Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

Grad Students' Words of Wisdom

Benjamin Hayden Wildlife Biology

Benjamin Hayden

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

TAKE initiative. REACH out. LEAD boldly. This program affords you opportunities and connections that you will not receive anywhere else and if you take advantage of these you will become “that” person. “That” person who helped you, “that” person who was proud of you, and “that” person who you wanted to be.

Katie Kroeze

Advice for prospective grad students...

My student philosophy is that anyone can learn anything. However, to succeed and enjoy your graduate school education you need to create good relationships with your mentors and those you look up to and get involved in student life by joining things that resonate with you whether that be student councils, clubs, intramural teams, etc!

Portrait of Shahriyar Ghazanfari Holagh, PhD Engineering U of Guelph

Shahriyar Ghazanfari Holagh

Advice for prospective grad students

Drawing on my experience in academia and research, I would advise prospective graduate students to embrace challenges. When confronted with a difficult situation, tackle it directly rather than trying to avoid it. You'll often find that the solution emerges as you delve into understanding and addressing the challenge at hand.

U of G graduate student, Anastasia Stellato (PhD - Epidemiology) in the Science Atrium at the University of Guelph

Anastasia Stellato

About Being a Grad Student at U of G… 

There are animals everywhere, from seeing eye dogs in training to horses and cows at the research barn.

Portrait of Megan Lalli

Megan Lalli

Words of wisdom for a prospective grad student

Lean in, stay curious, and be open to the opportunities that will come your way. Don't be afraid to reach out to your professors for ideas or support - the faculty affiliated with this program are well connected and eager to continue strengthening their existing networks. Your cohort will also become like family. Don't be afraid to open up and share, ask questions, and provide support for each other. Lastly, embrace all the prompts for reflection. Those are the opportunities to think critically about yourself, your work, and apply meaning to what you've learned. Enjoy the ride!

Christie Brodie MCL, Master of Conservation Leadership at Guelph

Christie Brodie

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

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.

U of Guelph Population Medicine Epidemiology MSc student, Mariah Crevier weighing a calf

Mariah Crevier

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

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.

Chelsey Tremblay

Chelsey Tremblay

Being a Graduate Student at Guelph… 

It is so crazy and will likely be one of the busiest times of your life, but it will also be one of the most rewarding experiences. 

Portrait of graduate student Stephanie Lam

Stephanie Lam

Advice for prospective grad students...

I think a Graduate program is filled with opportunities for self-growth and self-improvement in a facet of skills, including research, academics, management, teaching, mentorship, public speaking, and networking. On top of that, it exposes you to a variety of workplaces including academia, research and development, industry, and government.

Most importantly, I believe it's not easy to do a graduate program and many others will agree. There will be many challenges and struggles throughout it but this is a normal part of your program and part of the beauty of science and research! I suggest to keep your mind open and find the opportunity in every situation, because your graduate program will only help you improve yourself both personally and professionally!

U of G PhD candidate Deborah Pine

Deborah Theresa Pine

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

The advice or words of wisdom is simple, do whatever you think you want to do. I mean I had to really figure out if this is what I wanted to do and why. When that was settled, I did my research on programs and such but for me I talked with other academics from different disciplines. I needed to hear what it would be like emotionally and mentally and then think about how I would handle those ups and downs. Once, I had the basics of what I needed, and I knew what I could control, I put my best effort forth and then I felt content with results. This has been my mindset, to understand the coursework, to learn and adapt, and do my best. And once you’re in a program, they want you there, otherwise they wouldn’t have accepted you.