Age: 21 | Height: 5’8″
Hometown: Calgary, AB

Ela is currently a 4th year student at the University of Calgary where she has earned various academic scholarships. Once Ela graduates with her undergraduate degree in Law and Society, she plans to further her education by attending law school.

School is an area where Ela thrives, as she believes it is a place where she has matured and grown into a young adult. This has allowed her to set high goals for herself and her career. She is looking forward to practicing law in Canada.

In addition to her academic endeavours, Ela is a strong believer in living a healthy and active lifestyle. She has been a dedicated athlete since the age of 5 and her involvement in sports has brought great happiness into her life.

She is currently playing outdoor soccer for the Calgary Rangers Soccer Club and is training to run her first half marathon!

Ela has also had the privilege of working with young girls in pageantry. As a group leader in the Little Miss Calgary and Junior Miss Calgary competitions, she has been placed in a leadership position entrusted with the responsibility of instilling confidence and public speaking skills within young girls.

Ela has always been adventurous by nature and loves to travel. Her experiences in different places around the globe have given her insight as to the kind of young women she strives to be.

Sponsored by: Family and Friends.

Languages spoken fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language). 

I speak English and Albanian fluently.

What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?

While I have many different interests, athletics have always played the largest role in my life. Maintaining an active lifestyle has allowed me to be a healthy and happy individual. I have also learned many life lessons through sport, which have built my character and my identity. I have learned to be disciplined, dedicated, ambitious and to lead by example in all areas of my life. Activities I enjoy include soccer, ice hockey, running, beach volleyball and hiking. I am also planning to run a half-marathon within the next year!

In addition to my athletic endeavors, I enjoy traveling to new parts of the world. I love to try new things and meeting new people. It fascinates me as to how much I can learn about not only the world, but myself as well through exploring new surroundings and new cultures.

Finally, this past year I have also taken an interest in the arts program in Calgary by attending plays and musical theatre performances! I admire the exuberating confidence and the talent of the actors.

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc.) 

I have participated in several ice hockey and soccer development camps where I learned the importance of self-discipline and endurance. I also attended the 2012 Faces West Model and Talent convention in Vancouver. Here I participated in modeling and acting competitions and was fortunate enough to win five awards, as well as overall top female talent!

In what sports, if any, have you participated?

– 6 years of ice hockey (2 of which were at the junior A level)
– 6 years of soccer (3 of which were at the premiere level)
– 5 years of basketball
– 3 years of volleyball
– 3 years of cross country running
– 1 year of ballroom dancing

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life. Why?

It is difficult to narrow this down to one individual, as I believe there is something to be learned from all of the people you come across in your life. If I had to choose one individual that is very dear to my heart it is my younger sister, Shejza Mino.

She has been my best friend and partner in crime throughout my entire life. Her humor is remarkable and she is always able to put a smile on my face. One of the most valuable lessons I have learned from my younger sister is to always embrace the opportunities I am given in life and to never lose myself along the way. She has taught me to always remain humble, thankful and consistently determined.

What is your proudest personal accomplishment (other than participating in this pageant)? 

Traveling to Seoul, Korea this past November remains one of my proudest accomplishments for two reasons.

First, I had the honor of representing Canada internationally at the World Miss University competition. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to wear the Canadian sash, as Canada is well respected internationally for its peacekeeping reputation.

Secondly, this trip marks the first instance where I traveled abroad alone. This gave me a sense of confidence and complete independence.

What is the most interesting or unique thing that has ever happened to you and/or what is the most interesting thing about you? 

The most interesting thing that I have been fortunate enough to experience is visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The zone runs across the Korean Peninsula and is very meaningful as it is designed to maintain peace between North and South Korea. Another unique thing about my visit to this zone was the post station that I stumbled upon. At this station each girl was able to sign post cards for one another, and the station was designed to send the post cards exactly one year from the day that they were signed! I found this to be very meaningful, as it will serve as a reminder of the significance of this area as well as the incredible memories I made while in Korea.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal? 

