English At 50 | University of Waterloo

Russell (Russ) Wong (BA 2002) liked the flexibility that came with being an English student at UW. Aside from his major in Rhetoric and Professional Writing, he was able explore a variety of interests by taking courses in other departments: “The English Rhetoric and Professional Writing program felt like a very good fit, along with Applied Studies. It also allowed me to complete a Cognitive Science option.” He came to Waterloo as an electrical-engineering student and switched into the Arts faculty following his second year precisely so that he would be able to explore many different subject areas.

Dr. David Goodwin taught many of the English courses that Russ took. He found that Dr. Goodwin's experiential teaching style suited his learning preferences. “Many of my English RPW classes involved the same students, so there was a familiarity and comfort in our classrooms even if I didn't know the people well outside of school.”

As a co-op student, Russ worked for as many different companies as he could to gain familiarity with different corporate cultures and organizational structures. His experiences allowed him to learn about both the software and consulting industries. “I think the great value of co-op is the ability to find out what kinds of working environments suit your personality,” he muses. “That’s very important for job satisfaction.”

Since graduating, Russ has worked in business development and communications at The Walter Fedy Partnership, an architectural and engineering firm in Kitchener. He also has a part-time job as a contract automotive journalist, testing and writing about consumer vehicles for a newspaper syndication service. He is also active in the community. He takes part in amateur theatre, volunteers for social-profit groups, and is a member of Leadership Waterloo Region's Class of 2010.

“I learned early on how important it is to do something that you love to do,” Russ says.

Mr. Russell Wong (BA 2002)