Guelph was actually one of my top choices for my undergraduate degree. Having chosen a different university to do my undergrad, when applying for graduate school, I knew I wanted to attend Guelph to continue my studies! The CJPP program appealed to my criminology background and my work experience in the criminal justice system.. I knew this was the program for me!
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.
To future graduate students, it is important to keep a clean, legible, and logical lab notebook! Also remember that your brain is your best weapon to succeed in graduate school and it functions best when it is well-rested; only pull all-nighters if necessary. Learn to manage your time and try not to do multiple things at once; multi-tasking in the lab can lead to errors in experiments. Finally, enjoy your time and get all the food and freebies from conferences and other events!
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.
“My advisor has allowed me to grow as an independent researcher, and ensures I stay on track. I have had a wonderful experience growing into the student I am now. ”