I aspire to practice law once I have graduated from law school. Law and justice is an issue that I am very passionate about. This career path grants me the opportunity to continuously learn throughout my career, as laws are always evolving. I also will have the ability to make life-changing decisions and impact the lives of individuals. In Canada we are very fortunate to have a justice system designed to ensure individuals are treated equally and fairly, and these are principles I will uphold throughout my career.

In order to accomplish this goal I am currently finishing up my final year of my undergraduate degree. I was also successful in writing the LSAT this past October.

What would be your “dream job” in life?

I have always believed that the ability to dream is one of the most powerful things an individual can have.  Aspiring to reach my dreams has allowed me to learn the importance of being a passionate, confident and prestigious young woman, yet to always remain humble and appreciative.

I believe that I am always changing and growing, as such I am always aspiring to achieve new things. This being said, I have many dream jobs I aspire to accomplish in my lifetime. At this stage of my life my dream job is to be Miss Universe Canada. Competing in the Miss Universe pageant with the honor of wearing the Canadian sash is a meaningful goal in my life. The Beauties of Canada organization stands for so many incredible things that have inspired me to compete. The organization mirrors the importance of strength, independence, responsibility and determination and these are all qualities I value. It also empowers young woman to become leaders and to serve as role models in order to bring awareness to humanitarian issues globally.

Are you currently a student?

Yes.

If yes, where? 

I am currently a student at the University of Calgary.

Area of study:

I am completing a degree with a major in Law and Society and a minor in Political Science.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.  

I was raised in Calgary, Alberta.

I am very blessed to have been raised in an extremely close and loving family of four. My mother and father exemplified the importance of simplicity, kindness and selflessness. I was always taught to have an open mind and to embrace everyone’s differences. My childhood was filled with laughter and adventure, as my sister and I were always exploring and learning about the world together. The two of us were very active and loved doing outdoor activities with the kids in our neighborhood! My family is my source of strength, the people who have instilled great morals and values in me.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had. 

At the age of 12, I was a secretary at an accounting firm.

List any volunteering you have done.

– Bare Naked Noggin head shave for epilepsy

– Royalty Scoop for epilepsy
– SOS Children’s Villages
– Centre for New Comers
– Sick kids breakfast at the Calgary Stampede
– Calgary Tourism
– Face painting at the Greek Festival
– Every Woman Festival
– Orphanages in Seoul, Korea

What is your most unusual talent?

I have the ability to sing the alphabet backwards.

Where is the most interesting place you have been to?

I would have to say Albania is the most interesting place I have traveled to. I was fortunate enough to travel to this country when I was eight years of age with my family. During this trip I was able to spend time with many family members I had not previously known, experience the natural beauty of Albania, the warmth of the people, and the culture of the country. In many areas of Albania the country is devastated with poverty, yet the people remain warm and welcoming. Although many people did not have very much, my family was always awaited with a feast and warm smiles as signs of respect. This trip was very rewarding for me as it taught me at a young age to always remain thankful for everyone and everything that I have.

What do you hope to be doing in ten years?

It is difficult to pin point exactly where I will be in ten years from now as I am always discovering new things about myself and new things that I would like to try. I do know that my goal for the future is to feel happy and fulfilled with where I am in my life and what I have accomplished. I’ve always believed that it is important to have a life of no regrets, to dream, and to have faith that I will achieve anything I aspire to do.

In terms of my career, I know that my passion for law will never die so I look forward to having a rich and rewarding career as a lawyer. In my personal life, I hope to have traveled extensively by the time ten years has passed. There is always something to be learned from meeting new people and discovering new places, and so I know that seeing the world will allow me to learn many life lessons. I also hope to have a family of my own and to raise my children in a loving environment similar to the one I was raised in.

Is there anything you would like to add that we haven’t asked?

I am very grateful and honored to have the opportunity to compete in the Miss Universe Canada competition. It is a chance of a lifetime.