Sam Titus: Letter to a Future STUdent

DEAR FUTURE STUDENT,

Congratulations on taking this amazing step and beginning your journey at St. Thomas—you will not regret it! My years at STU were some of the most enjoyable, exciting, and eye-opening of my life.

WHY STU?

My name is Sam Titus and I graduated in 2017, with honours in History, a major in Political Science, and a minor in Philosophy. I’m from Fredericton, NB, and as a hometown kid, STU loomed large when I thought about my future after high school. I come from a three-generation STU family, with both my parents, my stepmother, and my aunt having attended, and my grandparents also having taught at STU for many years.

ACADEMICS

I wanted to study some combination of History, Political Science, and Philosophy and was fortunate to find inspiring professors, captivating content, and incredible support networks. One aspect that drew me to History was the breadth of subjects and the energy the professors brought to their courses. You can’t go wrong in choosing courses or professors, but I must give a special shoutout to two who made a difference in my life, inside and outside of academia: Dr. Janet Mullin and Dr. Karen Robert. Years later, I still remember working on papers for their classes and loving every moment.

GETTING INVOLVED

STU provides many opportunities to meet people and have new experiences. The openness and friendliness of the community is hard to put into words. In my first year, I ran for the Students’ Union and loved it so much I stuck around for three years, eventually serving as a vice president. I was able to meet driven, exciting people—many of whom I still count among my greatest friends. This gave me the opportunity to do tangible work that had positive and widespread impacts on my fellow students.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES

The other major decision that shaped my time at STU was my participation in an international exchange to Turkey. I can look back on it as an honest to goodness life-changing experience, and it would never have been possible without the support from the folks in Student Services, especially Carrie Monteith-Levesque who helped with getting my study visa, securing funding, and providing regular check-ins. I also know she spoke with my parents and was a key resource for them. STU offers so many avenues to pursue international experiences!

AFTER STU

After graduation, I spent a few years working with a non-profit before moving to Ottawa to pursue a master’s degree in Public and International Affairs—a challenge for which I felt fully equipped, thanks to my time at STU. I now work in Canada-US relations at Global Affairs Canada, where I bring up St. Thomas as often and with as many people as I can. Five years and a cross-country move later, I continue to apply the many lessons I learned at STU. It truly provided the foundation for all my future successes. I hope this letter has helped you feel excited about starting your time at STU!

All the best,

Sam Titus