Carla DeMarco has had a varied career journey at the University of Toronto that led her to a fulfilling role in research administration. She started in an administrative role and later pursued degrees in cinema studies and English, developing skills in writing and research. After graduating, she worked in communications roles at the university. She was intrigued by a new research administration position that allowed her to write about researchers, though she had no prior experience in grants or research. Taking the role, she learned the aspects of research administration and has enjoyed the role for 10 years, continuing to learn and take on new challenges. Her career path shows that being open to new opportunities and using diverse experiences can lead one to an unexpected but enjoyable career.

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Career Journeys:
Leaders share different career journeys in research administration
Canadian Association of Research Administrators (Editor)

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Carla DeMarco, Communications & Grants Manager, Office of the Vice-
Principal, Research, U of T Mississauga
Integrating Interests
Combining passions for a fulfilling career path
I am a long-time employee of the University of Toronto, though did not find
research administration until it found me almost 10 years ago, and I have not
looked back since.
I started working at OISE in 1990 when I was still finding my way in the world as
a young 21-year old. With no clear direction, except knowing that I liked to write, I
was hired in the telecommunications department, answering phones, regularly
updating the internal directory, and training faculty members who were new to
voicemail (!), but after a couple years of this work I decided that I needed to go
back to school. Once I made this decision, I applied to Ryerson’s prestigious
Journalism program, and subsequently was rejected. Twice.
So when OISE amalgamated with U of T in 1994, and I found out I could pursue
an undergraduate degree for which they would cover the cost, I set my sights on
a double major program in Cinema Studies and English. Both very cool
concentrations, quite reading and writing heavy, but engaging enough to keep
me interested and providing excellent training ground to hone my analytical and
writing skills as we explored lots of theory, art, genres, and history. I was hooked
– on academia, learning and personal-growth development.
It took me six years to complete this Honours BA, and so by the year 2000 with
newly acquired credentials under my belt, I was ready to start looking for another
position, but still within the fold of the university. I wasn’t ready to leave yet.
In the fall of the year that I graduated I was hired at the U of T Magazine as a
magazine assistant. I loved my time there, where I learned new skills, like fact-
checking, researching, copyediting, finding out more about the wide world of the
university and publications, all while still working on those writing skills and
having great opportunities to visit the archives at U of T, and getting sent to do
interesting tasks, like walking around the campus to ensure that certain
sculptures were in the place that we listed them. Accuracy was key at the
magazine, and with a circulation, at that time, of 250,000 very perceptive
readers, someone was always sure to notice when you slipped up. I worked with
great editors and art directors. Although I did get promoted to editorial assistant
during my time there, and I took on extra writing opportunities with the Bulletin,
which was a monthly printed publication on campus, alas, there was nowhere for
me to move in this department.
One day I noticed there was a new position in the Office of the Vice-Principal,
Research at U of T Mississauga. Now by this time I had worked at U of T for 16

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years, however I had never set foot on either of the two satellite campuses, and
though I knew they existed they were complete mysteries to me.
But this new position intrigued me. As the Research Assistant for the office, the
position entailed various duties including the review of grant applications,
assisting faculty members who were seeking funding, and, best of all, writing
profiles about researchers on the Mississauga campus. The first two tasks
slightly terrified me because I had never reviewed grant applications before, and,
admittedly, knew minimal details about funding, other than some of the grant and
award recipients we featured in the magazine, but the opportunity to write and
profile the faculty members was an exciting prospect! Thankfully the person who
ended up hiring and taking a chance on me in 2006, and whom I now call my
boss and (unofficial) mentor, felt I was right for the position, and that the things I
didn’t yet know I would find my way through because I was open to learning new
things. Over my time here, he has been an excellent leader, guiding me through
all aspects of research, such as grants, awards, ethics and policy, that I feel I’ve
gained an incredible handle on research, though I still learn new things every
day.
So here I am, nearly 10 years later, still enjoying the position, meeting new
faculty on a regular basis, encountering unexpected challenges consistently, and
continuing to write about everything from 18th century English literature to
sculptures and religion in India, or from current trends in foodie culture to
molecular chemistry to genomic research. We’ve got an embarrassment of
research riches on the Mississauga campus.
And ever on the quest for further edification and growth, I participated in a
mentoring program (as a mentee) at U of T in 2012, and also just started a
Master’s program in Information Studies at U of T’s iSchool this year.
My main takeaways from my professional journey is that if you are patient and
persistent, and value all experiences that lead you through your career path, you
just might find a position you enjoy that you never even knew was out there.
Also, if you can find a job that employs a few of your favourite things – in my
case interviewing, writing and editing, and researching – you will rarely
experience bouts of boredom, and you will find yourself being challenged in new
and wonderful ways on a regular basis.