Mathiew King
Degrees: | Bachelor of Arts Honours in History (June 2022) |
Email: | mathiewspurgeon@cmail.carleton.ca |
What is your favourite thing about the program?
If I had to pick a favourite thing about Carleton university, I would choose the closeness of the history program. When I began my studies in the program, I was 18 years old adjusting to life in a new city, and from my first visit on the department floor, I truly felt welcomed. One of the first people I met in the program was Tanya, our wonderful undergraduate advisor, was instrumental in helping with the course selection that would shape my degree.
As I look back on my time at Carleton as a 22-year-old graduate, I am also grateful for the support of my professors. In the early years of my degree, I made a point of going to their office hours regularly. My professors were so helpful, and always made time for me. As I progressed through university, the bonds I built with these professors translated into discussions about our shared hobbies. Visits with these professors often included discussions about sports, politics, and my future in academia. The bonds I have with my professors has made an immense impact on me and created strong working relationships that continue to the present day.
What will you miss the most?
I think I will miss the daily interactions that are so common at Carleton the most. Like so many who are graduating in 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic altered how post-secondary education functioned. We went from seeing each other every day in person, to being in zoom meetings, breakout rooms, and discord study sessions. The history program, and Carleton university, did a wonderful job at making the transition to online learning as seamless as possible. The gradual return to in-person classes in the 2021/2022 school year was a rewarding experience, as everyone was able to slowly regain a semblance of normalcy.
What is your favourite reading/book/text from the program?
The book I enjoyed reading the most in my time at Carleton was Dr. John Walsh and Dr. James Opp’s Home, Work and Play: Situating Canadian Social History. This text had a focus on gender, the family, and recreation in Canadian life. The text made an immense impact on me throughout my time at Carleton. As I flip through its pages, I am reminded of my notes in the margins, and the late nights of research.
This text is also special, as it showed that I could use my lifelong passion of athletics to create a fresh and unique contribution to historical research.
What’s next for you?
Though my graduation this June marks the end of a chapter in my life, I am pleased that the next one will also involve Carleton. In the fall of 2022, I will begin my master’s degree in History at Carleton. My research will focus on the representation of female athletes in Canadian inter-war media. Upon the completion of my MA, I plan on a career as either a history teacher or working in the government.