Kathryne Fontaine

MA '13

Kathryne Fontaine always considered literature to be applied history. “Studying French is like opening a window to a never ending landscape of knowledge.“ As a French-Canadian pursuing her Master's degree in French literature outside of Quebec, she particularly appreciated Dalhousie University’s French Department for its small size, which allowed close contact with faculty and opportunities for all students to explore their full potential.

Après avoir obtenu un baccalauréat en Études françaises au Collège militaire royal du Canada ('06), Kathryne a participé à un déploiement opérationnel en Afghanistan, puis un autre en République démocratique du Congo, en tant que membre des Forces canadiennes. Elle a entrepris le programme de Master de français d'un an à Dalhousie University ('13) alors qu'elle continuait de servir en tant que membre de la force de réserve. Elle vise maintenant à obtenir un doctorat en littérature française de l'université de Toronto.

Pursuing her studies along with a career in the military, Kathryne recognizes every day how much she owes to her language degrees. She feels that being able to express oneself properly and accurately is too often underrated, but undeniably a key for success. “The richness of the French language actually teaches you to think with a wider lens, as if the words are only waiting for you to align them in the right order to empower your message." That skill is an impetus, no matter what line of work you are in.