STUDENT PROFILES
Sean Whitehall Electrical Engineering, 4th year
Queen’s Rowing team was a big reason why Sean Whitehall chose to study engineering at Queen’s. The slightly built young man first became aware of rowing and his talent as a coxswain while growing up in Wainfleet, Ontario. When he began to consider postsecondary education, he looked to universities with a solid varsity rowing program and an excellent engineering school. Queen’s fit the bill. As “cox” of Queen’s Rowing team, Sean sits at the stern of the boat and is responsible for navigating and leading the scullers as they haul mightily on the oars. Rowers rely on him to maintain their timing, cohesion and fluidity. It’s a vital role, and Sean loves it. “The crew counts on me. I’ve found a niche that I happen to be good at,” says Sean, adding that rowing is something of an addiction. “Once you start, it’s hard to stop.” Sean got a taste for international competition in 2009 with the Canadian Junior National Rowing team, which placed 6th at the World Junior Championship in France. Sean says rowing makes him a better student because it forces him to be more productive with his time. His strong competitive spirit also plays a role in school, since he likes to overachieve at whatever he is doing. Sean graduated from his undergraduate studies this spring. After a summer of work and rowing, he’ll begin working on his Master’s in Electrical Engineering.
THE COMPLETE ENGINEER
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