Rose Madden has learned five years ago how things can quickly change in life. At the time in High School, the young woman from Surette’s Island, Yarmouth County, was highly respected by her peers. “I knew a lot of people because I was very involved in sports; four years of figure skating, badminton, volleyball, hockey…. Family wise, her parents had never experienced any problem with their daughter; “to them I was like an angel” says Rose. Besides sports, I would also take piano lessons for many years with my aunt, a great professor, and went as far as level 6. Everything was totally normal…but in grade 11, at age sixteen and involved in her first relationship, Rose found out she was expecting a baby! “It was hard to face my parents and tell them what happened”….after all I was their little angel” to say Rose. Fortunately, her parents’ love and understanding helped her to find strength. That much needed support encouraged Rose to continue her education, a priority for her parents. What, at first, seemed like an insurmountable wall, gradually disappeared. “Overcoming such an obstacle at a young age gave me wings, all of a sudden, it was like I could take over the world, says Rose."

And the fifth year, BAA Co-op student is making the most out of the way things turned out for her.  Three years ago, she joined the association SIFE (Student In Free Enterprise), became the VP the following year and is now acting as President, a commitment that takes between 20 and 30 hours of her time every week. With badminton practices, her full time student status and her life as a single mother, Rose is more than busy but, according to her, that is good because “otherwise, I would be procrastinating!”
Her focus has been to find ways on how to improve and innovate with SIFE.  She currently leads an environmental project where energy reduction is the main goal. One of the last activities related to it was the “Blackout Night” where the whole campus spent one hour in complete darkness.

The 22 year old also sits on the Board of Directors of the Argyle Chamber of Commerce and on the Board of Governors of CIFA, the community radio station. She developed a wide network of local partners by participating in several events including a Student-Entrepreneur Night and “Expo-Commerce”, a fair that gathers over 50 businesses of the South West Nova region.
Rose also performed in Dinner Theatres in Yarmouth the past three summers. Music is some sort of getaway for her. “I’d like to get my level 8 in piano so I could potentially take a degree in music later”. Whatever the future holds for Rose, one can bet she will be successful.
“I have been very lucky….without the help of my parents, I would definitely not be where I am now. They have always been there for me, they look after my little girl all week while I am at school so I do not have to worry about her, even though I miss her. They are also the reason why I was able to study at the university level…I am a very lucky, happy and grateful person. At times, I’d like to visit high schools and tell my story but I realize not everybody is as fortunate as me. If I had one message to deliver though, it would be to tell all high schools students that behind every obstacle lies an opportunity. I would strongly encourage them to stay in school, whether it is at the university level, community college or elsewhere.  I have met so many people along the way and became a much more opened and better person, I can only hope the same thing to everyone.”

One thing is sure: Rose will do all she can to give her daughter the same opportunity she had.