Student Testimonials

Fiona McGuinty

Class of 2017, BAH Economics

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I chose to come to Acadia University to pursue post-secondary studies in a small and personable institution. I was immediately impressed with the small class sizes, the interactive learning style, and the approachable faculty members. I appreciated the combination of theory and practicality in my classes, and I found the subject matters useful outside of the classroom. My professors pushed me to not only to grasp difficult or challenging concepts, but also to criticize and evaluate the validity of various academic works. Contrary to many of my high school peers who chose to attend large postsecondary institutions, I was able to get to know my professors, classmates, university staff and local residents in Wolfville. Unlike other institutions, professors at Acadia know you by name, rather than a number.

I originally came to Acadia enrolled as a Politics major. In my second year, I took both introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics as per a recommendation from a Politics professor. Shortly after, I enrolled as a double major. I appreciated the intellectual challenge in my economics courses, and found that my professors were skilled at creating links between course material and actual examples of theory in the world. The availability of a variety of economics courses offered at Acadia, both in class and online, was also appealing to me. My degree in Economics opened the door to a variety of external opportunities, such as working as a student for Export Development Canada, where economics students are highly sought after.

The Economics department was flexible and helped me develop a personalized path to completing my degree and completing an Honours thesis. They were also exceptionally helpful in helping me find a topic for my thesis that combined both my majors. The Economics department definitely enhanced my experience at Acadia and encouraged me to learn about important economic issues that I found especially interesting. Furthermore, as a varsity athlete, I often had several scheduling conflicts with my courses. The Department was very helpful in allowing me to devise a schedule in order to support both my academic and athletic endeavors. The Department was extremely efficient and quick in responding to student requests, conflicts and scheduling matters. The Economics Department and its professors are approachable and friendly, and encouraged me to reach out to them whenever I needed.

I am currently working full time for Export Development Canada in its Credit Operations team within the insurance sector. In the fall, I will be completing an MA in International Relations, with a concentration in International Political Economy, at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. I am forever grateful for Acadia and its faculty for helping me with the daunting task of applying for graduate school.