I lived in Ridgetown as this is where my research was conducted. Although Ridgetown does not have much infrastructure in comparison to the City of Guelph, it has large acres of land for research in agriculture. I sometimes enjoyed a tour on the vast land with various research work going on. Personally, I think Ridgetown may be the town with the kindest people I have met, and I know the same is true for the City of Guelph.
My advice for prospective grad students is to reach out to people. When I was looking at the CDE program, I reached out to a couple of graduated students in different fields to talk about their experience in the program. This information was very valuable and helped me to make a confident choice. If you have any questions about the program or my experience please feel welcome to reach out.
Be patient with yourself. As a student your job is to learn, and by necessity, fail. Solving the problem and having the right answer isn't always the same thing.
I have always followed my gut and trusted my instincts. I truly believe I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I have had if I didn’t trust that what was meant to happen, would happen at the right time for me. From the short internship that has become a career, to waiting for this program to exist to pursue my masters – timing is everything.
Professors at the University of Guelph are exemplary in their professional acumen. Over and above this, there are plenty of opportunities, like Teaching Assistantship (GTA) and Research Assistantship (RA), for an international graduate student to help fund their studies.
Absolutely take the time to reach out to current students, alumni, and faculty members affiliated with the grad programs of consideration. Your grad school experience will very much be influenced by the people you are surrounded by during your education and the culture of the program. Hearing from other's experiences and talking to current students is one of the best ways to find the right fit for you.
My advice would be that a Masters degree is like a roller coaster. You will have your ups and downs in your research but that is all apart of being a scientist! There is no such thing as a 'bad' discovery.
I am a proud second-generation Gryphon and University of Guelph alumna, having received an Honours Bachelor of Arts in International Development from the U of G in 2008, following in my father's footsteps (Agricultural Engineering '71 and MSc '86). Coming back to Guelph to pursue a doctorate has felt like coming home in all the best ways.
