Alumni Profile
Michael Mehl ’18 (Ripley’s)
Michael Mehl ’18 (Ripley’s) competed in the Mike Johnson Classic Squash Tournament this past May and connected with the Advancement & Community Engagement team to share his Shawnigan experience and why he continues to give back to Shawnigan Lake School.
Michael is currently an investor with the Roxborough Group LLC in San Francisco.
Do you have a favourite memory of Shawnigan?
My favourite memory at Shawnigan was the post-squash training meals in Marion Hall. We always had fun eating and joking around while we were tired, and the endorphins from training were still running.
Another great memory would be travelling to Malaysia, China, and Hong Kong with the squash team during spring break. Shawnigan provided me with the opportunity to experience new cultures while also improving my squash skills. I have not had a similar experience since.
Who was your most influential teacher(s) at Shawnigan and why?
Stephen Lane ’67, former Head of Science. His passion for physics, teaching, and life was contagious and always kept class entertaining.
Justin Wilke ’98, Science Teacher. Justin is highly articulate, precise, and most importantly, a great teacher. He had a perfect blend of satire and seriousness, making the class both entertaining and interesting.
Both teachers had a noticeably positive attitude towards life and teaching, a common characteristic for Shawnigan teachers, which is infectious to students. Stephen and Justin were role models for me and played a significant role in my development.
How do you feel your experience at Shawnigan shaped your path afterwards?
Shawnigan shapes you in various ways, depending on what background you come from. For me, this was an introduction to a highly structured environment which prepared me well for university and life after.
To this day, I always remember David Robertson’s (Headmaster during my time) analogy of the Quad and life: “We don’t cut corners in the Quad because if we cut corners there, we will cut corners in life.” This has always stuck with me (as I’m sure it has stuck with others too!), and I find myself thinking about this when completing a laborious task or pushing through difficult work.
What are your hopes for Shawnigan?
I would love to see Shawnigan continue to grow in terms of student access so more people will have the privilege to experience what so many of us have experienced.
I would also love to see Shawnigan continue its admirable effort of bringing in students who benefit from financial aid (myself as an example). I truly think Shawnigan can prepare you so well for life, and this is why I try to contribute to Shawnigan when I can.
What is the best advice (professional or otherwise) you have ever received?
No goal is unachievable, you just need to clearly envision the path and consistently show up – it's that simple.
What would you share with young students thinking about their career?
It sounds cliché (and it is) but follow your passion while you are taking on limited risk (e.g., no family, no liabilities, no dependents, etc.).
Is there a role model, not necessarily at Shawnigan, who influenced you significantly?
Yes, many! I’d say I feel privileged coming from squash which has a robust community of amazing people who had such a huge impact on my life (impacted my character, values, ethics, etc.). This includes the Shawnigan squash community (Mike and Christine Johnson, Lynne Grass, Vicky Lust, etc.). They certainly helped shape some of my more formative years and are the reason I had the opportunity to study at Shawnigan.
The added layer of the general Shawnigan community is another privilege that shaped my life. Said differently, I’ve had the privileged exposure to multiple influential communities, and it isn’t necessarily one individual person.
Back
My favourite memory at Shawnigan was the post-squash training meals in Marion Hall. We always had fun eating and joking around while we were tired, and the endorphins from training were still running.
Another great memory would be travelling to Malaysia, China, and Hong Kong with the squash team during spring break. Shawnigan provided me with the opportunity to experience new cultures while also improving my squash skills. I have not had a similar experience since.
Who was your most influential teacher(s) at Shawnigan and why?
Stephen Lane ’67, former Head of Science. His passion for physics, teaching, and life was contagious and always kept class entertaining.
Justin Wilke ’98, Science Teacher. Justin is highly articulate, precise, and most importantly, a great teacher. He had a perfect blend of satire and seriousness, making the class both entertaining and interesting.
Both teachers had a noticeably positive attitude towards life and teaching, a common characteristic for Shawnigan teachers, which is infectious to students. Stephen and Justin were role models for me and played a significant role in my development.
How do you feel your experience at Shawnigan shaped your path afterwards?
Shawnigan shapes you in various ways, depending on what background you come from. For me, this was an introduction to a highly structured environment which prepared me well for university and life after.
To this day, I always remember David Robertson’s (Headmaster during my time) analogy of the Quad and life: “We don’t cut corners in the Quad because if we cut corners there, we will cut corners in life.” This has always stuck with me (as I’m sure it has stuck with others too!), and I find myself thinking about this when completing a laborious task or pushing through difficult work.
What are your hopes for Shawnigan?
I would love to see Shawnigan continue to grow in terms of student access so more people will have the privilege to experience what so many of us have experienced.
I would also love to see Shawnigan continue its admirable effort of bringing in students who benefit from financial aid (myself as an example). I truly think Shawnigan can prepare you so well for life, and this is why I try to contribute to Shawnigan when I can.
What is the best advice (professional or otherwise) you have ever received?
No goal is unachievable, you just need to clearly envision the path and consistently show up – it's that simple.
What would you share with young students thinking about their career?
It sounds cliché (and it is) but follow your passion while you are taking on limited risk (e.g., no family, no liabilities, no dependents, etc.).
Is there a role model, not necessarily at Shawnigan, who influenced you significantly?
Yes, many! I’d say I feel privileged coming from squash which has a robust community of amazing people who had such a huge impact on my life (impacted my character, values, ethics, etc.). This includes the Shawnigan squash community (Mike and Christine Johnson, Lynne Grass, Vicky Lust, etc.). They certainly helped shape some of my more formative years and are the reason I had the opportunity to study at Shawnigan.
The added layer of the general Shawnigan community is another privilege that shaped my life. Said differently, I’ve had the privileged exposure to multiple influential communities, and it isn’t necessarily one individual person.
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Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
