Grandmother wins national essay competition

Catherine O’Rourke gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘life-long learner.’

She has four children and three grandchildren. Her latest claim to fame is winning a national essay competition.

“I was surprised and excited when I found out I won,” said O’Rourke, a fourth-year Liberal Studies student at Vancouver Island University. “In my essay, I emphasized that a liberal education is tolerant, democratic and progressive, not elitist or narrow.”

O’Rourke won a $500 McGraw-Hill essay prize for her paper entitled “Ladder to the Gods”, which discussed the nature and value of a Liberal Studies education.

The McGraw-Hill Power of Words competition received 50 high quality essays from students across the country. Four composition professors judged the contest by evaluating each essay’s structure, writing style, clarity, grammatical correctness, use of documentation and support.

Other winning entries in various categories came from students at Ryerson University, University of Windsor, Mohawk College, Trinity Western University, Brock University, Camosun College and George Brown College.

O’Rourke returned to VIU as a mature student in 2007 after raising a family and working. “I was a runaway kid who left school at an early age,” she said. “I worked for a few years, but wanted a different challenge. Later, I upgraded my education and finished a Social Service Diploma at Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek in 1994.

“I always said I’d go back to school again. Now, four children and three grandchildren later, I have an opportunity to complete a degree relatively close to home thanks to the Liberal Studies program offered at VIU. It’s been a wonderful experience, both challenging and rewarding. I wish I had started sooner.”

According to O’Rourke, it’s never too late to go back to school.  “Don’t think about it – just do it,” she said. “You never know what you are capable of until you are challenged. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. You might have to be a bit selfish with your time, and learn to say ‘no’ once in a while, but you will never regret it.”

O’Rourke said the Liberal Studies program exposes students to books representing many different views and ways of seeing the world. She’s reading everything from the dialogues of Plato to graphic novels to the speeches of Winston Churchill.

“I like the way the program challenges your mind, from art to astronomy and from poetry to physics. It’s like mental gymnastics,” she said. “The seminar format helps me learn to present ideas and listen to others. I would definitely recommend this program. William Butler Yeats said that ‘education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.’ Liberal Studies definitely kindles the flame.”
 
Now that the flame has been lit, O’Rourke plans to keep on learning. She sees herself completing a Master’s degree and continuing to write.

Last year, she participated in the Liberal Studies Study Abroad program to Florence, Italy where she spent a month immersed in the life, culture and birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

“The architecture is amazing,” said O’Rourke. “The rhythm of life there inspired me to write. You don't really realize how much you have learned until you are on the flight back.”

VIU faculty member Janice Porteous nominated O’Rourke for the essay competition.  “Catherine is a thoughtful, remarkably bright student, who has interesting thoughts to contribute to our Liberal Studies seminars,” said Porteous. “Her essays are always insightful and beautifully written. I’m extremely pleased she has received this special recognition.”

VIU began offering a Bachelor of Arts major in Liberal Studies in 1991. Chair John Black said the program is unique because students are active learners.

“Most classes are participatory seminars in which students develop and express their own ideas in response to challenging and revolutionary works from a range of disciplines,” he said.

A Liberal Studies degree aims at the education of the whole person, enhancing cultural understanding and a myriad of crucial skills in oral and written communication, creative and critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership and teamwork, Black added.

“For these reasons, our graduates have had success in a wide variety of careers, including academia, law, architecture, teaching, communications, creative art, social advocacy, public administration and business.”

To find out more about VIU’s Liberal Studies program, visit the department website at www.viu.ca/liberalstudies.