Joanna Sweet
Senior Associate Lawyer with Greg Monforton and Partners in Windsor, Ontario
PhD in Political Science, 2012
The nation’s capital was the ideal place to study Canadian politics. I had opportunities to interact with federal politicians, attend events at Parliament, and work at the Department of Justice while writing my PhD thesis. The political science department is very collegial. My colleagues and the professors I worked with were friendly and welcoming to me, and we spent hours discussing ideas and concepts and having lively debates.
Since I earned my PhD degree in 2012, I have worked as a sessional instructor at the University of Windsor. I have taught in both the Department of Political Science and the Faculty of Law. I also practice law at a busy personal injury firm. My PhD program experience allowed me to develop skills that have helped me in my career in numerous ways. During my time at Carleton, I lectured and led discussion groups in classroom settings. I also presented my papers at small meetings as well as big conferences. These opportunities allowed me to build presentation skills and practice public speaking. Networking opportunities at conferences and events provided opportunities to meet many interesting people. I became adept at research and writing. But most importantly, graduate work teaches one how to approach very complicated and multifaceted issues intelligently. I was much better prepared to work through all kinds of difficult problems and conflicts and develop creative solutions, having undergone a PhD program’s rigours. Additionally, having a PhD has allowed me to stay involved in the academic milieu and teach part-time while also pursuing my career in law, which I love and is personally very rewarding.