I applied to McGill on a whim. Being born and raised in Ontario, I only knew what I had read about the University and the reviews were astoundingly positive. Also, it was in Montreal and even though I’d never been there I was intrigued.
The campus took my breath away. The level of excellence was like nothing I’d experienced in high school. My political science colleagues were verbose and confident (kinda like me) and the professors challenged me to think in ways I hadn’t before. Feminist theory altered my relationship with my boyfriend. My politics of developing nations courses opened my eyes to the brutal legacies of colonialism. I returned home each summer opinionated (and likely annoying) but there was no going back.
And then after two years there really was no going back. I ditched Toronto life altogether and spent my entire year at McGill because…Montreal. The city is an intoxicating mix of vibrant individualism, style, good food and French flair. How could I leave?
I owe a lot to the time I spent at McGill and will always look back at them as some of the best years of my life.”
From the start, some colleagues at the Black Student Union invited me to come and volunteer at the campus radio station. That was when I caught the bug for broadcast.
On graduating with an Honours B.A. in Political Science, I made the decision to pursue graduate studies back in Ontario. It was hard to say goodbye.
Needless to say, McGill never left me. As an intern at a TV station I landed my first job after mentioning to a production manager that I had attended McGill. Later, being interviewed at CBC and surrounded by elite journalists, much was made of my degree from McGill. As a black woman who often has to re-direct people’s preconceptions – a degree from McGill has been an effective shield.
The confidence refined in those years at McGill helped catapult me to host the legacy lifestyle show Cityline. It’s helped me become a champion for those who have less, for children in care, for women in shelters, for the black community. I owe a lot to the time I spent at McGill and will always look back at them as some of the best years of my life.