Take a leap of faith and it will be all possible

By: Ronella Felizardo

Wintec Communication student Mikayla Baker, has received an Excellence in Communication award, sponsored by the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ).

Mikayla, who is in year 3 of her Bachelor of Communication degree is a single mother and a self-employed marketing contractor.

It is tough to balance life, work and study so not putting things off is an important strategy Mikayla said. She manages her time by utilising her diary and writing everything down in a schedule for both herself and her daughter.

”“If I need to get something done, I’ll put it in here and I’m really good at making sure my to-do list is done for the day.”

Mikayla baker

This is the second time that Mikayla has received the PRINZ award, which recognises top academic performance. She says, “It feels really nice getting the award again. I feel proud of myself, and it is not that often I say that.”

Her advice for single mothers and women who want to pursue a degree is, “It is hard but you need to want to do it comes down to my mindset of what I want at the end”

Mikayla said taking time out for yourself is also important. She identified music as an essential tool to help her to decompress, often listening to tunes in her car before attending classes.

She highlighted the support and understanding of Wintec when helping her to care for her child especially during unavoidable circumstances where she has to bring her daughter to classes, She said, “Take the leap and speak to tutors then go from there.”

After graduating, a future goal involves seeing what opportunities come her way as a result of the repertoire of work she has completed during her study. She’s open to being in a workplace to gain experience but ultimately, her goal is to become a freelancer.

Mikayla Baker’s journey is one of determination, organisation and the importance of support systems in achieving success. As she looks ahead to her future, Mikayla’s story is sure to inspire other mothers striving to reach their goals. Her message is clear: with the right mindset and support, anything is possible.

Photo credit: Tessa Thomson, 3rd year Communication student