Our MA students have entered prestigious Doctoral programs, moved into Law, Library Science, teaching, and employment in various arenas of communications and the arts. They have been awarded competitive and lucrative academic awards and published and presented their original scholarly work in a variety of public arenas inside and outside academia. We are proud of the ways our MA students continue to contribute to society with their passion, intelligence, ethical commitments, and hard work.
2020-2021 MA Cohort
Leslie Czegeny will publish a poem entitled “Populate” in Volume 11 (2021) of The Lamp.
Kostyn Petrunick will present at the Virtual Environmental Studies Association of Canada (ESAC) 2021 Annual Conference in June 2021.
Diana Vasu will present at the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association’s National Conference, Virtual Identities and Self-Promoting in June 2021.
2019-20 MA Cohort:
Brenna Cavanaugh was awarded the Marilyn Rose Graduate Award for Academic Excellence in English Language and Literature in 2019. She is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Sports Journalism at Centennial College, and she continues to work as a supply teacher with the Niagara Catholic District School Board.
Hope Eze won the 2020 Novice Teaching Assistantship Award issued by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation at Brock. She has been accepted into the PhD program at the University of Alberta in English Studies for fall 2021.
Julia Garcia won the Dr. Marilyn J. Rose Grad Student Fund for the winter term of her MA and the 2020 Fall Distinguished Graduate Student Award at Brock. She began her doctoral studies at Western for fall 2020, which included a Provost’s Entrance Scholarship.
Waed Hasan was awarded with a Daughters for Life Scholarship to support her MA studies at Brock, and she began her doctoral studies in English at Guelph university in September 2020.
Sarah Rewega began her doctoral studies in English at Guelph University in September 2020.
Matthew Ellis published “Phantoms and Mirrors in Fullmetal Alchemist: Trauma and the Temporality of the Self” in the Brock Review in 2020. He also virtually presented “Imagining a Queer Metropolis: How the Contact Zone Queers in Typee” at the Sexuality Studies Association at Western University in June 2020.
Julie Veitch will begin her doctoral studies in English at the University of Waterloo in September 2021.
2018-19 MA Cohort
Saba Fallah is working as a Pedagogical ESL Content Technician and TESOL-Certified Teacher (TESL Canada) in Montreal, Quebec.
Lydia LiVecchi is a Content Writer for Biolyse Pharma Corporation.
Stacey Duncan is Graduate Officer, Systems & Records at Brock University.
2017-18 MA Cohort:
Monica Sousa started her PhD in English at York University in fall 2018 supported by an OGS award for 2019-2020.
Skylar Kovacs is a PhD candidate in English Language and Literature at Queen’s University. Her research is supported by a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship.
Casey Lawrence is a PhD candidate in English at Trinity College, Dublin, supported by a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship.
Cambria Huff completed a Master’s in Library and Information Science. Cambria recently graduated from Dalhousie University’s MLIS program (Master of Library and Information Science) and received the Anne Galler award. She is currently working as a reference librarian/research assistant in the Basin and Reservoir Lab and as the collection’s librarian for Dal’s geology department.
Igor Ratkovic was awarded the Dr. Raymond & Mrs. Sachi Moriyama Graduate Fellowship for his MA studies, and he is presently cofounder of Uproar Media Inc. in Niagara Falls Ontario.
Jerika Sanderson started her PhD at the University of Waterloo in 2019 where she was a recipient of the Provost’s Doctoral Entrance Award for Women (2019-2020).
Daryl Wakunick is pursuing a PhD in English at Western University.
2016-17 MA Cohort:
Ryan Racine won a SSHRC award to support his MA studies. He is currently working as a part-time Professor of English and Communications at Niagara College.
Emily Van Haren won the Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Sachi Moriyama Graduate Fellowship. Emily is pursuing a PhD in English and Cultural Studies at McMaster.
Vanja Trivanovic won the Katherine and Jacob Hildebrand award from the Faculty of Humanities. She works as an Information Associate at Welland Public Library, Greater St-Catharines-Niagara Metropolitan Area.
Olivia King won OGS support for her MA studies at Brock. Currently a PhD candidate at McMaster, her research is funded by a prestigious Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS SSHRCC doctoral fellowship. Her work has been presented at conferences across North America, including at the meetings of the Canadian Society for Renaissance Studies and the Renaissance Society of America.
