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Ms. Alicia McAuley (BA 2006)

     “I can safely say that without my experience at Waterloo, I would be in a very different place than I am today” says Alicia McAuley (BA 2006), who gives credit for her choice to enter UW to Pat Brennan, her high school guidance counsellor. Alicia originally intended to study science, but Pat, a St. Jerome’s alumnus, convinced her to follow her passion for literature and writing. He assured Alicia that “UW would be an excellent fit” for her personality, and looking back on her choice to enrol at UW, she says: “I couldn’t imagine spending those four years anywhere else!”

     UW offered Alicia many positive and valuable experiences, from lessons learned in class to friendly conversations with her professors in the cafeteria. The professors here “made each class so enjoyable”; some of her favourites, including Drs. Ted McGee, Eric McCormack, Danine Farquharson, and Stan Fogel, taught classes that form the best memories of her time here. These memories include a trip to Stratford to see a production of “As You Like It” organized by Dr. McGee for his Shakespeare class, Dr. Fogel’s intelligent and entertaining speeches in class, and discussions about T.S. Eliot with Dr. McCormack. For Alicia, the memories of these experiences are made stronger and more memorable because she shared them with friends, some of whom remain close to her today. In fact, one of the friends she made here will be the emcee of Alicia’s upcoming wedding.

     In addition to friendships outside the classroom, Alicia found support in Dr. Farquharson who complimented Alicia for a well written essay, affirming that she had made the right choice to pursue an English degree. “I think her compliment sparked a turning point for me in choosing to pursue journalism as a career after UW, and I am very grateful for it,” she says. When she graduated from UW, Alicia enrolled in the journalism program at Sheridan College and has since gone to work for a number of magazines as a freelance writer. She also works as a web editor and lives with her fiancé (a UW BMATH ’05 alumnus) in Toronto.

     Confidence to pursue a career in writing, the opportunity to meet some of her best friends and her husband-to-be, and the chance to explore her academic interests all came to Alicia at UW, and for these benefits Alicia remains thankful.