Yearbook

2024

 
 
 
 

One-of-a-kind post-secondary student mentoring program celebrates a decade

The Baxter Student Ambassador Program (BSAP) is a one-of-a-kind post-secondary student mentoring program committed to identifying and supporting the Canadian travel industry’s top incoming talent. For a decade now, BSAP has upheld its mission to encourage young people to get involved in the travel industry, foster networking opportunities for graduating students, mentor the next generation of travel professionals, and cultivate engagement in the travel industry.

 

2023

 
 
 
 

Advice for the next generation of the Travel Industry

It’s an exciting time as this year’s crop of travel and tourism graduates from across the country gear up to join the travel industry. In celebration of the 2023 BSAP winners kicking off their careers, Travel Courier sat down with industry executives to learn about their top advice and valuable lessons for the next generation of travel professionals.

 

2022

 
 
 
 

Welcome to BSAP 2022

Baxter Media’s Baxter Student Ambassador Program remains committed to identifying the travel industry’s most-promising student talent in tourism and hospitality programs at Canada’s leading colleges and universities.

BSAP is the only travel and tourism student mentoring program of its kind in Canada, offering learning and networking opportunities for aspiring travel industry professionals.

BSAP plays a vital role in the long-term survival of the travel industry. Now in its eighth year, the program continues to work with colleges and universities from across Canada to identify the most promising student talent in participating travel, tourism, and hospitality programs. .

 

2021

 
 
 
 

Eternal Optimists

This year’s winning Baxter Ambassadors are a diverse mix of students of different ages, backgrounds, and ambitions, but the one thing this group of graduates has in common? Optimism. Something we all need a little more of right now.

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 mock interview, 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.

 

2020

 
 
 
 

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.

 

2019

 
 
 
 
Yearbook

The 2019 BSAP Ambassadors have arrived.

A new generation was celebrated yesterday at the Fifth Annual Baxter Student Ambassador Awards luncheon at George Brown College’s Chefs’ House in Toronto and it featured the presentation of the 2019 Awards and a powerful keynote address by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s (TIAC) president and CEO, Charlotte Bell.

 

BSAP 2019

(l-r) Joanne Gellatly, George Brown College; Emily McClung, Baxter Media, Ashley Rochefor, Baxter Media

Julie Perrett, Baxter Ambassador, Red River College

(l-r) Dan Hamilton, Jamaica Tourist Board, Julie Perrett, Baxter Ambassador, Red River College; Angeline Boekweit, Professor, Red River College; Angela Bennett , Jamaica Tourist Board

Celebrating our 2019 Baxter Ambassadors at the Chefs Table May 2

l-r Guest of Ayrielle Dijkstra, Ayrielle Dijkstra, Baxter Ambassador, Confederation College; Giannina Veltri Professor, Confederation College

BSAP 2019

(l-r) Chintan Limbachiya. Baxter Ambassador, Centennial College, Jenni Berg, Contiki; Aminah Hausermann, Baxter Ambassdor (2016), Ryerson University, Contiki

Lori Gibb, Baxter Ambassador, Humber College

(l-r) Meghan Swan, Professor, Humber College; Lori Gibb, Baxter Ambassador, Humber College

Celebrating our 2019 Baxter Ambassadors at the Chefs Table May 2

Thank you to all of our sponsors and partners for this years program

Celebrating our 2019 Baxter Ambassadors at the Chefs Table May 2

Thank yo to all of our professors and coordinators that help make this program such a great success!

Baxter Student Ambassador Program 2019 May 2 2019

Congratulations to the 2019 Baxter Student Ambassadors 2019!

