The FSS Portraits project compiles the journeys of our alumni community since their graduation from our programs. These portraits have three main objectives:
Accompany those considering our programs in their decision and integration into our community.
To inspire all students to explore what their careers might look like.
Encourage exchange within the alumni community.
Many thanks to our alumni who submitted their career paths since graduation.
In the Spotlight
Andrew Heffernan
Part-time professor and part-time operations manager for a federal riding association
Part-time professor and part-time operations manager for a federal riding association
First job after graduation
Part-time professor
Undergraduate Degree
Joint Honours BSocSc in History and Political Science
Honours BSocSc International Development University of Ottawa
Graduate Degree
Masters public and international affairs
PhD political studies
University of Ottawa
Favourite memory of your uOttawa university experience
Competing on the varsity track team
Participation in student government, Clubs or Sports
Varsity cross country and track teams. I was the varsity athlete committee representative and president of the GSPIA Student Executive Council.
Tip for our current students or young alumni
Get involved! There are so many great opportunities on campus that can be much more than an academic or educational experience but also a broader building process that could and should be enjoyable!
Fellow alumni, reach out to me on LinkedIn if you would like to chat
Area of interest
Environment, International Development, Policy / Politics
Carine Stewart
Senior Advisor, Student Engagement and Employability, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Senior Advisor, Student Engagement and Employability, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
First job after graduation
Incoming Exchange Students Coordinator, University of Ottawa
Undergraduate Degree
Honours B.A. in Psychology University of Ottawa
Graduate Degree
Master of Adult and Community Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapy
Victoria University of Wellington (NZ)
Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design (NZ)
Favourite memory of your uOttawa university experience
I enjoyed the connections with the city and made the most of the university's location in the Capital City. I also went on an exchange program to the University of Technology in Sydney. This experience and the connections I made have continued to serve me throughout my career. I also loved my courses in Psychology, and remember my lecturers fondly, including Claude Lamontagne and his course on Perception. I worked at UO for eight years after I graduated, and got to experience the university from a different perspective, and even represent the university on a student recruitment trip to China in 2008.
Participation in student government, Clubs or Sports
I was part of a group who organised the student government elections. I also organised the Parlement Jeunesse Régional de l'Outaouais (parliamentary simulation) with some of my fellow UO students for two years while I was studying.
Tip for our current students or young alumni
Make the most of the university's connections by taking up opportunities which expand your studies beyond the classroom. These experiences greatly enhanced my options once I completed my studies and paved the way for my career. I'm still reaping the benefits to this day, more than 20 years later!
Fellow alumni, reach out to me on LinkedIn if you would like to chat
Area of interest
Artist, Education, Francophony, International Career Experience, Mental Health, Psychology
Marc-André Daoust
Associate Director, Co-op Program, University of Ottawa
Director and neuropsychologist at Neurosolution Clinic
First job after graduation
Banking and finance after bachelors, neuropsychologist after doctorate degree
Undergraduate Degree
Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology University of Ottawa
Graduate Degree
Clinical Doctorate in Psychology - Neuropsychology specialization
University of Quebec in Montreal
Favourite memory of your uOttawa university experience
Those delicious fries on campus at the Bac à Frites, the calm evening strolls through campus while heading home after studying at the library, and cheering for Daniel Alfredsson & the Sens with classmates despite being a Habs fan!
Participation in student government, Clubs or Sports
Unfortunately not
Tip for our current students or young alumni
University is an all-important step into adulthood. This is where you'll form fond memories of who you'll become. This is where you'll build important social bonds with friends, colleagues or other professionals with whom paths may cross years from now. This is where you'll also see your career path finally start to materialize. But remember this: this is where you might realize that your study program or that your job just isn't for you, but it's also where you'll understand that life goals can be altered and that it's wonderful to have the option to reinvent yourself in a new university program.
Fellow alumni, reach out to me on LinkedIn if you would like to chat
Area of interest
Entrepreneur / Entrepreuneurship, Small Business, Psychology
