Graduating – 50 years apart
Hal Holt graduated with a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and was one of only six students (all men) in the program that year. He had a long successful career in Human Resources for public sector reform projects in countries around the world.
Describe the MPA in 1965: The standards were exceptionally high and it was a heavy course load. In fact, I think all of us failed the exam in public law.
Faculty and Staff: We had really high-profile professors, including former MP Pauline Jewett and Ronald MacFarlane, who had led the MacFarlane Royal Commission on Education in Manitoba.
Classmates: There were only six of us and most went on to the public service. Since I was from Montreal, I was always interested in Anglo-French relations and the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. I did my research paper on that topic.
Living on campus: I was a residence fellow and one night, we intercepted some of our own students who had done a “panty raid” on the girls’ residence hall. They got into serious trouble. It was even on the front page of the Ottawa Citizen.
Advice for future grads: It doesn’t matter if your career takes a path that’s different from your degree. For me, the discipline and the discussions were more important in my career than the actual subject matter.
Haley Ritchie is graduating with an Honours Bachelor of Journalism (BJ) degree. She is one of 97 graduates in a program that’s about two-thirds female. She’s now working as a reporter for the Metro Ottawa newspaper.
Describe the BJ in 2015: It was intense. We were writing papers every week. Not just 500 words, but a story with at least three sources and background research. Believe me; I wasn’t watching a lot of Netflix.
Faculty and Staff: We had two legends of journalism, Kathryn O’Hara and Dick Gordon, teach us Intro to Radio Journalism and a war correspondence course. They invited journalists such as Anna Maria Tremonti and Carol Off from the CBC to come in and we interviewed them and wrote stories on behalf of the Canadian War Museum.
Classmates: This was a group of very intense, very ambitious and very talented students. It could be intimidating at times, but other days you would get lifted up by a story.
Living on campus: I lived in residence my first year. It was a super high energy atmosphere. My roommate and I decked our room out in second-hand hippie décor.
Advice for future grads: Take advantage of any opportunities that come along, whether it’s the university newspaper, an internship, or freelance writing. Employers will notice.
Friday, September 9, 2016 in FPA Voices, Journalism, People, Public Policy and Administration
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