The Carleton community came together this week to celebrate spring convocation and honour students as they received their degrees and certificates.
This year, the SLaLS Class of 2024 includes 32 BA graduates, 3 BSc graduates, 25 MA graduates, and 3 PhD graduates. Eight graduates received concurrent certificates for Teaching English as a Second Language (CTESL), and dozens of students across various faculties completed their degrees with a language minor.
Faculty and staff in the School of Linguistics and Language Studies are proud of all of the students who completed their degrees.
Michael Rodgers, Director of the School of Linguistics and Language Studies, shares a special message for the SLaLS Class of 2024:
“Congratulations to all our SLaLS graduates! Your hard work, perseverance, and dedication have brought you to this remarkable milestone. Given that you completed your degree in unprecedented times, I am certain that you have the ability to face the future with confidence and curiosity, and remember that this is just the beginning of your incredible journey.”
To help us celebrate this important milestone in honour of the Class of 2024, we spoke with 11 SLaLS Bachelor degree graduates to learn more about their time with SLaLS and to find out what is in store for them next. Read more about these inspiring graduates below, and check out our photo gallery at the bottom of this page.
Tayden Bourguignon, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics (Concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders)
Tayden Bourguignon
Tayden Bourguignon completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders in Winter 2024, and is the recipient of a Chancellor’s Medal.
“I adored my experience as a student in SLaLS,” Tayden shares. “The intelligent, supportive, compassionate faculty, the unbelievable community of incredible peers, and the freedom to explore my own interests as they related to my coursework made my experiences as a student in SLaLS unforgettable!”
Tayden will be starting a master’s degree in Linguistics here at Carleton this fall and is looking forward to continuing her work with the School.
“I would like to thank the SLaLS community for their unyielding support throughout my time at Carleton, and I look forward to many more SLaLS adventures.”
Tayden was also featured in a Carleton Newsroom piece about spring convocation medals, which you can read here.
Jasmine Halliday, Bachelor of Science Honours, Linguistics (Concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders)
Jasmine Halliday
Jasmine Halliday completed a Bachelor of Science Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders in Spring 2024.
“Wrapping up my 4th year in Linguistics I was determined to get more involved,” Jasmine shares. “This proved to really enrich my experience at Carleton and my learning through joining CATL, doing the Speech Language Pathology (SLP) practicum and getting to know my professors more.”
Jasmine is currently working as a Language Ambassador Program Coordinator at Parks Canada and continues to gain experience in SLP as a Speech Language Therapy Assistant with Hello Speech.
Jasmine plans on applying to Speech Language Pathology graduate programs.
Delaney Halpenny, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics (Concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders), Minor in Developmental Psychology
Delaney Halpenny
Delaney Halpenny completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders in Spring 2024.
“I am incredibly grateful for the amazing opportunities I had throughout my time as a student at Carleton,” Delaney shares. “The tight-knit community within Carleton’s School of Linguistics and Language Studies has helped both myself and fellow colleagues build long-lasting and memorable relationships.”
“Without the constant support and high level of expertise my professors provided me throughout the last four years, I would not be where I am today. They are always willing to go out of their way to ensure all students have the tools for success. I will forever reminisce over my time at Carleton and the encouragement I received from the staff!”
Delaney presented her honours research on children’s babbling and first words at the Honours Thesis Conference in April, and will be starting a master’s in Speech-Language Pathology at Western University this fall.
Emma Martin, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics (Concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders), Minor in Psychology
Emma Martin
Emma Martin completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders in Spring 2024.
“I have loved being part of this community,” Emma shares. “The professors are so supportive, and I have learned so much in the past four years.”
Emma presented her honours research at the Honours Thesis Conference in April and at the 2024 Canadian Linguistic Association Conference hosted at Carleton. Her research focused on bilingual autistic children’s use of internal state terms.
Emma is heading to McGill University this fall for a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology.
Chris McCord, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics (Concentration in Linguistic Theory), Minor in Philosophy, Certificate for Teaching English as a Second Language
Chris McCord completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Linguistic Theory in Spring 2024, and is the recipient of a Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement. Chris also completed a Certificate for Teaching English as a Second Language (CTESL).
Chris shares that they “enjoyed meeting new friends and professors, solving linguistics puzzles, and doing an honours thesis about neopronouns.” Chris presented their research at the Honours Thesis Conference in April and at the 2024 Canadian Linguistic Association Conference hosted at Carleton.
Chris will be starting a master’s degree in Linguistics at Memorial University this fall, and hopes to continue researching neopronouns and eventually dive into the study of whale communication.
