English Department Graduate Students' Association (EDGA)

Grad student governance is a great way to enhance your involvement in your community

You can:

  • learn more about department and university-wide business matters that affect graduate students
  • continue to broaden your academic CV

We help foster, share, and celebrate a sense of community amongst graduate students.

We encourage grad students to attend our:

  1. September Annual General Meeting
  2. Spring Free-Exhange conference
  3. Many student-led events throughout the year
The English Grad Lounge includes sitting and working areas

The English Grad Lounge is on the 10th floor of Social Sciences


Who we are

The current Executive Committee is excited to be working with and representing you this year! We welcome all inquiries about graduate student life at the University of Calgary.

Current grad student in the department? Find out how to connect with us.

General program inquiries

Email artsgradsc@ucalgary.ca

Program and EDGA inquiries

EDGA President (2023-2024)

Amy LeBlanc
ajleblan@ucalgary.ca

View profile

Community and peer support inquiries

EDGA Director (2023-2024)

Ryanne Kap
ryanne.kap@ucalgary.ca

View profile

Want to volunteer with us?

Check out upcoming volunteer opportunities below! Nominations are held at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in mid-September.

What we do

Our Association holds elections every September, for students to serve a one or two-year term. These positions include: 

Executive Committee

Board members who run the daily workings of EDGA, including representing graduate students at departmental and university meetings, finance, overseeing committees, and peer support. These positions include President, Director, Two MA Representatives, and Treasurer

Free-Exchange Conference co-chairs

Responsible for leading our annual student-led graduate conference

Anti-Racism and Decolonization Community Collective

ARDCC offers peer support and community-building for all members of the graduate student community, and ARDCC’s primary function is to support, listen to, and advocate for BIPOC graduate students within the department and the institution. ARDCC holds regular meetings which are open to the community, in addition to hosting community-based events like potlucks and drop-in chats, organizing seminars, and assisting in departmental workshops. 

Social Committee

Responsible for graduate student social and research events

Free-Exchange Committee

Support committee for the running of Free-Exchange, under the direction of the conference co-chairs

Calgary Distinguished Writers Program support

Representatives who attend meetings by the Graduate Students' Association (GSA), our student-led, university-wide support organization

And more!

Have general inquiries? Contact the Department of English Grad Program

Free Exchange

Free Exchange Conference

Free Exchange is an annual interdisciplinary conference organized and run by graduate students from the Department of English at the University of Calgary. Founded over twenty years ago, the Free Exchange Conference has grown in size and scope and has attracted participants from across Canada, the United States, and beyond.

Learn more

Free Exchange contact

Website

Learn more

Mailing address

Free Exchange Graduate Conference
c/o Department of English
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4
Canada