When Vivek Ramakrishnan first met Professor François Paré in 2002, he was not doing well in school. The first-year Pure Mathematics student was not attending his math classes, although he was still doing well in his elective language courses. “I was struggling,” he says, “although I wasn’t aware of why at the time.”
A renowned academic, Paré had just arrived from the University of Guelph to become chair of Waterloo’s Department of French Studies. Vivek was eager to read his Governor General’s Award-winning book, Les litteratures de l’exiguite, and hoped Paré might have an extra copy.
Vivek transferred into the French Studies program the following year.
Though he was glad to have made the change to Arts, Vivek’s mental health began to suffer. His behaviour became erratic — some found it alarming — and there were complaints. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but he wasn’t taking his medication. Concerned, Paré and a few other professors and staff members decided to meet with Vivek. “I sensed he was not threatening to individuals around him — I don’t think he has ever been — but he was threatening to himself,” says Paré. “Vivek refused to meet with us a few times, but then he finally came and he just collapsed. We had to call an ambulance.”
After a stay in the hospital and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Vivek started taking his medication regularly and returned to school. Paré did his best to make accommodations. Vivek was given extra help and extensions when he needed them. He spent a year doing coursework at McMaster University, while a student registered at UWaterloo, so he could be closer to his parents in Burlington.
Mostly though, Paré was a mentor to him, a source of stability and a listening ear. Even though he was chair of a busy department, Paré made time to listen to him, reassure him and offer advice. Vivek used cognitive behavioural therapy to question his perceptions of the world around him. When he had doubts about whether his perceptions were true, he would ask Paré. Vivek once visited his office 20 times in one day, and Paré estimates he has responded to more than 1,000 emails from his student over the years. With Vivek’s permission, Paré kept in contact with his parents and let them know when Vivek was doing well and when he was not.
A tragedy early in his career pushed Paré to take a proactive approach to helping his students. If he noticed a student seemed distressed, he’d speak to them after class and ask if he could help. “And if they didn’t pursue it, fine, but very often they would,” he says. “They knew there was someone in the office who cared for them.” Over the years, Paré has supported many undergraduate and graduate students struggling with various mental illnesses.
With Paré’s guidance, Vivek was able to get the help he needed and, in 2008, he graduated. “François was instrumental in the completion of my undergraduate degree,” says Vivek. “Without him, I would not have graduated.”
Paré was a source of academic inspiration too. He encouraged Vivek to pursue graduate studies and his reading seminar sparked an interest in the Renaissance, which Vivek studied for his master’s degree, under Paré, and doctoral degree, under Professor Guy Poirier. Vivek also completed his bachelor of education from Nipissing University in North Bay. Paré retired early in 2017 and the department held a goodbye luncheon the same month Vivek defended his doctoral thesis. Vivek graduated in spring 2017 and hopes to become a school teacher.
Vivek with his parents, Madhuri and Sri Ramakrishnan, and François Paré on convocation day, June 2017.
In 2012, Vivek’s parents, Madhuri and Sri Ramakrishnan, established the Ramakrishnan Award in honour of the faculty in the Department of French Studies, especially François Paré, for the support and mentorship that was provided for their son. They recommitted to, and boosted, the award last fall. The award, up to $2,000 per year, supports full-time undergraduate or graduate French Studies students struggling with personal or physical challenges or crises while still maintaining a good academic standing.
“Now that it’s been created, every single student who has been awarded has been profoundly touched,” says Paré. “It gives recognition to people who often can’t talk about what they are going through.”
“Not everyone who has personal or physical challenges has someone like François in their corner,” says Vivek. “But we hope that this award will help many students pursue their academic dreams.
“There are no words to thank François and the entire French Studies department.”
Two new alumni-initiated scholarships
We are thrilled to share two new scholarships designed to boost student learning experiences even more - both opportunities created by our generous alumni.
