Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

Grad Students' Words of Wisdom

Portrait of graduate student Lydia Wang (MSc, Food Science) in the atrium of Mac Donald Stewart Hall at the University of Guelph

Lydia Wang

About Being a Grad Student at U of G… 

Life as a graduate student at UofG is always exciting! Every day brings new experiences, learning opportunities, and challenges. One day, I could be conducting lab work, another day I could be attending classes and finishing assignments, while the next day I could be running sensory tests. At the same time, I am surrounded by smart, curious, and enthusiastic students who are all actively looking for ways to improve life.

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!

Portrait of Rebecca Gordon

Rebecca Gordon

Advice for prospective grad students...

I feel lucky to have been able to be involved in many different projects at the University of Guelph. My advice to future grad students is to get involved in as many different things as you can and to not be afraid to reach out to people. A lot of the fun in a graduate degree is being able to collaborate and work with lots of different people. 

Shayne Johnston portrait

Shayne Johnston

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

If I could give advice to a prospective grad student, it would be to never be afraid to say "I don't know".

Mychal-Ann Hayhoe

Mychal-Ann Hayhoe

Advice for future grad students...

Figure out what motivates you, what you’re passionate about and what will drive you now and in the future. Start talking and engaging with people around campus. Go out of your way to get involved. It will pay off! The University of Guelph is full of passionate and interesting people and your attempts to connect with them can create opportunities you wouldn’t expect.

Chelsey Gerrard

Chelsey Gerrard

Why I chose U of G...

I chose to study at the University of Guelph because I liked the friendly, community-based attitude here. After completing my undergraduate degree at Guelph I knew this is where I wanted to complete my master's.

Portrait of graduate student Jeff Reichheld

Jeff Reichheld

Advice for prospective grad students...

Be prepared. Look around first and then come here. Do your homework when you're looking at programs and remember that you stand a real chance of working with OMAFRA and OMAFRA connected researchers here. They really are the best.

Safia Mahabub Sauty

Safia Mahabub Sauty

Some words of advice...

Get involved in the community. Grad school is more than your research project; expand your contributions beyond your field of research and into the community where you are working.

Portrait of graduate student Minhajul Haque Minar

Minhajul Haque Minar

Advice for Prospective Grad Students...

If any student wants to get research experience, he/she should get into this graduate school. The University of Guelph has unique and fully equipped laboratory facilities. Any grad student can take a long step on their desired research path. Meanwhile, coursework will also help students for learning the different disciplines.

Amberley Ruetz

Amberley Ruetz

Why I chose Guelph… 

I couldn't imagine a better fit than the University of Guelph. The opportunity to work within a dynamic, interdisciplinary team of graduate students across campus as an inaugural Arrell Food Fellow was an extremely enriching experience on both academic and professional development fronts that sets U of G apart. Under the leadership of the world renowned food scholar Dr. Evan Fraser, the Arrell Food Institute supported my aspirations to develop an innovative food product for student nutrition programs by connecting me with industry partners off campus in addition to the plethora of researchers and staff on campus to enhance my doctoral research. The Arrell Food Institute, CBaSE, the Catalyst Centre, the Accelerator Program, the Guelph Food Innovation Centre and the close proximity of OMAFRA across the street from the university are world-class resources that enhanced my U of G experience everyday. U of G invests in its students both academically AND professionally, offering a large suite of programs and specialized resource centres that assist students in developing research as well as business skills which accelerate their alumni post-graduation.