Baxter Student Ambassadors of 2020

All it took was one weekend in New York City for 46 year old Vanessa Brownson to change her life. “I had barely considered travelling before,” said Vanessa Brownson, 2020 Baxter Ambassador for Fleming College. “But a whole new world opened up to me, that was the spark to changing my career in mid-life, and now I’m on a whole new road. I love it!” She fell in love with travel – the planning, the adventure, the possibilities, and soon after this life-defining trip to NYC, she enrolled in Fleming College’s Tourism- Global Travel program. Today, she is one of 15 winning Baxter Student Ambassador of 2020.

The only program of its kind in Canada, the Baxter Student Ambassador Program (BSAP) identifies the very best emerging talent from travel, tourism and hospitality programs across the country. Based on a combination of academic success, leadership skills, community involvement, and a skill-testing webinar presentation one student from each of this year’s 15 participating colleges and universities is selected as the winning Baxter Student Ambassador to represent their school.

While our 15 winning Ambassadors may be ready to take on the world, the world isn’t quite ready for them yet. But not even a pandemic’s moratorium on travel is going to deter this group of graduates. They’re sticking to their career ambitions like Centennial College’s Angiela Maenel Menguita who dreams of owning her own travel agency or Algonquin College’s Megan Chatman who wants to return to Newfoundland to develop tourism in Labrador City, and Andy Chu of Capilano University who sees himself planning conventions and events that drive tourism. And their bucket lists just keep growing with dreams of someday soon seeing the pyramids of Egypt like Stefani Walter of Confederation College or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro like Red River College’s Zachary Harrison, and visiting every province and territory in Canada like Sydnee Bell of SAIT.

With the help of our sponsors and industry partners – ACTA, Elmhirst’s Resort, Flight Centre Travel Group & Independent by Flight Centre, Fly GTA, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board, Manulife, Sandals, Skal Canada, TIAO, and Transat – the Baxter Student Ambassador Program helps to bring these elite graduates closer to their dreams through travel, internship, and networking opportunities.

In the following pages you’ll find fresh inspiration and contagious enthusiasm as you meet each of our winning Ambassadors, the next generation of travel industry professionals. And while you learn about their travel dreams, take a moment to remember your own…

For the full story, check out digital edition of Travel Courier.