Hello, and thank you for checking out my e-portfolio! My name is Stephen McCaugherty, and I’m currently working on earning my teaching license at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. As someone with Secwépemc and European ancestry, I was born and raised in the city, and I hope to teach here, at School District No. 73, once I complete the Bachelor of Education.
Becoming a teacher has always been in my peripheral vision. I’m from a family of educators. My mom and brother are teachers, and my dad was a certified education assistant for two decades. Although life and taken me on several different paths and journeys, something told me I’d always end up here — well on my way to becoming a teacher.
That’s not to say I haven’t spent a meaningful amount of time as an educator. For years, I worked for the City of Kamloops as a swim, first aid, and lifeguarding instructor. Further, I’m a co-founder of the non-profit organization, The Lifeguard Outreach Society, where I’ve spent countless hours teaching public health necessities around the province, specifically focusing on water safety, opioid overdose mitigation, and first aid. Education has always been a staple of my professional life.
Here’s a photo of me teaching swimming lessons to children in Vancouver.
This isn’t my first degree, however. I received a Bachelor of Commerce through the same university in 2018.
Here’s a photo of my parents and I on my convocation day when I graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce.
But, instead of taking a traditional route with the business degree, I decided to veer off the main trail. After I graduated, I bought a one-way ticket to Thailand and spent the better part of six months backpacking Southeast Asia. Once I came home, I knew my travelling lifestyle was just getting started.
Seven years later, I’ve been to over 30 countries and lived on three continents. From the classic spots in Europe, like Paris and Venice, to tropical paradises like Bocas del Toro and Komodo National Park, my travel resume is lengthy, to say the least.
Here’s me in front of a gorgeous view during a five-day bike trip around the island of Lombok in Indonesia.
To fund being a digital nomad, I went all in on a remote career. I moved to Nicaragua in 2019 with one primary goal in mind: to make money using my laptop. After a lot of trial and error and digital excursions, I landed in a life-changing role that allowed me to work anywhere in the world. I began working as a journalist for a New York-based outlet, Heavy.com. I focused on mixed martial arts and boxing, covering the daily happenings of the combat sports beat. I had the opportunity to interview dozens of fighters — a childhood dream of mine — while also attending live events as a credentialed media member in New York City, London, Las Vegas, and Vancouver.
Here’s me as a credentialed journalist standing cageside at a UFC event in Vancouver.
Well, fast forward five years, and I’m ready for a career pivot out of the digital space and into the classroom. I’m excited, motivated, and eager to make my way into one as a certified teacher, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my biography!