Lee Hannigan
Lee Hannigan graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and English. In an interview, when asked about what drew him to UBCO initially, he stated: “I think that what brought me there is less important than what kept me there, and what keeps me coming back: the faculty. I think the most successful students are the ones who seize opportunities, who make themselves part of the academic community by offering their voice to any number of conversations taking place inside and outside the classroom.”
UBCO’s FCCS faculty is comprised of a wide array of scholars from all manner of backgrounds, providing a world-class education to their students. As Lee mentions, “UBCO’s FCCS is a loud department, and the voices sounding inside and outside of its classrooms are creating waves in faraway places. I have contributed to a few of these conversations, but only because I was given the opportunity as an undergraduate to have a voice in exchanges that are more often than not reserved for graduate students and faculty members.”
While on campus, Lee made ample use of the resources found at UBCO, which included a Research Assistant position: “In the final year of my undergrad, Dr. Karis Shearer invited me to be a part of a conversation having to do with poetry sound recording. That conversation led to an RAship, and I spent the summer of 2013 in an air-conditioned university sound studio, digitizing and transcribing a diverse collection of reel-to-reel tapes—a serious upgrade from stocking shelves in a paint store.”
Additionally, Lee worked with Dr. Shearer on a project that included an opportunity for academic publication. “A few months later I co-authored a paper with Dr. Shearer for the ‘Louisville Conference on Literature and Culture since 1900,’ where I met Dr. Jason Camlot, a professor at Concordia University and my current MA supervisor.”
Lee’s time at UBCO ultimately provided him with a wealth of opportunities, including a trip across Canada: “I traveled to Montréal to give a conference paper at the “Approaching the Poetry Series” conference at Concordia University (another opportunity that wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. Shearer’s mentorship and FCCS support). However, in order to do so, I needed money. Lucky for me, UBCO’s Tuum Est Student Initiative Fund supports undergraduate students interested in attending conferences.”
The wide array of personal, academic, and professional experiences equipped Lee for the reality of the world around him. “My double major from UBCO helped prepare me for the world by giving me an opportunity to speak and to listen, to imagine and create.” Lee notes, “All of this is to say that the mentorship I received at UBCO—the conversations I was asked to be a part of—have everything to do with my development both as a scholar and, more importantly, as someone trying to make sense of being in the world.”
This story was written by Brandon Taylor, English major in FCCS. Brandon is a Research Assistant in FCCS, contacting alumni to find out about their experiences here at UBCO.