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Microbiologist turned writer rises to challenge
June 6, 2006
With two university-aged kids to look out for, Lynne Graham's own career change was the least of her worries.
A skilled microbiologist who had worked as a potter since arriving in Canada, the Maple Ridge mom was actually looking for a college course for her daughter when she came across an ad for the Print Futures: Professional Writing Program at Douglas College.
"I really needed a change," said Graham, an expert in the microbiology of yeast whose research has assisted the brewing industry. "I thought if I took this program, I could go back into the microbiology field as a technical writer.
"But the Print Futures program opened the door to so many other possibilities."
Graham entered the program in 2003 and was immediately struck by the camaraderie among her fellow students.
"I made so many friends. I had tremendous support from both the faculty and my classmates. It's a challenging program, but we all worked together to get through it. You discover that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Graham was soon working with her classmates to design websites and conducting research projects which had nothing to do with microorganisms. But her scientific mind and her attention to detail helped her thrive.
"Lynne is the best kind of perfectionist," said Print Futures instructor Diana Wegner. "An outstanding performer and a tenacious learner in Print Futures, she is also consistently humble.
"She is a sparkling student, and a natural-born academic. She understands the sub-atomic world of language, both the anatomy and the architecture."
Born in England and raised in South Africa, Graham excelled at every task given her and earned a scholarship from the Editor's Association of Canada. She's currently building her career through freelance and contract work.
On June 6, Graham not only graduated with a diploma, she also addressed the crowd as valedictorian. She was taken completely by surprise when she was told she was to be a valedictorian.
"I was totally blown away. There was stunned silence on my end of the phone."
But typical of Graham, she rose to the occasion.
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