Reflections from the Class of '96

Josh Bezonsky, a columnist with the Montreal Mirror, is graduating from the Faculty of Law. He also earned a BA from McGill.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

The Faculty of Law provided me with a good training for a profession that I'm interested in. I had the chance to examine our societal systems from the top down and that's changed the way I see things. I've also become much more self-confident.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

Given that we had the opportunity to study some of the most important issues facing society, it's unfortunate that many students are so focused on getting good marks. They just want to know what's going to be on the exam. Other universities like Victoria and Alberta are telling their law students how difficult the job market is right now. I think McGill could do more on that score. The literature here talks about all the Montreal law firms that recruit on campus, but the top student in my year couldn't get an articling position in this city. In general, McGill isn't as interesting a place as it was when I first started studying here in the late 1980s. There were a lot of quirky people involved in all sorts of things back then. Today it seems as if people want to get marketable skills, rather than an education.

Who was your favourite teacher?

Mette Hjort from cultural studies. She is extremely dynamic, personable and a real credit to McGill.

Lisa Grushcow, a political science student minoring in Jewish Studies, was the Students' Society of McGill University's Vice-President (University Affairs). A Rhodes Scholar, Grushcow was a member of the Macdonald task force that recently issued a report on the challenges facing the University.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

I did most of my learning through extracurricular activities. At my first Activities Night, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Increasingly, you can find professors who are willing to sponsor self-study or who want to be involved in the small first year seminars and that's hopeful. I think the McGill community is also becoming more sensitive to accommodating diversity and the progress we made on issues like the anti-discrimination policy and the holy days policy points to that.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

The flip side to that last observation is that there is still resistance to those sorts of things--we're not all the way there yet. I think the administration needs to think about allowing students more of a say in governance. Finally, as a great believer in interdisciplinary approaches, I was disappointed not to see more of that at McGill. As it is, you have to look pretty hard to find it.

Who was your favourite teacher?

Just one? I'd have to say James Booth from political science and Gershon Hundert from Jewish studies. They're both immensely knowledgeable and very supportive of student initiatives. They were both willing to let students take on things that were out of the norm.

Chemistry student Shariq Lodhi participated in an innovative music therapy program at the Royal Victoria Hospital's Palliative Care Unit. A member of the University's rowing team, Lodhi was also involved in the Atlantis Project which promotes self-directed learning and small undergraduate tutorials. He is a Rhodes Scholar.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

Getting to know the people in my department dispelled some of the myths about McGill for me--that the University is so big, you'll never get to know your teachers. All the professors in chemistry were wonderful and approachable and there were a good number of small classes. Studying in Montreal is a great strength. I heard one rumour that McGill would move to Brockville if Quebec separated. It just wouldn't be McGill without Montreal.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

I think undergraduates are worried about the future. There is a real fear that research and graduate teaching will become more and more important and that undergraduate teaching will suffer as a result. There is concern about which programs are going to get cut and at what cost to the quality of teaching.

Who was your favourite teacher?

I have a few favourites, but I'll say Professor Whitehead. I've been working with him in his office every day on a one-to-one basis--it's a special opportunity he's given me that is based on the Atlantis Project's principles to some extent. I don't think he gets enough credit for caring about students.

Julia Maughan is graduating with a master's in education--she also earned a BEd at McGill. The captain of the McGill Martlet soccer team, Maughan leaves McGill as the Martlets' all-time leading scorer. Over the course of her playing career, she was an all-star and an Academic All-Canadian four times each and Quebec league MVP once.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

Living in Montreal. It's exciting to be in a big city--I don't think I would have enjoyed studying in a small town. Playing for the Martlets was a high point. A lot of students complain that McGill doesn't feel like much of a community--it's easy to get lost in the crowd. Playing on the team made me feel connected to the University. It also taught me some important skills--leadership, time management, teamwork. Academically, I enjoyed the fact that at the master's level, the professors gave me a lot of freedom to pursue the things I was interested in, instead of just assigning me papers to write.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

I did my bachelor's degree at McGill in elementary education and I think the students in that program should receive more opportunities to teach. On a larger scale, McGill has to think about how to make students feel that they're part of the University--so many students just go to classes, then go home. I also found it very disappointing that students didn't support their sports teams much.

