Continuing our series of blogs spotlighting some of our inaugural Beedie Luminaries, we’re excited to introduce Luminary, Jason Pang. Jason is starting his first year at UBC, working towards his Bachelor of Science. Read more about his story in the Q&A story below.
What is your name?
Jason Pang
What post-secondary school will you be attending?
University of British Columbia
What program will you be taking in post-secondary and why does it interest you?
I will be pursuing a Bachelors of Science majoring in Global Resource Systems. My major is unique as it is a program that can be customized to my interests where I get to choose both a ‘resource’ and a ‘regional’ specialization. Personally, I hope to focus on sustainability science, commerce and sociology for my resource specialization with my regional specialization around Asia-Pacific. My program allows me to pursue my passion for environmental sustainability professionally and lets me independently learn critical hands-on learning assets through the course’s emphasize on relevant, real-world preparation and experiential opportunities. I would highly suggest this major for other students looking to develop cross-cultural sensitivity and gain professional exposure.
Tell us a little bit about your background (growing up, going to school, extra-curricular activities, etc.).
Throughout high school, I did a lot of environmental work through my school’s green team where I was the president of the club for the last two years before graduation. The Richmond Secondary Green Team gains national recognition for our achievements in the British Columbia Green Games, including our E-Waste Collection Week and Waste Reduction Week campaigns. We try to host fun and educational events throughout our community to promote environmental awareness and sustainability. Last year we held events such as an Environmental Movie Night showing ‘This Is Not Earth’, hosted a Zero-Waste Pop-up Store, implemented Sustainable Cafeteria Utensils and even SOLAR PANELS for our school!!!
I was also apart of my school’s dragon boat team as the drummer of the boat. My role is important as my team relies on me to keep the boat in time, provide motivation and to convey information during races. I am also a Medical First Responder with St John Ambulance’s cadet program where I volunteer my time every week to practice, teach, and share the importance of first aid with other cadets within my division. During our meeting nights, I am in charge of a variety of responsibilities such as dress and deportment, drill, and our first aid lessons.
During my last year of high school, I had the greatest opportunity to be the Director of Administration for Youth Achieving Success. YAS, a local youth-led non-profit organization, helps students explore their career potential, broaden their options, and connect with industry experts. Each year, we host our signature YAS Career Conference where we bring together industry leaders from various fascinating industries and high school students who are trying to either figure out what they want to do in the future or develop some connections to help them on their path.
I really enjoy volunteering and giving back to my community, as it feels rewarding to help others and make a difference. Through my volunteering experiences, I gained various professional skills and knowledge that will benefit me as I enter post-secondary education.
What motivates you, and why?
To me, there is nothing more important to our society than our environment. My family immigrated from Hong Kong to Vancouver to escape political pressure, and every time I return I notice the significant division between the deliberate actions being taken to sustain a healthy, livable environment. It alarms me when I hear about the impact that human activities have made on the damage to our planet. From sea level rising to climates changing, and even toxic waste appearing in our local wildlife, it astounds me on how much damage we do, yet we are ignorant towards the aftermath of our actions.
I am proud to represent various environmental organizations that cultivate innovative ways to lessen our impact on the environment. Sustainability is what motivates me to pursue the work that I am passionate about. I dedicate myself to addressing development goals, such as minimizing plastic pollution, to ensure future generations can enjoy the privileges we often overlook.
What are you goals for the upcoming school year?
For me, I really want to focus on myself and my mental health in university. I hope to maintain a strong academic standing while volunteering at UBC, thanks to learning material I am passionate about. I will balance a part-time job on campus, applying my knowledge and experiences in a professional environment. The Beedie Luminaries Scholarship helps me reach my goals for the upcoming school year, and I am thrilled to start this adventure!
What is one thing you learned in high school that you will take with you to post-secondary?
High school for sure will always be one of the hardest times of my life. One thing I learned that I will take with me to post-secondary and beyond would be to love yourself. I always felt overwhelmed and stressed while trying to balance everything needed to get into post-secondary. It was not too long until I was unhappy with myself and the work I produced became less and less of an acceptable quality. Nothing is more important in this world than your own mental health. As students, we strive to exceed expectations, but it’s impossible to make progress if we are depressed, stressed, or unhappy with ourselves. Take that extra time to reflect and relax just so you can bounce back twice as strong.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to future Luminaries?
For the future Luminaries, one piece of advice I can give is that “pain is temporary”. You may feel stressed out with your heavy course work, extracurricular activities, part time jobs, etc and want to give up BUT trust me it will get better if you want it to be. Try your best and NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Back To Top