Three questions with entrepreneur Heather Morrison

An arts and science degree led to creating a wide range of opportunities for professional public speaking coach Heather Morrison (BFA’08).

Morrison graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) in 2008. As the founder and president of Deliver Your Best Coaching, she helps turn nervous people into confident speakers. She also works as a sideline reporter for sports in Western Canada for numerous platforms including TSN and ESPNU.

Among Morrison’s many notable achievements, she was the co-founder and former artistic producer of Sum Theatre, an award-winning theatre artist, a radio host, associate producer, sought-after emcee, named one of CBC’s Future 40 under 40 in 2016, and received a USask Alumni Achievement Award in 2014.

Morrisson is one of five recipients of a 2025 Alumni of Influence Award from the College of Arts and Science.  

The College of Arts and Science asked Morrison a series of questions about her experience at USask and her advice for current students. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What is your favourite memory about your time in Arts and Science?

I was in my third year of university, and I had the opportunity to have the lead role in a great production called Elizabeth Rex. I got to play Elizabeth I, and I was really excited about it.  

In the midst of all that, I ended up getting a severe concussion because of tripping and falling in one of my acting classes. I was really struggling— I couldn't maintain my school load at the same time (as being in the production).

What makes this a favorite memory, even though it's a bit weird, is that I had really good relationships with all my professors and they were able to accommodate what had happened. I was able to change how I handed in some of my final assignments, through extensions and accommodations.

I felt really supported by the people that were teaching me. I wasn’t expecting it, but in a place that seems full of rules and regulations, the true goal emerged. It was about the development of my mind, and me as a person, as opposed to developing a rule follower. In that way, even though the concussion was difficult to deal with I can look back on that time a little more fondly.

Q: How did your Arts and Science education help you in your career?

Before getting my degree, I underestimated the value of developing the skill of creativity and the ability to be industrious. I look at my own business that I built, or the non-profit theater company that I co-built, or all of the different types of things that I've done in my career and I can see how the seeds were planted during my time at Usask.

While there I developed this belief that I could just figure things out, and that I didn't have to see it to believe that I could get it done.

That's the value of arts and science—it’s not necessarily about the material that you put in your mind but developing that way of thinking.

Additionally the types of classes that I took—theater and a lot of English classes as well — developed my ability to communicate well. You can get your foot in a lot different doors if you can communicate well.

I think about my work in theater as an actor, director and playwright, but I also had the ability to be an admin in theater—to write grants, to write emails, to talk to funders, to put together sponsorship packages—all those types of things. And then going into media and going into broadcasting—the ability to communicate was so essential. Even now with my broadcasting, I still get compliments on my storytelling, which is really a credit to my time at the U of S. And now my entire job is to teach people how to communicate!

Q: What advice would you offer to current students in Arts and Science?

One thing that I heard from someone when I was in my late 20s was to be prolific—just go and get stuff done and put stuff out there into the world.

I got into sports broadcasting because I was attending sports events and talking about sports. Through my work with CBC, I was writing about sports. I was then offered a position as a sideline reporter.

My advice is: whatever you want to work in, go and get involved in that thing—people will associate you with it, and you will get job opportunities.

I have another piece of advice I wish I could give my former self, which may be useful to a current student, which is “you have so much more time than you think.”

I felt this immense pressure of not having enough time when I graduated. I was like, “I'm 22. I'm so behind.” And then to be honest, I kind of messed around for about eight years! You do truly have so much time, and you can reinvent yourself in so many different ways. I'm almost 40 now and I'm just starting this whole new other aspect of my life where I'm a business owner and I'm figuring it out.

I never thought I would do all that I already have done within the 18 years since I've graduated. I've been a beginner so many different times, especially in the last five or six years. I'm constantly doing these new things where I am not very good at them at all and it's a little bit embarrassing. But then I quickly learn and gain the skills, and then it becomes another source of income for me or another source of joy. You're never a finished product—you're never done. Just allow yourself to keep evolving. You’ve got the time.

The Alumni of Influence Awards celebrate and recognize outstanding alumni of the College of Arts and Science. The recipients’ remarkable achievements have impacted their fields, their communities and the university.

If you know a College of Arts and Science graduate who is making a difference, submit a nomination. Nominations can be made at any time of the year.

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