The Chicago School’s Alumni Ambassador program is a universitywide initiative to strengthen alumni engagement, support prospective students, and foster professional connections across Canada. Three volunteer ambassadors were chosen after a competitive search, and all are committed to sharing their experiences with current and prospective international students and offers insight about study in the United States.
Goldi Gill, Ph.D., is assistant deputy minister with the Government of Alberta in the Health Workforce Division that oversees the compensation, regulation, strategy and health workforce development as well as strategy around the existing health workforce in Alberta. With a $7 billion budget, the division supports healthcare professionals and their organizations across the province.
Sandra Dennis, Ph.D., is leading expert on the use of peacekeeping forces in the Global South. She has received a research grant from the American Psychological Association (APA), has presented her findings in more than 20 countries on six continents and has published four of the five chapters of her dissertation as academic papers, with the fifth to be published soon.
Clinical psychologist Wolf Steger, Psy.D., always knew he wanted to prioritize practice over research and would like to see more opportunities for clinical training in his home country. Steger is the clinical lead at the Operational Stress Injury Services clinic in Toronto, which is a national network of clinics that exclusively serve active-duty Canadian military, Canadian veterans, and officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
What The Chicago School Offers for International Students
Each of The Chicago School ambassadors had specific parameters in what they were looking for in a graduate program and clear ideas about what they planned to study. After completing an MBA degree in Canada Dr. Gill was looking for Ph.D. program in business to gain a better understanding of how people work and think in workplaces. She found that the professors at The Chicago School understood working professionals and the coursework was manageable for someone who was organized in their time management. “That’s why I chose The Chicago School,” she says. “All in all, it was really a great fit.”
Having received two degrees from Canadian colleges, Dr. Dennis was looking for a new perspective and
says she experienced greater diversity in the student population than she had in her Canadian courses. “I appreciate how that broadened my perspective on the world, on research and study, and so much more,” she says. “It was an excellent experience for me.”
Dr. Steger knew when he entered graduate school that he wanted to practice in clinical settings and therefore was convinced the Psy.D. degree the right degree for his goals. Because Canada has a limited number of Psy.D. programs—something that Dr. Steger is passionate about changing—he decided his best avenue was studying in the United States. “My main concern was that when I did apply for residency back in Canada that I would be a competitive applicant, and that absolutely was the case,” he says.
How The Chicago School Supports Students Through Their Educational Journey
Dr. Gill credits her thesis adviser, Julie Benish, Ph.D., for guiding her through the process. Additionally, says that the other professors provided her with examples of theses or publications that were relevant to her work and were always looking to connect her with current or formers student who could provide insight into her work. “Normally, in a Ph.D. program, you feel alone because the program is focused on the person and their dissertation. But I found that getting to connect with people in person was very helpful.”
Dr. Dennis says that the faculty at The Chicago School helped her “in a million different ways,” from critiquing her writing to providing her the structure to do her work with integrity. “I’m very proud of the work that I’ve done, but I feel like we did together.”
Dr. Steger says the easiest way to express the level of support he received at The Chicago School is “I’m doing the exact work and I’m in the exact career right now that I always wanted to.” He has assumed leadership positions very early on in career, success he sees as partly the product of his training, his education, and his networking opportunities. “There’s no better proof than what I’m doing currently,” he says.
How The Chicago School Supports International Students
Having worked full time throughout her education, Dr. Gill was looking for a program that was accommodating of working professionals, which was difficult to find in Canada. “That was one of the areas that really drove my decision,” she says, as well as the availability of the professors to speak with potential students.
“I can’t thank the professor enough for all the work they did, including encouraging me to apply for the research grant through the American Psychology Association and to help me get permissions to do my research in the United States,” Dr. Dennis says. “As you can imagine, I’m Canadian, I’m in an American university, and getting permissions in place to do my research with a foreign military. It was a lot.”
Dr. Steger was also impressed with how the staff at The Chicago School helped him navigate the visa process, which he says can change not just year by year but sometimes month to month. “I was studying at The Chicago School when COVID-19 happened,” he recalls. “To navigate the travel restrictions, it was important to have all my documentation. When there were questions, The Chicago School did a really good job of answering and being proactive.”
What Ambassadors Can Offer International Students
Having successfully navigated the rigors of completing degree programs at The Chicago School as international students, the university’s first alumni ambassadors are looking to illuminate the pathway for those who follow in their footsteps.
“I would say that it seems like a long road and sometimes the light in the tunnel isn’t shining, but one step at a time and just really ensure that you have a good set schedule and know that others have been in those shoes and understand,” Dr. Gill says. “Put yourself out there. If you have questions, don’t be shy to ask. Make friends.”
Dr. Dennis says she is eager to share the very positive experience she had while pursuing her degree. “Ph.D. can be a long and lonely journey,” she says, “but I found no difficulty being able to contact and get responses or collaborating with professors there. Just being open, available, and willing to seek help opened so many avenues for me and for people who were willing to do that.”
Dr. Steger is grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community. “As someone who lived in Chicago for six years, went through the program, and is now practicing in Canada, I will be able to help individuals navigate questions about practicum experiences, courses, crossing the border on a visa, going back to residency, and then being a fully licensed clinical psychologist,” he says. “I’ll be able to speak to that.”