Introduction ........................................................................................... 2
Professional Development ....................................................................... 9
Academic Development .......................................................................... 18
Volunteer Experience ............................................................................. 27
Personal Experience .............................................................................. 33

Using holistic and creative approaches to problem solving, my mission is to build a satisfying career that improves the lives of others.
The general philosophy that I hold about work is that the most important skill for success and improvement is the ability to “hustle”. One does not have to be incredibly smart or have natural talent if they are willing to commit to the hard work required to see the task through. Though chance and talent invariably will affect the ability of a person, a strong work ethic is priceless.
I believe in creativity and the benefits it brings to work. Unconventional approaches can allow colleagues to connect in new ways and to find solutions that they would not have thought of otherwise.
I, like Plutarch, believe that a mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited. Creativity is the flintlock for people’s abilities. It is not limited to designers or artists, but is a state of mind and a way of thinking.
Clothing and textiles are, quite literally, the fabric of our lives. They surround us nearly every moment of the day, and can affect us both physically and psychologically. They can indicate things about a person and their habits, change our attitudes and act as a forum for artists and designers.
While an essential element to life, they also bring beauty and joy to our lives.
I believe that trying (and failing) new things is an important part of growing as a human being. I believe in travel to open the mind and constant improvement of oneself. I think that it is more important to be versatile than to be specialized. While I think you should always try your best, in the end, I believe that finished is better than perfect.

3225 112C street  Edmonton AB  T6J 3W2 p. 780977 2863  e. pasinin@gmail.com w. www.nikipasini.wordpress.com
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 Assisting in running the business, including sewing, various office work and creating
promotional materials
 Designing, drafting, constructing and fitting garments for clients
 Observing and participating in client consultations
 Seasonal work including filing invoices, creating spreadsheets, quality control, organizing stock,
packing and shipping orders and producing inventory
 Seasonal work operating various compaction machinery on a road construction crew
 Working on the Alberta Quilt Project and Alberta Heritage Quilt Project in the Western
Canadian History Program, digitizing slides, entering data from surveys and researching quilt
patterns
 Community service learning initiatives including a trip to India to study food security,
agriculture, social justice and environmental conservation
 Sorting donations at the Edmonton Food Bank
 Promoting the Faculty of ALES at the high school fair

 Designing, drafting patterns for and constructing 100-150 costumes over 3 months each year, keeping budget for costumes, directing other seamstresses
 Alegre Retreat Young Emerging Artist Award (2013)
 Kelly-Kennelly Bar None International Undergraduate Award (2011)
 Competent Crew Royal Yachting Association Sailing Certification (2011)
 Rutherford Scholarship (2009)
 Bronze Cross from the Lifesaving Society of Canada (2007)

Education
2013 Université Laval—J’explore Program Student
2009-2013 University of Alberta—BSc Human Ecology in Textiles & Clothing (Design & Product
Development)
2011 University of Dundee—Exchange Student at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
in BDes Textile Design
2006-2009 Louis St. Laurent High School—High School Diploma with honors
Work
2001-Present Toasters Manufacturing—Office Assistant
2010-2012 Carmacks Enterprises—Equipment Operator
2008-2010 Ellerslie Gift & Garden—Sales Associate
2008-2009 Freelance Seamstress
Volunteer Experience
2012-Present The Royal Alberta Museum
 Volunteering in the Western Canadian History Program for the Alberta Quilt Project
2013 Faculty of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences
 Alternative Reading Week India Student
 Community Service Learning Volunteer
 Human Ecology Open House Volunteer
2013 Boys & Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton & Area
 50/50 Ticket Seller at an Oilers game
2008 Louis St Laurent High School
 Costume Designer for Little Shop of Horrors
 Teaching Assistant for Fashion 10 & 20
2006-2008 Knock School of Irish Dance
 Dance Teacher
2004-2008 Knock School of Irish Dance
 Costume Designer & Seamstress
2007-2008 Stollery Children’s Hospital
 Mothers Day Race Volunteer
2006 Calvary Lutheran Church
 Summer Camp Counsellor
Awards, Grants & Certifications
2013 J’explore Program Bursary Recipient
2013 Alegre Retreat Young Emerging Artist Award
2012 Office of the Dean of Students Student Engagement Grant
2012 Shell Enhanced Learning Fund
2012 ALES Student Engagement Fund
2011 Kelly-Kennelly Bar None International Undergraduate Award
2011 Royal Yachting Association Competent Crew Certification
2009 Rutherford Scholarship

