Former recipient of Brock Guernsey Scholarship named one of Niagara's 40 under Forty

Saturday 14 May 2022

An islander who moved to Canada to study at Brock University thanks to a Guernsey scholarship has been named one of Niagara’s 40 under Forty in the annual Business Achievement Awards.

Charlotte Steinschifter (nee Mahy) was the receipient of both the Brock Guernsey Undergraduate Scholarship in 2010 and the Postgraduate Scholarship in 2016. The annual scholarship scheme is awarded in honour of Guernseyman Major General Sir Isaac Brock, whom Brock University is named after.

Mrs Steinschifter attained a bachelor of music with a minor in psychology before undertaking a masters of business administration with a specialisation in human resources management.

Pictured: Islander Charlotte Steinschifter attained a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Brock University in St Catherine's, Ontario. 

“Attending Brock University was a fantastic experience and I would highly recommend anyone considering an international student experience to look into the programs they have available,” said Mrs Steinschifter.

“The music department was very small and so was the perfect transition from small island life. The University itself is just a short drive to Niagara Falls and wine country so there were plenty of touristy trips that you can do on down time from studying.”

Mrs Steinschifter said that it was a “big pivot” to return to the university to study business administration after studying music. 

“It was a very intensive program and I was challenged in completely new ways. However, the knowledge I gained and the hurdles I had to overcome paved the way for my current career.”

After completing her master’s degree, Mrs Steinschifter said she was “undecided” about whether to return to the island. 

“The Canadian university system has four-month long summer holidays so I could have the best of both worlds while I was studying,” she said. 

Pictured: Charlotte Steinschifter was listed in this year's Niagara's 40 under Forty Business Achievement Awards. 

Mrs Steinschifter continued: “After graduating, I wanted to be able to have the option to come back to Canada. So, in order to do so, I needed some Canadian work experience. It was during this time that I met my now husband, Adam. 

“Meeting Adam solidified my decision to make Canada my permanent home, but Guernsey will always be home too.”

After graduating, Mrs Steinschifter worked as a private music teacher.

“It was a very fun and rewarding job, but it didn’t match my career goals. In 2018 I applied for the position of marketing manager at Billyard Insurance Group Inc (BIG), an insurance brokerage,” she said. 

“The minute I walked in the building I knew it was where I wanted to be. There was so much growth potential and I had the opportunity to really make a difference. I ended up being offered the job and it’s been nothing but growth since.”

Pictured: Charlotte Steinschifter has settled into life with her husband, Adam, in Canada but still considers Guernsey to be her home. 

Mrs Steinschifter has seen the company grow from around 100 staff, to over 750 employees with branches across Canada. 

“After three years with the company, I received a promotion to be the Director of People & Culture. I now direct projects that improve workflows for recruiting, human resources, and other processes for the organisation to continue to establish BIG as a top insurance employer,” said Mrs Steinschifter. 

“It was such an honour to see my name on the Niagara 40 Under Forty list next to so many incredible individuals who are making such an impact in the region.”

Mrs Steinschifter credit’s the Brock Guernsey Scholarship for her achievements.

“The scholarship gave me the opportunity to study in a new country, build life-long connections and establish a career. It is such a fantastic opportunity for an individual from Guernsey to have a unique university experience,” she said. 

Pictured: Charlotte and Adam Steinschifter at their wedding in October last year. 

Mrs Steinschifter said that the covid pandemic has presented challenges. 

“The last few years have been a challenge for many, but for me the challenge has been feeling like Guernsey has been a lot further away than ever before,” she said. 

“I truly took for granted being able to hop on a plane if I ever wanted to visit home. I will appreciate those visits so much more now.

“We plan on coming back to visit regularly. My husband is a Golf Professional so he is looking forward to summer holidays enjoying Guernsey’s local courses and the challenge of those sea winds on the course. 

“I’m very fortunate to be able to work remotely for some of that time to allow me to stay for longer periods while visiting family.”