Marc Scott
Marc Scott will proudly walk across the stage today to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Policy Studies.
Although Scott is officially graduating Nov. 5, he completed his coursework requirements some time ago and is currently enrolled at the University of Alberta in the Faculty of Law.
Scott plans to remain in Edmonton until completing his Bachelor of Laws degree, then return to Calgary to find employment with a local law firm.
His dedication to his studies and enthusiasm for bettering himself helped Scott earn a unique opportunity last year as the first-ever intern in Mount Royal's Institute for Nonprofit Studies' Student Research Internship Program.
"I figured that it would be beneficial to learn these skills as research is a major component of law school and the profession of law as well," Scott says.
The program was created with the intent of providing a sustained research and practical learning experience for students in their final academic year. Peter Elson, senior research associate, Institute for Nonprofit Studies, says Scott had an ideal tool set for the internship.
"He was hard working, inquisitive and demonstrated excellent writing skill. The contribution of the research internship was helping Marc to view research not as a student, but as a researcher," says Elson.
And Elson noticed a marked improvement in Scott's work during his time as an intern.
"Over the course of the internship he became more disciplined in his analysis of reports and research articles and became attuned to the importance of research ethics and protocols.
"This discipline, rather than dampening his enthusiasm, helped him to focus and produce, in my view, an excellent research report, which is not only a credit to Marc, but also a meaningful contribution to the nonprofit sector in Alberta."
Scott says the support he received as a Mount Royal student helped him get to law school.
"Mount Royal definitely prepared me for what I am doing today," Scott says.
"I found that as I got to develop stronger relationships with my professors, I was really encouraged to excel. Rather than being treated as yet another cog in the wheel, the smaller class sizes at Mount Royal really encouraged participation and facilitated learning.
"Additionally, from the relationships with my professors and colleagues, I developed strong confidence in my own abilities."
- Fred Cheney