A Day in the Life: Jane Collins

Jane Collins' office walls are a scrapbook of touristy photos from around the globe.  The photos aren't of her, but of the smiling UVic Business students she's sent on international exchange.

Collins is the International Programs Exchange Coordinator for the Gustavson School of Business. For 20 years she's helped build the program to now include 72 partnership schools in 35 countries. She primarily works with incoming and outgoing students to ensure their exchange experiences are transformative and exhilarating.

Her globetrotting started at 16 years old. After grade 11, she went on a Rotary Exchange to Finland for a year—a brave ambition for a girl who self-admittedly lived a sheltered childhood in Qualicum Beach. This experience broadened her global perspective and built her confidence. 

"I still know what it's like to land in that country and be so homesick," says Collins. "I didn't speak Finnish. My first family didn't speak English. But, in hindsight I'm lucky. It was hard, but anything of value is hard."

She came away from the experience with friendships she maintains to this day. And that's what she wants for her students.

Trips to Europe, Mexico and a work exchange to Australia later, Collins proudly devotes her working life to helping students have the kind of experiences she was privileged to have. 

The busiest period for her is January to the end of April when she devotes all her time to helping students prepare for their trips abroad. 

"Then students come back [to UVic] and they can accomplish anything. It's great to see that transformation and know it's because of the travel they've done."

Collins smiles ear-to-ear as she emphasizes how fortunate she is to work with such a wonderful team at UVic and around the world. She's someone who's turned a life-long passion into a career.

When she's not on a trip or planning someone's voyage, Collins says she's quite the introvert. She credits her job for pushing her out of that quiet life of reading, sewing and leisurely evenings with friends. Plus, with increased airport security, she says that travel has changed and taken some of the pleasure away. These days she's playing host to her friends from Finland and Australia.

While she doesn't have any big trips on the horizon, she encourages students to apply to the program. 

"I think we make it so easy and safe for our students to go," she says.

Collins' says she's been extremely lucky not to have ever run into safety issues while travelling abroad. But her advice to students and anyone travelling is to "stick with it because people are wonderful no matter what country they're from."

"You do learn that people are people and people want to help. No one's going to see you stranded. If they can help, they will."