Brandon Taylor
Brandon Taylor graduated with a BA in English. He was drawn to UBCO’s FCCS after spending two years at Okanagan College: “I really ended up in Kelowna as part of happenstance. I had a career in retail management for almost five years before finally deciding to return to academia. When inquiring about night school classes for business, I found that Okanagan College was offering university transfer courses that were applicable across British Columbia. By that September, I was on the path to a Bachelor’s Degree in English.”
Once at UBC, Brandon made use of the resources available to him, which included a number of campus jobs. “UBCO has been incredibly helpful in allowing me to immerse myself in an academic life. While at UBCO, I was lucky enough to work as a Writing Consultant at the Writing and Research Centre, as a Peer Notetaker for the Disability Resource Centre, as a Research Assistant over the summer on a special television research project, and finally as a Research Assistant with the wonderful Nancy Holmes to write these alumni articles.”
Beyond work experience, Brandon also greatly enjoyed the interactions he had with various faculty, staff, and students. “My experience at UBCO has been dotted with personal experiences that I have come to value and treasure. The most important element I have gained in my time here has been working closely with one of the most impressive Faculties I could possibly imagine. I learned about American fiction from Dr. Paul Milton. I learned about television and film studies from Dr. Daniel Keyes. I learned about critical theory from Dr. George Grinnell. I learned about Canadian fiction from Dr. Lisa Grekul. I learned about medieval fiction from Dr. Michael Treschow. These professors are only a fraction of the amazing people peppered throughout the FCCS, which includes the administrative offices where our unsung heroes keep the department running smoothly.”
Brandon will be attending the University of Victoria as a Master’s fellow in September 2015. He noted that “UBCO’s FCCS helped me understand the requirements necessary to go further into academic studies. I will be researching the later works of John Milton. Dr. Margaret Reeves taught a specific course on Milton that I found deeply inspiring and, from that point on, I could not think of doing anything else for my Master’s Degree. Her enthusiasm and intellectual rigor taught me how to really approach academic expectations, which has greatly benefitted me on almost every conceivable level.”
In closing, he stated: “As I have stressed throughout the interview, the crux of my experience at UBCO’s FCCS has hinged on the time I spent with my professors and student colleagues. UBCO’s intimate size means that many professors make themselves available to interact with students. All of my greatest experiences have come from embracing the larger community, which includes both students and professors. There is always room to get involved and immerse yourself in the university experience. UBCO is an amazing place and it is well worth the effort to continue pushing forward, striving for better, and enriching your academic experience.”