Tomorrow's Leaders...Today: Queen of the Hill

(Photo: Colin Rowe)

“It was incredibly inspirational,” says Gillian Prendergast, BA’07, of the Women in House program. “I knew by the end of the experience that I wanted to work on Parliament Hill.”

Created in 2001 by McGill students Gallit Dobner, BA’01, MA’03, and Chi Nguyen, BA’03, Women in House gives female students the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the life of an MP or Senator. The program is non-partisan – and fully subsidized, thanks to support from the McGill community including annual gifts to the Dean of Arts Development Fund.

“To see a woman in a leadership role really motivated me,” says Prendergast, who is no slouch in the leadership department herself. While studying for her degree in political science and international development, she served as Vice-President of Communications and Events for McGill’s Students’ Society, Vice-President of Communications for the Arts Undergraduate Society, and President of the Canadian Political Science Students’ Association.

Prendergast now works on the Hill as Legislative Assistant to MP Glenn Thibeault. Her day is jam-packed with fielding requests, preparing her MP for Question Period, researching, writing, and a host of other duties. A self-described “political nerd,” she freely admits the lifestyle is hectic. “It’s kind of like boot camp,” she laughs. “It’s such an exciting place to be.”