English At 50 | University of Waterloo

Dr. Renate Wickens (BA 1983) chose to attend the University of Waterloo as a mature student. She earned a joint honours degree in English and Fine Arts, with an option in film studies. Her reason for studying English was simple: she loved to read and write. The Department gave her the opportunity to pursue both passions.

Renate recalls that her favourite courses were those taught by Professor Walter Martin. She found that “his approach had a timeless quality that didn't pander to the trend of the moment. Instead of Foucault and Derrida you got Plato and Aristotle which, in retrospect, gave me an interesting foundation on to which to build subsequent discourses.” Renate took away a love for learning, reading, exploration, innovation, and excellence from UW.

The Department of English made it possible for Renate to have the opportunity to make some wonderful friends with other mature students through the Dean of Women, the late Hildegard Marsden.

The prestige and credibility of UW has opened doors for Renate that she never knew existed. After graduation, Renate entered graduate school at York University, where she received a PhD in Social and Political Thought. During her time at York University she was the founder and executive director of the THIRD CINEMA Festival, taught as a contractual instructor, and continued her work in commercial photography.

Currently, Renate is a tenured Associate Professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University. Her areas of expertise are fine arts, interdisciplinary studies with a focus on the relationship between photography and film, and e-learning. Renate represents the first formal technology enhanced learning appointment to York University. She is currently in the third year of a major SSHRC Research Creative Grant (See additional research details).