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How MMJC Helped Sebastian Leck Become a Confident Storyteller
Sebastian's hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Sebastian Leck is an ex-Editor-in-Chief of The Queen's Journal, turned MMJC graduate, turned Communications Coordinator at Precedent Magazine.
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For Sebastian Leck, journalism is not just something he does for fun—he takes it seriously. This is why he wanted to learn more about it in Western’s Master of Media in Journalism and Communication program.
Before getting his master’s degree, Sebastian studied history at Queen’s University for his undergraduate degree. However, journalism and storytelling were always part of his past; while he was at Queen’s University, Sebastian served as the Editor-in-Chief for The Queen’s Journal, a student-run campus newspaper. He also did an internship at The Globe and Mail the summer before he ventured off to Western’s campus to grow his skills in a well-known journalism and communications graduate program.
Sebastian says he sees journalism as a vessel to create stories that can affect people. He demonstrated this in the MMJC assignment he is most proud of: a video about a Peruvian migrant who was injured in a car accident and battled the government to grant him permission to stay in Canada.
In Sebastian’s opinion, Western’s journalism and communications program is not about getting good grades—it’s about creating work that you’re proud of.
This is why he advises current and future MMJC students to be ambitious when it comes to their stories. “You’re in a safe environment where you can screw up and it will be okay,” he says. “If something scares you a little bit, you’re on the right track. That’s the only way you actually grow.”
Sebastian emphasizes how great the MMJC program is for people with no experience in journalism or communications. He says all the hands-on exercises equipped him with skills he needed for future jobs, making the program a great “launching off” point for students to start their careers.
Fun Fact
Sebastian has lived in both Russia and Egypt.
Sebastian did two internships through the MMJC program: one at The National Post and another at CBC Toronto on the National Digital News Desk. These experiences prepared him well for his current position as the Communications Coordinator at Precedent Magazine, Toronto’s lifestyle magazine for lawyers.
As someone who gravitates toward writing longer pieces, working at a magazine is the perfect fit for Sebastian. He likes digging in and researching one topic at a time, as opposed to daily news where he would have to file a story within a couple of hours. “My brain doesn’t work that way,” he says.
Sebastian likes to set his goals high. His ultimate goal is to become a feature editor at a publication like New York Magazine. And with the MMJC degree, alumni like Sebastian can not only take off, they can soar.
Sebastian's time in the MMJC program helped him realize his potential and advance his dream to become an editor for a large publication. While his background and internship experiences were journalism-focused, Sebastian was able to take those skills to launch his communications career, showing his potential as a master communicator and storyteller.
The MMJC program has allowed many students to launch successful careers in journalism, communications, marketing and other media-focused industries. If you’re interested in starting your media career, apply to Western’s MMJC program to Start Your Story!
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Profiles in the Start Your Story blog are written by students in the Master of Media in Journalism & Communication program, who are enrolled in MMJC 9604 - Professional Writing.
