UPEI student takes part in exchange
Morgan King among scholars who studied abroad through Killam Fellowship
A UPEI student is among the young scholars taking part in a student exchange with Clemson University.
In the fall, Clemson University fostered two Canadian scholars, seniors Morgan King of the University of Prince Edward Island and Gillian Grant of Acadia University.
King, a biology major with a chemistry minor, plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health and continue in medical school. He believes his experience at Clemson has allowed him to focus on a more defined career path because of the university’s diverse set of courses.
Another career-shaping aspect of this program was King’s interaction with individuals who have experienced different social norms than residents in Canada.
“The differences in health care between Canada and the United States are pronounced, and I have had many interesting conversations with individuals here,” said King.
“While the goal of medicine is to treat the patient, there are overarching societal issues that play a role in the prevention of disease.”
Grant used the opportunity to expand knowledge beyond her normal course studies. A business accounting major with a minor in art, she chose to take such special Clemson courses as history of country music, history of religion in the U.S. and landscape architecture.
Upon returning to Canada, Grant plans to get her master’s in professional accounting.
To complete the exchange, two students from Clemson University’s college of agriculture, forestry and life sciences will spend the spring semester studying in Canada. Anna Scott will study at the University of Calgary and Savannah Petrone will study at Queens University.
The Killam Fellowships Program is administered by Fulbright Canada. Michael Hawes, chief executive officer for the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States, said the program is “a celebration of extraordinary individuals and their accomplishments.” Students in the program spend either one semester or a full academic year as an exchange student in Canada.
“These students come from all walks of life, and they study and conduct research in all areas — from poetry to physics,” Hawes said. “They come from every ethnic and social group, they speak many different languages, and they hail from every corner of our two countries. What they have in common is a commitment to make the world a better place, to contribute in a meaningful way to the public policy debate and to engage with their local communities, and a desire to deepen our understanding of both the physical and the social world.”
King said about his time at Clemson, “This experience has provided me with a network of incredible individuals from all over the world, defined a path for my future, and given me second home.”