2007 Lifesaving Society of Canada Bronze Medallion & Bronze Cross
2003 Red Cross Babysitting Certificate

Year 1
BIOL 107—Introduction to Cell Biology
CHEM 101—Introduction to University Chemistry I
CMPUT 101—Introduction to Computing Sciences
ENGL 121—Literature in a Historical Perspective
PSYCO 104—Basic Psychological Processes
ART H 102—History of Art Design and Visual Culture II
CLASS 110—The Ancient World
ECON 101—Introduction to Microeconomics
ENGL 125—Aboriginal Writing
SOC 100—Introductory Sociology
Year 2
HECOL 100—Introduction to Principles and Practice in Human Ecology
HECOL 150—The World of Design
HECOL 170—Introduction to Textile Science
HECOL 201—Introduction to Material Culture
HECOL 268—Survey of Historical Dress
ALES 204—Communication Theory and Practice
ECON 102—Introduction to Macroeconomics
HECOL 270—Application of Textile Science
HECOL 360—Dress and Culture
STAT 151—Introduction to Applied Statistics
Year 3
DJ21006—Material Matters in Textile Design
DJ21007—Change by Design
AREC 323—Introduction to Management in the Agri-Food, Environmental and Forestry Businesses
ART H 210—Survey of the History of Photography
HECOL 333—Cross-Cultural Textiles
HECOL 462—Material Culture in the Home and Community
Year 4
HECOL 300—Human Ecological Perspectives on Policy Development and Evaluation
HECOL 301—Program Planning and Evaluations
HECOL 354—Apparel Design and Product Development
HECOL 370—Quality Assurance for Textiles & Clothing
HECOL 408—Intentional Professional Practice
HECOL 441—Textiles and Apparel in the Global Economy
HECOL 469—Material Culture in Practice
HECOL 470—Topics in Advanced Textile & Apparel Science
W ST 302—Feminist Research Methodologies
HECOL 409—Practicum in Human Ecology

My internship and job at Todoruk Designs has given me a chance to learn so much about sewing, design and client relations. Both through observation and working with clients, I learned how to guide clients through a buying process and through choosing garments that are both appropriate and flattering for them. I am continually learning more about couture construction and other high level sewing techniques.
Additionally, I was given the chance to create promotional materials for the atelier.

This was a unique challenge for me. Although I have done custom design in the past, this was different, as I was dealing with a client who had a very good sense of her own personal style. As a designer, I had to be creative while still keeping the client comfortable and using fabrics that were practical for her life.
I ended up designing a pair of pants and a skirt, both of which were made of cotton. Although I was nervous and had a bit of difficulty drafting a pattern for a body that was so different from my own, the client was very gracious and I was very happy with the end result.

In 2013 I won the Alegre Retreat Young Emerging Artist award. As part of the award, I was given a full-ride scholarship to a week long course at the retreat. Joan Schultze, a textile artist from San
Francisco, taught the class that I chose to take. We focused on paper and fabric manipulation to create texture, including collaging, using a photocopier to create interesting texture, monoprinting and glue transfers. This culminated in a large body of monoprints and collages created from both paper and fabric.
This retreat was a wonderful opportunity to play with surface design without the pressure of being marked. As someone who has never tried paper art before, it was a bit of a leap for me, but it also allowed me to challenge myself in new ways.

