Graduating during a pandemic: words of wisdom from 7 FCAT students

Rachel Wong, a writer, speaker and podcaster, is graduating with a BA (Honours) in Communication and International Studies. She isn’t leaving SFU yet and will soon begin a new chapter as the Coordinator of Communications and Engagement at SFU's Surrey campus.

“While it’s sad that we won’t have a physical convocation, I take heart knowing that this doesn’t change the fact that I and my fellow graduates will still receive our degrees,” she says. “I think this pandemic has really gotten me to evaluate and think about my own priorities and relationships, and in the few social distancing get-togethers that I’ve had so far, I’ve become really thankful for the friends I do have.”

Wong recently presented her honours thesis, studying the ways in which Chinese seniors relate to the place of Chinatown through the lens of culturally significant food. 

“It was a privilege to meet and work with Chinese seniors and hear their stories. I never imagined that I would do research on my own, but when I presented my thesis over Zoom, I was floored at the response and the fact that I did it!” 

During these difficult times, Wong says it’s important to focus on what we can change in our own lives.

“We all have a unique voice, perspective, and opportunity. To quote the wonderful Miss Frizzle from Magic School Bus, ‘take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.’ I look forward to seeing how we as the COVID class will change the world in the years to come.”

As FCAT’s undergraduate Dean’s Convocation Medal recipient, Ben McGuinness graduates with a BA in communication. His focus was studying the affordances and drawbacks of communication mediums and platforms and the impact they have on our lives. He’s now planning to find a job that synthesizes all of his skills and is considering grad school in the future.

McGuinness made the most of his time at SFU, participating in the communication co-op program, The Peak student newspaper, volunteering at events with the Student Ambassador Program, and attending free lectures and seminars open to the public. 

“Having transferred to SFU for my third year, I had to quickly catch up in getting to know SFU and all the things going on and on offer for students,” he says. “Receiving the medal made me feel recognized for my efforts, and really confirmed to me that I did in fact make an impression on the people I met. It made me feel like I had made the right decisions as an undergrad.”

He advises that a little bit of effort goes a long way in creating a positive experience and building connections to people.

“Engaging with what you're doing doesn't have to be hard but it's always worth it. And you don't have to be sure about exactly what you want to study or do, just be on the lookout for things that interest you and gravitate towards them—and let them gravitate towards you!”

As North America’s first PhD in publishing, Amanda Lastoria says graduating during this time feels both anticlimactic and daunting. The pandemic has also limited her international opportunities as talks that she has been invited to give will likely be cancelled or move online.   

“It feels like the past isn’t quite finished because my degree hasn’t been marked with its ceremonial end and the future is especially uncertain because the job market is going through a major upheaval.”

Lastoria remains connected to SFU and is currently teaching a new undergraduate course that she developed called ‘Buy the Book: A History of Publication Design.’

“The focus is on materiality, so not being able to look at and feel books, magazines, newspapers, etc. as a class is a challenge at this time. We’ve been relying on publications that students have on their own bookshelves as well as digital surrogates.”

For her PhD research, Lastoria studied the evolution of book design and production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. She is keeping busy writing a book chapter for an edited collection on teaching the Alice texts, and she is starting to revise her dissertation for publication. She has been approached by both university and commercial presses about publishing a book on the history of Alice book design, and she is re-shaping her work for a crossover audience of scholars, collectors and fans.

Throughout her pioneering PhD, Lastoria had to create her own opportunities, and she plans to continue doing so. 

“The hustle that I’ve developed will help me navigate an uncertain but productive future as the world recovers from the pandemic.”