Community & Alumni Blog
Bridge-builder profile: Zach Peters
When the campaign to fund CMU’s new Bridge, Library and Learning Commons began, Zach Peters was the Vice President Activities on CMU Student Council with then-president Dylan Tarnowsky. The two joked with each other that their time as student leaders would have such an impact on the university that CMU would name buildings after them.
“He wanted his name on that bridge: The Dylan Tarnowsky Skywalk,” Peters recalls with a chuckle. “We decided that if he got the bridge, I would get my name on something too: The Zach Peters Library and Learning Commons.”
Alas, no part of the new structure will be named after the duo, but Peters has left his mark on the project by purchasing a bridge tile in support of the Connect Campaign.
CMU meant a lot to Peters as a student. He participated in Outtatown’s South Africa program 2005-2006 before earning a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Political Studies. In addition to three years of service on StuCo, he also played soccer for two years.
But CMU also meant something to Peters as an employee. He worked in CMU's hosting department for one year, before joining the university's Admissions department from August 2010 to August 2013 as an admissions counsellor.
“I felt like CMU was taking a risk with me,” he says. “I was pretty young for some of the jobs I was filling, but they obviously saw the ability in me to take those jobs.”
What Peters gained in return for his four years of work at CMU was a deeper maturity, an understanding of what it means to be in a professional work environment, and learning how to work hard.
He invested in his work at CMU, and found that his co-workers and superiors at the university invested back into him.
“The community that's there extends beyond just the students to the staff as well. You feel appreciated. People notice your hard work, and that’s part of what made it a special place to be for those four years.”
Through his time on Outtatown, studying at CMU, and then working at the university, Peters discovered a love for working with people and building relationships. He enjoys understanding people and the way they communicate.
When he was considering further studies, the two-year Creative Communications program at Red River College in Winnipeg seemed like a good fit.
This month, Peters started the second year of the program. During the summer, he interned with the media relations department at the Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball Club. The things he studied at CMU have been complementary to what he is learning at Red River.
“I’m loving the hands on technical side of what we’re able to learn at Red River, but having that balanced with the more analytical, critical thought you gain from university really enhances that experience.”
Peters aspires to work as a sports reporter or in media relations, working for a sports team.
When he left CMU, co-workers joked he might come back to the university as its Director of Marketing and Communications.
Whether or not he ever does, Peters has already made a mark on the school – as a student, as an employee, and as someone who purchased a tile in support of the Connect Campaign.
“The idea of the tile, to me, is to have your mark on a school that really meant something to you,” he says. “To be able to give and have my gift recognized is special.”
You can make a difference in the life of CMU for less than $14 a month. Find out how you can become a Bridge Builder and support CMU's new Library, Learning Commons and Bridge by going here and clicking on "Alumni: Buy a Tile."
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