Petition Letter
Dear Dr. Jenn Stephenson,
I am formally petitioning for your considerate review of the decision regarding the credit standing for English (ENGL 100) and Economics (ECON 110).
I am currently in my second year of studies, and although my request may seem belated, I only recently became aware of the Petitioning process. It was during a meeting with a Queen’s Academic Advisor earlier this week that I learned about this resource.
The circumstances beyond my control that have significantly impacted my performance in the two courses are intricately linked to my family's financial, behavioral, and immigration-related situations, all interconnected.
My dad and I arrived in Canada in 2015, and at that time, my family was unfamiliar with how Canadian institutions functioned. I had no prior knowledge of the English language, and, for the most part, there was uncertainty about whether I should pursue skill trades or opt for (what was perceived as a seemingly impractical) social science degree. I lacked awareness of how to excel in schoolwork, and my family appeared to be clueless about the overall value of a degree.
My dad’s ongoing struggle with mental disorders and inability to secure employment, from June of last year to and now, continued to exert significant pressure on me. Despite making significant investments in multiple degrees, including pursuing a Master of Laws at institutions like York University and UofT, with the goal of becoming a legal professional in Canada, my dad has unfortunately not achieved the desired results and continues to look for jobs. As a result, he remains unemployed, yet he was able to start his own practice last year. This situation sparked a conflict with his divorced wife and my biological mom on the grounds of financial involvement in my education, following the completion of his final degree in June of 2022. Elena Zaprudski (my mom) was already undergoing her own crisis. She faced societal challenges upon relocating from Russia to the United States in summer of 2019. From that point on, she began to rebuild her life in a new country, starting what she perceived as ‘from the bottom.’ She worked at Marshalls during my first year of studies and before, has faced significant financial and language challenges, yet luckily was able to secure a job in the accounting department within government in Naples, Florida in the beginning of November, easing up the nervous situation.
I was determined to carry on with ENGL-100 and ECON-110, influenced by personal pride that discouraged me from ever seeking consideration. Additionally, I lacked the knowledge on the procedure to drop the courses and found myself confused about the reasons for wanting to drop them in the first place. I didn’t have a reliable resource to guide this decision, my family was of no help, and my familiarity with a pre-pandemic high school system, where courses were straightforward, made me hesitant to withdraw. In the case of ECON, I hadn’t taken it in high school, and my past experience of effortlessly getting through high school created a false sense of confidence. I attempted to progress in both courses, but my family’s mentioned situation exerted pressure and my father’s attachment issues triggered by hopelessness with job search led me to go to Toronto more often than I expected. At the same, during my family’s challenging situation, it was difficult to make friends given my different background than people around me. As an immigrant, I was still adjusting to the culture and assimilation process, which left me feeling disoriented and without a clear sense of direction. While I held onto personal pride, my motivation was gone. Simultaneously, the people in my residence contributed to a distorted perception of reality by casually saying, “as long as you pass,” – this turned out to be misleading.
I am currently on a path to success having finished my Fall 2023 term with the GPA of 3.52. Last summer, I took extra courses to give my studies more purpose and improve my GPA. I have developed a strong interest in political science and history, as well as the outside resources in the face of student-run clubs, such as Amnesty International and QMP, demonstrating my ability to focus on my studies and seeking any available resources, despite family challenges that have eased over time. Adjusting my study patterns, getting job over summer for the sake of a small (yet an existent) safety-net, I am working towards success in my chosen field. Although the language barrier in lectures and tutorials persists, practice and ‘diving into’ into the difficulties have been my allies. I am determined to making progress academically. Currently, I have opted for a slightly lighter course load to ease the pressure.
I hope my petition can be fulfilled.
Thank you,
Ilya
I am formally petitioning for your considerate review of the decision regarding the credit standing for English (ENGL 100) and Economics (ECON 110).
I am currently in my second year of studies, and although my request may seem belated, I only recently became aware of the Petitioning process. It was during a meeting with a Queen’s Academic Advisor earlier this week that I learned about this resource.
The circumstances beyond my control that have significantly impacted my performance in the two courses are intricately linked to my family's financial, behavioral, and immigration-related situations, all interconnected.
My dad and I arrived in Canada in 2015, and at that time, my family was unfamiliar with how Canadian institutions functioned. I had no prior knowledge of the English language, and, for the most part, there was uncertainty about whether I should pursue skill trades or opt for (what was perceived as a seemingly impractical) social science degree. I lacked awareness of how to excel in schoolwork, and my family appeared to be clueless about the overall value of a degree.
My dad’s ongoing struggle with mental disorders and inability to secure employment, from June of last year to and now, continued to exert significant pressure on me. Despite making significant investments in multiple degrees, including pursuing a Master of Laws at institutions like York University and UofT, with the goal of becoming a legal professional in Canada, my dad has unfortunately not achieved the desired results and continues to look for jobs. As a result, he remains unemployed, yet he was able to start his own practice last year. This situation sparked a conflict with his divorced wife and my biological mom on the grounds of financial involvement in my education, following the completion of his final degree in June of 2022. Elena Zaprudski (my mom) was already undergoing her own crisis. She faced societal challenges upon relocating from Russia to the United States in summer of 2019. From that point on, she began to rebuild her life in a new country, starting what she perceived as ‘from the bottom.’ She worked at Marshalls during my first year of studies and before, has faced significant financial and language challenges, yet luckily was able to secure a job in the accounting department within government in Naples, Florida in the beginning of November, easing up the nervous situation.
I was determined to carry on with ENGL-100 and ECON-110, influenced by personal pride that discouraged me from ever seeking consideration. Additionally, I lacked the knowledge on the procedure to drop the courses and found myself confused about the reasons for wanting to drop them in the first place. I didn’t have a reliable resource to guide this decision, my family was of no help, and my familiarity with a pre-pandemic high school system, where courses were straightforward, made me hesitant to withdraw. In the case of ECON, I hadn’t taken it in high school, and my past experience of effortlessly getting through high school created a false sense of confidence. I attempted to progress in both courses, but my family’s mentioned situation exerted pressure and my father’s attachment issues triggered by hopelessness with job search led me to go to Toronto more often than I expected. At the same, during my family’s challenging situation, it was difficult to make friends given my different background than people around me. As an immigrant, I was still adjusting to the culture and assimilation process, which left me feeling disoriented and without a clear sense of direction. While I held onto personal pride, my motivation was gone. Simultaneously, the people in my residence contributed to a distorted perception of reality by casually saying, “as long as you pass,” – this turned out to be misleading.
I am currently on a path to success having finished my Fall 2023 term with the GPA of 3.52. Last summer, I took extra courses to give my studies more purpose and improve my GPA. I have developed a strong interest in political science and history, as well as the outside resources in the face of student-run clubs, such as Amnesty International and QMP, demonstrating my ability to focus on my studies and seeking any available resources, despite family challenges that have eased over time. Adjusting my study patterns, getting job over summer for the sake of a small (yet an existent) safety-net, I am working towards success in my chosen field. Although the language barrier in lectures and tutorials persists, practice and ‘diving into’ into the difficulties have been my allies. I am determined to making progress academically. Currently, I have opted for a slightly lighter course load to ease the pressure.
I hope my petition can be fulfilled.
Thank you,
Ilya