Academic X’cellence: Sharing stories from our inspiring StFX community
It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with StFX that our campus is filled with highly engaged students, educators, researchers, and leaders. Academic X’cellence shines a spotlight on members of our educational community to find out more about their unique experiences—both inside and outside of the classroom.
Here we meet Cheyenne Toms of Enfield, NS, a fourth year student completing a Bachelor of Arts in human kinetics. Cheyenne is a research assistant in the MAX Lab at StFX, helping with the Mini U program. She is a student athletic therapist and has volunteered with Best Buddies, the Indigenous Student Society, and X-Project. She is planning to apply to the Pathy Fellowship after graduation and to further her education with a master’s degree in physiotherapy.
Cheyenne Toms: StFX student is making a difference through her work at the MAX Lab to Mini U; from Best Buddies to student athletic therapy
Along with your studies, you’re involved in numerous organizations. Tell us about this.
St. Francis Xavier University has a variety of opportunities to get involved in programs you’re passionate about. I am on the executive teams of the Indigenous Student and Best Buddies societies, going on my third year. For the Indigenous Society, I am the treasurer this year. Best Buddies is a program across Canada for people with intellectual disabilities. As a peer buddy, I am paired with someone who has an intellectual disability, and we will spend time together and go to group events together a couple times a month. I’ve been on the executive team for the last three years, starting off as social media lead, now going on my second year as co-president. I was drawn to this program as I've babysat my neighbour from my hometown, who has autism, since I was 12. I love babysitting him therefore I wanted to get involved in a program with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
I was also involved last year with the KMC Blades program, a learn-to-skate program through the community. The last two years I was involved with X-Project, where students from StFX go to Indigenous or African American communities to help kids with homework or to play games and sports with them. I am a student athletic therapist this school year, learning under a certified AT and helping the cross country/track teams.
This year, I'm a lab assistant for Dr. Amanda Casey in the MAX Lab, which helps support the Mini U. All summer I've been helping get the program up and running for the year. I’ve been involved in lots of meetings with different faculty for elective spots of the program, which each week involves different faculties and professors showing the children the departments and doing activities related to what they teach. I’ve also been helping set up the one-on-one tutoring with Service Learning and getting lunches and the dietetic interns involved to help with nutritional activities.
I was interested in the MAX Lab as I've worked with the Paqtnkek children through X-Project, which I loved being part of during my second and third year! I also love the objective of the program, bringing children from Indigenous communities to the university to see what it’s like and offering resources to help them in school, like the one-on-one tutoring.
Talk a bit about the significance of being involved with MAX?
Being involved has expanded my skills in many ways. It’s given me lots of connections with professors on campus and people in the community. It has helped me so far with my education by giving me connections and improving skills such as time management, networking, problem solving, adaptability, and organization.
What’s next after StFX?
This upcoming school year I plan to apply to the Pathy Fellowship for the coming year (2025-2026). This program provides a grant to work with or create a program/initiative of your choice. If I get accepted, I would be working with the Mini U program in Antigonish that works with the Paqtnkek Mikmaw Indigenous community to expand kids' knowledge about university and their opportunities after public schooling and to give them the support they need, and also collaborating and building Indigenous services. Then I plan to apply to a masters in physiotherapy either after the fellowship (if I am successful with that application) or once I complete my undergrad.
How has your education at StFX helped prepare you?
I really think StFX is a steppingstone in my life, I've learned so much since being here; from learning how to live on my own for the first time, to having so many amazing classes with diverse knowledge. Being in human kinetics has been amazing and has taught me so much and has set me up to succeed if I get accepted into my masters in physiotherapy. I've also learned so much at StFX by being involved in different societies and opportunities, giving me a well-rounded education and learning opportunities. I have an opportunity to get the fellowship mentioned above, which will help both me and the people of the Paqtnkek community if I am successful. Being a member of different societies available at StFX while being a full time student and holding a part time job has helped me learn how to stay organized and prioritize.
What drew you to human kinetics?
I found it interesting that the program revolves around learning how the human body works and moves. There's so much to learn in the program and a lot of it you can relate to your everyday life, like what muscles you use for everyday tasks, or at the Fitness Centre.
Did you have a favorite class?
I have two favorite courses, one being Sports and Exercise Psychology and the other being Care and Prevention of Athletic Injury. Sports and Exercise Psychology was such an amazing course and so interesting in how you got to learn why people are motivated and how mental thoughts affect a players’ game, etc. For Care and Prevention, I loved that I got to learn how to help and care for athletes from them rolling their ankle and needing ice to learning how the injury happens and anatomically what is going on, as well as getting to practice common tape jobs athletes use in sport!
Is there an opportunity that stands out?
One opportunity that really stands out to me in my program is student athletic therapy. It is such a great chance for students to get to work with athletes and learn all this knowledge on how to help athletes in their sport, with injury. Also, the opportunity to try athletic therapy and what it entails before applying for master's programs!
Any advice for a first year student?
To get involved in any programs/societies you find interesting even if it is out of your comfort zone! University is a time to try new things and find out what you do and don’t like!
