茄子直播

#UofTGrad16: Rhodes Scholar James Flynn

鈥淭here are so many places I want to see鈥

Newfoundland and Oxford might seem far removed in some respects, but the hop from St. John鈥檚 International Airport to Heathrow in London is only five hours.

Nevertheless, James Flynn, 22, who is one of three 2016 Rhodes Scholars from the University of Toronto, expects to be travelling more often to European destinations than to his home province when he has a few days off. 

鈥淭here are so many places I want to see,鈥 the Trinity College double major in economics and political science said recently in the Arbor Room.

Flynn will graduate with a BA in June and spend two years at the University of Oxford. He is just one of 13,500 茄子直播 students expected to cross the stage at Convocation Hall to receive their degrees during ceremonies that run from May 31 until June 16. Some are already working; some, like Flynn and fellow 茄子直播 Rhodes Scholars Kaleem Hawa and Jessica Phillips, will be pursuing further studies. Over the next few weeks, 茄子直播 News will be telling their stories.

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Flynn plans to study philosophy, politics and economics at Pembroke, an Oxford college founded in 1624 by James I and associated with Samuel Johnson and J.R.R. Tolkien (among writers) and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n (among active political figures).

鈥淚t鈥檚 Oxford鈥檚 classic degree,鈥 Flynn says of the Oxford BA, which, according to the dictates of a centuries-old tradition, transforms into a MA (Oxon.) after seven years.

鈥淚t offers the tutorial experience that Oxford is well known for. And it gives you time to explore a lot of topics. Master鈥檚 degrees are more focused.鈥

Variety comes naturally to Flynn. 鈥淛ames is extremely insightful and a very interdisciplinary scholar,鈥 says Shari Eli, an assistant professor of economics. 鈥淚t is clear that he has a very bright academic future.鈥

Lynette Ong, an associate professor of political science who is cross-appointed to the Munk School of Global Affairs, admires his determination to make a contribution to the real world: 鈥淥nce he had found a social issue he's passionate about, he's amazingly devoted, driven and resourceful.鈥

The plan after Oxford is law school 鈥 back at his alma mater. Flynn has deferred an offer of admission by 茄子直播 Law.

Writing submissions should not be a problem. Flynn served as news editor and managing online editor of The Varsity, an experience that enhanced his writing skills even if it lent a journalistic tone to some of his academic essays.

Flynn is proud of having taught himself to prefer the active to the passive voice: 鈥淭hat is something that I never would have thought of before I worked at The Varsity.鈥&苍产蝉辫;

He is also capable of teaching others, according to former Varsity editor-in-chief Danielle Klein: 鈥淛ames was a generous mentor who helped his writers develop their talents, and a skilled editor who curated his section with great care.鈥

The Varsity also provided a community outside the classroom. Finding a club or activity is one of Flynn's prime recommendations for a successful undergraduate career.

鈥溓炎又辈 is obviously a big school,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t can be hard to find your place. On the flip side, there are so many opportunities, so many clubs and groups. There is something for everyone.

鈥淢ake sure you get involved. Yes, you are spending time on things that are not academic. But somehow it helps you manage your academic time.鈥

Another aid is a wall-size calendar that lets you put the near and distant future in perspective.

鈥淭hey sell them at the book store,鈥 Flynn says of these calendars. 鈥淲rite out every day in the semester that you have a task, that you have an essay due.

鈥淭hat way you can visualize when you are going to be busy and know when to start. Big-picture planning is probably the biggest thing that helped me.鈥

More advice: Don鈥檛 put off the small stuff. 鈥淒o things as you get them. Especially the small tasks: grocery shopping, laundry. I find that making sure I do the small tasks as soon as possible really helps.鈥

Finally, take advantage of courses with a high cool factor that are not necessarily related to your major. In his final year Flynn took a course with no obvious connection to political science or economics: The Beatles. 

鈥淚t was a great course,鈥 he said of MUS 321 with Professor James Kippen. 鈥淥ne of the best I鈥檝e had.鈥

Flynn mentions Eli, Ong, Donald Kingsbury and Kanta Murali among professors who helped him succeed. Two other people who need to be mentioned are Wanda Parsons and James Flynn, his mother and father, both physicians.

鈥淚 am incredibly grateful to my mom and dad for their guidance and support over the years,鈥 Flynn said. 鈥淭hey have worked so hard to give me opportunities to succeed.鈥

Flynn will spend part of his summer at home in Newfoundland as a volunteer at SHAD, a program that helps high school students find their focus. He is an alumnus of this program himself.

鈥淎 combination of camp councillor and mentor鈥 is how he describes his role.

Then Flynn returns to Toronto to join his fellow Rhodes Scholars on their way to Oxford.

鈥淎ll the Canadian scholars fly as a group,鈥 he explained. No short cut available.

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