Hafza Gedi

I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in English at the University of Toronto while continuing to work at Indigenous Services Canada in the Child and Family Services Reform sector. As a policy analyst, I have had the opportunity to work on major files, including the recently approved $8.5 billion dollar Ontario Final Agreement on the Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program. My responsibilities at ISC include researching best practices in the child welfare sphere to help structure reforms to the First Nations Child and Family Services Program, writing briefing notes and bulletins for internal and external communications, and collaborating with regional partners. My English degree, with its emphasis on nurturing reading and writing skills in particular, has been a valuable resource in my professional life.

As a graduate student, I am continuing to explore my interest in medieval mysticism, women’s writing, and Christian-Muslim relations in the medieval period. My interest in medievalism emerged during my second and third years at Carleton, where courses taught by Professor Siobhain Bly Calkin and Professor Andrew Wallace sparked my curiosity about the period and specifically about how it did or did not represent women and their literary output, leading me to complete a minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies.

How has your Carleton English degree informed your professional and/or creative path?

My professional career was truly initiated in Professor Dana Dragunoiu’s From Degree to Career course. The course taught me how to frame my English degree as the asset it was and continues to be, enabling me to apply to co-op positions with far more confidence than I originally had. Once I began my professional journey, I quickly realized the true worth of the skills I learned during my English degree. Reading, writing, analysis, and communication in general have been the cornerstones of all my employment opportunities. I like to think that Carleton does a great job in guaranteeing its English graduates leave the program with those skills perfected.

Why Carleton? What specific experiences or opportunities did you benefit from while studying English at Carleton?

Carleton is amazing for so many reasons (to my beloved tunnels: know that I miss you), but if I absolutely had to pick, the faculty is truly a highlight. The English faculty at Carleton are incredibly supportive and have been instrumental in my achievement of success in both my professional and academic careers. The Carleton Co-Op program also deserves a shout-out; if there’s one thing I advise every incoming English major to consider, it would be giving Co-Op a try. Ottawa being the nation’s capital means you have opportunities to work in a variety of fields, in both the public and private sector.