Student Spotlight: Ella Johnson
Ella Johnson
Program
Third year at Western, first year in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program at King's.
Home country
Trinidad and Tobago
Involvement with Western International
International student
Why I chose Canada and Western
I have Canadian citizenship, and my mom is Canadian, so it was always the plan to come to Canada. I wasn’t expecting to go to the same school as my mom, but Western has a great social work program.
Highlights of my Western Experience
So far, my experience has been amazing! Western has a strong Caribbean community and great cultural appreciation. It offers a good balance of comfort and new experiences. I’ve been involved as a volunteer with Western International supporting new international students and with the Caribbean Students’ Organization (CSO).
My future career goals
I want to stay in Canada and work in social work, possibly in education. Considering a master’s degree but focusing on finishing my BSW first. I’ve always loved helping people. I started a charity in high school – a program called the Brown Bag Program, providing arts and crafts for preschoolers in a low-income area during COVID – and my guidance counselor helped me realize social work was my calling.
My advice for new students
Get involved early! Join clubs, find community, and use available resources. It makes transition easier. I also Facetime a lot! It was hard at first to be away from family, especially seeing Canadian students with family visits, but it forced me to build independence.
Fun fact about me:
My mom was president of CSO when she was at Western, and I now live with the current CSO president!
