Barb Higgins Memorial Award winner: Naomi Ragan

Meet Naomi Ragan! Naomi came to Ottawa all the way from Calgary, Alberta to pursue a BA Honours in Law with a minor in Philosophy. Naomi is the recipient of this year’s Barb Higgins Memorial Award.

What led you to decide to pursue your degree at Carleton?

There were a couple reasons why I chose Carleton University. My family in Ottawa initially sparked the idea of me moving out here to continue with my post-secondary education. When researching the schools in Ottawa I found that Carleton had a BA program in Law and Legal studies which seemed intriguing. I have always been interested in pursuing a legal career and thought that doing so in my undergrad would be the best way for me to dip my toes in the field before committing to law school. It was clear that Carleton’s law program was quite established, it had many different paths and potential concentrations that I could choose from and it felt like the right fit for me.

What has been your favourite part of the program?

One of my favourite parts of the program is the wide range of classes you can take. There are many different branches of law and I found that Carleton has done an excellent job in offering a wide range of courses. The two specific courses that come to mind as my most memorable are LAWS 2302 (Criminal Law) taught by Mike Smith, and LAWS 3104 (Critical Theory Intro) taught by Philip Kaisary. Both of these instructors made these classes engaging, difficult yet rewarding, and made them a class I would never want to skip.

What are you hoping to do after graduation?

My current plan for after graduation is to pursue my Juris Doctor degree. I am taking my LSAT in August and plan to attend law school in the fall of 2026. I hope to continue to gain more knowledge and the necessary skill sets that I can take with me to law school, and my program has provided me with the clarity that I am on the right path for my future career.

Any advice for incoming students?

My advice for incoming students is to take advantage of all the time you have to be a student. It goes by quicker than you could ever imagine so make sure you take it all in. Do your readings, do not overthink one bad grade, learn to advocate for yourself, and ask for help when you need it. I have found that both professors and teaching assistants are more than willing to take the time to help you get on the right track, and you should definitely take advantage of office hours when you need guidance. Go to class!! Make friends with people both inside your program and outside if you can. Making friends can be daunting, it was for me, but if you are able to go to frosh week I highly recommend it. Three years later some of my best friends are the people I met on a picnic bench in the quad on the first day of frosh. Do not be afraid to fail. I know it is easier said than done, and as someone whose grades took quite a hit in second year and struggled with managing the expectations of my courses I found that the fall I took was what I needed to finally stop, relax, and take a breath. Everyone works at their own pace. Taking five classes a semester was too much for me so I dropped down to four. Doing so allowed me to dedicate the necessary time for all my courses and it was reflected in my grades the following year. And finally, be kind to yourself, and be kind to others. Life is hard. The world we live in is filled with uncertainty and constant challenges. Never forget to thank yourself for the hard work you put in. Thank your mind for its ability to memorize and retain all the information it needs, thank your body for carrying you to and from classes, and inside the tunnels during winter. Kindness is free, and in a world where literally nothing is free, remember that.