Friday, July 6th, 2018...3:18 pm
Lessons from an M.Ed. Grad: Getting involved and finding Community in Grad School
Guest Blog Post: by Rebecca Hazell, recent OISE grad and G2G Peer Advisor, Graduate Conflict Resoulution Centre
On June 12th, 2018, my fellow OISE grads and I walked under University College’s leafy canopies, felt the sun warm our black robes, looked for familiar faces in the audience at Convocation Hall, and visualized walking across the stage without tripping. While I was proud to celebrate my academic achievement, there was another aspect of my U of T experience I was sad to see come to an end.
When I began my degree in September 2016, I also began training as a G2G Peer Advisor with the Graduate Conflict Resolution Centre. This rewarding role helped me build new knowledge and skills, but also a supportive community of teammates and colleagues outside my program.
As a member of the G2G team, I worked with graduate students from diverse disciplines and made important friendships I wouldn’t have found outside the CRC. My teammates’ support and insights helped me through challenging assignments and provided me with perspective whenever I felt alone in my struggles as a grad student.
My community continued to grow as I became familiar with people working at the many other resources and services available to grad students on campus. This was especially the case whenever we delivered staff training or had the opportunity to collaborate with other departments on workshops.
The knowledge and skills I developed as a grad student are integral to building my professional future, but getting involved on campus and the meaningful community I found in the process is what made my U of T experience truly memorable. I would encourage all new grad students to make these connections in societies and clubs, at cross-departmental events, or through a fulfilling job on campus. Finding community outside your program can add so much to your graduate experience!
Rebecca Hazell is a recent M.Ed graduate from OISE’s Adult Education and Community Development program. When not studying or working, she loves exploring the beautiful St. George campus, taking her dog on long walks in High Park, and reading crime fiction.
Photo credit: G2G Team
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