Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Dear Queen’s University Academic Petition Team,

Thank you kindly for taking the time to read this request.
My name is Chiara Di Lorenzo-Graham, throughout the last two years of my degree, I faced dire extenuating circumstances. I was operating with an unaccommodated disability, and a domestic situation that completely deteriorated my ability to be an active member of the Queen’s Community. These circumstances made it impossible to continue my courseloads at the time, and were extremely detrimental to both my mental and physical health. These situations were undoubtedly beyond my control.

The reason for this petition, is that these courses do not reflect my academic ability, they reflect a student that was deeply struggling living in an unhealthy environment, and they reflect a student who should have taken time from school.

I shouldn't have been in school while I was dealing with these domestic circumstances, but I am 100% meant to be in school now. I no longer live in the environment that diminished my ability to live a successful academic life. The reason I am petitioning is because I believe as a student with previous extenuating circumstances, ones that were so severe they dismantled my degree, that I should not bear the punishment of failed courses from a life that was not my own, and a demonstration of abilities that were not my own.

I am at the point where it is completely clear to myself and the people who support me that I should be in school. I have succeeded significantly this summer in working in my academic field. I have the academic capabilities to continue and thrive within my education, and I now live in a completely new environment without the plague of my previous years experience.

There are both Queen’s University members and high-up professionals in my academic English field who would vouch for me and my ability. They would vouch that the F’s on my transcript are not only extremely out of character, they are not a fair representation of myself nor my abilities. Not only has my situation completely changed, my health has completely improved, and my abilities are no longer diminished by the circumstances of the last few years. I am also registered with QSAS for a clear road to success. I have a QSAS advisor.

I am emailing today at the advice of my Department’s Chair, who suggested my case would be an exemplary fit for this kind of accommodations when I first approached them looking for support.

I work with a professional councilor, who has guided me through the ability to come out the other side as myself. Who has guided me to get approved by QSAS for accommodations so I no longer operate with an accommodated disability. I hope you can see the steps I have taken for a clear path to success in the future. I continue to work with my councilor consistently and as mentioned, I now live in an environment where the domestic issues I was facing no longer occur in my life or outside stratosphere.

I ask that you, the petitioning team, please consider heeding this case. I have plenty of documentation to supply proving my circumstances, ones which I would not wish on anyone.

The circumstances were tragic because they did not allow me to live as myself, who is a very strong academic leader. This year is on track to being the most wonderful of my life, and I am so grateful to continue my education at my very best, without the shadows of my previous unaccommodated disability, as those situations are now long dissipated.

I hope you will heed this request, and I hope perhaps we can discuss the elimination of other courses as well in the future. I am currently on track to retake multiple of my failed courses, which I did not list here since I will be retaking them. I am available for you at any time and would love to meet by call or video-chat so you may get a better sense of the person writing this email, looking for the chance to live as the student I am.

Thank you for everything, the time you take to review this request does not go unnoticed.

Thank you, kindly
Chiara Di Lorenzo-Graham