is an Edmonton-based manufacturing company that produces 10 000-12 000 hard hat liners each year.
These hardhat liners are designed to be comfortable and warm up to -65°C while protecting the wearer from workplace hazards. During my time at Toasters, I was involved in a variety of activities, including: 
 Pre-production—laying out fabric for cutting, marking the pattern on fabric, cutting and counting notions and fabric, packing orders for sewers
 Production—producing up to 100 units per week, redesigning the product for updated hardhat suspension systems
 Quality control and shipping & receiving—checking incoming units for quality of production, packaging the product and shipping it to the customer
 Office work—processing invoices and purchase orders, ordering materials, preparing tax documents

is an annual personal protective equipment seminar held by Davy Textile Solutions Inc., an
Edmonton-based industrial safety product retailer. It allows for Albertan professionals in the safety textile industries to learn about upcoming safety initiatives, workplace hazards, changing standards, and new developments in research, as well as to network. As a part of Toasters Manufacturing, I attended this seminar in 2010 and 2012.

was a design award offered for an original fashion design concept from a University of Alberta student. The applicants were required to submit an original illustration, a swatch of production fabric and a design statement. I used this opportunity to build on work I had done in my previous semester in Scotland. Butterflies and the microscopic structure of their wings inspired me, as well as the shapes and silhouettes of garments from the Audrey Hepburn move “Funny Face”. I knitted a swatch of fabric from fine gauge cotton yarn to serve as my production fabric. Although I did not win the competition,
I received feedback that my entry had been one of the strongest submitted.

In Quebec, I studied French for 6 weeks at an intermediate level. This was an incredible experience to immerse myself in the Quebecois culture while learning such a beautiful language. I had a fabulous time connecting with students from across the country and improving my French skills.

Was an exhibit put on by the Human Ecology class HECOL 462 from April-June 2012 in the Human
Ecology Building at the University of Alberta. It examined a variety of tourist artifacts from across the globe, sourced from both the Human Ecology Textile Collection and staff and students at the
University of Alberta. Twenty-three students worked together under the supervision of Dr.
Strickfaden to produce the exhibit. It was featured in the St. Albert Gazette, Metro News, Ottawa
Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Edmonton Journal, Vancouver Sun, CBC Radio and CTV News.
For this exhibit, I was on the text committee, charged with researching and writing the text for the exhibit panels, which included artifact labels, explanatory text and “info bits” about selected artifacts.
I also wrote a press release with another student and produced a slideshow that was installed in the exhibit

While taking HECOL 354, students learned the basics of clothing design and development, including flat pattern drafting. Each student was expected to produce a portfolio of their collection, containing a mood board, illustrations, target customer profile, pattern & pattern block, cost analysis and spec sheet and photographs of the finished garment. The starting point for the design work was Telio fabric’s 2013 design competition. I designed and made a straight skirt with a gathered porthole pocket and a princess-line blouse.

is a textile design course offered at the Duncan of Jordanstone College at the University of Dundee.
Over the course of the semester, students were trained in drawing and design, concept development, research, and fabric design methods, including various dyeing methods, screen printing, heat transfer, knitting, fabric manipulation and digital design. Students were expected to produce a substantial body of work at the end of the term, containing fabric samples and a variety of drawings that show the evolution of the student’s designs. The module was based on exploration of the natural world, and culminated in design boards that showcased the student’s exploration as well as possible applications of their work.

was a program plan put together by two other students and myself. After an initial needs and capacities assessment, our group put together a program plan that aimed to establish healthy habits in freshman human ecology students. The plan was created in conjunction with University Health &
Wellness, who provided our group with information about the target population. The final project featured a five part program: a campus orientation of health services and healthy businesses, a grocery store orientation, an introduction to the community garden, a session on budgeting and meal planning, and an iron chef competition. It was intended to orientate new students to the University of
Alberta campus, while introducing them to new people and encouraging healthy habits.
HealthyU was the term project for HECOL 301, a class that discussed the various parts of program planning and evaluation.

was created for AREC 323, a business management class. Three other students and myself came up with a business proposal for a hotel that focuses on clientele health and wellness. The hotel, called
“Venture Rock Point” was located near Jasper Park, and was built using environmentally friendly materials and focused on a holistic an healthy experience for its guests. The final business plan included projected costs, staff training information, strategic plan, business administration, etc.

for a cross-cultural textiles class, I was required to write a research paper about the cultural phenomenon that was Victorian Crazy Quilts. The paper discussed the various cultural influences on the quilts, typical construction methods and popular motifs. Using samples from the Human Ecology
Textile Collection, three other students and myself presented our research to the class.