Terry Michaud, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics
Terry Michaud
Terry Michaud completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics in Spring 2024.
“Going from STEM to SLaLS was a culture shock in the best possible way,” Terry shares. “You could always feel how passionate the professors and graduate students were about their field and how much they wanted to share that passion while always wanting to do what they can to help you succeed.”
“Once COVID-19 washed away and we were allowed to sit in the same room again, connecting to other SLaLS students has always been so easy and pleasant. It’s sad to have to say goodbye to the friends and family in SLaLS.”
“Having been robbed of those years by the pandemic,” Terry shares, “I cannot help but stay at Carleton for my master’s and soak up a little more of the lovely energy.”
Abby Traina, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics (Concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders), Minor in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
Abby Traina
Abby Traina completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders in Winter 2024, and is the recipient of a Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement.
“I’m so thankful to have been surrounded by the most wonderful peers and faculty members,” Abby shares, “and I’ve loved being able to explore the areas of bilingual language acquisition and communication differences/disabilities through my time with the School of Linguistics and Language Studies.”
Abby will be starting a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Western University this fall.
Emily Udle, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies and English, Minor in Professional Writing
Emily Udle
Emily Udle completed a Bachelor of Arts Combined Honours in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies and English in Spring 2024, and is the recipient of a Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement.
“When I began my journey at Carleton, I knew I wanted to study the intricacies of language,” Emily shares. “Studying Applied Linguistics gave me the tools and perspectives to study language in ways I never expected.”
Over the course of her undergraduate degree, Emily traveled internationally to share her research.
“My BA has been an invaluable experience, and I’m excited to continue my research at the University of Toronto, where my MA in English will be funded by a SSHRC Canadian Graduate Scholarship.”
Barbara Urushadze, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics (Concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders), Minor in Psychology
Barbara Urushadze
Barbara Urushadze completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders in Spring 2024.
“My experience within SLaLS and Carleton has shaped my undergrad career into a positive one,” Barbara shares, reflecting back on her time as a student representative for CATL and her experience working on campus at the residence reception desk.
“In fourth year, I had a placement with a SLP in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. I was able to apply what we had been learning in class to real life and this really solidified my interest for a career in speech therapy.”
Barbara will be be starting a Communicative Disorders Assistant graduate certificate at Durham College this fall.
“I would like to thank my family, my professors, my friends and roommates, my SLP placement supervisor and residence desk family for being a part of my unforgettable time at Carleton!”
Nicholas Vincent, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Linguistics, Minor in Japanese
Nicholas Vincent completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics in Spring 2024.
“My experience with staff and faculty I interacted with was very positive,” Nicholas shares. “My professors were extremely passionate and worked very hard to make the material both fun and challenging.”
“I was able to get to know some of them really well and it made my experience even more fruitful. I sincerely thank them for making my experience so memorable! I plan to take that same enthusiasm and pass it onto others who are learning languages by being a wonderful educator!”
Morgan Williams, Bachelor of Arts Honours, Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, Minors in American Sign Language and Spanish, Certificate for Teaching English as a Second Language
Morgan Williams completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies in Spring 2024. Morgan also completed a Certificate for Teaching English as a Second Language (CTESL).
“I started at Carleton as an undeclared student,” Morgan shares, “which allowed me to explore various fields of study before discovering my passion for Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies.”
“My time in SLaLS was filled with opportunities to learn and gain skills outside of the classroom.”
In addition to working as a Research Assistant, Morgan also served as the Vice President Internal and President of the Carleton Applied and Theoretical Linguistics Society (CATL) and connected with prospective students as a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Student Ambassador.
Morgan will be starting a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies here at Carleton this fall in order to pursue her research interests, which include discourse analysis, language policy and planning, and language education.
“I extend my deepest gratitude to my family, friends, professors, instructors, peers, and coworkers who have supported me on my journey so far.”
Spring 2024 Convocation Photo Gallery
Professors Geoff Pinchbeck, Michael Rodgers, Angel Arias, Rachelle Vessey, Peggy Hartwick, Jaffer Sheyholislami, and Eva Kartchava pose with Dr. Chareena Quirante, Dr. Nasim Omidian Sijani, Dr. Juwaeriah Siddiqui, and MA graduates Mackenzie Elliot and Alex Ethier at Spring 2024 Convocation on June 21, 2024
Linguistics graduates Terry Michaud, Jasmine Halliday, and Tayden Bourguignon enjoying their time at Spring 2024 Convocation on June 21, 2024
Celebrate recent Carleton graduates by reading through the Grad Stories.