Scot Morison, ’80 Bsc(Spec), didn’t set out to become a writer. When he originally enrolled in university, Morison had his eye on a future in science — zoology to be precise. But in his last year he decided, almost on a whim, to apply for a creative writing class taught by Rudy Wiebe, ’56 BA, ’60 MA, ’09 DLitt(Honorary).
That choice set Morison on a different course, one that made writing central to his life and career.
Life is like that, though, isn’t it. How many of us can draw a straight line from where we started to where we are? The University of Alberta Career Centre calls this the “planned happenstance” approach. Plan to take advantage of the unexpected or unpredictable opportunities in your life by putting yourself out there beforehand. Try new things, meet new people early in life and you are better prepared to make the right choices later.
The fall issue of New Trail introduces you to a number of alumni whose winding paths brought them to (sometimes) unexpected and (often) fulfilling places. In fact, you can try on a few different paths for yourself as we present a UAlberta-inspired Choose Your Own Adventure book. It’s just like the books you devoured in your youth, complete with risks, rewards and the occasional surprise ending.
We hope you have fun with this issue and that it prompts you to reflect on your own adventure to this point — maybe even inspire you to push yourself into the path of oncoming happenstance and see what happens.
Lisa Cook — Associate Director of Communications, Office of Advancement Communications
Lisa is the Associate Director of Communications with the Office of Advancement Communications. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of New Trail, Cornerstone and Thought Box publications, and uses this as an excuse to subscribe to every publication she can get her hands on. The collection of magazines building up in her cubicle recently reached Cask of Amontillado proportions.