Congratulations Spring 2020 Graduates

Getting a degree is a real turning point in life, and I am so happy to see how well our SLALS students did at this June’s convocation! On behalf of all my colleagues here in the School of Linguistics and Language Studies, I want to congratulate all grads on completing your studies and graduating this spring.

Your achievement makes us all proud and we wish you all the best in the future.

– Dr. David Wood (School Director)

Dear Graduates,

Congratulations! We all know how tough the last winter term was, so you’re all the more deserving of praise for having completed your program of graduate studies with us. I hope it has been rewarding, fulfilling, and enriching. I’m sure there have been challenges and frustrations, but you’ve risen to the challenge and succeeded.

I hope you’ll keep in touch with us. We’re always pleased to maintain contact with former students and find out what they have become. When I read the alumni bios on our website, I’m amazed at the diversity of the professional and academic paths that our former students have carved for themselves after our program. You may have already read these bios, but I encourage you to reread them. You may find in them a source of inspiration to cut your own path as you transition from study to work. Transitions can be both exciting and unsettling, but I’m confident you’ll find your way. When you feel the time is right, please submit your own bio and become that source of inspiration for others.

Again, congratulations and all the best on your future endeavours. Keep in touch. 

– Guillaume

P.S. The alumni bios can be found and submitted here.

Area(s) of Interest

place names, language and landscape, ethnophysiography, lexical semantics, Indigenous languages

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

The best thing about the program was the ability to work within three separate departments. Before I joined the program, I asked if Carleton would be able to accommodate my request to be advised by each of the departments since I felt it would bring a necessary balance to the study of place names. I was also grateful to be supervised by one member from each of these departments.

What will you miss the most?

I miss meeting with my classmates! We always gave each other something to think about!

What’s next for you?

I’m now working on several atlas and mapping projects with various organizations as well as continuing to raise chickens, ducks and crops.

Area(s) of Interest

second language speech fluency, language assessment, curriculum and materials design

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

I really appreciated that the program enables students to explore such a wide range of individualized interests. It was lovely to learn from people with specific interests much different than my own. Also, for me personally, I felt so lucky that the best professor in the galaxy, Dr. Janna Fox, taught all the best classes!

What will you miss the most?

There were a few opportunities I didn’t take to get more involved in the academic community so I miss the missed chances I could have taken to get more involved. :)

What’s next for you?

I’m currently enjoying my position as a full-time lecturer at Renison University College at the University of Waterloo. So I think I’ll keep on trucking along nicely there, while continuing to pursue my research interests and being open to whatever opportunities lie ahead in the future!

Area(s) of Interest

EAL academic writing, writing centers, teaching academic writing

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

My favourite thing about the ALDS MA program was the sense of community in all the classes and among the students and profs. From inside jokes in lectures to potlucks in the grad lounge and writing sessions in the classrooms, the atmosphere was incredibly warm and welcoming.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss the daily routines of campus life – of jogging through the tunnels to get to work/class/the bus, of passing by crowds of students getting coffee, of running into old friends, of scarfing down lunch in the grad lounge, of getting to campus at 8am, 11am, of leaving at 4, at midnight. I will miss identifying as a student, as I have for most of my life, and I will miss that one spot in the grad lounge with the wooden desk and old chair, the art show poster from 2002, and the cheery shelf of plants.

What’s next for you?

I will be working as a baker at Nat’s Bread Company, a local wholesale bread bakery! I am planning to stay in Ottawa for now, and look forward to carving out a path for myself in the food industry with my language skills and newfound baking knowledge.

Area(s) of Interest

Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

I thoroughly enjoyed all my courses. Through my studies, I had this great opportunity to pursuit my academic goals under supervision of the best professors in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies. Their help, support, patience, extensive knowledge of their field, and more importantly a deep interest in helping and guiding students made me achieve my goals.
Over last two years at Carleton University, I have met amazing people who helped me a lot and I am deeply grateful. I would like to express my tremendous gratitude to all supportive faculty members and an ever caring admin staff in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies. Thank you.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss doing my research under the supervision of Professor Pinchbeck. It was a great pleasure working, learning, and doing my research under Dr. Pinchbeck’s exceptional supervision. I keep this experience as a treasure.

