Petition Letter
Dear Associate Dean of Studies,
I am appealing to return to studies after the requirement to withdraw from Queens for a minimum of three years has lapsed.
I was admitted to the Queens Life Sciences program as an honour student in 2002 with high hopes and great potential. That was quickly taken from me as my health began to degrade in a downward trajectory upon my first year and completely overturned my academic career. Being young and optimistic I persevered through first and second year on low energy and functionality, completing a few core courses. However my academic performance was a poor reflection of my true capabilities. I returned for a third year without a firm grasp on the severity of my condition and the appropriate medical resources in Kingston. This forced me to spend a large portion of the semester in Toronto, preventing me from being present for much of the academic year and inevitably, I was unable to complete my courses. Knowing now, I would have left at that point to devote myself to treatment and healing, but received conflicting advice and recommendations from doctors. Along with my own naivety and strong desire to achieve my academic goals, I returned for several years after to try and complete my degree. By 2009 it was clear, I had to leave it behind and return to Toronto to give full attention towards restoring my health. I am left with an unfortunate transcript of incomplete and failed courses that directly correlate to the degradation of my health over the years. I have been unable to show any real work or accomplishment that truly honours my intellectual strength, work ethic, and reflects the enthusiastic student I had been. Now as the years have passed, I have never lost sight of my original goals and desire to complete an undergraduate degree. It has been a long journey of recovery, sadness, hope, introspection, and focused perseverance. I sought medical treatment here and abroad and continue to be supported by a professional team for regular check-ups and close monitoring. I really fought to get to a place of stable health and it has taken a long period of time to regain full physical strength, ensure full confidence to reengage, and now dedicate my time to academic goals. Health and the human body has always been my passion since entering the Life Sciences program. Now with my own struggles that were then exacerbated by inefficiencies and challenges within, what I think is a poorly structured healthcare system; health care is my unequivocal endeavour. I am looking to achieve the best educational background and knowledge base to focus my passion into affirmative action and make a positive contribution to the field of health and disease.
I am appealing to return to studies after the requirement to withdraw from Queens for a minimum of three years has lapsed.
I was admitted to the Queens Life Sciences program as an honour student in 2002 with high hopes and great potential. That was quickly taken from me as my health began to degrade in a downward trajectory upon my first year and completely overturned my academic career. Being young and optimistic I persevered through first and second year on low energy and functionality, completing a few core courses. However my academic performance was a poor reflection of my true capabilities. I returned for a third year without a firm grasp on the severity of my condition and the appropriate medical resources in Kingston. This forced me to spend a large portion of the semester in Toronto, preventing me from being present for much of the academic year and inevitably, I was unable to complete my courses. Knowing now, I would have left at that point to devote myself to treatment and healing, but received conflicting advice and recommendations from doctors. Along with my own naivety and strong desire to achieve my academic goals, I returned for several years after to try and complete my degree. By 2009 it was clear, I had to leave it behind and return to Toronto to give full attention towards restoring my health. I am left with an unfortunate transcript of incomplete and failed courses that directly correlate to the degradation of my health over the years. I have been unable to show any real work or accomplishment that truly honours my intellectual strength, work ethic, and reflects the enthusiastic student I had been. Now as the years have passed, I have never lost sight of my original goals and desire to complete an undergraduate degree. It has been a long journey of recovery, sadness, hope, introspection, and focused perseverance. I sought medical treatment here and abroad and continue to be supported by a professional team for regular check-ups and close monitoring. I really fought to get to a place of stable health and it has taken a long period of time to regain full physical strength, ensure full confidence to reengage, and now dedicate my time to academic goals. Health and the human body has always been my passion since entering the Life Sciences program. Now with my own struggles that were then exacerbated by inefficiencies and challenges within, what I think is a poorly structured healthcare system; health care is my unequivocal endeavour. I am looking to achieve the best educational background and knowledge base to focus my passion into affirmative action and make a positive contribution to the field of health and disease.