Diverse could be a word used to describe Julianne, which may explain why she was awarded an AU community leadership scholarship. In addition to coaching badminton, in the World Masters Games held in Edmonton in 2005 she competed and won a gold medal in ladies doubles, silver in ladies singles and a bronze in mixed doubles. She gardens and landscapes. She tends to her husband and their two sons. She has developed three successful businesses that she could run from home, including a travel business where she enjoys leading tours and helping people go on journeys of learning and self discovery.

The major impact she experienced from earning her degree was in the people she met along the way. "The staff members of the BPA-Communication Studies program are inspiring and very helpful. After completing my degree I had more choices and although I started my graduate studies I could also have taken career paths not previously accessible."

She says Athabasca University has a solid reputation for providing courses and academic programs for those who need to study from home. "Don't worry about how long it takes to complete the degree. A journey begins with a single step!"