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Jubilee Medal for Social Sciences
Grant
By Robie Liscomb
A keen interest in science and a desire to help others have propelled honours psychology grad Erin Grant to the top of her class, earning her the 2009 Jubilee Medal in Social Sciences.
Born and raised in Brentwood Bay, Grant rose through the ranks to become a national level gymnast before retiring from competition after being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in high school.
Academic success was not a foregone conclusion for her. “I found my first couple years at UVic quite challenging,” she says. “But the university was very supportive and was willing to accommodate my disability. Also my family, especially my parents and husband, have provided me with incredible support.”
Grant also won several scholarships during her undergraduate career. “These scholarships paid for my tuition, allowing me to focus on my studies and certainly contributing to my ability to maintain a high academic standard,” she explains.
At university, Grant wanted to choose a field that gave her the opportunity, in her words, “to make a direct and positive impact on the lives of others. I chose psychology because I thought it would allow me to combine my appreciation of the scientific process with my interest in working directly with others to make a positive contribution to their lives.”
A highlight of her experience at UVic has been the opportunity to work closely with her professors. “I was given many opportunities to work one-on-one with researchers to learn more about their field of study and receive individualized attention through independent study courses and during my honours thesis. This has not only deepened my understanding of and respect for different areas in psychology, but also allowed me to mature as a student and individual.”
But her university years have not been all study. She enjoyed a one-year sabbatical from university to sail with her family to California, Mexico and Hawaii. Also during her time at UVic Grant volunteered at the Vancouver Island Sexual Health Clinic, the NEED Crisis and Information Line and Operation Trackshoes, a sports festival on campus for people with mental disabilities.
Grant will begin medical school at McMaster University in the fall. “Whichever area of medicine I choose to practice,” she says, “I know my education at UVic and in psychology will greatly contribute to my ability to be a better physician.”
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