During my first week as a St. Jerome’s resident, all the students were invited to participate in a talent show. It was my first time away from home. I was already missing my parents and feeling out of place in a new environment. That night I performed a spoken word poem called “Shout Out,” an anthem to all the things in my life that I was grateful for.
5 years ago, I made an impulsive decision. It was late December and I had just received an offer of admissions to study Geology at Waterloo.
The Schulich Leader Scholarship I received in 2013 allowed me to focus most of my time and effort on my academic studies during my time at UWaterloo.
Fashion, runway shows and models surrounded me during my two years volunteering at the L’Oreal Fashion week in Toronto. I loved every minute of being backstage because I was in the middle of glamourous chaos.
Six months, six sections, and 212 pages later, my poetry book, When He Leaves You, debuted as the #1 New Release in Canadian Poetry on Amazon.com. It was a long journey that I truly believe I wouldn’t have had the energy or hustle for without having completed my undergrad at UWaterloo.
Written by Leah Govia (BA '16)
Why study ‘the human’ in artificial intelligence?
My journey into studying the bizarre mating ritual of “stink flirting” in ring-tailed lemurs began on the University of Waterloo campus, although I didn’t actually start my research into the subject until my master’s work, years later.
I didn’t realize I had an interest in bone health until my final year of Kinesiology.
As a child, I’d go on canoe adventures with my dad. He would take me to the reeds where we’d admire the stillness of the water. He’d pick me a buttercup flower while we’d enjoy the beauty of lily pads, watch for frogs, and look for ripples when they’d leap from one lily pad to another. This imagery is something I hold dear and captures my unique UWaterloo “lifer” academic adventure.
Whenever someone asks me how I got my start in media - whether it's an interview, podcast, blog, classroom talk or just someone curious and looking for advice - I always use the same joke.