What’s next for you?

I am planning to build onto the foundation that I established at the Carleton University and work in the field of Teaching English as a Second Language.

Area(s) of Interest

Teaching English as a Second Language

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

I enjoyed being part of a team of volunteers in the Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) 2019 conference at Carleton.

What will you miss the most?

I’ll definitely miss the class discussions with my colleagues and professors, especially in the Methodology and Practicum classes.

What’s next for you?

I intend to work as an ESL instructor and get involved with the community through volunteering opportunities.

Area(s) of Interest

vocabulary study, language & culture

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

What I love the most about is a wide variety of courses provided by this program. It combines different fields in applied linguistics, discourse studies, and linguistics, which gives students a great opportunity to explore what they are interested in. Every course ALDS provides is worthy to be discussed in depth.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss our faculty and my colleagues the most. People in ALDS are always being helpful, and I have learned a lot from them during my two years at Carleton.

What’s next for you?

I will continue my interests in languages and applied linguistics. Also, I will fully explore what I can do with what I have learned so far in my future career.

Area(s) of Interest

Language Teaching

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

Taking the ALDS program at Carleton is one of the smartest decisions that I’ve ever had. I like the way this program helps us bridge theories and practice, including the engaging courses and the interesting practicum experience, which made me a better writer and a better teacher.

What will you miss the most?

I miss all my professors and peers, especially those who had offered me help and encouragement. The two years that I spent at my graduate study was the busiest but also the most unforgettable in my life.

What’s next for you?

The challenges that I faced and the skills that I developed during the program helped me to find my professional strengths. I’ll try to continue my teaching career in Ottawa, a city bright and beautiful.

Area(s) of Interest

Teaching ESL

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

The core courses are so well-designed and I was honored to learn a lot from the experienced professors who have been teaching us how to teach while to me, they were role models of teaching in every single class. The practicum placement gives us a good opportunity to experience the real world teaching career.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss the class discussions and the good company with all the classmates and the profs.

What’s next for you?

Now that I hold the CTESL certificate, I am more confident to go and find my first ESL teaching position in Ottawa.

Area(s) of Interest

Determination, hard-working and love learning!!!

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

Overall, I had a very good experience taking and being apart of the CTESL Program: when working in groups and on different projects, we got to know each other as classmates, there were a lot of bonding as students. The work load was heavy, however it was not a burden, the professors were very down to earth and understanding in helping us in answering questions, by guiding us, leading us in the right directions and assisting us in completing our assignments. I never felt intimidated to approach the professors for help or to answer my questions. I would recommend the program to anyone who is determine, hard-working and have a love for learning.

What will you miss the most?

I missed being in class listening to my professors with my classmates, we did not get to celebrate the end of our journey together as a whole, to wish each other well and to express my gratitude in person to my professors Donald Myles, Dr, Michael Rodgers and Dr. Eun Young Kang!!!

What’s next for you?

I am looking forward to starting my Masters in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, while I look for part-time work as a teacher.

Area(s) of Interest

Teaching – Learning – Reading – Writing – Travelling – Cooking – Exploring – Languages – History – Art – Classics – Music – Religions – Psychology – Personal Development

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

Broadening my horizons and understanding the world of teaching better as I attended classes taught by remarkable and experienced instructors and professors.

What will you miss the most?

Class discussions and arguments brought by students of different backgrounds and points of view.

What’s next for you?

Hoping to combine what I love in my future careers: travelling while teaching English and exploring different cultures and food palettes.

Area(s) of Interest

Child Language, Language Acquisition, Phonology, American Sign Language

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

How rewarding it felt to tackle a tough problem with my peers and come up with a solution that works (and laugh about the ones that don’t work!)

What will you miss the most?

The entire SLaLS community!

What’s next for you?

I’m going to pursue a career in teaching.

🏆 Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement

Area(s) of Interest

Painting, reading, watching food documentaries and Korean dramas

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

My favourite thing about the program is learning about the truths behind the misconceptions of language and language learning.

What will you miss the most?

I’ll miss the insightful class discussions the most.

What’s next for you?

Internship at a production or radio broadcasting company.

