Alicia “Ace” West is the poster child of success post Sheridan College.
Alicia West is a Sheridan Alumni and radio personality who strives for greatness in whatever she is juggling. In her college days, she handled both a successful education at Sheridan and a successful basketball season for the Bruins. These days she balances multiple career paths along with raising a child. All with a smile on her face.
Achieving success does have its downsides. From the peaks of the hills to the bottoms of the valleys, Alicia sees both as valuable. “Dealing with depression and being able to bounce out of those dark holes… those are pivotal moments as well. I could give up on a dream and never try to chase it again, or I could keep striving and try to pull myself out of the hole,” says West.
Alicia’s dream-chasing seemingly never ends. She is always thinking ten steps ahead into her future. Although unsure of where she might end up, she is open to any possibility. Being open to take any opportunity she can. Having this 360-degree view of her professional surroundings has been the key to her success.
However success is defined from person to person, Alicia aims to hit on all facets of success. “Success is when you are happy… [money] doesn’t matter when you’re not happy and you don’t feel fulfilled,” says West.
For many, fulfilling one’s soul is an everyday struggle. Motivation is an emotion that comes and goes. Having the support come from within is essential to move forward and achieve those dreams. However, it is important to not get hung up on the destination and rather enjoy the journey. For a good reason, ‘to stop and smell the roses’ has been an important metaphor for generations. Alicia has not only achieved the foresight into her future endeavours but also the ability to stay present.
To define failure as the opposite of success would be a disservice to the growth of any individual. What led to where she is now are what could be considered Alicia’s darkest moments. She has been fired, let down, racialized, and at times did not believe in herself. Yet, she did not waiver to the temptation of quitting. “I love what I’ve been through, and I love what I’ve done. I constantly try to push myself to be like ‘Okay how can you be better,” says West.
Whether it is a sprint, a walk, or even a crawl, the goal should always be to move forward.