Mary Ditta is a Victoria College student majoring in PCJ and Cognitive Science. Not only is she passionate about making the best of her undergraduate experience, she also balances screen acting with her schoolwork.

Mary journey’s to PCJ began when she was still in high school during an orientation session when a Munk One professor told her that her undergraduate years were the best time to be interdisciplinary and explore a variety of subjects. She decided to major in two programs that aligned with her interests, even if she did not necessarily see them connecting: Cognitive Science and PCJ. Despite initial appearances, the more she learns about the subjects, the more she is identifying areas of intersection to explore.

Mary’s largest takeaway from first year was realizing how little she actually knows, and thus the value of taking a step back in favour of giving platforms and power to those affected, and those with expertise.

Mary’s favourite aspect about PCJ is its interdisciplinary nature, as it will give her the opportunity to study a broad range of subjects. She is particularly excited to learn more about environmental justice, criminal justice, and urban social exclusion.

After completing PCJ, Mary plans to pursue an MGA from the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, in which she hopes to continue synthesizing her studies in global affairs with those in technology and cognitive science.

A fun fact about Mary is that she works in film and television acting! Though her schedule can be busy during certain seasons, acting does not usually feel like work to Mary- it’s a way to relax and get out of a “school mindset” after a long day of studying. One benefit of online classes is that it will be easier to balance these two passions this year.