"I’m learning things in law school about alternative dispute methods that I already knew coming into this degree, so I can go even deeper with the content. I can ask more questions because I have that foundational knowledge"
- says Kenny Hildebrand. Having graduated from Peace and Conflict Studies in 2016, Kenny has since been studying at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.
Upon finishing his PACS degree, Kenny was completely unsure of what field he was interested in. His solution? Apply to all of them! Kenny looked at various fields: from law school to medical school to a Masters of divinity, and to social work.
"The cool thing about graduating from PACS was that no matter which field I ended up in, I was going to bring something invaluable to that profession."
Kenny has since been living out this reality at Osgoode, gaining experience in different areas within the legal field. Within this degree, Kenny has had the opportunity to build even further on what he learned in PACS by specializing in a Mediation Intensive program offered by Osgoode. This program allows students to learn and practice the theory of mediation, gaining the skills needed to mediate conflicts, meaning that Kenny can take his PACS education to the next level. For Kenny, two days a week are spent working as a community mediator, doing conflict resolution training and coaching within the court system.
"Because I come from a PACS background my initial ideas about conflict solutions were mediation, not litigation. I knew about mediation because of PACS. I knew very little about the litigation process going into Osgoode. The values of mediation are the ones I bring with me wherever I go. I focus on maintaining the relationships people have and protecting people’s dignity."
When asked about how PACS equipped him for studying law and going into higher education, Kenny was quick to proclaim his PACS education as a valuable asset.
"The reality is that PACS is so versatile. If you want to start a business, a PACS degree is going to change how you define success in the business world. If you want to do nursing, PACS will make you better at managing interpersonal stressors and see how underlying social issues impact health. PACS doesn't just equip you for a job: it equips you to be a better person. You will become the type of person others will want to hire and work with."
Kenny believes that the soft skills he learned in PACS are equally as important as the hard skills he gained, including research, writing, processes of mediation, and how to negotiate.
"PACS is an education path that infiltrates all aspects of your path. It shapes you into a better person, informing how you can better interact with people and the world around you."