Who are you and where are you from?

My name is Jerrett Lafontaine and I am from Cote First Nation. I grew up in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

What are you studying?

I just finished my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Human Resource Management. I also received a Management Certificate in the Hospitality, Tourism and Gaming Industries.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I really do not have an idea where I will be in 5 years because everything is a toss-up for me right now. I am trying to get into law school at the moment and if that does not work I plan on taking my masters. I do see myself though working with or for a First Nation business, preferably SIGA.

What makes you successful academically?

I am successful academically because I have always worked hard. There are times when things will get quite overwhelming, but staying on top of my schoolwork has made me successful. Definitely work first, play later.

What would be your message to those following in your footsteps?

My message would be to stay on top of your schoolwork. The semester will only get busier and busier, so knowing when assignments and midterms are due is key. You do not want to get to that point where you are doing assignments or studying the night before a due date or midterm.

Also, I would say that you must be in school and draw your program for yourself, not for anyone else. What I mean by this is you got to follow your own dreams and not your parents or other family. The only way to success would be doing what you want and not what others want. If you are not doing what you set out to do or wanted to do, then this may cause you to not really care about the work as it comes in.

For all the Aboriginal students, I would recommend them to apply for as many scholarships as possible because there is a lot of them out there.

Check out the previous Student Spotlight in the ARCHIVE