My graduate student years in English at McGill instilled in me a love of teaching and research, an appreciation for the essential values of democracy, and a commitment to training younger generations and serving the cultural history of my country.
My professors, all men in my day, believed in me, supported me, and inspired me at a time when women, especially married with children, were not always taken seriously, but they listened and taught me to trust in myself. In my 45-year academic career, I have tried to pass along those gifts of discipline, responsibility, and trust to my undergraduate and graduate students.
When I began graduate school, I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. At McGill, I was shown my way and given a love of learning and of my country that have guided me ever since.