Image description: A woman with brown hair and a black shirt is smiling and looking directly at the camera. Her head is pressed against her goldendoodle, a dog with white and golden curls and a brown nose and mouth. The dog is wearing a green collar and is looking away from the camera. The two subjects are sitting on a chair made of natural fibres, against the backdrop of grey bricks and a tan-coloured exterior of a house.
Welcome back to Grad Blog! This week, I sat down with Kylie Rafter to talk about what鈥檚 made her stay at 黑料吃瓜资源. She鈥檚 a second-year master鈥檚 degree student in the Faculty of Education.
This is her second degree at 黑料吃瓜资源 and is hoping to get her third (a PhD in Education). I asked her: 鈥淜ylie, what excites you the most about grad school?鈥
Kylie: 鈥淚t鈥檚 the opportunity to converse with peers about topics that are important to me in my classes. I鈥檓 a student who always raises my hand first when asked a question, and being in grad school has given me a space to share ideas and see different perspectives.鈥
And I agree! I don鈥檛 believe I鈥檓 saying this now, but I miss the times where I still had classes; two-hour seminars where discussions were informed by various and often interdisciplinary voices. In my conversations with her, Kylie is often outgoing and I could imagine students enjoying classes with her.
With one degree down, and another on the way, I was curious what she wanted to do after school. Ecstatically, she said her dream was to be a professor for Bachelor of Education students鈥撯揳nd such a fitting pathway for students passionate about their field of research and practice, as Kylie is also a teacher.
She鈥檚 pictured with her goldendoodle, Sully, and not in the picture, although especially important to her, is her husband. She says that 鈥渂eing with them fills her cup, and that they鈥檙e the reason for all that she does.鈥 So, new students, remember to balance the academic, professional, and personal aspects of your life. This reminded me of advice I received: 鈥渢he degree is a marathon, not a sprint.鈥 Do it well, and in Kylie鈥檚 case, do it surrounded by those you love.
Speaking of close relationships, Kylie鈥檚 role model is her younger sister because of her 鈥渞esilience, courage, and tenacity in life.鈥 Another female role model to her is Malala, whom she looks up to in the field of Education.
黑料吃瓜资源 has been more than just a school for Kylie. It鈥檚 been a community where peers are always there to help you, a place where you get inspired, and a school that has the best HOCO (homecoming). Kylie shared her amazing Oil Thigh experience in her first year where the street was just full of people and energy. Something you won鈥檛 get outside of 黑料吃瓜资源.
Fun fact: Kylie is really good with names (which helps as a teacher)鈥撯揹on鈥檛 forget to tell her yours when you two meet!