Keisha – From Surviving to Thriving 

Keisha Lauinger has always strived to make her life better, starting from her hometown in the Northwest Territories to where she is now in Edmonton. 

Keisha, who is Metis, faced bullying and discrimination and grew up in a family with generational trauma. She was determined to break the pattern and find a place where she could thrive. 

“I wanted something better for myself for many reasons,” she shares. “From a very young age I realized I was not meant for small towns, and I wanted to move to the city.” 

Keisha left the Northwest Territories and moved to Edmonton, but after five years of working in oilfield camps and rarely seeing her family, she needed a career with a better work-life balance. 

“I wanted to do something in the city and not be away. I did love working in camps, but I was always gone. I just wanted to start living my life.” 

While she was thinking about her next steps, she came across an ad on Facebook from MaKami College.  She explored MaKami and realized that the Medical Office Assistant program appealed to her the most.  

“I like working with people, but I also like working with computers,” says Keisha, who loved the blend of in-person and online programming and the accepting atmosphere that came with it.  

“At MaKami, there are many different people from different backgrounds, and everyone is accepting and inviting,” Keisha says. “Although my program was primarily online in the study sessions, everyone made you feel welcome and heard and appreciated.”  

But while she was in school, money became tight and Keisha was evicted from her home.

“I had no idea where I was going to live or what I was going to do, and I couldn’t find a job in Edmonton anywhere,” she says. “I wasn’t sure if I could continue my studies, and I was very close to quitting.”  

With the encouragement of one of her instructors, Keisha persisted.   

“My instructor helped me see what I needed to do for myself, so I took the opportunity and pushed myself.”  

As she was finishing her program, Keisha secured a practicum with CRMTA, a professional association for registered massage therapists. 

“I excelled in the work field, and they offered me a job,” she says. “They’re welcoming and inviting, and I go into work with a smile on my face.” 

Keisha marvels at how her life has changed.  

“Before I was struggling to find a home and feed myself. Today, I have an amazing fiancé, a roof over my head and a job I’m excited to go to every day because it has given me a chance to grow, to thrive and to be who I am.” 

Keisha recommends that anyone who is thinking of going to MaKami should definitely take the leap. 

“Putting yourself out there, getting out of your comfort zone, is your chance to grow,” she says. “Education opens doors.”