A new path forward

Wilma Shim thought she was a Justice Department lifer and expected her ten-year service recognition to  be the first of many anniversaries. “I’m a loyal person—I had even worked out my retirement date in 2040,” says Wilma.

But the one constant in life is change, and three events coalesced in early 2020: Wilma realized that her role was no longer fulfilling her, she was pregnant with her third child (with two boys aged 2 and 3 at the time), and Alberta locked down in response to COVID-19. Wilma resigned from her position, and she celebrated the birth of Gabriel in September of 2020 without knowing what she would be doing once his first birthday rolled around.

Not having a job to return to liberated Wilma to focus on what she loved. She had retained close ties with the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, and in a conversation with its dean, Wilma asked if the faculty might be interested in a sports and the law course for kinesiology undergrads. The dean said yes, and Wilma, a former competitive power lifter and Special Olympics coach and board member, began delving into sports law. It was something that had always interested her but didn’t fit in her Justice Department role. She looked into all aspects of sports law from the point of view of non-lawyers and developed a course outline.

She then reached out to Law Dean Ian Holloway about the possibility of a offering a sports law class specifically for law students.  Of course, a sports law course for law students would obviously have to be more advanced and detailed, but she nailed down her syllabus while Gabriel and his brothers were spending time with her husband or her parents who live across the hall, or sleeping.

Wilma is also passionate about community service and fighting for disadvantaged groups and individuals, so she was also looking for opportunities to serve Albertans.

Now, as her maternity leave and conventional employment end, Wilma is gearing up for the fall launch of her sport and law course for senior kinesiology students, followed by an advanced version for law students.  She has also been appointed as a member of the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

Wilma credits her strong support system for helping her find a new path forward under challenging circumstances. She doesn’t know yet what else is on her horizon as we emerge from COVID-19but plans to pursue her passions.