English At 50 | University of Waterloo

The extraordinary thing about English professors at the University of Waterloo, says Michael Bryson (BA 1992), is their ability to balance teaching the practical with the theoretical. A graduate of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing Co-op program, Michael cites the integration of Waterloo's academic program with the practical experience of work-terms as the prime memory and benefit of his time on campus.

Michael Bryson This balance continues to be central element of Michael's life, as he pursues creative writing projects and a professional career.

Michael's most recent publication, THE LIZARD AND OTHER STORIES (Chaudiere Books, 2009), includes 16 stories about modern life in Toronto. A recent review called it "an easy book to like" and commented on the "tolerance for ambiguity" in many of the stories.

In addition to writing stories and blogging at thenewcanlit.blogspot.com, he also has a day job in the Ontario Public Service, where he has worked for the past decade in both communications and public functions.

Employment within the public service isn't new to Michael; as a co-op student, he worked for the federal government, among other posts. The work during this co-op term wasn't nearly as memorable as "being young in Ottawa," however.

Of his courses on campus, Michael enjoyed Ken Ledbetter's "Modern American Literature" class most, finding Dr. Ledbetter's flair for teaching astonishing. "He spoke in twenty-minute paragraphs," Michael says, recalling how the professor often spoke of how "literature gets behind the surface of reality."

Michael spent much of his time outside the classroom with a number of other students who "huddled around the Writer in Residence, Greg Cook"; they all wished to be better writers and thus sought his guidance. He remembers this group fondly, remarking that they were all "a bit on the outside of the mainstream," and he remains in contact with a number of them. Michael also built upon his writing abilities by contributing to IMPRINT, in which he had a column called "Media Surfing" published weekly during the 1991-92 year.

After graduating from UW with a BA, Michael went to Saskatoon for two years. After this stint in Saskatchewan, Michael came back to Ontario and earned an MA in English from the U of T, after which he completed the New Media Design Program at the Toronto-based Canadian Film Centre.

Michael lives in Toronto with his wife and step-children.

To read more about Michael, you can visit his blog: http://michaelbryson.wordpress.com

Mr. Michael Bryson (BA 1992)