Childhood to classrooms: USask graduate students reflect on 25-year friendship

Lindquist and McGregor first met in kindergarten at Lakeridge School in Saskatoon. Besides building foundational academic and life skills, their budding leadership skills led them to become involved in various academic and athletic opportunities from kindergarten to Grade 8.  

Entering high school, the two parted ways, with Lindquist choosing Holy Cross High School and McGregor going to Evan Hardy Collegiate. Both continued to be standouts in academics and athletics — Lindquist in basketball and McGregor in soccer and track and field — at their respective schools.

People always leave, but sometimes they come back. For this duo, they reunited at USask. Lindquist pursued an arts and science degree and McGregor moved into kinesiology.

“Our stories aligned at the university again,” McGregor said. “We just ended up in the same place at the same time, pursuing the same thing, and reconnected that way.” 

Their athletic excellence continued with the Huskies. Lindquist played for the women’s basketball team, winning a national championship in 2016 and representing Canada at the Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (International University Sports Federation) Games in 2018. McGregor competed in track and field as a pole vaulter, celebrating a Canada West Championship in her final season as an athlete, and now continues to volunteer as a coach.

“We had taken a sociology class together and both worked at the Physical Activity Complex (PAC) Fit Centre,” Lindquist said. “But we got to hang out more when we both joined the Huskie Athletic Council (HAC).” 

Although they started in different degree programs, they became classmates again in the College of Education in 2017. Throughout their time in education, they completed their degrees in the early childhood elementary years stream, became roommates, and travelled to Nicaragua as a part of Dr. Geraldine Balzer’s (PhD) study abroad course. The experiences continue to influence their approaches to teaching and their commitment to responsive education. 

McGregor noted that the shared perspective of being student-athletes naturally pulled them towards each other. 

“We connected in education because we were both Huskie athletes and because of the common things we did outside of our day-to-day school lives,” McGregor said. “I think we are just wired the same way in how we approached education and that strengthened our friendship.” 

Being a teacher was always in Lindquist’s life plans. Her mom ran a home daycare and Lindquist played school with the toddlers. 

“I specifically remember when I was in Grade 2 coming home and setting up my little classroom in the basement, getting all the kids to sit down,” she said. “I enjoyed writing on my chalkboard, and teaching lessons. That was when I knew I wanted to teach and be around kids.” 

Lindquist also credits her Grade 7 teacher, Mrs. Fredlund, for providing care and compassion. Fredlund showed her that the art of teaching is relationships, as Lindquist strives to provide a safe haven for all of her students. 

“I was going through a really tough time in my family life, and Mrs. Fredlund really wrapped me up and supported me,” Lindquist said. “Still to this day we keep in touch. She showed me the power of an educator and makes me want to be that for my students.”’ 

Lindquist has established herself as a thoughtful teacher in Saskatoon Public Schools division with K-3 learners. 

For McGregor, the career path wasn’t always as an educator. She began her kinesiology degree thinking about becoming a physiotherapist, but her passion was pulling her towards teaching. 

“I finished my kinesiology degree and then pursued education just because of all the track and field coaching I was doing in elementary schools,” she said. “I don’t necessarily think I chose to be a teacher but, I don’t want this to sound cliche, the profession found me.” 

Through her involvement with coaching track and field in elementary schools, she found enjoyment in seeing a student’s learning journey. 

“Through that experience, I found that teaching was something that I enjoyed and gave me purpose,” she said. “I can’t imagine doing anything else. And to this day, I think my coaching influences my teaching and my teaching influences my coaching, and they really are inseparable.” 

Now, McGregor specializes in early-years math concepts in the Prairie Spirit School Division, leading sessions at province-wide conferences. 

Being lifelong learners themselves, both have entered into master's degree programs at USask. Lindquist is scheduled to graduate from her Educational Psychology and Special Education (EPSE) degree this fall. 

“I eventually would like to move into a resource role within the division,” she said. “This was a natural first step in that process.” 

McGregor will complete her Curriculum Studies (ECUR) degree by June 2027. She wants to use her knowledge to critique and refine curriculum. 

“I want to be more intentional in the ways that I’m interacting in different spaces,” she said. “I’m not exactly sure of the end path for my degree, I want to continue growing as an educator and contributing wherever I can to make a positive impact.” 

Fate and happenstance brought them to the same spots in life. Effort is what tied them together as friends forever. And now they get to share their knowledge and experiences to shape future generations. 

Article originally published at https://education.usask.ca