC and tried to do it on my own. Trinity Western University is not just like any other university, we are called to a higher purpose for such a time as this, and the Laurentian Leadership Centre is an integral part of that calling."
Jenna Andrews - Communications
Office of the Honourable Minister Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Spring 2009
"My time at the LLC has exceeded my expectations. I am currently working as an intern for World Vision, focusing on policy work for Afghanistan and Sudan. The classes are engaging and work well with internship hours. In the midst of classes and work there is plenty of time to explore Ottawa and other cities nearby. A group of us headed down to New York last week and next weekend we are headed to Montreal. There are tons of museums nearby and the National Art Centre offers promotions for students to see productions at an incredibly cheap price. The canal is a great place to walk or jog and there are lots of old buildings and churches to see. Because the LLC is located in the centre of downtown, we are in walking distance from great restaurants, theatres, and stores; there is even an outdoor market. I am having a great time at the LLC. The experience is unparalleled and without question I consider it the most rewarding part of my education."
Brock Bersaglio - Political Studies
World Vision
Fall 07
"My experience at the LLC so far has been a great learning opportunity in regards to community, academics, and politics. I have enjoyed the close community life, cooking groups, and learning about Canadian politics from an insider's view few will ever see. The location of the LLC is ideal and living in Ottawa there is always something to do, somewhere to go, or something to see. It's a program I would recommend to everyone regardless of their major for the amazing opportunities it provides."
Amy Mochar - Modern Languages
Office of Laurie Hawn, M.P.
Fall 07
"The Laurentian Leadership Centre has exposed me to the political sphere in Canada through my placement in an exclusive and unique internship. Further, the nature of work I am involved in has been informed by my theoretical knowledge obtained in the classroom. While I am working and attending class, I am also living in one of the most valuable and exquisite residences in Ottawa with a group of peers who have similar interests and ambitions. I don't know of a single other institution that offers such a holistic and prestigious program like the Laurentian Leadership Centre."
Matthew Pasuik - Business
Office of Ed Fast, M.P.
Fall 07
"I'm using my skills in public relations to advocate for issues that I'm passionate about while also designing brochures that will be distributed across Canada. After work I come home to a mansion in the heart of Ottawa and to 21 awesome housemates. I eat a family dinner five nights a week and occupy my free time by exploring my new environment. How do I describe my experience at the LLC? Amazing."
Kristina Pfiffner - Communications/Religious Studies
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
Fall 07
"My experience so far at the LLC has totally blown away all my expectations. There is no other program like this in Canada that provides the opportunity to gain experience with central players in Canadian politics and public life, put our four years of university training into practice and still continue on in learning. I have friends in political science departments at other universities that are jealous!"
Catherine Tegelberg – International Studies
Fall '05
"Instead of reading about Prime Ministers in a textbook, I get to hear him give speeches, share the halls he walks in, and meet many influential people everyday."
Nicole Dublanko, Political Studies
Spring '06
"My time here at Laurentian Leadership Centre has been something that I have looked forward to for more than three years. I feel extremely fortunate to have been accepted to the program and given this once in a life opportunity. As a nursing student at Trinity Western, I developed an interest in health policy. I realized that if change is going to happen in Canada's health care system, it would have to come from the top down.
I am presently interning in the research, policy, and planning department of the Canadian Medical Association. I know that the work I am doing is making a difference in the lives of Canadians as well as fulfilling my dreams. It's only been a few weeks and I can only imagine what will happen in the future!"
Jessica Senn – Nursing Graduate
Fall '05
"As I ride the bus back from my internship each day and I see the Parliament Buildings against the sunset, I smile knowing that I am living the good life at the LLC, in Ottawa. The mansion is beautiful, the people are amazing and the experiences are priceless. Fitting the LLC into my degree has been one of the best decisions I have made at Trinity. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone."
Tara Olfert, Biology & Chemistry
Spring '06
"For me the LLC has been a life changing experience, it has given me opportunities that I could have never dreamed of. I have worked with the #1 real estate agent in Canada, I have gained valuable contacts, and I have learned more than any class could have ever taught me. It’s the only experience I know where you can have a conversation over hors d’oeuvre with Preston Manning on Saturday night and go to Church with Stockwell Day on Sunday morning."
Christian Plover, Business
Spring '06
"The semester has been an amazing one - not only because of the internship, but because I got to share in the experiences of 19 other internships as well. Classroom learning is wonderful, and it's fundamental - but I have learned so much this semester that I could never have learned in a classroom, and it's something that I'll definitely take with me as I start to work in the new year."
Kristen VanderHoek – History & Political Studies
Fall '06
"Words cannot describe what I learned in the office and in the committee meetings I attended. I was able to meet people from all over the world. Diplomats from Africa, human rights advocates from China, American specialists in international politics, and Israeli businessmen were just a few examples. My office was so great to me. I wish I could have stayed out here for a longer period of time and gotten more experience. This really is a great program, one that I would recommend for anyone and everyone at Trinity and beyond who has ever considered using a professional and esteemed internship program to enter the political world of Ottawa."
Nic Wilkinson - Business
Spring '06