Angela McCallum initially picked up homebrewing as a hobby, but loved it so much she decided to enroll at NC to learn about brewing professionally–and to challenge herself to step outside of her comfort zone.
She succeeded at both and earned the top grades in her academic school while she was at it.
We catch up with McCallum to reflect on what brought her to Niagara College and what the experience has given her.
Angela McCallum
Hometown: Ailsa Craig, Ontario
Age: 44
Academic Achievement: Dean’s Award Winner, School of Food and Wine Sciences, Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management (96.0% average)
How do you feel about receiving the Dean’s Award, achieving the highest GPA in your program?
It’s an honour, although not one I earned alone. I could not have achieved this without the support and cooperation of my classmates.
To what factors do you attribute your academic success?
Discipline, determination, and a constant perceived need to prove that I belong.
What led you to study at NC and to your program, specifically?
I enrolled in the program with an open mind and was happy to be uncertain of where it might lead. It ended up being a creative sabbatical that allowed me to develop a complex craft and use a different part of my brain.
What was your situation when you enrolled at NC in your current program?
I’ve worked in the corporate world as a market researcher since 2005.
List any other post-secondary credentials (diplomas, degrees) you have achieved:
Honours Bachelor of Arts, University of Waterloo, 2002
Bachelor of Laws, Western University, 2004
Why are you passionate about your field of study?
I have long enjoyed the experimentation and exploration that beer offers. I also picked up homebrewing as a hobby during the early days of the pandemic, and I wanted to try my hand at a more professional system.
Do you have a specific career goal in mind? Do you feel that completing your program will help you achieve that goal?
My goal was to move outside of my comfort zone and test myself, which I accomplished!
Did you work at a placement or co-op as part of your program? What do you feel you gained from the experience?
While there was no co-op option, I worked part-time at local brewery Blackburn Brew House.
Were you involved in any clubs/ teams or extracurricular activities during your time at NC?
There were few opportunities for extracurriculars during lockdown. That said, I led our program in the Brave Noise collaboration brew in February 2022. Brave Noise strives for safe, discrimination-free workplaces that are anti-sexist, anti-racist, and pro-equality.
What have you been doing since completing your studies? What are your future plans?
I’m currently employed as a Director Strategist at HumanBranding, a full-service qualitative research consultancy in Toronto.
What does graduating mean to you personally?
Graduating from this program, specifically, is proof that women belong in this industry, and that one can learn something new at any age.
