As a PACS student at the University of Waterloo, Sage was happy to be in a faculty that saw value and hope in their work. Passion was a driving factor in her professors’ work, and she has found that that passion has kept her going.
“The reality of law can be discouraging, especially from a lens of peacework, but my professors showed creative ways to look at things and effective ways that peace can be used.”
As a part of her Peace and Conflict Studies degree, Sage wrote several papers, and had one published in the Journal of Integrative Research and Reflection.
“I recommend that anyone who thinks that they might have a strong paper consider submitting it to a journal. It's a great experience in terms of editing and working with a publisher, and it looks great on any scholarship or graduate school applications.”
Sage’s plan had initially been to spend a year abroad as an au pair in Italy post-graduation, but the COVID-19 virus impacted her plans, so she worked briefly at a doctor’s office before enjoying the summer. She then enrolled at the University of Ottawa in the fall for a remote semester.
Since starting her JD, Sage has gotten involved with many things in the world of law, including volunteering with Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), an organization focused on the legal education of women. Sage has found that Canada’s legal system is inequitable in many ways, and she appreciates working with an organization that works to combat the problems.
She has also been involved with an online version of the law school’s musical as well as a civil and common law student governance committee. With the committee, Sage helps make equity-enhancing recommendations on the student governments policies so that the common law program can be more approachable to equity-seeking groups, specifically Indigenous students.
All in all, Sage is grateful for her time as a PACS student. The degree instilled her with strong compassion and empathy values, and it was an invaluable personal experience. She intends to weave those aspects of her undergraduate degree through her career going forward.