"As a smaller university, support is central to the culture of UPEI."
What brought you to UPEI? Why did you choose to study here?
I am from (and currently live in) Cornwall, PEI so for me, studying at UPEI offers a chance to be involved in my community and continue to build on relationships I’ve established professionally and socially. UPEI also offers small class sizes, which means I get access to my professors and attention to my goals while still getting to be a part of a diverse and accomplished student body. On top of getting more direct access to faculty, UPEI is affordable and offers significant student financial aid.
What do you find unique and interesting about the Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture program?
What interests me about ACLC is the way it sets me up to address challenges in the world. Liberal arts education is about leadership, versatility, and building skills that help you influence institutions of different scales, from your workplace to federal governments. A lot of people can be intimidated by the open-ended nature of a liberal arts degree, but it is really about curating your own path to success and fulfilment. ACLC leaves students with lots of room to add electives or minors that complement the skills acquired in their major and create a unique skill set that shapes opportunities rather than conforms to them. The three pillars of ACLC—Communication, Leadership, and Culture—are so important for the modern landscape of work, education, and politics. As our major channels of information sharing become more and more concentrated in a handful of powerful companies, and as modern technology makes disinformation more believable by the hour, having the tools to get important messages across to diverse and expansive demographics, effectively organize individuals, and understand what forces influence culture and behaviours is undeniably important.
What kinds of support have you received during your time here from UPEI students, staff, and UPEI faculty members?
As a smaller university, support is central to the culture of UPEI. It’s regular to have one-on-one check-ins with my professors and for them to show interest and recommend resources for projects outside the scope of their courses. Faculty at UPEI love to see students succeed and are present at celebrations of student success, but most of all, most faculty in the arts are available to dedicate attention to individual students’ needs, foster their skills, and take the time to have discussions that are proactive toward reaching students' goals and making the most out of their course work and time at UPEI. Beyond faculty, the student population is tight-knit, so it’s easy to connect with people through student societies and to take on leadership roles in an environment where students learn from and support each other. I’ve also taken advantage of student services support for physical and mental health, which has always been run with care and kindness and within a timeline that accommodates the fast-moving pace of university.
"Your education is not about categorizing yourself into certain positions in the workforce but instead giving yourself the tools and confidence to make an impact and maintain adaptability as your goals, situation, perspectives, and opportunities evolve. Take advantage of the diverse program offerings at UPEI and curate a path to standing out based on your own curiosity and ambitions."
What opportunities have you experienced because you're studying at UPEI or because of the Island location?
As someone who loves to produce and consume art, living and learning in PEI is an easy sell. At UPEI, I’ve been a valued member of the Multicultural Choir and Vagabond Productions theatre troupe. In my community, I’ve had the chance to work alongside some creatives I really respect, take on a leadership role as an arts educator, have my voice heard in artist communities, and work at Charlottetown’s Confederation Centre of the Arts, one of Canada’s two national art galleries and a national hub for theatre and performance art. Apart from artistic pursuits, the community values of PEI and my status as a UPEI student make it easy to get involved in local government projects like sitting on the citizen events committee in Cornwall and having easy access to my provincial and federal representatives to voice concerns. I’ve also been fortunate to be involved in some rewarding student job opportunities, working as a student mentor to help situate first-year students, and with UPEI’s English Language Centre, helping share island culture and build connections with students from across the globe.
What's unique about UPEI and Prince Edward Island in your experience?
Something that is unique about UPEI and living in PEI is the way the you are never very far from nature. Even in Charlottetown, you’re within walking distance or a short bus ride from parks, wood trails, the local farmers market, or beach access. If you know someone with a car, you’re just a short drive away from some beautiful and tranquil trails while still being within walking distance of everything you need. Beyond being within reach of some of the Island's beautiful and solitary nature, UPEI is located within the provincial capital, meaning there is a lot going on and many publicly sponsored programs all around campus that some smaller university towns might miss out on. Charlottetown has everything from free snowshoe rentals to art house movie theatres to a professional symphony. There is a healthy business community that can support a variety of interests, needs, and diverse cultural cuisines, and it’s fueled largely by student jobs. Some of my favourite unique and student budget-friendly events that happen throughout Charlottetown during the school year are the Thanksgiving weekend block party,” Street Feast”, the Victorian Christmas Market, Snowga and outdoor skating, and eating maple taffy at the farmers market.
What would you tell a student considering UPEI and the ACLC program?
I would tell a student considering UPEI and ACLC to think of their education as a toolkit for your goals, rather than simply career planning. There may not be a job called an “applied communicator” but there is a demand for people’s attention, their passion, and their understanding, which ACLC and other programs in the Faculty of Arts can help you tap into. Both the private and public sectors have messages to communicate, teams and stakeholders to mobilize, and an increasingly complex world to make sense of. Your education is not about categorizing yourself into certain positions in the workforce but instead giving yourself the tools and confidence to make an impact and maintain adaptability as your goals, situation, perspectives, and opportunities evolve. Take advantage of the diverse program offerings at UPEI and curate a path to standing out based on your own curiosity and ambitions. I would tell students considering UPEI that there is a great community of students and enriching opportunities but it’s up to you to seek them out and make it a priority. By getting involved in a club or student society and paying attention to events hosted by the student union or your faculty, your time as a student will be enriched and make a great impression both to fellow students and to faculty. People really notice who is involved and really root for that kind of person.
What are your general plans after graduation?
After graduation, I’m excited to put my skills to work by partnering with local government, non-profits, and other community-minded institutions to develop public outreach and education campaigns and to organize around important goals. It’s also important to me that I continue to get more involved as a citizen, to use my education to advocate for programs and spaces that the community needs and to organize events that help people stay active and connected. For me, education isn’t just about career goals, though they are important; it is also about expanding my capabilities to contribute to my community, be creative, and address new challenges in whichever area of life they occur.
Big futures start here!
Read more about the UPEI students and amazing alumni featured in our 2026–2027 Viewbook!
Interested in UPEI? Contact our student advisement team today at apply@upei.ca.
Meet Kate VanGerven, Director of Tour and International Visits for the Prime Minister of Canada and Bachelor of Arts in English graduate (Class of 2013).
Meet Brennan McDuffee, Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture student (Class of 2025).
Meet Charlize Sahely, accountant with EY's Tax Division and Bachelor of Business Administration alumna (Class of 2024).
Meet Jenna Flowers, baccalauréat en éducation—français langue seconde graduate (Class of 2025).
Meet Kallie Drummond, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Indigenous Studies minor (Class of 2026).
Meet Dr. Aleisha Murnaghan, UPEI alumna (Class of 2002), emergency medicine physician at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and director of medical program development with the UPEI Faculty of Medicine.
Meet Kate Doyle, Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate (Class of 2025).
Samuel graduated in 2024 with a double-major in Mathematics (Honours) and Economics.
Meet Temiloluwa “Rosetta” Shokunbi, UPEI Sustainable Design Engineering student (Class of 2026).
Meet Tsukasa Iwamoto, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student (Class of 2026).
