C's get degrees, but why not make more of it?

Many are familiar with the saying “C’s get degrees,” but I wasn’t doing it just for the letters.

Sure, a degree is a degree whether I pass with a C or graduate at the top of the class, but when I came back to Ryerson University in 2019 after stepping away for seven years to chase my dream job, I knew it was important to not only finish my degree, but to finish it well.

I spent the better part of the last decade working at Citytv in varying roles. I had the privilege of interning at Cityline with their digital team as I wrapped up high school and into first year at Ryerson. Eventually, there was an opportunity to become a digital producer with the network’s in-house productions which included Breakfast Television, Cityline, and Entertainment City. Over the span of several years, I worked my way to a dual reporter and digital coordinating producer role and spent most of my time with the team at BT. It was a dream and truly a highlight of my career so far.

Like others have, at the time, I chose the job over my studies, but I always knew I would come back for my undergraduate degree. It was only a matter of when.

Fast forward to 2018, I met with my friend’s father, a career transition executive, who suggested it was a great time to finish my degree and that it was never too late to go back to school. That night, I reached out to student affairs coordinator Bev Petrovic and then undergraduate director Gavin Adamson who warmly welcomed me back.

I hadn’t been a student for seven years; I forgot the rush of finishing an assignment to make the deadline or the anxiety of writing an exam, not to mention a whole new curriculum. Bev, alongside Gavin and now undergraduate director Lisa Taylor worked closely with me as we crafted a pathway to help me graduate.  

It was going to take work and I was encouraged to use my difference in perspective to challenge my critical thinking, find innovative ways to report the news, and integrate real-life experiences in my everyday learning.

My first year at Ryerson felt like pushing through a series of courses to get that “really expensive piece of paper” we joke about. Going back to school the second time around, it was less about the grade and more about a framework to which I could apply my professional, life, and academic learnings.

We all feel different from the rest—it’s what actually makes us similar. In a time where the political divide seems greater than ever and we live through a pandemic where we are forced to change the way we do things, there’s also incredible opportunity for growth.

Ryerson University is the intersection of creativity and innovation—this includes the RSJ evolving how we practice journalism. I was thrilled that my first course back was focused around reporting in Indigenous communities. In September, RSJ is launching a course where students can learn to better their reporting in and around Black communities.

I’m incredibly proud of the school listening, understanding and responding to what’s happening in the world and broadening our horizons through journalism helps us become better storytellers. It’s our collective responsibility to evolve our industry into one that’s more diverse.

My biggest takeaway is it’s never too late to go back to school. The more you learn, the more you appreciate the science of learning. Ryerson and the School of Journalism are always there to support you.

I finished my last course back in December, but I had the privilege of being part of a graduation celebration unlike previous convocations. We had our parchments emailed and our names scrolled past while we watched a live stream at home. How we’ve adapted—I’m going to say it—in these unprecedented times is truly reflective of how we’re encouraged and taught to push the boundaries. This includes how we apply our learnings as journalists in the future.

As for “C’s get degrees,” I actually had to look up what that meant. Make more of learning than a grade on an assignment, and don’t settle for good enough when you can push yourself to do your best. As I look forward, I’m thrilled to embark on my Master of Arts in Media Production at Ryerson this September while I continue to freelance for a variety of publications and outlets.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020!