at age 19 sleeman composed a march that was played at her community college's commencement in 1950 (the first public performance of her work). sleeman taught music appreciation at the anahim lake elementary school. while in anahim lake she played piano and organ at many community gatherings. sleeman resumed music studies at the university of british columbia, earning a bmus in 1971, and mmus (on a graduate fellowship) in 1974. at ubc she was a pupil of jean coulthard and during that time she taught at the electronic music lab, co-founded the delta youth orchestra, and was involved in the establishment of the music program at the capilano college in north vancouver as a member of its music faculty.