Fiona Williams is a fourth year student at McGill, majoring in English Literature with a double minor in World Religions and International Relations. She is currently co-editor of Radix Magazine, a publication supported by the McGill Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (MORSL). While it is her first year working as an editor, Fiona has been involved with many other activities on McGill campus, including work as a Facilitator Team Assistant for Campus Life and Engagement, and a volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica with the International Relations Students’ Association of McGill. Read on to learn more about Fiona’s inspiring work and her advice on how to get more involved in the McGill community!
Annie Rubin for Her Campus McGill (HC McGill): Could you tell me about Radix Magazine?
Fiona Williams (FW): Radix magazine is produced by students for students, with support of the McGill Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (MORSL). We aim to showcase the literary and artistic talents present within the McGill community!
HC McGill: What is your job as an editor?
FW: As an editor, I am mainly responsible for overlooking the graphic design process (compiling the submissions, working on the layout of the magazine with InDesign, editing photographs), reviewing the written submissions we receive, and distributing the magazine across campus.
HC McGill: What other activities have you been involved with since you’ve been at McGill?
FW: I currently work with Campus Life and Engagement as a Facilitator Team Assistant. We provide a series of mini-workshops for McGill students that support Leadership Development. We are also organizing a mini-conference for next semester that will focus on the impact and influence of global leadership in the contemporary world. Keep an eye out for the notices in your listervs!
In regards to volunteering, I spent a month this summer in Costa Rica volunteering as an English teacher through IRSAM, and I am a distance TA for a 12U Canadian Law class at a high school in Toronto. Also, I have been an editor for Hirundo, the award-winning McGill Journal of Classical Studies; I’ve represented McGill at the International Leadership Association, as a logistics volunteer; I’ve been an Orientation Leader for the AUS twice; I’ve mentored and tutored at elementary schools in the Lester B. Pearson School Board via SEDE: Homework Zone; and lastly, in my first year I volunteered with the McGill Farmer’s Market.
HC McGill: What inspired you to get so involved?
FW: You learn a great deal about yourself when you break out of your comfort zone, and through volunteering you have the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals. I think it is important to give back to the community and to help shape it in a constructive way—the value of extra-curricular involvement is beyond compare.
HC McGill: As a university student, how do you manage to balance school work with all of your extracurricular activities?
FW: An overly obsessive use of my agenda is the answer. I have to plan things out (whether it be assignments, meetings, workshops) and make timelines for when things should be completed. It does get hectic, and I’ve learnt not to be afraid to ask for help if needed.
HC McGill: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
FW: Hopefully involved with NGO work, particularly with the advancement of education and rights for women in South Asia.
HC McGill: Do you have any advice for students who want to get more involved in the McGill community?
FW: Although the curriculum can be tough at times, McGill does offer the resources to make students’ lives a little easier. Seeking out those resources have helped me make the most of my time here. So take those library workshops, frequent your academic advisor, and do not pass up on a departmental wine and cheese.
As Ms. Frizzle once said to me, I shall say to you: “take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”
HC McGill: Have you ever felt stuck or overwhelmed? What motivated you to keep going?
FW: Whenever I feel overwhelmed I try to just take a step back and appreciate the fact that I am studying at such a reputable institution, and that I am privileged enough to be studying what I love. I’ve made it this far and nothing is going to stop me from moving forward!
HC McGill: Do you have any hidden talents?
FW: I can scrunch my eyebrows together and make them look like the batman symbol!
HC McGill: Do you speak any languages besides English?
FW: I speak Urdu and Hindi, and I understand Punjabi. I’m also learning how to read and write Urdu.
HC McGill: What are some fun facts about you?
FW: I love tattoos, good books, and eccentric hair dye. Oh, and Beyoncé is my soul sister.
HC McGill: How can people get involved with Radix?
FW: We always encourage students to send in their submissions! If you have a poem, article, or artwork to share you can email us at radix@mail.mcgill.ca
Also, don’t forget to like us on Facebook
Images provided by interviewee and obtained from: https://www.facebook.com/RadixMcGill/photos/a.364032703685429.90925.3640…