Embracing Change and the Secret to Success – Meet Mike Dickson

For much of his upbringing, things didn’t come easy for CBU student, Mike Dickson. Through it all, he always knew he wanted more for himself. So after becoming the first in his family to graduate high school, Mike continued to strive for a successful future. For a few years, he spent time working in labour-intensive construction jobs that required long hours for little pay. But, in 2003, after the tragic loss of a cousin, Mike felt a change was needed. That’s when he decided to enroll at Saint Mary’s University as a mature student. 

Becoming a university student was like nothing he had experienced before.  “I had never used a computer in my life and had never even been on a university campus,” says Mike. “Up until that point, the closest thing to a university experience I had was playing pickup basketball at Dalplex.” 

Throughout his first semester, Mike continued to work full-time to pay for his tuition. This only motivated him further, as using his own money gave him the drive he needed to value his education and make attending class his top priority. “I felt like since I was paying for this stuff, I was going to get my money’s worth,” he says. “I sat in the front row in every class and asked questions whenever I didn’t understand something.”

After pushing himself to new heights and overcoming his initial fears, Mike received a perfect score on a midterm, something that stands out in his memory to this day. “I had never gotten 100 per cent on anything in my life,” he says. “It was as if a light turned on for me. I figured out the recipe; hard work and preparation equals success.”

In 2006, Mike graduated from university and was looking forward to beginning the Bachelor of Education program at Mount Saint Vincent University that coming September. His dream was to share his success with kids who grew up like him, giving them hope and support for their own futures.  But before classes could begin, Mike found himself facing a tough decision. His partner had been accepted to a medical residency in Ontario, and the pair needed to relocate. “I put teaching on hold and went to support my wife,” says Mike. “I knew she would be facing a difficult path and I wanted to be there for her.”

With his plans for teaching on hold, Mike took a role with the local police force in his new town with intentions to teach troubled youth the secret to success. After several years of service, Mike wished to diversify his skillset and life experience, so he stepped away from the police force to become a firefighter. “Firefighting offered me the opportunity to interact with my community in a positive manner, but I was still not making the direct impact I felt like I could,” says Mike. “I really wanted to effect change in the lives of the youth.”

In 2023, as Mike grappled with his career aspirations, he was thrown another life-altering curveball. His wife was diagnosed with cancer and suddenly, the future seemed uncertain. Mike had no idea how he was going to juggle shift work and getting his young son to and from school. In fact, it was while driving his son to school that Mike heard a commercial for CBU’s newly launched accelerated BEd program. A simple question from his son made it all so clear, “Dad, why don’t you teach at my school, and we can drive together every day?”

Mike went home that day and immediately applied for the program and has been teaching locally on a special permit ever since. “I enjoy every day I’m in the classroom and strive to be an example to the students,” says Mike. “I hope one day one of my students will come back and share their own success story with me. Then I will know I made the impact I hoped for.”

Even though Mike has yet to physically step foot on the CBU campus, he says it hasn’t hindered his experience. “There have been some hiccups along the way getting this program going but everyone has gone over and above,” says Mike. “On both the support and administrative teams, everyone has been amazing.”

Back on his original track many years later, Mike hopes to finish his degree online and return to rural Nova Scotia to teach in his home community. “So many people work hard to get out of rural Nova Scotia to chase what they believe to be bigger and better,” he says. “I want to build up a program so that no one feels like they need to leave the South Shore to achieve their academic aspirations and goals.”

Despite the many ups and downs in Mike’s journey, he continues to show that through hard work, dedication and perseverance, anything is possible.