Michael Currie looks back on his time at Mount Allison
2010-03-11 14:13:04
As spring starts to show its first signs, it will soon be the finale of another year at Mount Allison. This also marks the end of a brilliant university career for Michael Currie (’10). A native of Charlottetown, PEI, Currie will be graduating in May with a B.Sc Honours in Psychology.
One of the universities most decorated students, Currie is the recipient of a Bell Scholarship, the universities most prestigious award, as well as a Loran Award from the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation, a National Millenium Scholarship, CIBC Young Miracle Maker Award for Community Involvement, and was the first PEI resident to receive a Young Humanitarian Award from the Red Cross.
Five years ago he chose Mount Allison over McGill. And he’s glad he did.
“It was more of a match for my needs. It’s a small town, where I could get a quality education, along with the opportunity to get involved in extracurriculars and also get valuable research opportunities.”
And he has gotten involved in a big way.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here and the people. The biggest thing is you just need to challenge yourself in other ways besides academics. There are lots of things you can do to push your boundaries and try different things.”
Currie spends his Saturdays volunteering with an organization in nearby Amherst, Nova Scotia called S.M.I.L.E (Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience), where he works one on one with a ‘buddy’ with special needs. Leaving his ‘buddy’ of four years, he says, will be a heartbreaking experience for the both of them.
Following one of his high school passions, his biggest involvement in campus life has been with the Students’ Administrative Council (SAC). He served as a residence councilor for Campbell House, Campbell House executive, off- campus representative, and finally an extended term as President. He says that the SAC office in the Student Centre is one of his favorite places on campus — the other is the Swan Pond in the summer.
“Being here the last two summers, it has been a great place to go and have lunch or just hang out with friends. It’s definitely one of the best places on campus for me.”
Thinking back over his time here, he recalls two of his most memorable moments were winning ‘Ascars’ - prestigious Oscar-like awards presented by the SAC. He was part of a team that organized the ‘Cancun Campbell’ house party, which won ‘Party of the Year’ and a ‘Moustache and Aviators’ party that raised money for a local charity and won ‘Off-Campus Party of the Year.”
He also credits being awarded a Summer Research Grant to begin his honours thesis last year as one of his most valuable undergraduate experiences. Working under the guidance of Dr. Louise Wasylkiw, his research topic is “The Animal House Era: How university themed films affect student views of university life.”
And what will he miss most?
“Seeing people on campus on a regular basis and always having that constant connection with others. Something else I think I take for granted are the close relationships I have with the faculty and administration of the university. That just doesn’t happen at bigger schools,” he says.
After graduation, Currie will work with his Member of Parliament in PEI for the summer, before spending a year as a Legislative Assistant in Ottawa. He eventually plans on writing his LSATS and pursuing law school.
“I’m really excited to use the experiences and skills I’ve learned at Mount Allison in a real world manner,” he says.