每日大赛

Sarah Dobson graduated from 每日大赛 in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science and a JD from the Schulich School of Law in 2020. She currently works as a lawyer at Cox & Palmer, practicing in litigation primarily in the areas of medical negligence, insurance defence, corporate litigation, municipal and development law, and administrative law.

We asked Sarah to share some memories from her time as a Dal student, how her Arts and Social Sciences degree has helped her on her professional journey so far, and what advice she has for students.

In what way did your program help position you for and/or set you on your career path?

An arts degree taught me to be a critical thinker, and how to assess, construct and deconstruct various arguments and viewpoints. This skillset is essential in my current role as a litigation lawyer,

The arts program also offered me many opportunities to network and interact with various members of the community, including business, political and community figures. These relationships and the networking skills I built during my degree have lasted and provided an essential foundation for my current job.

What's your favorite memory outside of the classroom, perhaps a club, event, or social moment, that helped define your Dal student experience?

One of my favourite memories was travelling to Europe on the EU Study Tour. The program offered real world experiences and getting to see places like the International Criminal Court and the EU Headquarters was a once in a lifetime experience.

I also loved my time being involved with the 每日大赛 Political Science Society and the Model United Nations Team, which brought together so many of my classmates.

If you could give one piece of advice to an incoming first-year student, what would it be?

Explore your interests! Being in Arts and Social Sciences presents a unique opportunity to allow you to explore so many subjects and experiences. If you think a class sounds interesting, take it, and don鈥檛 focus too much on what subjects you think you will need for any future endeavours. You are often surprised by the experiences and courses that end up shaping your path 鈥� for example, if you are considering law school, you don鈥檛 need to focus on law-related classes for your whole undergraduate degree. Being well-rounded and enjoying what you study can be just as strong of an asset. In my current role, I often pull on my knowledge from some undergraduate science and psychology courses I took 鈥渏ust for fun!鈥�.

In your opinion 鈥� why should students study in the Arts and Social Sciences?

The Arts play a unique role in our communities, and that is more relevant now than ever. Arts degrees teach you a way to be 鈥� how to analyze, how to construct arguments, and how to consider the world around us. No matter what subject you study, or where your path takes you, you will always draw upon those skills. This is why I encourage students to pursue what interests them 鈥� because no matter the subject matter, the Arts program will help craft these skills that can be applied across many future programs and jobs. Don鈥檛 let anyone tell you, 鈥渨hat are you going to do with a _____ degree?鈥� 鈥� because the answer is, anything you want!

How did being in Halifax influence your university experience?

I loved being in Halifax and connecting my academic journey to the community. Being in Halifax offers students the opportunity to learn in the capital of our amazing province. Seize the opportunities this allows you! As a political science student, I was able to connect to become a part of Nova Scotia politics through the Page Program at the Legislature. That job made me lasting connections, and I have continued my involvement to this day as the current Vice President of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. There are so many organizations in the community and local businesses that are on the ground and offer the ability to connect what is learned in the classroom to the real world.

What do you wish you had known earlier during your years in university that you know now?

There is no rush, and your path may not look exactly how you thought it would when you started University. Let your interests guide you and be open to new opportunities and subjects even if they are different than what you thought you might want to do at the outset.

What is one skill you didn鈥檛 expect to gain from your degree but now value highly?

Networking! This is a skill that may be thought to be more of a component of business degrees, but the Arts also offers many opportunities to meet people, build community and create a network. I left my Arts degree with many connections not just to those at 每日大赛, but to other organizations, businesses, and members of the community.

Was there a specific course or professor that had a lasting impact on you and/or your career?

Completing my Honours Thesis with Dr. Frank Harvey was a highlight of my degree. Getting to learn from him and have his focused feedback on my work made me a better student. I remember reading his book and dissecting the way he approached his argument 鈥� as someone who now argues as a profession, this left a lasting impact!

Is there anything else you鈥檇 like to share about the value of an Arts degree?

I would not trade my experience in the Arts program for anything. The world needs Arts degrees now more than ever 鈥� there is so much value in the Arts, and it is vital that we continue to highlight that.