Graduate Reflections

(StFX Alumni News, Summer 2010)

Devanne O’Brien Bachelor of Arts: Honours Political Science, Subsidiary Development Studies What’s next after X? Law school this September! How did StFX inspire you? StFX opens up so many doors for students. While doing my four-year degree here, I was able to travel to Cuba and study sustainable agriculture through the Service Learning program. Then, in my third year, I spent a semester studying abroad in Europe. Even in Antigonish, there are so many opportunities for students to get involved. StFX truly provides a pathway for students’ success by encouraging us to experience university life beyond the academics.

Jimmy Bray Bachelor of Arts: Honours Sociology, Subsidiary Development Studies What’s next after X? I will be heading on a cross-country journey towards the Yukon where I will spend the summer unwinding. I am also applying for several internship programs (including our own Coady YIP program), and hope to have the opportunity to take part in one of these. During my time at StFX I developed an interest in both community development and Latin America. I hope to combine these interests in whatever career path that I make. How did StFX inspire you? StFX’s size allowed kinds of interaction which made learning outside of the classroom possible, and I am grateful to both the students and professors with whom I have worked and studied. Over the past year I have been employed as a Student Leader with the Service Learning Program. I can’t count the lessons I have learned from this experience and I am deeply grateful. The flexibility of the StFX Arts Faculty also allowed me to spend an academic year studying in Ecuador. This was a tremendous experience, and not one that I would have been willing to undertake without the skills and confidence that I gained during my time at StFX.

Kujang Kandaru BA Joint Major Development Studies and Political Science What’s next after X? I plan on gaining some field experience through volunteering or a work placement program, while saving money to pursue my masters in international affairs. Currently, I am looking at international internships, but I would love to find a work placement in the South American region. It has been four years since I saw my family, which means a lot of catching up on mama’s love. I am looking forward to a trip home. How did StFX inspire you? Prior to StFX, I was a volunteer at Handicap International, which ignited my passion for service. While working in the Kakuma refugee camp, I was filled with satisfaction as I watched the faces of people light up as I helped and educated them. StFX has inspired me to further pursue my passion of service, but more importantly it has been influential in narrowing down my interest to a particular concentration. The Development Studies program has provided the direction and purpose I required to make my passion of service a reality. I am a beneficiary of the WUSC Student Refuge program at StFX, and I arrived with no immediate family or friends. However, not once did I ever feel away from home. I will always remain indebted to the St. Paul’s Anglican Church and the huge role the parish played in welcoming me. The friends and relationships I have made throughout these four years at StFX have become a huge part of my life and the rock that kept me going through all the hard times. My experience at StFX has been educational in a different dimension and it has provided tools that I can put into practice both professionally and socially.

Convocation, May 2010