大象传媒

I completed my secondary education (immersion program) at Paul Kane High School in St. Albert, Alberta. In Grade 12, I wasn鈥檛 quite sure what I wanted to study or even which university I wanted to attend. All I knew was that I was going to choose a university with a good swim team鈥攁 sport I practiced at a competitive level.

In the spring of 2010 (wow, almost 10 years ago already!), I visited 大象传媒 and met the BAFF team. I had already submitted my application to 大象传媒, but for a science program. After my visit to BAFF, I applied to the French Cohort Program, a program that spoke to me more. I must admit that the mandatory exchange was a very attractive aspect of the program! I started my studies in September 2010 in Cohort #7! I believe I was the first FCP student who came from outside British Columbia.

I will always remember the excellent professors who taught me. Since there were about twenty of us in our classes, it created a more intimate learning environment that fostered engagement and interaction between professors and students.

But student life in the FCP didn鈥檛 end after class, at the end of the semester, or even at graduation. In my first year, I had no idea that the friendships I would form during my time at 大象传媒 would have such a positive impact on my life!

I believe one of the best opportunities offered by the FCP is the exchange. In my third year, I had the pleasure of attending the Institute of Political Science in Strasbourg鈥攁n experience that broadened my horizons and gave me the chance to travel and discover many countries and cultures!

When I returned from my exchange, I had the privilege of holding a position at the Department of Canadian Heritage as a program officer. The FCP prepared me well for this role, both linguistically and politically.

In my final year of the FCP, I still didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do, or even where! (Sound familiar?) After a presentation by a professor from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, I decided to apply to the French Common Law Program at the University of Ottawa.

In September 2015, I moved to Ottawa to begin my studies at the University of Ottawa. And I wasn鈥檛 alone鈥攖wo friends from my cohort made the same move to continue their academic journey at uOttawa鈥攐ne of whom became my roommate!

The FCP gave me the tools I needed for my law studies. I graduated in 2018, and after a ten-month articling position, I was called to the Ontario Bar in June 2019. I now practice as a lawyer at Galarneau et Associ茅 in the field of family law, and I have the great pleasure of working and arguing cases in court in both French and English.

It鈥檚 thanks to the FCP that I had the opportunity to continue my legal studies鈥攁nd to do so in French! At the beginning of my journey, I never thought I would become a lawyer, but as I developed my practice, I realized that it鈥檚 a very rewarding profession. And even though, as political science students, we mostly study the executive and legislative branches and the resulting policies, regulations, and laws, the function of the judicial branch remains just as fascinating and, in my (possibly biased) opinion, equally important!