How to catch a big fish:
1. Catch a lot of fish.
2. Throw back all the little ones.
Linda Carson on a field trip for FINE 302/402, displaying the winning entry of the Jumbo the Elephant Memorial Sketching Contest, September 2014.
Dr. Linda Carson was best known for her outstanding contributions to interdisciplinary teaching and creative collaboration. She is one of the few individuals to be awarded degrees from three different faculties at the University of Waterloo: BMath (1985), BA (Fine Arts, 1990), MSc (Kinesiology, 2004), and PhD (Psychology, 2013), as well as earning an MFA from the University of Saskatchewan (1993). She was the primary proposal writer, program designer, and curriculum developer of the Bachelor of Knowledge Integration program. She developed numerous courses designed to assist students with the transition to academia, to enrich existing program offerings, or to provide new opportunities for creative collaboration. She had a passion for improving access for students, especially those from marginalized groups, and was a mentor and advocate for countless students, faculty and staff.
Outside of academia, Linda designed and delivered distinctive professional development experiences to clients and staff for Overlap Associates, taught art to hundreds of children and adults through her Big Black Pig Studio, wrote and produced numerous theatre productions, and exhibited her artwork. She was a true polymath (and not just because she was good at math).
Linda has set up a bequest to the University to establish two new student awards:
- The Linda Carson Memorial Interdisciplinary Award will be awarded to full-time undergraduate students (from any Faculty) based on the excellence of an interdisciplinary project that has been completed for academic credit.
- The Belonging Award will be awarded to support students who may feel, for whatever reason, like they do not belong in post-secondary education.