Brock/Lakehead/Windsor Joint PhD

[dancewmoonlight]

Hello!

I wanted to know if anyone has been part of the BLW Joint PhD program in Education. I'm a US student, and the concept of three universities "hosting" a program is completely foreign to me. However, I'm really interested in the research of one of the faculty members at Brock (Vera Woloshyn), and I'd love to work with her. I just don't know what to expect out of a joint program.

TIA

[sugals]

Hey! 
 

I actually created my account to respond here - I got accepted into the program and am currently waiting for approval through Brock w/ Lissa Paul. Did you end up applying?

ETA: I'm also a US student.

Edited February 2, 2021 by sugals

[beeeeeeeeeeeeeets]

@dancewithmoonlight
@sugals I'm curious about this program, as well, because I live in Ontario near Brock. All three campuses have a combined total enrolment of under 50,000, so it's a way to serve students in three different areas of Ontario. Best to both of you, and if you end up living in Niagara let me know and I can point you in the direction of things you might need around here! I'm also from the U.S. but have been living here a few years.

[sugals]

6 hours ago, yayfortacos said:

@dancewithmoonlight
@sugals I'm curious about this program, as well, because I live in Ontario near Brock. All three campuses have a combined total enrolment of under 50,000, so it's a way to serve students in three different areas of Ontario. Best to both of you, and if you end up living in Niagara let me know and I can point you in the direction of things you might need around here! I'm also from the U.S. but have been living here a few years.

Hey @yayfortacos!
Thanks! I got accepted to the program in January and finally got actual acceptance letter and funding package from Brock on Tuesday. Trying to deal with all the student visa and covid junk now, which is stressful because my common-law partner can't come with me unless he gets a job offer. Regardless, I'm excited to attend and to live in the Niagara area. I grew up in Pennsylvania, but live in Florida now, so I'm torn on how I'll enjoy all the snow again. If my partner gets to come with me, he's a native Floridian and will be shocked by snow I'm sure haha

[beeeeeeeeeeeeeets]

On 2/12/2021 at 4:48 PM, sugals said:

Hey @yayfortacos!
Thanks! I got accepted to the program in January and finally got actual acceptance letter and funding package from Brock on Tuesday. Trying to deal with all the student visa and covid junk now, which is stressful because my common-law partner can't come with me unless he gets a job offer. Regardless, I'm excited to attend and to live in the Niagara area. I grew up in Pennsylvania, but live in Florida now, so I'm torn on how I'll enjoy all the snow again. If my partner gets to come with me, he's a native Floridian and will be shocked by snow I'm sure haha

Congrats!!! I love it here - I'm originally from Texas. Good thing about living in Niagara is the benefits of being between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario: warmer winters, cooler summers, and we don't get too much snow. If you live below the Niagara Escarpment, there's another little micro climate. Best to you in figuring out the visa situation with your partner!

[sugals]

17 hours ago, yayfortacos said:

Congrats!!! I love it here - I'm originally from Texas. Good thing about living in Niagara is the benefits of being between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario: warmer winters, cooler summers, and we don't get too much snow. If you live below the Niagara Escarpment, there's another little micro climate. Best to you in figuring out the visa situation with your partner!

Thanks so much! That sounds great, honestly. I also feel like it'll be so cool to go swimming in a lake at some point, since I hate the saltwater/sand/blazing sun here. 

[dancewmoonlight]

As an update, I didn't end up applying. Although I was really interested in Dr. Woloshyn's research, I didn't click with her when we met. Furthermore, I didn't like the idea of taking all online classes for my PhD and not really having a cohort.

[sugals]

On 2/26/2021 at 5:08 PM, dancewmoonlight said:

As an update, I didn't end up applying. Although I was really interested in Dr. Woloshyn's research, I didn't click with her when we met. Furthermore, I didn't like the idea of taking all online classes for my PhD and not really having a cohort.

Thanks for the follow up @dancewmoonlight! It sucks that the program wasn't a good fit for you, but honestly better you found out before applying/attending! I clicked well with my supervisor, Dr. Lissa Paul, and have had multiple good interactions w/ her over email since. I did my MLIS online while working full time at my university in Florida, and though I would have loved more synchronous discussions, it was pretty flexible and helped with the work/grad school/life balance. I think the courses in this program are half and half online?? and at this point I don't care too much about the cohort - but in like a year I'll probably have a very different outlook on it all hahah