Who was your favourite teacher?

Professor Isherwood. He's very down-to-earth, approachable and open-minded. He encourages students to do the things that interest them and gives them the support they need. He's the type of teacher I would like to be.

Along with his partner Martin Clouatre, mechanical engineering student Bernard Pelsser won a national debating competition at the Canadian Engineering Games earlier this year. He was also part of a team of students who resurrected an old tradition in his department--constructing a Formula One-type racing car for an annual competition in Detroit.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

The first thing I'll remember are the friends I made. People tend to think of engineering as a highly competitive field, but we also work together on projects a lot. We end up relying on each other and helping each other out. McGill gave me a great training. I wanted to study here to improve my English and it's been a good experience in that way too.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

The lack of revenues--you really feel it in the labs sometimes. It's frustrating when you don't have a piece of equipment you want. But sometimes the lack of resources forces you to be creative.

Who was your favourite teacher?

Romuald Knystautas. He understands his subjects so well, he never refers to notes. He expresses himself well and explains things very clearly. He gives out good examples. His classes are pretty tough, though. If you don't work hard, you fail.

Lara Arielle Phillips has won several scholarships while doing an honours degree in physics. A student peer adviser, Phillips was the president of the McGill Society of Physics Students this year and a member of the McGill Choral Society. She has been active in a Quebec government program aimed at encouraging students in elementary and high schools to study science.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

The honours program in physics gave me a really strong preparation for graduate studies. I didn't realize how respected the program really was until I started applying to graduate schools.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

There are still very few women in physics and no female faculty members in the department. Many of the people in this department were very supportive of me, but there are still sexist attitudes out there--not just at McGill, but in the discipline as a whole. I think the department needs more women and more people who are supportive of women studying physics.

Who was your favourite teacher?

There are a lot of very good teachers in this department, but I would single out Edith Engelberg. She teaches the first lab course we all have to take. The honours program is very demanding and when students have their moment of doubt, they often end up talking to her. She's a wonderful instructor, but more importantly, she provides a great deal of personal support and guidance.

Gillian Tooke, who recently completed her MBA, was a member of the McGill Consulting Group--a team of MBA students that offers a variety of mangement consulting services to businesses. She was also class president of the MBA Students Society and fundraising director for the McGill Journal of Medicine.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

My best experiences weren't necessarily academic. Being involved in the McGill Business Consulting Group, the MBA Students' Society and the Journal--those activities taught me a lot. When I look back, those are the sorts of things that made my time at McGill special.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

The MBA program has to accommodate students with all sorts of backgrounds. Some of us have worked in business and studied commerce before, but a lot of students come from engineering or science and they don't have that kind of experience. They need to learn certain things--how to read financial statements, for instance--that the rest of us already know. That's a drawback--with an MBA, you don't want to go over territory you already covered as an undergraduate. But it's hard to avoid--I hear people say the same thing about the University of Western Ontario.

Who was your favourite teacher?

Tony Dimnik teaches managerial accounting and he had a real knack for speaking to students with different levels of experience and keeping them all interested in the material. Anne Smith was also great. I never saw a professor work so hard at preparing for a class.

Cornell Wright, a political science student, was a two-term SSMU Vice-President (Internal). More recently he was a regular columnist with the McGill Tribune.

What did you enjoy most about McGill?

McGill has a lot of very distinguished professors, many of whom choose to spend vast amounts of time with undergraduate students.

What were some of the University's weaknesses?

I don't know if those professors are properly rewarded. I think teaching is still undervalued next to research. The class sizes are too large in many cases. If you come into a class of 700, there's no way someone will value the work you do--it becomes an assembly line. There are a large number of students who leave McGill feeling no deep connection to the University. The Alumni Association has done some good work to try to change that, but people holding higher positions of authority at this University should be thinking about how McGill can inspire its students to feel more committed about the school.

Who was your favourite teacher?

John Shingler. In a class of 91 students, he insisted on talking to each of us individually about our term papers. He knew everybody's name. He gave us the sense that, if we were committed and we did good work, it would help advance the discipline. His expectations were high and we tried to match them.