🏆  Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement

Area(s) of Interest

Languages, Teaching, Musical Theatre, Piano, Techno Music, Travelling, Camping

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

The variety of topics of study because language is at the core of many fields. Language is everywhere around us! I also enjoyed being part of the cast of Chicago with the Carleton Musical Theatre Society. It was so fun ! Finally I loved my practicum teaching literacy foundation through the LINC program. I met great people and it felt very fulfilling.

What will you miss the most?

The friends I have met through Carleton.

What’s next for you?

I am starting a Master’s degree in linguistics at Aarhus University in Denmark, at the end of August.

Area(s) of Interest

Language, History, Culture, Art, Animals

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

The Paul Menton Centre helped me keep my sanity. School is not the happiest of places for me so the PMC was a vital part of my success at Carleton.

What will you miss the most?

Blue the service dog.

What’s next for you?

Durham College for Library Science.

Area(s) of Interest

The way people express themselves, through language and actions, what the can tell you about those people and what it’s like to live in their reality is what interests me. The understanding of these ideas are key to understanding how to guide my life and my children’s lives successfully.

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

My favourite thing was the enthusiasm of the Linguistics professors. They all, in their own ways, possess infectious enthusiasm about their chosen areas of study, which was very motivating.

What will you miss the most?

Having in depth conversations about topics in linguistics, as the body of knowledge in this field is not a common one.

What’s next for you?

“I am a married mother of four. I will be continuing in my care for them and the community. In September I will be doing a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology.
None of us knows what the future holds, all we can do is put our best foot forward to meet it.”

Area(s) of Interest

Language processing & communication disorders

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

My favourite thing about my program was to be apart of professor Jacquie Ballentine’s communication disorders classes and hear about her amazing experiences as an SLP while working in South Africa.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss the late night study sessions and laughters on the 1st floor at the MacOdrum Library with my friends.

What’s next for you?

I plan on getting my masters in Speech-Language Pathology with hopes of becoming a licensed SLP :-)

Area(s) of Interest

spending time with family and friends

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

the linguistics program at Carleton university has taught many things. From navigating university independently, learning about communication disorders to making everlasting connections with faculty and students. I will be forever grateful for my opportunities at Carleton.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss many things, but I think I’ll miss seeing some of my favourite professors, who have helped to shape me into the person I am today. I can actually think of one professor who has quite literally been on the sidelines cheering for me since day 1, Jacquie Ballantine. Thank you for never giving up on me and always being the positive light I needed in my corner.

What’s next for you?

I aspire to be a speech language pathologist

Area(s) of Interest

Speech Language Pathology, Communication Disorders, Phonology, Speech Perception, Bilingualism

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

Some of my favourite things about the program were completing my honours thesis and doing the practicum in Speech Language Pathology. I learned so much about research and about my interests.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss lectures with the amazing LING profs. They always made class fun and exciting. I never dreaded going to a LING class.

What’s next for you?

I’m off to grad school at UofT! In the fall I’ll be completing my Masters of Health Science in Speech Language Pathology! I’ll also continuing my research at UofT in the Bilingual and Multilingual Development Lab.

🏆  Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement

Area(s) of Interest

Articulatory phonetics and phonology

What was your favourite thing about the program? (i.e. course, experience, event, etc.)

My favourite part about Carleton’s Linguistics program has definitely been the people! The many passionate discussions with fellow students and professors, the small classes, and the tight-knit community experience always made me that much more excited to go to class every day. From Academic Orientation Day to the Undergraduate Honours Thesis Conference and beyond, I have been met with nothing but encouragement and positivity, which has instilled in me a passion for linguistics I didn’t know was possible.

What will you miss the most?

I will definitely miss all the laughs shared in class! And, I will most miss meeting with other Carleton Applied and Theoretical Linguistics Society (CATL) members and being excited for the next generation of students coming through the Linguistics program, and talking excitedly about the plans for the future of the student society.

What’s next for you?

I am very excited to begin my MA Linguistics at the University of Toronto in Fall 2020. I am also looking to continue being a tour guide in some way and serving the Carleton Alumni community. My hopes for the near future are that I may one day teach at the university level, pursuing both a passion for linguistics and public speaking.