Ashley Margeson ('12)

At 24, Ashley Margeson (’12) already boasts a resume that would be the envy of people twice her age. She graduated from Acadia with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics and is currently studying naturopathic medicine at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto.

While at Acadia, Ashley was Vice-President, Communications for the Acadia Students’ Union and president of and teacher at the Acadia Dance Collective. She was a Residence Advisor, served on the Wolfville Mayor’s Advisory Council and was flautist and pianist in the Symphonic Band.

“Naturopathic medicine is hugely preventative, which is why I went that road. I also have a great interest in health policy. When I finish my ND degree, I can’t wait to get back to the east coast because what my profession brings is something that would be so beneficial to Nova Scotians. I want to set up my own private practice, hopefully in a rural area, and my dream job in 10 years would be to work part-time in private practice and half-time with the government, creating health policy.

“It was the director of the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at Acadia, Barb Anderson (’77), who got me into policy. She and I did an independent study in my last year. We looked at food industry policy in Nova Scotia and examined how where you lived and your income levels allowed you to purchase quality food for your family. I thought it was amazing. I realized that while it’s wonderful to work one-on-one with people, what if you could create something that would help tens of thousands of people through policy changes?

“I’m fourth generation Acadia - all women, which is really quite amazing. I’m also the oldest grandchild, so it was assumed. ‘Oh, you’re totally going to Acadia. Why wouldn’t you?’ I dug my heels in and said, ‘No, I want to do medicine, I want to go to Dal so I’ll have better chance to get into Dalhousie Med School.’ Then, at a scholarship luncheon, I ran into Elizabeth Johnson, former head of Nutrition and Dietetics at Acadia. She showed me around the nutrition wing and it was something I had no idea was available to me. Two days later I decided I was going to Acadia.

“It was right, it was home, and I wasn’t just a number. I think it was a combination of factors at the right time. Acadia pushed me to grow and learn and piece things together. At 18, you don’t know who you are, but you have this idea of what you could be. For me, Acadia was a spot where I knew I could make every single mistake in the book and I’d have someone there who would pull me up and dust me off.

“When I first came I was nervous and shy and very much an introvert. By my fourth year I was involved in so many events and getting to know some of the University’s administrators on a personal level. I was willing to sacrifice a couple of points on my GPA if it meant getting to dance, to be in music, and involved in student politics.”