Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Linguistics
Nassau, BAHAMAS – Meet Meghann Carroll, a Spring 2016 Bachelor of Arts graduand who studied English with a minor in Linguistics. In her adolescence she never imagined attending The College of The Bahamas, but as fate would have it, after pursuing a field she had little interest in at a university in Canada and realizing she was unhappy, she took a year off to work and made a decision to apply to COB. This decision, she touts, is one of the best she made regarding her education.
Carroll began her COB career Fall of 2011 and notes that her time at The College has been an enjoyable journey with notable memories of tutoring peers and travelling to Exuma, visiting many of the settlements to complete a transcription project after having conversations with locals who spoke Bahamian Creole English. She added that although the project took many sleepless nights to execute, she found satisfaction in the completion of it and the project confirmed for her that she had made the right choice in pursuing her degree at COB.
When asked what advice she would give to persons considering The College of The Bahamas for tertiary level education she advises, “do not be afraid of what you have heard…my experience at The College has been nothing but excellent.”
After graduating, COB Carroll intends to obtain a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill). She sees herself going even further by pursuing a PhD in the field. She is interested in studying second language acquisition in Bahamian Creole (Bahamian Dialect) speakers and creoles in Education.
Which lecturers made the biggest impact in your time at The College?
It’s really tough to say which lecturer impacted me the most, because I feel that I have had so many amazing lecturers over the years. However, there are two professors that really stand out. Dr. Ian Strachan and Professor Anne Lawlor have both inspired and impacted me tremendously because of their research on various topics in The Bahamas, and they are also some of the best lecturers I have ever encountered.
What is one thing you would not change about COB, based on your experience?
One thing I wouldn’t change about COB is the level of attention students are able to get from their lecturers, and the close relationships we are able to have with them because of small class sizes. I have really gotten to know many of my lecturers over the years and I think this is one of the unique things about COB that enhances the academic experience.
Is there a course that you studied that changed the way you thought?
The first linguistics course I took during my first year at COB, ENG 121: Elementary English Structure completely changed the way I thought. Before taking this course I had no idea using “Bahamian Dialect” was not “bad grammar.” In this class I learnt the historical origins of this language and this course made me want to pursue a minor in Linguistics.
How prepared to you feel for life after COB?
I think my life would look totally different if I didn’t pursue my education at COB. My time here exposed me to the academic realm and helped me to develop critical thinking skills that I can use in any profession I wish to pursue. Moreover, students at COB get exposed to Bahamian research and Bahamian researches that you could not find anywhere else. I really learnt a lot of historical, literary, and linguistic things about The Bahamas that I would be completely ignorant to if it wasn’t for my time here.
