A family-friendly university
When it came to deciding where to go after high school, Rebecca McIsaac couldn’t imagine studying anywhere else but the University of New Brunswick.
UNB offered her more than just great learning opportunities close to home. UNB had something no other university in Canada had – her four other siblings studying there at the same time.
Rebecca joined her siblings at university in the fall.
Colin, 23, Kelly, 22, Kim, 21 and Scott, 19 have enjoyed their time at university so far, getting involved in everything from social aspects to intramurals to working on campus.
Rebecca, who is 18 years old and just graduated from Leo Hayes High School, says she’s excited to follow in their footsteps.
“I’m looking forward to a change, a challenge,” says the incoming business student. “And meeting great people.”
A close-knit family
All five of the McIsaacs’ agree they can’t imagine having been separated for their post-secondary education. They’re a close-knit family, and they say they have fun sticking together.
Colin, the first of the five siblings to choose UNB, says it made sense to support a local school. He grew up supporting the Varsity Reds Hockey Teams, and attended the hockey camps when he was younger.
“UNB’s got a pretty good community spirit. If you can stay in your home city, you might as well stay.”
“I think if one of us left it would be really strange,” says Kelly, a third year nursing student who currently has a position as a personal care worker at the Chalmers Hospital.
“We have been pretty close our whole lives, so it kind of made sense if we stayed in the same school,” Colin, who is working to become a physical education teacher, agrees.
Kelly also explains “Our parents are pretty big UNB supporters too. We also have an uncle doing his PhD and a cousin in law school at UNB.”
Kim, who plans to graduate in May and start a career in nursing, says it’s a combination of the people she met and her classes that kept her at UNB.
“Our nursing class sizes are pretty good; you can really get to know your classmates and profs.”
Same school, many different options
Although all the McIsaacs decided to go to the same school, they followed their own paths when they got here.
Colin, the oldest of the McIsaacs, graduated with a degree in kinesiology and is about to complete his practice teaching for his education degree at Bliss Carmen Middle School.
Kelly started in kinesiology as well, but switched to nursing. Kim is in nursing also, and Scott is a business student. Rebecca is also enrolled in business.
The first four McIsaacs have all been involved with UNB in areas outside of the classroom.
Kelly and Kim both played intramural basketball for the past few years, and Scott works in the university’s Integrated Technology Services department as part of his co-op program. Colin and Scott also enjoy the intramural teams.
Colin, who is a clear people person, jokes that one his favorite parts of university is the Social Club, one of the campus bars where you’re sure to run into someone you know.
The McIsaacs say their parents wanted them to go to university “no matter what.” “But they were happy we stuck around, especially because UNB’s such a good school,” Colin says. “It offers lots of programs; you can take anything here.”
Contributed by Sarah Ratchford. This story was made possible thanks to the financial support of the UNB Associated Alumni