was the main topic of discussion for HECOL 370, “Quality Assurance for Textiles and Clothing”. Over the course of the semester, we (the students) participated in a variety of labs that emulated standard quality control tests. This included tests for fabric count, abrasion, colourfastness to light, mass, fibre content, fabric construction, yarn construction, breaking strength, tearing strength, stability and appearance after laundering, etc. The final project involved each student performing a variety of these tests on a dress shirt, and then comparing it to its counterparts and assessing it for final use.

while a dancer at Knock School, I had the chance to both teach dance and learn about costume design and construction. I taught children aged four through twelve for two years at the beginner levels. For four years, I designed and constructed costumes for the year-end show. Each show consisted of 100-
200 costumes, which were designed by me and constructed by mothers of some of the dancers and myself. I was required to keep the costumes within a budget and strict time frame.

in the Western Canadian History Department. I worked on the Alberta Heritage Quilt Project and the
Alberta Quilt Project, entering data from surveys and interviews, transferring information to a database, editing photos and taking photos of quilts. I learned how a museum collects information and items, how they are catalogued and how to handle these items.

The premise of “Alternative Reading Week: India” was to allow students to make connections between food sovereignty, community life, social justice and environmental conservation both in
Canada and Karnataka, India. This was achieved through a variety of activities over the course of the week, including preparing a meal and serving it to tribal children at a local children’s college, building an azola bed (to grow azola for cattle), creating a vermi-compost bed, a visit to a tribal village to talk to the Jenu Kuruba people about food sovereignty and their way of life, planting moringa trees for the tribal village (which are high in vitamins and minerals and can be used for water filtration), visits to ashrams and temples, and a little time spent in the city to understand the cultural atmosphere.
This trip allowed for a wonderful overview of the cultural atmosphere in Karnataka, and was an absolutely fascinating experience. I am still processing some of the differences and similarities between Canada and India, and am incredibly grateful to have been able to participate in a trip with so many incredible people (both from India and the University of Alberta).

When I was first chosen to go to India, I was ecstatic and slightly terrified. I had my doubts about travelling halfway across the world with a dozen people that I had never met, but it was tempered with a hope that I might make a difference in the lives of other people. Although my vainglorious hopes at rectifying the “White Man’s Burden” are (thankfully) unfulfilled, I hope that I did make a difference in the lives of my fellow students, as they have surely made a difference in mine.
Our trip to India was everything we could have hoped for: fast and loud and noisy, then tempered by peaceful moments of discussion out in the countryside. We had the chance to meet
Indians of all walks of life, and participate in tourist, agricultural and social activities. Although all of these activities were interesting and meaningful in their own right, the parts of the trip that had the most meaning, and that have caused the most post-trip reflection for myself, are the discussions that we had amongst ourselves. The best part of the trip was hearing my fellow travellers views on what they had seen, and how each person brought their own experience and expertise to the table.
In one such moment, were asked to make a mind-map about the different aspects of Indian culture. With a sigh echoed by uni students around the world as their preconceptions of academia are dashed by the notion of using coloured markers in university, we proceeded. The mind-map became a way to navigate the sensory attack that is India. Depending on their upbringing and their choice of study, each person was able to raise unique points of discussion that made me think differently about my interpretation of what had happened that day. Socrates would have been proud of how passionately we examined our days in India. I was, and still am, incredibly impressed with the complexity, realism and expression of my “India Family’s” ideas. A year ago, I had no idea who these people were, but now they are friends that I hold in the highest regard.
When the process to go to India started (for it is indeed a process full of fundraising and interviews and research), I had sugarplums in my head of going on to work for CUSO or the
Department of Foreign Affairs. Although I have since realized that that is not my path (at least not right now), it does not mean that going to India and working with the Pipal Tree did not change my life. The trip allowed me to see the world in a different light and to reassess my views of life both in India and here in Canada.
As a post secondary student who has stumbled across this reflection, I strongly urge you to consider applying to go to India. Since joining the University of Alberta, you have reaffirmed your desire to learn about the world around you, something that I believe is incredibly important to our society. Although the India that you experience may be different from the one I experienced, or the

