The road to a master’s degree in education was long and winding for recent grad Susan Mifsud.

She has experienced quite a professional journey, including a lengthy stop as an employee in Brock University’s Human Resources department.

Today, Mifsud is enjoying her new role as Recovery Support Worker with the Niagara Region.

“While I found this change to be difficult, I try to look at life from the perspective of ‘what’s the silver lining?’” she says. “ I realized that I had an opportunity to return to school full time and researched the various Master’s courses. The Master of Education program was my choice because it allowed me to focus on mental health education through the Teaching, Learning, and Development stream.”

This path of study had an innate attraction for Mifsud, as she herself lives with mental health challenges.

“I have lived with depression and anxiety for the majority of my life,” she says. “However, it was not until about 2007 that I began to not only focus on my own ongoing wellness, but also speak out about my experiences as a way to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness. As an individual with a good job and a privileged life, I felt it was incumbent on me to provide a face that showed people anyone can be impacted by mental illness, as well as spread the hope of recovery and living well with mental illness.”

Mifsud’s return to the classroom required an open mind, dedication and passion, all of which were already firmly in her grasp.

For the first two months of study, the recurring question of ‘What made me think this was a good idea?’ surfaced on a daily basis. However, as time wore on, Mifsud realized that, despite her age and gap in classroom learning, she had as much to offer to her classmates as they did her.

“I was very appreciative of the inclusiveness exhibited by my fellow classmates,” says Mifsud. “I have never been a teacher in the classroom and they were generous with sharing their experiences; I was able to bring some of my “real world” work experiences to discussions in return. As well, I had the luxury of having a small financial buffer that allowed me to return to school full-time without having to work externally during this time. I am still in awe of my fellow students who were juggling full-time course loads, two or three part-time jobs, volunteering in schools, and somehow trying to fit in a bit of a social or family life.”

Describing her experience as transformative, Mifsud has leveraged her education into her new position as a Recovery Support Worker for the Niagara Region’s Mental Health Unit, which she has been working in for more than a month.

But, it’s not just her official employment that has brought a renewed vigor to her day-to-day life.

“In addition, I am running my own consulting business, offering a variety of services including human resources support, mental health education, and personal and professional coaching,” says Mifsud. “I am also continuing to run my own blog site which I started in February 2015. Currently I am running an applied positive psychology experiment called 50 Fabulous Feats at 50 where I am applying research that suggests one can positively impact mood by experiencing novel, interesting activities.”

And while she may not have known it in 1988, Mifsud’s student-at-heart approach has propelled her into a new career and granted her entry to her next set of adventures.

“Apparently, even at 50, you can teach an old dog new tricks.”