Making her sons proud: valedictorian credits family as biggest supporters

Posted on Friday, June 10th, 2022

Karen Spillane remembers what her oldest son said to her when she was considering going back to school: “Just do it mom. You’re going to be older anyways. Be older with a diploma.”

The COVID-19 pandemic hit hard at Spillane’s previous company, with many employees temporarily laid off. As a human resources (HR) professional she particularly enjoyed the legal aspect of the role. The pandemic and economic uncertainty propelled her to apply to the Law Clerk program at Algonquin College.

The shift to remote learning was welcome for Spillane as she balanced family life and full-time studies.

“When I applied it wasn’t certain that the program was going to be remote learning. But I think many learners, especially adult learners, more mature learners, need greater accessibility and can’t necessarily be in class all the time,” she said. “That was definitely an appeal factor knowing I could still take care of family responsibilities and be a full-time student.”

It was a calculated risk leaving her job and returning to school full-time. Despite a busy home life, Spillane was determined to succeed during her time at the College.

“If I was going to go back at this age I was going to land on the Dean’s list, so I didn’t want to do it in half measure,” she said. “I needed to prove it to myself that I was capable of performing and keeping pace with my younger peers.”

With her HR background, Spillane was particularly interested in employment law. She now works in a firm which specializes in a variety of areas of law, including employment law.

Law clerks play a pivotal role in law offices. They intake new clients, track court deadlines, submit court documents, research case law, maintain time dockets and perform evidentiary management, among other duties. Spillane was relieved to learn the software used for billing and accounting at her firm, PCLaw, was part of the College’s Law Clerk program curriculum.

With convocation quickly approaching, Spillane is busy preparing her valedictorian speech. It’s emotional for her when she recalls the moment her mom and sons learned she had been named valedictorian.

“They were very proud. My youngest, who just turned 16 in April, was just over the moon. And my oldest, he’s very deadpan. He’s like, ‘See, I told you that you could do this,’” she said. “I have a $100 bet going with my youngest that I can give my valedictorian speech without crying, so we’ll see.”

Spillane is now planning to acquire a designation through ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) Alternative Dispute Resolution. She encourages anyone who wants to purse higher education, or even a hobby, to go for it, no matter their age.

“It’s exciting to keep learning even as you age. It’s just much scarier when you have to leave a job and incur some debt to do it. But the payoff can be quite significant; not just financially or academically, but for your sense of self when you have accomplished something, because even I’m surprised at myself.”


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