Alyce Soulodre is a PhD candidate in English Language and Literature at Queen’s University.
2015-16 MA Cohort:
Deseree Cipollone is pursuing her PhD in English Literature at McGill University. She won a SSHRC Scholarship to support her thesis research at McGill.
Jennifer Fogg completed a Masters in Information and Library and Information Science at the University of Toronto and currently works as a Branch Librarian at the St Catharines Public Library.
Keira Killin completed an Ontario College Graduate Certificate in Museum Management and Curatorship and then undertook an Interpretation Internship with the Royal Botanical Gardens, a Grants Management Internship with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and worked as an Archaeological Field Technician for ASI | Providing Archaeological & Cultural Heritage Services.
Danielle Conway works as a Sales and Marketing Specialist at Performance Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada.
Ryan Woods teaches at two private schools Canada: Spruceville Academy in North York Ontario and Fredrick Banting International School in Brampton.
Jacob Bermel won the Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Sachi Moriyama Graduate Fellowship for his MA, and he was awarded with the Ontario Graduate Scholarship for his Doctoral Studies. He is currently a PhD candidate in English Language and Literature/Letters at York University, he teaches Part-time at Niagara College, and Co-edits Pivot: A Journal Of Interdisciplinary Studies & Thought.
Allen Tripp entered the PhD program in English at Wilfrid Laurier University. He and his partner have also become owners of Spiritleaf Stratford.
Steven Greenwood received the General Brock Soiree Graduate Award for his MA studies at Brock. He won the prestigious Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS SSHRCC doctoral fellowship for his doctoral studies at McGill where he was working as Artistic Director at Home Theatre Production in Montreal, Quebec. Steven has successfully defended his Doctoral Dissertation in English at McGill University. His dissertation is titled, “‘We Will Make It Our World’: Musicals and Queer Cultures at the Turn of the 21st Century.”
Emma Dunn completed her PhD at Ryerson’s in Communication and Culture supported by the prestigious Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS SSHRCC doctoral fellowship. She currently works as a Writing and Multimodal Communication Specialist at the University of Waterloo.
Gianluca Agostinelli is pursuing doctoral studies in Education at Brock University. He earned two Ontario Graduate Scholarships: one for his MEd and one for his PhD, and he won the Marilyn J. Rose Graduate Award for Academic Excellence in Humanities. He currently also works as a Professor of English and Communications at Niagara College and occasionally a Continuing Education Teacher at NCDSB.
Helen Tran completed her Masters in Fine Arts, Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia in 2014. She currently works as a Professor of Communications (part-time) at Niagara College, does freelance work as a journalist and copywriter, and is Program Director for Centauri Summer Arts Camp.
Amber Halkes was supported with a Dean’s of Graduate Studies Entrance Scholarship for her MA studies and currently works as a Teaching Assistant at Brock University.
Carlos Alonzo Morales is a Mexican-Canadian novelist, screenwriter, and academic who has recently been signed by leading North American literary management company, TransAtlantic Agency.
2013-14 MA Cohort:
Andrew LiVecchi earned his doctorate from Western University where he was supported by SSHRCC funding for his doctoral studies at Western. He works as an adjunct Professor at Redeemer University and as an English Teacher at Tapply Binet College in Ancaster, Ontario.
Mathieu Aubin completed his PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies in 2019 at University of British Columbia. He is currently Lead Researcher on the SSHRC funded, “Oral Literary History” research component of the SpokenWeb project at Concordia University.
Anastasia Ghizas, currently works as a Junior-intermediate Teacher at Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada.
Dylan Simon is employed as a Labour Relationship Specialist at Bruce Power in Tiverton.
2012-13 MA Cohort:
Stella-Marie Chong Sing published the poem “Buckets” in We Mark Your Memory: Writing from the Descendants of Indenture. She works as a writer and educator in Trinidad.
Ryan Chute was awarded an OGS in support of his MA studies. He graduated from the University of New Brunswick’s Faculty of Law in 2020, and is currently employed as an Articled Clerk at Cox & Palmer in Halifax N.S.
Tsugumi Okabe completed her PhD studies in Comparative Literature in 2018 and is currently Lecturer for Japanese-English Translation at the University of Alberta.
Sara Lou Stuart was supported by a SSHRC for her MA studies and works as an artist, aerialist, and performer in Niagara Falls, Canada.
