Careers

My experience at Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford campus, has been incredible. I have never been the type of person to enjoy crowded places and this had a huge influence on the campus I chose for my Undergrad. I knew I wanted to stay rather close to home, but still get the full university experience, the Brantford campus provided this for me. During my time at Laurier Brantford, I have gained invaluable connections with professors who have helped me with independent research projects and have also provided me with advice and guidance in regards to my Graduate studies applications. The friends I have gained during my studies have also become lifelong friends, some of whom I will be going on to study with during my Masters Degree. If you are looking for a school with a history program that is small and unique, has amazing professors, and helps inspire students to become the best they can be, Laurier Brantford is the school for you!

-Lauren Holmes (Laurier Brantford BA History, 2018), MA Candidate Wilfrid Laurier University

The history program at Laurier Brantford provided me with many great experiences and opportunities. Many of these opportunities were available to me because of the small number of students and faculty in the program. This allowed for me to develop close relationships with both faculty and my fellow peers, which encouraged me to participate in history department events and be involved in the History Students’ Association. I was also able to enhance my academic skills during my time at Laurier by partaking in a Research Apprenticeship, which allowed me to work one-on-one with a professor on a major research project. Similarly, I was offered a position as a Research Assistant for a history professor, which was a great experience for both my future graduate studies and employment. Overall, the tight-knit community in the history program at Laurier Brantford allowed me to make lasting relationships with the faculty and my peers and gave me great skills and experiences for my future academics and employment!

-Megan Blair (Laurier Brantford BA History, 2018), MA student, University of Waterloo

When I recall my experiences as a history student at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford Campus, I remark mainly on the professional, affable, and inspirational instructors I studied under.  These individuals inspired me, not merely because of their breadth of knowledge and public-speaking abilities, but also because of their integrity and compassion. The mentorship I received at WLU Br. as an undergraduate student was a valuable part of my development, and I am grateful that those relationships have continued, even after my studies there

-Will Kearny (Laurier Brantford, History BA 2016), Cultural Resources Management Archaeologist with Golder Associates.

Due to its small size and genuine support of faculty, the history program at Laurier Brantford allows students to pursue their own areas of interest. When I began to consider both Master’s and PhD programs, my former professors at Laurier Brantford suggested programs in Ontario and overseas, helped with scholarship applications, and happily served as references. Since graduating, my former professors continue to send me scholarships, conferences, or articles relating to my work and interests and offer support in any way they can.

-Cody Groat (Laurier BA History/Youth and Children’s Studies 2016), PhD Candidate, Wilfrid Laurier University Program

During my undergraduate studies at the Brantford campus, I had the opportunity to work with outstanding faculty that allowed me to explore a broad range of historical topics and challenged me to pose and answer meaningful questions using a variety of research methods. The small class sizes and close student-professor relationship in Laurier’s history program provides an inclusive and thought-provoking environment necessary to develop as a historian. The passion held by the professors and support for students made my time at Laurier an enjoyable and fulfilling experience and has encouraged me to pursue a PhD in Chinese history at York University. 

-Dalton Rawcliffe (Laurier BA History, 2016), PhD Candidate York University

My personal experience within Laurier Brantford’s History program can be summarised as thought-provoking and engaging. The program sets itself apart from many other universities by encouraging students to study historical insights through an interdisciplinary lens and fostering a sense of connection between the past and present. Professors are eager to assist in developing personal potential within academia and professional employment. The level of freedom afforded, and professional support given by professors, enabled me to focus on self-discovery. A particularly memorable experience which reflects this, was the opportunity to study about connections between colonialism and contemporary issues in Africa. The course, titled “War and Society in Africa”, sparked a hunger for academic research that continues today with my current role as a Policy Researcher at Engage Africa Foundation.

-Anthony Learno (Laurier Brantford, History BA 2015), Policy Researcher at Engage Africa Foundation, Calgary, Alberta

My favourite part of attending Laurier were my history courses. Class sizes were small allowing the students to get to know the other students and professors. There were so many opportunities to further my learning by taking class field trips, attending speaker series, and even working as a research assistant. In third year I took Native Peoples of Eastern Canada with Dr. Gary Warrick. A class field trip to visit the Mohawk Institute and the residential school really helped me to understand the importance of studying the past. In my fourth year we were tasked with writing a twenty-page paper. It seemed overwhelming at first but my professor, Dr. Tarah Brookfield, was really helpful and knowledgeable. That paper allowed me to explore a topic of Canadian history that I have always wanted to know more about, reminding me of how much I love history. I was able to use that paper as a writing sample when I applied, and was accepted, for my Master of Arts, History. The courses and professors at Laurier helped me explore and deepen my passion for history in ways I never could have dreamt.

-Wendi Winter (Laurier Brantford BA History/Contemporary Studies 2015) Teacher,

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

My name is Katrina Kirou-Mauro and I hold an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Contemporary Studies and History from the Wilfrid Laurier University. After graduation I began working with Boomerang Health Powered by Sick Kids to develop a tutoring service. Presently, I am a teacher with the York Region D.S.B. My history degree provided me with a lot of valuable experience and I was able to use these experiences in my workplace. Specifically, many of my history courses required me to research and evaluate the information found in the research articles. While developing the tutoring program at Boomerang Health I was required to use these same skills as I researched the effectiveness of various instructional approaches for students with diverse learning needs.

-Katrina Kirou-Mauro (Laurier Brantford BA History/Contemporary Studies, 2012), teacher York Region School Board

After graduation, I worked at a before and after school program with the YMCA. Having a degree in history, I always liked to focus on events or upcoming holidays like Remembrance Day or Black History Month. Creating crafts, poems and more filled our room with beautiful art, but also generated great discussions and connected the children to the past. Since then, I have been hired by the Thames Valley District School Board and teach grade 7/8. Having the passion for history has been a wonderful way to motivate my students to write. We often examine social issues in history, such as child labour during industrialization, and contrast their experiences to life in society today. Having a background in history has allowed me to teach my students to think from different perspectives, build empathy and foster inclusive attitudes for the future.

-Heather Gauthier (Laurier Brantford BA History/Contemporary Studies, 2012), YMCA Staff

I teach in Ulukhaktok, a remote arctic Inuit community on Victoria Island in the Baeufort Delta Education region. The social studies component of my teaching has content that is very similar to what we learned in  my fourth year seminar on Modern Canada. I have even designed a section of the course to look at Women's suffrage in Canada, which was the topic of my 4^th year major research paper. The board I work in provides funding for teachers to do professional development. Over my three years here I have taken over 7 different Additional and Additional Basic Qualification courses, while also acquiring a minor in English. In September, 2013 I began my MA in Education. This two-year program focuses on Educational Leadership and preparing/informing candidates who want to move into leadership positions at some point in their career.

-Mike Haslett (Laurier Brantford BA History/Contemporary Studies 2012), Teacher Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories

Studying history at Laurier Brantford provided me with a solid foundation in the humanities and an appreciation for how the world around me was shaped. History is an inherently interdisciplinary field that allowed me to explore my many interests while seeing how they all connected and impacted one another. I honed superior communication skills and built a toolkit full of transferable skills that set me apart. Laurier Brantford spoiled me; I had the opportunity to learn from passionate, engaged faculty who knew me by name and were genuinely invested in my academic success. I also had the opportunity to grow in a supportive academic environment that champions leadership and values community.

-Catherine Brunskill, (Laurier Brantford, BA History/Contemporary Studies 2010) Marketing, Recruitment and Outreach Officer, Renison University College.