Terri-Jane Stapleton
Human Services Counsellor Program
Graduated 2004
A professor at the School of Community and Social Services at George Brown for five years, Terri-Jane began her pursuit of higher education later than most. “One of my sons was attending university and he encouraged me,” she says. “When I first arrived at George Brown, it was a challenge to balance the new demands of college life with my other responsibilities, but I adapted quickly!” Terri-Jane cites the opportunity to do a placement in Jamaica, where she taught life skills lessons at local schools and community organizations.
Terri-Jane currently teaches at York University while she pursues a Masters degree in Critical Disability Studies. She is passionate about providing the same support and encouragement to her students that she benefited from. “Ron Sluser, the coordinator of my program at George Brown, was my inspiration to move into teaching,” she explains. “He taught me that while learning is exciting; sharing what you’ve learned can be truly exhilarating. Helping others to realize their potential has made for a highly fulfilling career.”
“In speaking to others in the field, George Brown has a really strong reputation…When I work with people who graduated from social service worker programs at other colleges, I feel like I got so much more out of my program. It really is an amazing school.” - Jolene Stowell, Social Service Worker graduate.
Graduates of the School of Social and Community Services have found fulfilling roles across all sectors of society as coaches, counsellors, educators, support workers, and advocates. Many of our alumni say that their positive contributions today are a direct result of their learning at George Brown.
Four decades of community relations
The School of Social and Community Services has been around for over 40 years. That’s a long time to build strong relationships and solidify a reputation as the place to go for social services education or a Career and Work counsellor diploma.
George Brown has over 1,000 relationships with community agencies, which is one of the top reasons why graduates are so well prepared for their dream jobs. They gain valuable practical experience through field placements which are a component of all programs. It’s not just learning that happens through these placements. Students network for employment at the same time. In fact, many alumni work for the employers who gave them their initial start as students.
Behavioural Science Technology
It didn’t take long for Louis Busch to realize that a job as a forklift driver would never satisfy his appetite for learning. He took to the gears right after high school, but there was always something tugging at him—a lifelong curiosity about human behaviour. More...
Career and Work Counsellor
Paul Huschilt, storyteller extraordinaire and lifetime ham, says if it wasn’t for connections he made through George Brown College, he never would have ended up doing what he loves now: cracking up the masses in hotel ballrooms far and wide. More...
Social Service Worker
In small town Nova Scotia, where Monica Melanson grew up, rarely does someone go missing or spend weeks at a time alone in their homes, ill or dying. This is not the case in her adopted city of Toronto where sometimes people do get lost. Her George Brown education gave her the skills to bring them back into the fold. More...
Assaulted Women's and Children's Counsellor/Advocate Program
Involved in the arts from a young age, Nicole Hamilton has worked as a performer, and facilitator, earning a teacher’s certification under the Canadian Dance Masters of America. Her extensive volunteer work with women and children, however, had made her determined to pursue a career as a counsellor. More...