Merit Winners

(l-r) Ayrielle Dijkstra, Baxter Ambassador. Confederation College Baxter Ambassador; Giannina Veltri, Program Coordinator, Confederation College; Norma Ortuno Hung, Merit Travel; Joanne Gellatly, Professor, George Brown College

Celebrating our 2019 Baxter Ambassadors

(l-r) Donna Gravel, Professor, Algonquin College; Ellen Melman, Israel Tourist Board; Val Routledge, Baxter Ambassador, Algonquin College, Jerry Adler, Israel Tourist Board

BSAP 2019

(l-r) Angeline Boekweit, Red River College; Julie Perrett, Baxter Ambassador, Red River College; Angella Bennett , Jamaica Tourist Board

Baxter Student Ambassador Program 2019 May 2 2019

(l-r) Monika Todorova, Collette, Lori Gibb, Baxter Ambassador, Humber College, Meghan Swan, Professor, Humber College

Merit Winners

Bob Mowat, Executive Editor, Baxter Media and Camila Beluco, Baxter Ambassador Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT),

Celebrating our 2019 Baxter Ambassadors

Rhonda Cowderoy, Baxter Ambassador, Fenshawe College and Wendy McClung, Executive Vice- President Baxter Media

BSAP 2019

(l-r) Greg Elmhirst, Owner Elmhirst Resort; Natalia Munoz Cuevas, Baxter Ambassador, Seneca College; Catherine Griffith-Mills, Seneca College

Baxter Student Ambassador Program 2019 May 2 2019

Hayley Johnson Skinner, Baxter Ambassador, Ryerson University Hospitality and Tom Griffin, Professor, Ryerson University

David and Charlotte

David McClung and Charlotte Bell President & Chief Executive Officer

Celebrating our 2019 Baxter Ambassadors

Some of this years sponsors enjoying lunch at the Chefs Table George Brown College

BSAP 2019

Some of our winners and guests enjoying the awards luncheon at the Chefs Table

Baxter Student Ambassador Program 2019 May 2 2019

The student Chefs at the Chefs table hard at work putting together a wonderful meal.

BSAP 2019

(l-r) Maggie Santos, ACTA; Katelyn Fancy, Baxter Ambassador, Conestoga College; Cora Roselli, Professor, Conestoga College

Celebrating our 2019 Baxter Ambassadors

Catherine Griffith-Mills, Coordinator, Centennial College and Chintan Limbachiya, Baxter Ambassador, Centennial College

BSAP 2019

Rob Stockman, Transat and Michele McIntosh, Baxter Ambassador, Capilano University

Baxter Student Ambassador Program 2019 May 2 2019

(l-r) Wendy McClung, Baxter Media; Martha MacEachern, Professor, Georgian College; Baxter Ambassador, Georgian College; Marilyn Nigro, Professor, Georgian College

BSAP 2019

Some of our professors enjoying the presentations

BSAP 2019

Thank you to our hosts of the Chefs Table, George Brown College

2018

 
 
 
 
Yearbook

 

 

From a generation often criticized for being lazy and entitled, this year’s Baxter Student Ambassadors are proof that they are anything but. Ambitious, determined, and organized, this group of recent graduates is hungry for opportunity and ready to work. “I always put 110% into whatever I am pursuing,” said Hayley Johnson-Skinner, the 20-year-old Baxter Ambassador from Ryerson University. “Whether it’s school, work, or my BSAP presentation, I love the reward that comes from hard work.”

 

310 Dupont was buzzing on May 3, 2018, as Baxter Media hosted a networking reception for participants of the Baxter Student Ambassador Program

(l-r) Sara McCormick, Baxter Ambassador, Humber College; Emily Henderson, Baxter Ambassador, Georgian College; Jessie Wong, Baxter Ambassador, Ryerson University; John Chervy Rosal, Baxter Ambassador, Centennial College; Samantha Dass, Baxter Ambassador, Conestoga College

Sheridan College makes their presence known at the May 3 networking reception

(l-r) Whitney Turner, Baxter Ambassador, Sheridan College; Donna Black, Professor, Sheridan College; Myles Gallup, finalist, Sheridan College

Celebrating our 2018 Baxter Ambassadors at the Chelsea Hotel Toronto on May 4

Emily Henderson (Baxter Ambassador, Georgian College) accepts her BSAP certificate and prize bag from David McClung (l) and Wendy McClung (r)

