“I have the opportunity to be involved in numerous aspects of our students' graduate academic journeys.”

In my previous positions at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, I worked in a large graduate department and in a research centre. I discovered a talent for and an abiding interest in working with graduate students. I also benefited from working closely with the experienced and helpful staff at SGS.

Working in the Department of French, a smaller department, I have the opportunity to be involved in numerous aspects of our students’ graduate academic journeys. Even though some of the work recurs year after year, there are never two days that are the same. There are always opportunities to streamline processes and to innovate, so things run more efficiently. A graduate administrator never gets bored!

Graduate study is a unique opportunity for students to develop expertise in the research areas of choice. It is stimulating to be part of a university that has such a reputation for excellence in graduate study and research. These days, more and more students are pausing their careers for graduate studies. They realize that the additional years spent in obtaining a graduate degree will mean better opportunities and greater advancement potential when they seek employment.

Graduate study is also an opportunity to be in the middle of a cross-fertilization of cultures and knowledge, to be constantly exposed to new ideas and leading-edge research. In the end, students who commit to this transformative journey will make tremendous contributions to their fields.

As a graduate administrator, being in constant contact with so many people committed to the betterment of their lives — and here I’m referring particularly to the students — has changed me for the better. It’s been a transformative journey for me as well. A part of me has always wanted to continue my education. For now, I enjoy doing it vicariously through our students.