one that you are expecting, I believe that it will change your life. It will change your life by reaffirming your desire to care about things that are bigger than you and the University of Alberta.
This is the greatest mission that you can have as a student: to use learning as both a journey and a tool to change yourself, and then, maybe, someday, the world.
Sincerely,
Niki Pasini

was one of the most challenging experiences of my entire life. The trail involves a 75 km overnight hike through mountains and beach and rainforest. However, I discovered that I possessed a level of determination that I wasn’t aware that I had.
The trail was one of the most beautiful, alien-like landscapes in the world, and it was an absolute pleasure to have the experience of hiking through it. I have joked to friends and family that hiking the
West Coast Trail was the one time in my life where I lived in a video game. A great deal of the hiking involves climbing trees, scrambling over rocks, wading through mud and using fallen trees as bridges across ravines. It was a truly life-enriching experience, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Although I am a fair-weather bicycle commuter, it has become a very important part of my identity. I have found that I enthusiastically support forms of active transportation. Not only does it increase the health of our population, it is incredibly fun. I also appreciate the environmental effects of bicycling: I am very happy with the idea that I use very little fuel for transportation (besides cinnamon buns).
Additionally, I find that cycling to work actually saves me time. By cycling, I don’t have to worry about setting aside time in my day to go work out.

Over the course of my life, I have been lucky enough to go on multiple trips to over 15 countries and
160 cities. I have found these experiences to be fundamental to my development as a person and professional. I strongly believe that exposure to other cultures makes one think more critically. It also gives one a greater appreciation for other people’s experiences and a heightened cultural sensitivity.

Travel Reflection
Over the course of my life, I have been lucky enough to travel to a wide variety of cities and countries. Some of these trips have been with family, some with friends, some with strangers and some by myself. They have been to countries where I was familiar with the culture and language, and ones where I felt like they couldn’t be any more different from Edmonton. However, what they all have in common is that they have stretched my confidence, abilities, beliefs and strengths, and allowed me to improve myself.
I included travel in my portfolio because I believe that it is a growing experience. It is during travel that I have experienced my most trying moments in life, where I have had to push past horrible events, sickness and misadventures to continue on. I truly met my limits, yet I still had to continue.
This has given me greater knowledge of self and a better understanding of what I value in life and work.
Travel has also allowed me to experience other cultures in a unique way. Since I have a tendency to wander (or fall off of) the beaten track, I tend to meet people who are utterly different from those in the tourist area, and to have the experience of knowing someone whose life is completely opposite my own. Although this is sometimes trying, it is also a way to understand life through a different person’s eyes. Although a few dollars a day may be a horrible state of affairs to me, it is an embarrassment of riches to another person. Meeting people who come from different cultures and experiences helps me to be more receptive to people who are unlike myself, and has helped me gain a greater cultural sensitivity than I had before.
I will not paint myself as a travel expert; I still make plenty of mistakes. On my last trip, I accidentally left my shoes on when I entered an ashram (a big no-no). I often mispronounce words and make faux pas. However, it is exactly because of these mistakes that I enjoy travel. You can learn a lot from mistakes. It is generally inevitable that you will make mistakes while travelling, and this is a blessing in disguise. When you have to communicate something or perform a task, regardless of your aptitude in Spanish or at sailing a boat, your fear of failing becomes less. Being able to take an “oh well” attitude towards mistakes means that one is free to try new things and fail- and thus grow. As a person who strongly believes in keeping a “failure folder” to document all of the times that I have messed up in some aspect of my life, this push towards being fearless of mistakes is invaluable. In order to grow as a person and a professional, one has to fail and learn repeatedly. Not being afraid of mistakes is the first step in this process.

is a habit I picked up when I was given a camera for my twentieth birthday. Although I am still learning, I find it to be a valuable creative outlet that allows me to explore form, composition and light.
My Flickr account can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikipasini/

as part of my courses in Scotland, I was required to start and keep a blog. I really enjoyed the experience, and have continued to update the blog. It has been a valuable platform for establishing a professional and creative presence on the internet, and has allowed me to make connections with other bloggers and classmates. Additionally, I find works exceptionally well to document my development as a designer over the past few years. My blog can be found at www.nikipasini.wordpress.com