The Road Taken: Career Journeys

About Me

My name is Pamela Hunnisett and I’m now an Academic Guidance Counsellor after teaching English and Drama at the High School level for 27 years! Creating The Road Taken: Career Journeys has been a keen interest of mine for the past couple of years as I have been doing the learning and certification as a Career and Academic Advisor for my present dream position as an Academic Guidance Counsellor with Foundations for the Future Charter Academy (FFCA – South High School) in Calgary, Alberta!

Since 2010, I pioneered blogging with my English and Creative Writing classes – helping students to find their voices and tell their stories. As I have been re-inventing myself in Career and Academic Advising for the horizon of my career, I’ve been drawn to learning stories of individuals through their academic and career paths. Storytelling has been my passion for everything I do, so what better way to improve my skills in my new career than to capture and chronicle the journeys people have experienced via the roads they have taken in their own academics and careers.

Through my journey, I have been fortunate to meet many inspiring people from all walks of life, so I hope to convince friends, alumni students, family, colleagues, and inspiring strangers to share their stories too!

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”

Carl Jung

I am a passionate, lifelong learner who loves to read, write, create and attend theatre, research, garden, walk, hike, bike, dine with friends, hang out in quaint coffee and tea shops, day-trip, meditate, dream, and travel the world.
I am an idealist – someone who always seeks the best in each person I meet, who quests to reveal potential while being a supportive, empathetic listener and problem-solver when challenges arise.
My personal world is also occupied with academic pursuits and post-secondary institutions, for I am married to a mathematics professor – Dr. Cristian Rios – at the University of Calgary, which has exposed me to the realities and opportunities with a variety of post-secondary experiences and lifestyles across Canada, the US, Europe, and Argentina.  I am also a mother to two young adults – one studying Software Engineering at the University of Calgary (4th year) and one pursuing Fine Arts at Alberta University of the Arts (3rd year) – so my home reality is well-experienced with the challenges young adults face in both academics and career possibilities: choosing secondary courses to align with future goals; post-secondary programming, requirements, and applications; internships; scholarships, grants, and loans; gap year experiences, programs, and opportunities; volunteering and employment.  Further to this – as a high school teacher for most of my 27 years of teaching (including adult education), I’ve kept in touch with many alumni, learning from their academic and career journeys. 

Learn more about me:

Thank you, dear reader, for joining this journey of mine!