Posted: July 5, 2024
I graduated from Dalhousie in 2018 with a BA in sociology and social anthropology (SOSA) and a minor in international development studies. My time at Dal was nothing short of enriching and transformative. The skills I obtained from my degree have been instrumental in my career in many ways; not to mention the life-long friends I made during my Dal days.
Since graduating from Dal, I have built a career working in post-secondary: I’ve worked at Mount Royal University, Algonquin College, University of Calgary and most recently in my current role at SAIT [Southern Alberta Institute of Technology]. I had the wonderful opportunity to work as a peer supporter at the Dal International Centre. If it wasn’t for this experience during my undergrad, I don’t think I would have embarked on a career path working in post-secondary. I have held many roles including international student advisor, program manager, and my current job as the team lead, international student advising at SAIT.
My degree from Dal prepared me well for my career. One of the introductory SOSA courses taught me about the sociological imagination, which I think about quite frequently in my job working with international students, especially when it comes to the barriers international students face including housing, language, culture shock, and much more. What I’ve relished the most about the SOSA department is how encouraging the professors were. They always encouraged me to critically think, to explore new ideas, and to think from diverse perspectives. I also remember the professors being warm, welcoming, and invested in my success – professors were always willing to answer my questions and even if I couldn’t see them during office hours, they were easy to reach via email. As a SOSA major, there is a lot of writing involved throughout the entirety of the degree. I credit my degree with giving me the writing skills I need to be successful in my job. As a team lead, I write to various stakeholders within my team and also across the institution, so I must be clear and concise in my written communication.
In 2018, Qi Chen was the winner of the Halifax Overseas Club Essay Prize competition. She's pictured here with Dr. Jure Gantar (Acting Dean in 2018) at the FASS Essay Competition winners reception.
One piece of advice I would give to anyone starting out or landing their first job after university is to be curious and agile. If it wasn’t for the Dal International Centre, I would not be where I’m at today. I never thought it was possible to build a career working in post-secondary until after working as a peer supporter. Sometimes you might have an idea of the type of career(s) you would like to pursue; but once you enter the workforce, be open to change and to pivoting in a different direction. Once you get into the workforce, it is so important that you get yourself a mentor – someone you respect and admire and would like to be in the next 5-10 years. My mentors have provided me wisdom in navigating difficulties in work situations and have broadened my perspective. Lastly, I would say that failure is a must. It took me more than nine rejections before landing my first international student advisor job, but I never lost sight of the career I wanted to pursue. It was difficult facing all those rejections and perceived failure, but I never questioned myself, it wasn’t a matter of ‘I’ll never land my dream job’, it was a matter of ‘when.’ Pursuing my SOSA degree at Dal was one of the best decisions I’ve made and looking back, I will always have such fond memories.