Connecting Alumni to Students: Student Blog

Lily Hua Fang came to Pearson College from China in 1992 as the first winner of Pearson’s McConnell Scholarship sponsored by Drs. Fleming and Aileen McConnell, long term supporters of China’s connection with the rest of the world.

Unlike the majority of students at Pearson, Nessa Kenny did not stray far from home when she won a scholarship to study at Pearson College.  As a Victorian it was natural that she would look for summer employment in B.C. and she spent the summer after graduating from Pearson working as a kayaking, hiking and canoeing guide.

When I was 16 I truly wanted to experience life at a higher level, more challenging, more interesting, more rewarding. I wanted to see the world, meet people, improve my English - and I knew my personality, my behavior and my talents were being baked in the oven at the greatest heat they had ever been. I was hungry for new experiences. For a new me.

After graduating from Pearson College, and taking a year off to work as a waiter on the QE2, Andrew Brown earned a degree in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University and later Masters Degrees first in Teaching English as a Second Language and then in Education Marketing.

Corey Bradshaw currently holds the Professorial Chair of Ecological Modelling at the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute in South Australia, and he has a co-appointment with the South Australian Research and Development Institute. Previously, he held an Associate Professor position at Charles Darwin University in northern Australia, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Tasmania. Corey has completed 3 tertiary degrees in mathematical ecology (BSc, MSc, PhD) from universities in Canada and New Zealand.

After graduating from Pearson College, I finished a BSc degree in Computing Science and Contemporary Dance at Simon Fraser University. I lived in Vancouver for eight years, during which I worked on and off in both the software industry and in the performing arts. I volunteered for student organizations and for nonprofit groups, such as the Firehall Arts Centre (which showcases the voices and perspectives of diverse and marginalized contemporary artists); Judith Marcuse Projects (an arts and social change organization) and the Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group.

An overwhelming theme amongst alumni is the close bonds formed with fellow students during their time at Pearson College.

Becoming part of the Pearson College experience resulted as a last minute change when the College advised my National Selection Committee that there was no room for a female. I was chosen among the male students because of my past experiences in scouting and the outdoors –after all, Canada was a “forested, mountainous” country.  I arrived nearly two months late but was immediately made to feel “special”, welcome and at home.

Scott Campbell is CEO of Medusa Medical Technologies in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Eddy Henry is currently Director of the Education Programme at the Sampoerna Foundation in Jakarta Indonesia. Previously Eddy was the CEO of two companies in Singapore and Indonesia. Eddy studied maths and computer science at university.

“Pearson College, left her with some incredible gifts that she now shares with others: it introduced her to the Hispanic world, it encouraged her to think about social and political processes it allowed her to imagine the possibility of different routes and different futures, but, above all, it brought to her life the joy of learning.”

Fionnuala Ni Aolain is Professor of Law and Director of the Transitional Justice Institute at the University of Ulster in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and concurrently Dorsey & Whitney Chair in Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She is also co-founder of the Transitional Justice Institute. She holds a dual academic appointment split between the University of Ulster and the University of Minnesota Law School.

 “Sometimes I still feel I am  that same person that walked along the paths of Pearson College. I feel the same excitement about life and I feel lucky to have preserved that feeling through all the winding roads I have travelled since Pearson. I truly believe that this inspiration is what keeps me alive in my job as a teacher; a deep and true belief in life and the passion for a better world that I shared at Pearson.”

I would like to share with you a few thoughts and feelings on why attending Pearson College is one of the best things that happened to me. Moving from an island in the Atlantic Ocean to an island in the Pacific Ocean was truly transformative.

When we were asked at Pearson College in the 1970s to make contributions for inclusion in our Yearbook I felt strongly drawn to this phrase:  When I came to Pearson my schooling ended and my education began.

That's how I felt then as an idealistic teenager: that's still how I feel now.

Eri Kudo was part of the class of 1983. Now, nearly thirty years on, Eri says this early experience had and continues to have a profound effect on her life and her life’s work.

Claude Bajada from Malta graduated from Lester B. Pearson UWC of the Pacific in 2004 and is currently studying Medicine at the University of Malta. Since graduating, he has continued his involvement with the UWC movement by volunteering for the National Committee of Malta.

In 2006 Chloë Dear launched her own outdoor theatre company, Iron-Oxide which performed in Edinburgh, UK at the New Year celebrations 2009/10. She specializes in mid-large scale outdoor / street productions with a particular fondness of international co-productions, aerial spectaculars, multi-layered story telling, beaches and woodlands, fire, performing equines, film integrated with live action and touring in Europe.

How did you hear about UWC?
 
Four years ago as I was eating lunch at a Model UN conference, unaware that I was about to discover UWC,  I met a wonderful and smiley friend named John from Rwanda who attended Pearson along with 2 others (from Jordan and Nepal) that made up the Pearson College delegation.  I was really inspired by these international students and awed by their school.  I remember them strongly urging me to apply.

To study at Pearson College was a dream come true for a woman from a poor background yet with a strong passion for science and international affairs. 

My years at Pearson have been an eye opener in many ways. The relationships, experiences and challenges have prepared me for what life has to offer. This wonderful opportunity has had a significant role in my work today. After Pearson I studied English and History at the University of Copenhagen, today I work at the local high school in the capital of Greenland, Nuuk.

At Pearson College Lilian discovered forestry and her passion for the environment and rural development. She holds a forestry degree and has postgraduate studies in public policy.

Lilian’s approach to academics was multidisciplinary, something she learned at Pearson: "Science is fundamental but if people don't understand each other no technology or scientific answer holds, Pearson definitely influenced my career choice and deepened my empathy for both nature and people, so I undertook both life science and social science studies".

William started his career as a Teaching Fellow in Biology with the University of Papua New Guinea(1982-1986) then as a Conservation Scientist with the Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Papua New Guinea( 1987-1992) then left to served as an Environmental Programs Coordinator with the United Nations Development Program in Papua New Guinea(1993-1997) and later returned to the University of Papua New Guinea to teach Conservation Strategies in the Environment Science Program(1993-1999).

How did you hear about UWC?

I heard about UWC through my sister’s mother-in-law. She saw the ads in the local newspaper and encouraged me to apply. I then researched about UWC, being particularly interested in Pearson College.

I had a number of vivid impressions in my first weeks at Pearson. First, the raw beauty of the location - having grown up in an urban city, the physical features of the Canadian West Coast were truly stunning! Second, the scale of diversity and openness amongst the other students, the faculty and the administration was fascinating. Finally, as one understood the broader curriculum (academics and extra curricular), I had a strong feeling of appreciation to be selected to participate in this terrific experience.