By Elizabeth Kane
On Nov. 9, Carleton University will celebrate more than 1,200 students as they receive their degrees at fall convocation
During the one-day ceremony, families and friends will cheer on their graduating students in-person at the Fieldhouse or via the event live stream.
Below are the stories of four inspiring Ravens, reflecting on their academic journeys at Carleton.
Riley Rogers
Riley Rogers, Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering
Riley Rogers’ passion for planetary robotics took root during his studies in Aerospace Engineering at Carleton.
In 2021, he turned that passion into action, becoming the president of the Carleton Planetary Robotics Team. While pandemic restrictions and an international co-op term limited his ability to directly manage the project, by 2023, Rogers was fully dedicated.
“I was in the lab all day, every day, for an entire school year,” he recalls. “I did more work on the robot than I did for school.”
Under his leadership, the team grew and saw success – facing off in competitions against other rovers and achieving notable wins.
“At an international competition we placed second in Canada,” says Rogers.
“This year, we have over 100 members, so the team’s size has just exploded.”
Rogers also gained valuable experience through co-op placements at Provectus Robotics Solutions in Ottawa and Tesla in California.
“The Tesla opportunity came about because of a professor’s recommendation,” he says. “I was an electronics design engineer intern and primarily worked on the Cybertruck.”
Now, with his classes behind him, Rogers is continuing with his passion for rovers by working for Mission Control.
Reflecting on his time on campus, Rogers says he was initially drawn to Carleton because of its community focus.
“It’s a fun campus and it felt very homey,” he says, noting the value of the friendships he established throughout his undergrad.
“The level of passion that students at Carleton have made it really easy for me to keep working and feel like I was a part of something bigger.”
Fatma and Ozgur Turker
Fatma and Ozgur Turker, Master of Social Work
After moving their family from Türkiye to Canada and completing undergraduate studies that built on their previous degrees, married couple Fatma and Ozgur Turker embarked on the next step of their academic journeys. Fatma, driven by a passion for mental health, and Ozgur, drawn to social policy, found their shared path in Carleton’s Master of Social Work program.
Both note that their program peers were a significant influence on their education.
“The diversity of experiences and perspectives that our peers brought to the classroom was invaluable,” says Ozgur. “Their insights challenged and expanded my own understanding of the world and structural social work – making my education a truly transformative experience.”
Fatma echoes this sentiment: “Our friends all had different experiences and brought their perspectives to the classroom.
“Likewise, my time as a teaching assistant for bachelor of social work courses and learning alongside undergraduate students has shown me that there is always more to learn from others—a crucial lesson in social work that highlights the importance of centering a diversity of voices.”
During her second year in the program, Fatma was recognized with the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) Outstanding Student Award and presented at the association’s conference in Montreal with Prof. Brenda Morris.
Ozgur decided to pivot from social policy to focus on direct practice after realizing the valuable insight it offers, as well as the important role this experience plays to inform policies.
“I wanted to take the theoretical understanding of social issues I gained in sociology and apply it in a more practical, hands-on way,” says Ozgur.
“Carleton’s program, with its focus on structural social work, was especially appealing as it aligns with my commitment to addressing social problems at both individual and systemic levels.”
After completing their degrees, both Fatma and Ozgur secured positions at The Royal Mental Health Centre – Fatma in the forensic rehabilitation unit and Ozgur in the outpatient program.
Studying together not only strengthened their education but also deepened their partnership.
“We learned from each other and supported one another when we hit some bumps along the way,” she says.
While balancing school and life as mature students had its challenges, there are benefits for the whole family – including their son, who was 11 when they began their studies at Carleton.
“I think we have been good role models for him,” Fatma says. “Because he has always seen us studying.”
Ty Hall
Ty Hall, PhD in Cultural Mediations
Ty Hall faced significant challenges as he healed from a brain injury following a car accident in 2003, requiring him to re-learn physical coordination and undergo speech therapy. While in the process of recovering, Hall began a career as a musician, touring and recording music.
By 2013, he was ready for a change. At the encouragement of his psychologist who believed an education program would help aid his recovery; he enrolled in Carleton’s music program.
“I knew I wanted to stay with music as I felt it was important for continuing healing,” says Hall. “I made what is considered a fairly miraculous recovery from the extent of the brain injury that I had.”
While he has real-world experience in the music industry, the academic arena was new for Hall.
“I never had any real formal training,” says Hall. “I was interested in Carleton because they had the unique singer-songwriter program.”
The first few years at Carleton presented a steep learning curve for the mature student, but he persevered.
“I was able to keep my brain engaged and really figure out the mechanics of what I was doing as a musician. Until that point, a lot of my work was playing by ear.”
Following his bachelor degree, he continued on to complete his masters and is now set to graduate with a PhD in Cultural Mediations from Carleton’s Institute for Comparative Studies in Literature, Art and Culture. His doctoral research on the history of hip hop in Ottawa led to a collaboration with the Ottawa Art Gallery, where he contributed to an exhibit and helped create a comic book based on interviews with key figures in the local scene.
During his time at Carleton, Hall presented his work at conferences across North America.
“At the conferences, I had a lot of positive experiences and reception to my work which gave me a bit more confidence to come back and complete my PhD.”
Looking ahead, Hall plans to continue to teach, perform and record music.
Restarting his educational journey was a major transition but it has been well worth the effort.
“The one thing you’ll never regret is going to school,” he says. “It’s a sound decision to make at any stage.”
Melissa Graham
Melissa Graham, Master of Accounting
Melissa Graham had built an established career in non-profit fundraising for organizations in Toronto and Ottawa. Her journey eventually led her to Carleton where she played a key role in raising funds for the Sprott School of Business.
While she enjoyed her career, she found herself considering a change.
“I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do for the next 20 or 25 years,” she says.
“I had reached a point that a lot of people work up to in fundraising.”
Her work with Sprott connected her with accounting alumni, offering insight into the diverse career paths available in the field.
“That’s when it clicked,” she says. “I realized that I was actually interested in accounting because it focused on problem solving and is very involved with the strategy of an organization.”
With her new direction determined, Graham set out to earn her CPA, obtaining the necessary credentials to make the transition. Despite having left her staff role, she returned to Carleton as a part-time student in the Master of Accounting program, which allowed her to continue working full-time.
Her familiarity with Carleton was a key factor in her decision to enroll.
“I knew it was an amazing program and that the professors were fantastic,” she says.
“By becoming a student, I was able to enjoy the benefits of projects that were starting up when I was an employee.”
After writing her CPA exam, she now awaits her results in December. She plans to continue her work in the non-profit sector, leveraging the skills she’s acquired to grow in her role as a financial manager.
For anyone considering a career change, Graham has simple advice:
“If you’re 10 or 15 years in and you think you want to do something else, why not look at what’s going to make you happy?
“It’s definitely worth the investment to get there.”
Tuesday, November 5, 2024 in Convocation, Convocation 2024, Grad Stories
Share: Twitter, Facebook
