New chapter begins

Convocation ceremonies celebrate student success

Story by Meghan Sired
Photos by Ken Bendiktsen

This spring, thousands of University of Calgary students will join the U of C alumni family by crossing the stage at one of 10 convocation ceremonies to receive their hard-earned diplomas. They will look back at their time here, celebrate their success and hard work, and prepare to take their place in the world. A few of these students share their thoughts on what they learned at U of C and what they will take away with them as they begin the next chapter in their lives.

Kara Christine Irwin

Age: 24
Graduating with: Bachelor of Arts with honours, a combined degree in psychology and international development studies.

The busier Kara Irwin is the more content she is. Irwin is the president of the Psychology Undergraduate Association, the undergraduate representative for the Department of Psychology, an editor for the Undergraduate Social Sciences E-journal and a fitness instructor and trainer outside of school.

She developed an interest in racism, peacekeeping and international aid during a trip to Guinea in West Africa. With the combination of her two undergraduate degrees and her upcoming graduate training, Irwin would like to work for an international aid agency to help bridge cultural gaps in development missions and promote culturally appropriate mental health care.

What is the most important thing you learned at the U of C?
I don’t always have all of the answers and that’s OK. I was formerly under the impression that to do well and be successful you are supposed to know everything and be very sure of what you know—that is a complete fallacy. I have found that the people who claim to know everything and aren’t willing to listen to the perspectives of others, are the most ignorant of all. It’s OK to admit that you don’t know; that’s how you learn.

Clive Marsh

Age: 54
Graduating with: Bachelor of Arts with honours, with a major in communications and a minor in workplace learning.

As a police officer for Calgary Police Services, Clive Marsh knows the importance of communicating effectively in high stress environments. Now, he knows the theory behind it, too. This degree helped Marsh learn about communications theory as it reflects on society. Marsh is currently working as a police officer and will be writing a book about policing in Calgary. In the near future, he hopes for a position in public relations or human resource development for a professional sports team.

What is the most important thing you learned at the U of C?
Rhetoric is the key to effective interpersonal communication. Based on this, I have learned that ethos is the key to credibility, pathos will stir the emotions and logos will establish truth. Truth is not necessarily what we hear, or what you believe. Therefore, I always try to look at all perspectives that are presented to get a sense of the truth and act accordingly. I also learned that lifelong learning is an important component in today’s society as it keeps you current.

Simon McCurdy

Age: 22
Graduating with: Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, specializing in biomedical engineering.

Simon McCurdy is part of the first graduating class of the Schulich School’s biomedical engineering program. This specialization applies engineering principles and analysis—including knowledge of math, physics, chemistry and biology—to solve problems related to human health and medicine.
McCurdy chose this field because he was interested in engineering but not in the oil and gas industry. After graduation, he will be working with the engineering design team of TENET Medical Engineering Inc., where he did his internship.

What is the most important thing you learned at the U of C?
It is impossible to know everything; however, it is not impossible to know where to find information about everything. Simply, memorizing formulas and solutions is not a good use of time. Understanding the basic concepts and having the reference materials that allow you to apply those basic concepts to the problem at hand is the best method of learning. I believe Einstein put it best when he said, “I would never memorize something I could look up.”

Marueen Sheppard

Age: 38
Graduating with: Master of Business Administration, with a specialization in GEMS (Global Energy Management and Sustainable Development).

Maureen Sheppard’s business is haunted houses. She has put on Halloween events in Calgary and Vancouver since 2001. Aside from making people scream, Sheppard also owns a custom housing construction company and teaches business at Mount Royal College. She looks forward to applying some of what she learned at the U of C to future business endeavours and seeing things through newly educated eyes.

What is the most important thing you learned at the U of C?
The most important thing I learned (or perhaps was reminded of) is that I have my whole life ahead of me. When I first started the MBA program I was already a successful entrepreneur and instructor at Mount Royal College, as well as being middle aged and married with three kids. I thought I already had the life and career I wanted—the word “complacent” comes to mind. Going back to school reawakened my passion for learning and filled me with new energy, ideas, confidence and motivation to change the world.

Sandra Engstrom

Age: 27
Graduating with: Bachelor of Social Work.

Sandra Engstrom says she plans to change the world one person at a time. She has a drive to help others by inspiring them to take control of their lives. In 2003, she earned a BA in sociology with honours from Acadia University and chose a degree in social work because of her desire to help people reach their full potential. Engstrom says her dream job is to work for an organization like the International Red Cross, United Nations or Human Rights Watch in order to ensure that those who are suffering remain at the forefront of policymaker’s minds.

What is the most important thing you learned at the U of C?
To be my own advocate and take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself to me. If I want to accomplish something in life then I have to set out to do it and utilize the resources that are available to me on a consistent basis. By learning how to network and present myself in a professional manner, I have come away from U of C with an invaluable set of colleagues and mentors that I can rely on throughout my career.