Student Stories
“Uncertainty: A Powerful Teacher” – Julia Moraes, CJPP Student and Award Recipient
For Julia Moraes, life has been anything but ordinary. Born and raised in Brazil, she arrived in Canada eight years ago with dreams of higher education and the hope of building a brighter future. Fast forward to 2024, Julia not only graduated from the University of Guelph’s Criminal Justice and Public Policy (CJPP) program but also became the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Dr. William (Bill) O’Grady Prize for Excellence in CJPP.
The Looking Glass: Overcoming Adversity through Community
Hunter Rusk recently completed his BA Hons. (2024) in Geography with a minor in Applied Geomatics at the University of Guelph. He is now beginning his MSc in Geography, focused on passive microwave soil moisture monitoring from a UAV. Highlights include his adventures during his time with the Madagascar field school and his independent study leveraging high-tech remote sensing technology.
Annelise Geisterfer Spotlight: A Passion for Protecting the Environment
What motivated you to pursue the Master of Conservation Leadership program, and what specific areas of conservation are you focusing on? How does your current work/career fit into this?
Colton Johnstone Spotlight: Forging a Career Through Entrepreneurial Environmentalism
What motivated you to pursue the Master of Conservation Leadership program, and what specific areas of conservation are you focusing on? How does your current work/career fit into this?
Tazim Nazarali Spotlight: Taking a Holistic Perspective on the Value of Nature
What motivated you to pursue the Master of Conservation Leadership program, and what specific areas of conservation are you focusing on? How does your current work/career fit into this?
King Sam Spotlight: Looking at Conservation beyond Geopolitical Barriers
What motivated you to pursue the Master of Conservation Leadership program, and what specific areas of conservation are you focusing on? How does your current work/career fit into this?
Pursuing a master's degree has always been a personal and professional goal. As a site manager for a large scale marine protected area, I work with many experts and scientists at the national and international levels. Obtaining a master's degree in Conservation Leadership provides me with additional tools and knowledge to advance the work that I do.
Tamarra Lewis Spotlight: New Perspectives of Conservation Leadership into the Engineering Field
What motivated you to pursue the Master of Conservation Leadership program, and what specific areas of conservation are you focusing on? How does your current work/career fit into this?
Alumna Toby Zhou: Off Course but On Track to Finding Her Passion at U of G
Toby Zhou, a Class of 2021 alum with a major in Applied Human Nutrition and a minor in Marketing, launched her entrepreneurial journey in the summer of 2019. With support from the Wood Centre, she now dedicates herself full-time to making bubble tea more sustainable, accessible, and affordable!
Zahra Husein Spotlight: 'Nothing About Us Without Us' - Illuminating the Autistic Experience
Zahra's academic journey resonates with passion and resolve. Beginning her undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph, she now charts a course toward a Master's in Applied Social Psychology, driven by a singular goal: to illuminate the Autistic experience. Guided by the powerful ethos of "nothing about us, without us," her interests in qualitative methods, neurodevelopmental disabilities, critical disability scholarship, and mental "health" or mad studies converge to weave a rich tapestry of understanding.