PRINCE ALBERT — For Shawna Jardine, education has always been about more than textbooks and classrooms, it’s about growth, confidence and connection. That belief began in Swift Current, where Shawna grew up in a close-knit family and discovered her love for working with children through babysitting, community activities and sports.
Shawna’s teachers and family recognized her patience and skills with kids. With a nudge from her mother, Shawna enrolled in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon in the early 1980s. “I was so excited. Just let me in,” Shawna recalls with a laugh. Moving away from home was exciting and a big step. It opened doors to independence and self-discovery.
The ECE program offered more than professional training; it gave Shawna a foundation in communication, observation and leadership. “If I won the lottery, I would just go to school forever,” she says. “I loved learning, working with kids in the onsite daycare, meeting new people and realizing I could do hard things when I put my mind to it.”
That confidence carried her through a winding career path. Shawna opened her own daycare in her hometown after graduation and later a preschool in Kyle, Saskatchewan. She also worked as an educational assistant with children who had autism and supported families through various roles in social services. Each role deepened her understanding of people and strengthened her commitment to helping others, skills that would later serve her in leadership and project management roles at the University of Saskatchewan.
Shawna built internal and external partnerships, collaborated with student programs, fostered alumni and donor engagement, strengthening ties between academia and industry. Her career later transitioned into the sustainability and community side.
Along the way, she earned multiple credentials, including a Public Relations diploma, a Masters in Communications Management, an MBA, and a Project Management Professional designation and a project management designation. Today, she consults for businesses, non-profits and organizations like Statistics Canada and Elections Canada, but her heart remains tied to the helping professions that shaped her early years.
Her son Duncan shares that same spirit of purpose. From a very young age, Duncan dreamed of becoming a firefighter. When he learned that the firefighting profession required additional experience and education beyond Grade 12, he had to pivot and search for other post secondary training. A visit to Sask. Polytech’s Prince Albert campus changed everything.
“We walked into the Resource and Environmental Law (REL) program open house, and he instantly connected with it,” Shawna says. Duncan embraced the program’s hands-on approach, earning certifications in boating, ATV and firearms and the knowledge of proper conservation practices. He thrived in roles as a park ranger and seasonal conservation officer, gaining skills in enforcement, communication and crisis response. “That foundation was imperative,” Shawna emphasizes. “It equipped him with the skills and confidence that made his current success possible.”
Duncan worked for five years in the resource field in and around the Swift Current area. While working on a fire call the firefighting spark reignited in him. In 2022, Duncan enrolled in a firefighter training program in Vermillion, Alberta. The Emergency Services Technology diploma which also includes a specialty in paramedics training.
Today, Duncan is back in Swift Current, serving as a firefighter and paramedic, a dream realized after years of training and perseverance. His journey reflects the same lesson Shawna learned decades earlier: education opens doors, even when the path isn’t straight.
When Shawna and her husband Rob revisited their wills after their sons were established in their careers, they asked a simple question: What matters most? For them, the answer was clear, education had shaped their lives and their children’s futures. They wanted to give back in a way that reflected those values.
“Legacy means more than who gets your money,” Shawna explains. “It’s about what you stand for and what you want to build.” Their decision was a planned gift to support students in the ECE and REL programs at Sask. Polytech, alongside a gift to the University of Alberta’s soccer program, which was meaningful to Rob and their older son, Calum.
For Shawna and Rob, the choice wasn’t just about programs—it was about opportunity. “Living away from home is such an important growth experience, but it’s also expensive,” Shawna says. “If we can help ease that burden for students who need to relocate for their program, that’s what we want to do.”
Planned giving offered a practical solution. “While we can’t make that kind of contribution today,” Shawna admits candidly, “through our wills, we can make a significant impact later, when we no longer need those assets. It just made sense for us.”
Whether through coaching, volunteering or supporting community events, giving back has always been part of their lives. Their legacy gift is an extension of that philosophy. “It’s not just about helping the community,” Shawna says. “It’s about what giving does for you. It feels good to contribute, and it builds a stronger world for everyone.”
Her message to others considering a legacy gift is simple: explore the options. “You don’t have to be wealthy to make a difference,” she says. “Planned giving allows you to support causes you care about in a meaningful way.”
For Shawna and Duncan, Sask. Polytech isn’t just where they earned credentials, it’s where they gained confidence, resilience and a sense of purpose. Shawna adds, “This legacy gift is more than a donation. It’s a reflection of our gratitude, our shared experiences and our belief in the power of education to transform lives. It’s a way for our family to give back to the communities that helped shape us and to help others find their path, even when it leads far from home.”
Learn more about legacy gifts and planned giving options with Sask. Polytech at alumni.saskpolytech.ca.
— Submitted by Sask. Polytech Media Relations
