McMasterAlumni

When the master plan falls apart, the world can feel quite small. But as Celine Ling quickly discovered, if you take some time to rethink the plan, new opportunities will present themselves. For her, that involved working in the medical device industry, becoming an entrepreneur, starting a renowned food vlog, and moving to Singapore.

Even though Khaled (’14) always loved tinkering with computers, he never thought a career in software engineering would require him to think about people and their needs as much as he does. As a senior product manager for Amazon Web Services, he’s found a lot of joy in balancing the digital with the human.

When legislative changes meant that Dan Banko (’96) lost easy access to raw materials for his final arts thesis, which focused on sculpting with welded materials, he had to think fast and switch his focus. Since then, he has developed an approach to photography and storytelling that pairs his classical training with marketing to help elevate any brand.

Heading into university with a clear idea of what you want your future career to look like can lead to some amazing opportunities. But if you’re willing to follow your heart, you may find yourself taking on roles that never felt possible. In this week’s episode of Unconventional, Maria (‘14) tells the story about how her dream to be a psychotherapist didn’t always include being an entrepreneur – a...

Since graduating in 2007, Ryan has found his groove selling bespoke timepieces, developing marketing strategy for clients, and cultivating supportive spaces for new business ventures. Yes, he’s busy; and yes, it is (seemingly) a far cry from his political science/theatre and film degree. But, as Ryan outlines in this week’s episode of Unconventional, it’s all led to the experience and skills neede...

Gabriel ’17 is determined live a life of adventure. Since graduating, he’s tended bar in Germany, backpacked through India, and ran a 400-kiometre multi-marathon in Tajikistan. Armed with an anthropology degree, a lot of grit, and a joy for trying new things Gabe has followed a career journey that would be a thrilling documentary (but he’s already been there, done that). In this week’s episode of...

For Kirsten, graduating high school without a master plan caused a lot of stress. But when she followed a journey of what seemed interesting to her, she discovered a world full of possibilities she never considered. Now she adds a creative edge to her communications degree as an interior designer, specializing in both residential and commercial spaces.

Devin chose to go to McMaster because it was close to his home in Toronto but had a very community-based feel to it. But after a difficult first-year experience, Devin had to re-think how he approached university life. The result is a lifelong career journey that would see him travel the world and discover entirely unexpected opportunities he never thought possible.

Parm ’17, started his educational journey thinking he would find his dream career in computer science, but nothing in the program seemed to click for him. It wasn’t until he started working that he discovered the possibilities of a career in PR and communications. After graduating with a Masters in Communication Management from Mac, Parm launched a career that would bring him insurmountable joy.

For Sandra (’18), starting a nursing career at McMaster was the beginning of a long educational career that would see her refine her journey bit-by-bit. Now, armed with a BEd from York University and a certificate in Health Informatics from the University of Windsor, Sandra has found a way to cultivate a career that balances a joy for nursing practice, a passion for teaching, and dedication to pro...

Alvin, ’09, knows there is value in understanding yourself, but it took him a lot of work to get to this point. It’s a process he started while he was still a student at Mac and was looking to face his social anxiety head on. While trying a wide variety of classes at the athletics centre, Alvin stumbled into salsa dancing where he learned more than just some fancy footwork. Since then, he has fost...

When he moved from Eastern Canada to Ontario to attend McMaster, Andrew Edwards (BEng, ’07) thought that’s where he would build his career. But a needed move home saw him staying longer than planned and put him on the path of working in marine technology. Now he’s a senior engineer for a company leading the pack on sustainable seabed mining.

For Peter, the master plan was to help change the world. But after graduating with a combined honours in political science and classics, figuring out how to change the world felt a bit vague. After landing a life changing career opportunity with the Salvation Army, Peter and wife found a passion for helping people all around the world. Now, as Executive Director at BethanyKids International, he’s...

Frank Scremin is the Chief Executive Officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners New York and was part of the team involved with the overhaul of the infamous Terminal B at one of America’s busiest airports while it was still in operation. Join us to hear more about this Mac grad’s journey to the Big Apple; transforming LaGuardia into a gateway befitting New York; and taking full advantage of opportuniti...

When Alexander graduated, he landed himself in a series of random jobs – from a chocolatier to a one-day stint as a knight at Medieval Times. At the time, his goal was simple: keep his options open and experiment with jobs until something fit. Now, he’s circling back to his English degrees and is a Contributing Editor at the Literary Review of Canada and working on a PhD at Western University.

Natasha found that being a Life Sciences student allowed her to learn about the things that sparked joy for her but gave her the latitude to not have a full career plan as she worked through her classes. It wasn’t until she started volunteering at a local animal shelter that she found her true calling – now, she’s the proud owner of Fresh Perspective Dog Training and Behaviour in Calgary.

Maggie’s younger self was convinced she wanted to be a doctor – it was the ‘family business,’ so-to-speak. But after a panic attack drove her to take some time off school, it dawned on her that medicine was not the future she actually wanted. Now, after years of working in the hospitality industry, she’s found a great balance between her passions and her education in biotech.

As a student, Sarah loved working towards her chemical engineering degree. But when she graduated, she quickly learned that what she loved about it wasn’t exactly what the job market was offering. Not willing to give up, she used the extra downtime during pandemic to refocus and develop new skills that would allow her to pivot into a totally new industry. Now, she’s thriving in the world of AI.

While she may have been headed towards a career in the sciences, Amanda’s career journey has taken her through many twists and turns. She’s an In Game Host for the Toronto Marlies, has been a presenter on the Weather Network, and still dreams of being a morning show host at some point in her career. Listen to her incredible story in this first episode of the fifth season of McMaster Alumni’s Podca...

When Sammy graduated with a BSc. In biology, he knew he didn’t want to go into science. But after working a year in the insurance industry, he still wasn’t happy. So he packed up and moved to Ireland, without a job or a place to live. Turns out, it was the best decision he could have ever made.

While her parents wanted her to become a doctor, Navneet quickly realized it wasn’t the field for her. But she still wasn’t too sure what it was that she wanted to do. It wasn’t until she took a communications class in her undergrad that she found the career path that let her combine her interests and skills.

When starting his undergrad at Carleton University, Charnjot was on the path to becoming a lawyer. But after taking a communications course as an elective, everything changed. Getting his MA at McMaster was the step needed to solidify a journey towards a completely rewarding career.

Fatima Babakura is the creative director and Founder of Timabee Inc.,a premium women’s accessories brand. Fatima started Timabee at the age of 19 and it has since grown to become a global brand with customers all over the world. Fatima holds an Honors Commerce Degree from McMaster and she is an award-winning entrepreneur who has been listed in Forbes Africa 30 under 30 Class of 2022 edition. Join...

Sometimes joining the circus is an option worth pursuing. At least, that’s what Christa Wilson (’06) did after earning her Engineering Physics and Society degree. Combining her skills as a competitive figure skater with a love of performing, Christa is now an accomplished acrobat and aerial artist, performing for audiences around the world.

While his dissertation examined the history of black bear hunting and management, Mike’s career journey looks a little different. Listen to Mike’s unique story about changing lanes and learning to balancing a job he loves – Director of Applied Research & Innovation at Cambrian College – and his passion for hockey as a writer and author of Hockey 365 and the soon to be released follow-up, Leafs 365...