2011-12 MA Cohort
Shannon Maguire is a doctoral student at Wilfred Laurier University supported by a SSHRC and she is an Assistant Professor (LTA) in the Department of English at the University of Calgary.
Eric Schmaltz holds a PhD from the Department of English at York University, where he specialized in Canadian Literature, with an emphasis on experimental and avant-garde poetics. From 2018-2019, he was a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow in the English Department at the University of Pennsylvania.
Gregory Fast currently works as a Communications Specialist at LCBO, has worked as a Publicity Coordinator and Associate Publicist for Shaw Media/Corus Entertainment, and a Digital Communications Specialist for Sonnet Insurance Company.
Amanda Harrington has been teaching for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board since 2014.
Keith Hobbs has been teaching at Niagara College, the District School Board of Niagara, and Peel District School Board since 2013.
Philip Miletic completed his PhD at the University of Waterloo in 2019, and he currently works as a Graduate Career Advisor and Researcher in Digital Media and Games at the University of Waterloo.
Naomi Verton works as a Writing Consultant at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.
Carolyn Mullin works as Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships at Niagara College Research & Innovation Fonthill, Ontario, Canada.
2010-2011 MA Cohort:
Katherine Whitehurst earned her doctorate from the University of Stirling in Scotland. She is now a Lecturer in Media and Film at the University of Liverpool.
Laura Birkett is completing a Masters in Business Administration at Brock University, and she has worked as Executive Assistant to the University Librarian 2012.
Victoria Brzozowski works as a Waste Management Coordinator – Hamilton Health Sciences in Niagara Falls Ontario.
Melissa Lynn Meijaard won a SSHRC scholarship to support her PhD studies at Western University.
2009-10 MA Cohort:
Sarah Bobko has been working as a Communications Instructor at Niagara College since 2016 and before that was a Communications Instructor at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).
Malcolm Beemer-MacDonald completed his MEd at Lakehead University in 2014.
Amanda Rose Graveline, works on the Finance Team at Abatement Technologies in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada.
Tanya Rohrmoser completed the Professional Writing & Communications program at Humber College in 2017. She’s worked at House & Home Media, TIFF, and the University of Toronto Press. She is currently the Communications Specialist at Ridley College and has done consulting for local businesses and McMaster University.
Tom Vaine completed a BEd at Western University.
2008-2009 MA Cohort:
Susan Hroncek earned her doctorate from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2016, her BEd from Brock University in 2018, and she currently teaches at Hillfield Strathallan College.
Julie Morris is a PhD candidate in Interdisciplinary Humanities at Brock University and has been working as Professor of English Literature, Writing, and Communications at Sheridan College since 2012.
Laura Cousineau is Senior Education Associate at McMaster University’s Department of Family Medicine in Niagara.
Lucas Bedell completed his BEd and MEd at the University of Toronto and is currently working as Educational Director for OneSchool Global North America.
Elizabeth Hirst currently works as an assistant and copy editor at Amazing Stories.
Marisa Lancione works as a Social Media Professional/Digital Content Strategist at Concordia University.
Jonathan Parsons completed his PhD in English at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2017. He works as a journalist, editor, and co-founder of Bookends Writing Academy.
Julie Warkentin is a PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Humanities at Brock University. She works as program coordinator for the English program and as a Professor of English at Sheridan College.
Vanessa Wosik works as a teacher for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
Deborah Cox-Hughes is Program Leader for English and teaches at Sir Winston Churchill in St Catharines.
2007-2008 MA Cohort
Katie-Scarlett MacGillibray completed her Master of Library & Information Science in 2013 at the University of Western Ontario. She is currently a Manager at the City of Mississauga.
Lauren Mead works as a freelance writer, editor, and proof-reader.
Jeffrey Sinibaldi works as Acting External Relations Manager & Senior Advisor, Corporate and Community Engagement, Rouge National Urban Park for Parks Canada.
Christopher Stampone completed his PhD in English Language and Literature/Letters at Southern Methodist University in 2017, and he held a Hughes Postdoctoral Fellowship until July 2020.
2006-2007 MA Cohort
Cynthia Gagne works as Professor of Communications at Niagara College.
Jesse Hutchison completed his PhD at the University of Waterloo in 2016 and currently teaches at St Jerome’s University.
John Kent works as an English Teacher at Laura Secord Public High School in St Catharines.