Greg Elmhirst

Greg Elmhirst of Elmhirst’s Resort, a new program sponsor for 2018, pictured here with David McClung. (r)

The first step in a lifelong journey

(l-r) Wendy McClung, Executive VP Operations, Baxter Media; Abby DePencier-Cook, Baxter Ambassador, University of New Brunswick; John Chervy Rosal, Baxter Ambassador, Centennial College; Craig Rice, Baxter Ambassador, Fanshawe College; Wendy Paradis, President, ACTA

Hani Golestaneh

Hani Golestaneh (Baxter Ambassador, BCIT) accepts his BSAP certificate from Wendy McClung, Executive VP of Baxter Media.

Jessie Wong

Tom Griffin, Assistant Professor, Ryerson University (l) accompanies Jessie Wong (Baxter Ambassador, Ryerson University) as she accepts her BSAP certificate and prize bag from Colton Chia, Manager, Partnerships, TPI (r).

Rachelle Carrier

Jackie Lapointe (l) accompanies Rachelle Carrier (Baxter Ambassador, Fleming College) as she accepts her BSAP certificate and prize bag from Wendy Paradis, President, ACTA (r).

Donna Black

Donna Black, Professor of Tourism and Travel at Sheridan College, gets a photo op with David McClung, President of Baxter Media.

The 2018 BSAP Awards Luncheon was a resounding success by all accounts.

(l-r) Craig Rice, Lindsay Wicke, John Chervy Rosal, Emily Henderson, Sara McCormick, Wendy McClung, Stephanie Wells, Jessie Wong, Hani Golestaneh, Robyn Bossons, Rachelle Carrier, Brenda Xia, Samantha Dass, Myles Gallup, Michelle Halstead.
 

2017

 
 
 
 
Yearbook

Each year, we celebrate our Baxter Ambassadors in style! In 2017, we held a cocktail party where Ambassadors had the chance to network with fellow winners, BSAP alumni, leaders from the travel industry, and proud BSAP sponsors. The following afternoon, everyone gathered for a formal awards ceremony and luncheon at the Chelsea Hotel, Toronto. Take a look at our photos from last year’s event, and peruse the special issue of Travel Courier profiling our amazing 2017 winners!

 
Julie Cain, BSAP Winner from Fleming College, is the first winner to participate in the Contiki internship program

Julie Cain, BSAP Winner from Fleming College, is the first winner to participate in the Contiki internship program

(l-r) Jenni Berg, National Business Development Executive, Contiki Holidays; Julie Cain, BSAP Winner, Fleming College; Patti Watson, Program Coordinator, Tourism and Travel, Fleming College
Thanks to Transat for providing Alina Doaga, the winning student from BCIT, with a fantastic travel opportunity!

Thanks to Transat for providing Alina Doaga, the winning student from BCIT, with a fantastic travel opportunity!

Dan Prior, Sales Director for Ontario and Western Canada, Transat
The festivities were in full swing at the Chelsea Hotel Toronto on May 4

The festivities were in full swing at the Chelsea Hotel Toronto on May 4

(l-r) Andrea Dixon, Professor, School of Hospitality and Tourism, Algonquin College; Curtis Brown, BSAP Winner, Algonquin College; Nalinie Sharma, Marketing Manager, Canada, Collette

Giving BSAP 2017 a big thumbs-up

(l-r) Sean Price, Seneca College Professor and WestJet flight attendant; Dave Checco, Director of Product, WestJet Vacations; Jessica Turda, BSAP Winner, Seneca College; Jenny Kim, BSAP Winner, Sheridan College; Roger Halfacre, Professor of Tourism, Sheridan College

BSAP Group At 310 Dupont

BSAP winners and finalists network with Baxter Travel Media personnel at a reception held at the Baxter offices one day prior to the awards luncheon

Thank you, TPI, for providing three of our Baxter Student Ambassadors with internship opportunities in Oakville!

