Samantha Lowe (’09) is the Director of Health and Wellness at The Mustard Seed, a faith-based organization with a vision to “Eliminate homelessness and reduce poverty where we serve.” Samantha says she has been interested in being involved in this kind of work since she was in high school.
When Samantha started at Trinity Western, her goal was to work abroad with the UN or an international NGO. But her focused changed over the years.
“I've increasingly recognized there are individuals and groups in our own communities who experience inequity and injustice and are significantly underserved,” says Samantha.
Inspired by the support and encouragement of TWU faculty
Samantha earned a Bachelor of Arts Honours with a major in International Studies in 2009. She loved her time at Trinity Western and was very involved in a variety of on-campus initiatives that gave her a rich experience.
“Dr. Paul Rowe and Dr. Robynne Healey were integral to my development intellectually and very supportive of my honours thesis. Both were incredibly inspiring and encouraging, taking the time to dialogue with me and fostering a love of learning that continues to this day. It has been more than a decade since I graduated, and I credit them to this day with guiding me towards the work I currently do, and supporting it with the appropriate research and literature.”
Yet more than anything that she studied or did, she credits two professors for influencing her career trajectory.
“Dr. Paul Rowe and Dr. Robynne Healey were integral to my development intellectually and very supportive of my honours thesis,” says Samantha. “Both were incredibly inspiring and encouraging, taking the time to dialogue with me and fostering a love of learning that continues to this day. It has been more than a decade since I graduated, and I credit them to this day with guiding me towards the work I currently do, and supporting it with the appropriate research and literature.”
After earning a Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy at Queen’s University, she worked with a CIDA project in Bangladesh, using a train-the-trainer approach to community-based rehabilitation. She then began providing clinical care in rural Ontario, including within a Kanyen'kehà:ka community.
“It was at that time that I began to switch my focus from international to local work,” says Samantha.
Walking with underserved populations
In 2017, Samantha began working at The Mustard Seed in Calgary as an occupational therapist, where she said she was honoured to have the experience of entering someone’s life, hearing their story, and walking with them through it.
“I'm in the incredibly blessed and unusual position of doing work that I love with a faith-based organization. ...However, I believe that at the crux of our care is love."
As Samantha has moved away from front-line work and transitioned to a role as Manager of Health and Wellness in 2019 and then Director in 2021, she has continued to be involved in the lives of the people who come through The Mustard Seed. She loves the opportunity to continue to serve underserved communities and to learn from them.
Integrating faith and vocational calling
Samantha reflects that this experience has been incredibly humbling and enlightening. “I'm in the incredibly blessed and unusual position of doing work that I love with a faith-based organization. I use a biopsychosocial-spiritual model to guide our provision of services, which aligns with not only our organizational mandate but is evidence-based. However, I believe that at the crux of our care is love. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians highlights this—the need to relate to each other in love, and I believe that this is the basis of The Mustard Seed's work.”
“By living our lives through Jesus' love, we also are called to seek justice and uphold human rights, and not tolerate the ills and injustices we see in our communities."
She adds that her faith is very much integrated in the work she is doing. “By living our lives through Jesus' love, we also are called to seek justice and uphold human rights, and not tolerate the ills and injustices we see in our communities. This impacts not only how we provide services, ensuring dignity and equity for all, but also influences how I think about leadership amongst our health and wellness teams.”
The power of community
Community has been integral to both Samantha’s personal and career growth. This was proved even more true during the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years, where she found greater opportunities to collaborate with agencies to ensure cohesive care for underserved populations across the province. In 2021, she was recognized for her work in the province as one of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40.
“There is value and learning that comes from even the most unexpected interactions. Don't be afraid of stepping outside your preconceived notions of success or a trajectory you've set yourself on.”
Ways to grow in compassion and empathy
When asked if she had any advice to recent graduates who might be interested in working in a similar field, she says, “Spend time fostering relationships with those around, no matter their position in relation to yourself. By simply taking the time to conceptualize the likes, dislikes, and choices of those around you, no matter what they are experiencing, we foster and grow our own compassion and empathy to every individual we encounter, ensuring that when we strive to live in community, we consider all who are in it.”
Samantha adds that, “There is value and learning that comes from even the most unexpected interactions. Don't be afraid of stepping outside your preconceived notions of success or a trajectory you've set yourself on.”
Words by Jonathan Fehr, Director of Alumni Engagement and Communications
About TWU Alumni
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Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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The views expressed by students and alumni are their own. They do not necessarily represent the views of Trinity Western University or of any other companies, groups or organizations named.