Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: My name is Michela Montgomery, I am in my 2nd year at Queen's and am making an academic appeal to the faculty of Arts and Science, due to the extenuating circumstances I endured in my first year.
In November 2014, I made an appointment at HCDS because my depression and anxiety were becoming unbearable, though I did not know at the time that was what I was dealing with. I had several appointments with Dr. Susan Sharma, who began a treatment plan and recommended seeing a counsellor on site. Shortly after, both Dr. Sharma and my counsellor went on leave, so I was left feeling discouraged, as I had begun to feel hopeful about making a timely recovery. My depression was at its worst during the month of December, and did not lighten even over the Christmas holidays ¿¿ I spent Christmas Eve crying in my bed, for no apparent reason, much to my family¿¿s frustration. Upon returning back to school in January, I began seeing Dr. Joan Lacoursiere, who gave me a Verification of Illness, which is still on file with HCDS and the faculty of Arts and Science. In the second semester, my condition worsened, and I had a much harder time keeping up with my school work. My attendance plummeted, as for days on end I could not bring myself to get out of bed. Finally, approaching exam time, my closest friends at Queen¿¿s called my parents quite concerned about my current state. My parents took turns making trips up to Kingston early in the mornings just to get me out of bed and either to my exams, or to the library to study. Upon moving back home to Peterborough in May 2015 for the summer, I stayed in bed for an entire week, and my mother compared my state to that of a comatose person. I could not return to work, much less visit with friends for weeks after coming home. When I finally started to come around after what was the lowest point I have ever reached, I saw my nurse practitioner, Sara Crough, and less often my family doctor Darryl Sokolon. Over the past nine months, my doctors have adjusted my medication and dosages. I am currently on 20mg Teva-Escitalopram, once a day.
Fortunately, I am doing much better now and have made a full medical recovery, through the help of counselling, medication and lifestyle changes. I, along with my close friends and family, have noticed a great improvement in my mental state, as of late June/July. Since returning to school this year, I have set myself up with an academic advisor, whom I meet/speak with regularly, and have been in constant contact with all of my professors. However, due to the circumstances that left me bedridden and ill for most of my first year, I was placed on academic probation and failed first year Calculus.
I want to submit an academic appeal because I am absolutely certain that if it were not for my poor health and struggle with depression, I would have excelled in my first year. I graduated high school at the top of my class, was the Student Trustee for my school board, captain of sports teams, and involved in countless extracurricular activities. I am one of the most driven, hardworking and dedicated person I know ¿¿ never did I think that I would struggle as I did. My doctor was amazed that I was able to do as much of my school work as I did, during that time, as her homework for me in between visits was to do at least one thing each day - whether that be attend one class, or go to the cafeteria for one meal. My parents, friends and I all know that it wasn¿¿t the course load, pressure, or academic challenge that my school work presented which made me succumb to such illness. I truly believe that if I was in good health, I would have excelled in all of my first year courses, but instead I struggled every day just get by. My first year at Queen¿¿s was not at all a representation of my academic ability, and I believe that if I am going to make a full recovery and move forward, I need to resolve my current academic standing. It has been my life-long goal to attend medical school and become a pediatric surgeon, and I cannot help but worry that my first year is going to affect my ability to get into medical school. I am so grateful to be back at Queen's for another year, and am so fortunate to have been able to finally found the help and resources that I needed, before it was too late. Thank-you for listening, and I ask that you look compassionately upon me and help me resolve my academic situation.