(l-r) Rhonda Lafosse, Regional Sales Manager, Ontario, TPI; Kristina Norman, BSAP Winner, Fanshawe College; Cheryl Trikha, BSAP Winner, Centennial College; Katherine Lo, BSAP Winner, Ryerson University; Tom Griffin, Assistant Professor, Ryerson University

BSAP winners take advantage of networking opportunities at the Baxter offices in Toronto

(l-r) Julie Cain, BSAP Winner, Fleming College; Wendy McClung, Executive VP, Operations, Baxter Travel Media; Katherine Lo, BSAP Winner, Ryerson University

Just a few of our many sponsors, program coordinators, and winning Baxter Ambassadors!

(l-r) Ellen Melman Director Operations & Marketing, Travel Industry, Israel Ministry of Tourism; Kevin Smith, Program Coordinator, Tourism Management, Humber College; Dhvani Gandhi, BSAP Winner, Humber College; ; Jacquiline Dmytryshyn, BSAP Winner, Georgian College; Seija McKay, BSAP Winner, Confederation College; Jerry Adler, Director For Canada, Israel Ministry of Tourism; Giannina Veltri, Program Coordinator, Confederation College; Martha MacEachern, Professor, Tourism Management, Georgian College

2016

 
 
 
 
Yearbook

Each year, we celebrate our Baxter Ambassadors in style with an event at the Chelsea Toronto. In 2016, we held a cocktail party where Ambassadors had the chance to network with fellow Ambassadors from other schools, leaders from the travel industry, and proud BSAP sponsors.

Take a look at our photos from last year’s event, and peruse the special issue of Travel Courier profiling our amazing winners!

 

Past and present BSAP winners from Humber College, the first school to participate in the program, meet at the BSAP awards event at the Chelsea Toronto

(l-r) Olga Menshikh, BSAP winner 2015, Humber College; Larissa Machulec, BSAP winner, Humber College; Erin Oddleifson, Director, Commercial Marketing, Transat; Kevin Smith, Program Co-ordinator, Tourism Management-Travel Industry Services Program, Humber College

Sara Grainger, BSAP Winner from Algonquin College, is the first winner to participate in the Sandals internship program

(l-r) Andrea Dixon, Professor, School of Hospitality and Tourism, Algonquin College; Sara Grainger, BSAP Winner, Algonquin College; Maureen Barnes-Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing, Unique Vacations (Canada) Inc.

All our amazing BSAP sponsors!

Audrius Valiulis, Young Skal; Brent Bowes; Erin Oddleifson, Director, Commercial Marketing, Transat; Dave Cecco, Director of Product at WestJet Vacations; Emma Daisley, Business Development Manager, ACTA; Tracy Ford, Public Relations Director, Chelsea Toronto; Maureen Barnes-Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing, Unique Vacations (Canada) Inc.; David McClung, President, Baxter Travel Media

Our winning Baxter Ambassadors giving the program a thumbs-up

Vanessa Teran, Sheridan College; Sara Grainger, Algonquin College; Danielle Murray, Confederation College; David McClung, President, Baxter Travel Media; Larissa Machulec, Humber College; Bryannah Day, Mohawk College; and Aminah Hausermann, Ryerson University

Thanks to Sandals for providing each 2016 winner with a Sandals internship in St. Lucia

Wendy McClung, Executive VP, Operations, Baxter Travel Media; Francine Allen, Sandals; Maureen Barnes-Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing, Unique Vacations (Canada) Inc.

Student participants network at the BSAP awards event at the Chelsea Toronto

Seyar Jawid, BSAP runner-up, Mohawk College; Olga Menshikh, BSAP winner 2015, Humber College; Bryannah Day, BSAP winner, Mohawk College

Student participants network at the BSAP awards event at the Chelsea Toronto

Seyar Jawid, BSAP runner-up, Mohawk College; Olga Menshikh, BSAP winner 2015, Humber College; Bryannah Day, BSAP winner, Mohawk College