After spending many years teaching English overseas, I decided in 2010 that an academic upgrade was necessary. Given my age and the length of time I had been out of academics (20 years), I was somewhat apprehensive about coming back to do my MA. Right from the start, the professors and staff at Carleton made me feel right at home. I received excellent guidance and support as I completed my field research in Asia, presented at international conferences, and prepared for the challenges of academic writing and publishing. My MA experience prepared and inspired me to pursue my doctorate and continue my academic journey. I am now a Sessional Lecturer and Doctoral Candidate (ABD) in the Dept. of Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Since completing my MA, I’ve authored or co-authored two journal articles and two book chapters, continue to present at conferences, and have gained valuable experience participating in a number of collaborative research projects. In addition to the financial support I received from Carleton to complete my MA, I also was fortunate to be awarded both a 4-year UBC Doctoral Fellowship in 2012 and a 3-year Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship in 2014 in support of my doctoral studies. All of this would not have been possible without the solid foundation I received at Carleton and the continued support I’ve received.
(Last updated: 12 September, 2016)