Hometown: Regina, SK
Band: White Bear First Nations
Program: Aboriginal Policing Preparation (2016)
Patrick has big dreams of one day becoming the chief of Regina Police Services or a detective for the RCMP, working to help solve cases about missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada. He says if it wasn't for his instructors at Sask Polytech he may not have the confidence needed to go after those dreams.
"They helped me believe I could be very successful with a career in law enforcement," says Patrick, a First Nations man. "I got more than just an education at Sask Polytech — I grew as a person: physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally."
Patrick worked hard to overcome many challenges, including depression and homelessness, to cultivate his own success story. In 2015 he won the Wicihitowin Justice Studies Scholarship, an award given to Indigenous students of good academic standing.
"It was something I had never achieved before. It was more than just winning the scholarship, it was the feeling I got when I showed my parents what I have been awarded with and who their son could be. They had tears of happiness and I will never forget how that made me feel."
For students looking to study at Sask Polytech, Patrick says it will be a decision they won't regret.
"Study hard, do your best and you can be successful," he says. "It's not about how many times you fall — it's about how fast you can get back up. It's amazing what you can do if you just try."