Name: Diane Allingham-Hawkins
Profession: Geneticist/King’s Student
Hometown: Marshfield, Wisconsin
Tell me a little bit about yourself and what you do
I am a laboratory geneticist. I work for a company called PreventionGenetics, LLC, located in Marshfield, WI, just about right in the middle of the state. I oversee genetic testing for diagnostic purposes including reviewing the results and writing the reports. My main areas of interest are pregnancy loss, hereditary cancer, and whole exome testing.  I am also a student in the online Certificate Program in Loss, Grief, and Bereavement at King’s.
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How did you decide to go into genetics?
I had a biology teacher in grade 11 that taught us about Gregor Mendel and his peas. I found that I enjoyed the concepts in genetics and had an affinity for it. Once at Western, I specialized in genetics after 3rd year, earning my BSc in Honors Genetics before going to grad school at McMaster for my PhD in Human Genetics.
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What is your best memory of Western?
It’s hard to choose just one! I loved my program in Genetics and had a great community of classmates. I also worked for the Event Staff, a group of students that worked providing security at campus events. I made many great friends through Event Staff, many of whom I am still in touch with today, more than 30 years later!
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What are your favourite places on campus?
Probably the place I hung out most during the day between classes was Centre Spot in the UCC. It was a great place to meet friends, the food was pretty good and relatively cheap, which is important on a student budget! For entertainment, we often went to an on-campus pub called The Elbow Room, which was located on the lower level of the UCC beside the bookstore. I think it was closed many years ago…
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What made you decide to return to school as a student in the Thanatology program at King’s?
In 2010/2011, I experienced two major deaths – my husband followed less than 10 months later by my father. While navigating the treacherous path of grief, I reached out to an organization called Bereaved Families of Ontario York Region (BFOYR). There I found support and compassion that really helped me. Later, I wanted to give back so I became a volunteer for BFOYR, providing peer support and leading support sessions and support groups. In early 2015, I was at a bit of a crossroads in my career and my career coach asked me “In an ideal world with no barriers, what would you want to do? I was almost surprised to hear myself say “grief counseling” She encouraged me to explore what I would need to do and that lead me to the online Certificate Program in Loss, Grief, and Bereavement at King’s. I started taking classes in the fall of 2015 and after this semester, I will have completed 3 of the 5 credits in the program. While I have no plans to give up my “day job” at this point, I hope this program will help me to be a better volunteer bereavement counselor.
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What career advice do you have for Western students?
Do something you absolutely love, something you have a passion for and that keeps your interest. Don’t make career decisions based on what others – your friends or family—want you to do. Careers are very long and doing something that doesn’t inspire you is exhausting. Do what YOU want to do.
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What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I like to read, exercise, and cook
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What do you think of Her Campus? Would you have joined when you were at Western?
I really enjoy Her Campus! I love how the article range from fun to serious and everything in between. If it had existed when I was at Western (which would have required fast forwarding the widespread use of the internet by 10 years or so!), I definitely would have joined!