ALUMNI BIO – Madeleine Laforest

This entry is a part of our alumni biography series, which profiles graduates of the Media Studies program at the University of Guelph-Humber. For more information about Alumni Services, please visit https://www.guelphhumber.ca/alumni

Name: Madeleine Laforest

Guelph-Humber program: Media Studies – Digital Communications

Year of graduation: 2013

Current occupation: Marketing & Publicity Coordinator, Scholastic Canada

Favourite Guelph-Humber course: Subcultures and the Media

What did you like most about Guelph-Humber?:

I liked how close-knit the Guelph-Humber community was. From professors to classmates, you ended up knowing almost everyone by name, which made for a great learning environment for discourse, relationship building and creative collaboration.

How did Guelph-Humber help you prepare for life after school?:

The modern workplace has changed; seldom are jobs strictly clear-cut anymore. Guelph-Humber’s unique mixture of theoretical and practical hands-on learning made me a multi-faceted and adaptable employee that can thrive in this workplace culture. My career trajectory that led to my current position at Scholastic Canada is testament to this adaptability.

You can read more about my career journey post-graduation here: https://tinyurl.com/ljeyzas

What is your advice for future and recent graduates?:

One thing I really needed to hear when I first graduated was the reminder to take a breath and not worry if things didn’t go perfectly as planned. Instead of putting pressure on yourself to land your dream position right after graduation, take pleasure in the journey of getting there. This means putting yourself out there, accepting when rejection comes your way, and not being afraid to take a more convoluted path to get where you want to. Remember, everything worthwhile takes time. And in the meantime? Never stop pursuing your own creative projects.

Favourite Guelph-Humber memory:

In my final year at Guelph-Humber, I was co-head of the Digital Communications videography team for the 2013 Emerge conference, in charge of creating the sizzler reel for the event. Not only was it an amazing experience getting to collaborate one last time between all the sectors of the Media Studies stream, but that moment the video played in front of a full audience filled me with immense joy and pride. What I saw on the screen reflected back at me were the faces of my fellow classmates of four years, caught on screen mid-action, doing what we did best.