In 2004, Kathleen Conroy walked across the Centennial College convocation stage to collect her Ontario College Diploma. It was the first step in a journey that took Conroy from Centennial to an undergraduate degree, a Master’s degree, and back to the College as a professor in the program where she got her start. While Conroy’s career route exemplifies the importance of access programming at Centennial, she’s focused on helping Liberal Arts program students to carve out their own pathways to success.
“Looking back, I think this full circle moment happened as it was supposed to,” says Conroy, who graduated from what today is the Liberal Arts offering with a plan to teach middle school. “Sometimes, when the path isn’t what we think it will be, it still leads to a really good place. That’s what I remind my students because some of them are unsure of what they want to do next or are intimidated by the idea of transferring into university. Everyone’s path doesn’t look the same, but we can still get to where we want to go.”
Creating Pathways to University and Careers
Centennial’s General Arts and Liberal Arts programs, for which Conroy is also the coordinator, are designed as foundational access offerings. The General Arts certificate program is for those who have completed their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and mature students (with or without their OSSD) who wish to pursue their post-secondary education. Through the offering, learners can discover their academic career path; apply directly to college and university; and transfer to other college programs. A Liberal Arts diploma, meanwhile, gives students the option to further their education by transferring credits to several Ontario universities.
“We have students who have a whole range of experiences in terms of educational backgrounds,” says Conroy. “Some have completed degrees in other countries and others haven’t completed their secondary school education. I support them in filling in some of the gaps. I want them to feel as prepared as anyone else.”
The Impact of a Personal Connection
Much like some of her students, Conroy entered the program uncertain of her career trajectory. As a mature student who wasn’t afforded an understanding of post-secondary education, Conroy first applied to social work and other related undertakings. However, she soon learned she was using the wrong application and was advised to take the pathway offering. She thought she’d use the Centennial program as a stepping-stone to the social work area of study. However, when one of her professors asked Conroy about her future plans, the conversation led to thoughtful advice: stay in the program for two years, use it as a pathway to university, and go into teaching.
“She always used to say to me, ‘One day, you’re going to have my job,’” says Conroy of the professor. “I guess she saw something in me. I hope I have the same type of understanding and compassion for my students. Some of my students are from communities that don’t have a lot of resources and support. Pathways like Liberal Arts and General Arts provide access to post-secondary education so people can get good jobs, take care of their families, contribute to their communities. No matter what your background is, these programs allow you to see yourself in these spaces and see these spaces as belonging to you too.”