METROPOLITAN HISTORY SOCIETY HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL CAREER PANEL

METROPOLITAN HISTORY SOCIETY HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL CAREER PANEL

On February 10, 2025, the Metropolitan History Society – the undergraduate students’ course union for TMU History – welcomed current and prospective students to hear recent graduates discuss their career paths after completing their BAs in either History or History and English. The session, titled, “What To Do After Undergrad: Pathways in History,” hosted six speakers:

·         Grace Van Vliet, who completed an MA at the University of Toronto after her BA, taught elementary school for two years, and now is a PhD student in 20th-century History at U of T in anticipation of becoming a professor.

·         Aileen Falcones Guzman, who earned an MA in History at the University of Toronto after her BA, is a Student Accounts Specialist at Humber Polytechnic.

·         Mackenzie Hickie, who joined the federal civil service after earning her BA, is a Senior Program Officer with the Canada Border Services Agency.

·         Simon Topa, who worked as a student at TMU’s office of the General Counsel while completing his BA, is Practice Co-ordinator at Osler, Hoskin, and Harcourt LLP in project management, business development, and other areas.

·         Michelle Ransom, who went on from her BA to complete an Ontario College Graduate Certificate in Museum Management and Curatorship, works as an Archival Assistant at CIBC.

·         Aviva Gomes-Bhatt, who continued her studies after her BA through obtaining an MA in European and Russian Affairs at the University of Toronto, is an Archival Technician at the Archdiocese of Ontario.

Opening remarks were provided by Jordan Le Roux, the President of the MHS. Vice-Presidents Allison McCausland and Brittany Reimer then moderated the discussion. 

Panelists shared how their experiences studying history translated into skills that they use in their jobs. “Seminars, for one thing, were incredibly important. They got you out of your comfort zone, to pose arguments and ideas to others,” noted Simon Topa, who also cited literary skills, qualitative research, and critical thinking as important abilities.

The speakers also touched on the significance of undergraduate internships, research projects, and extracurriculars in obtaining their current positions. “When you graduate … you have to have some type of experience that sets you apart,” said Mackenzie Hickie, mentioning student unions, the TMU Senate, and the International Issues Discussion Series (external link)  as things that helped her stand out when looking for a job with the federal government. 

The event was a success thanks to the insights from our alumni and the organizational work of the Metropolitan History Society. Students left the session with a deeper understanding of the jobs available to them with a History degree, and the opportunities and resources available at TMU to help them further their careers.