Convocation 2025: Salvatore Durante

A strong desire to understand the ‘lived experiences’ of individuals, particularly under adverse conditions, was the impetus behind Salvatore Durante’s choice of career, and his pursuit of a PhD in counselling psychology through the Faculty of Education.

With the rise of student aggression in classrooms, Salvatore, a practicing psychologist, focused his doctoral research on the systemic pressures faced by teachers in the classroom and the impact on their well-being and career-life development. The widespread impact and relevancy of this issue garnered significant publicity for his research, including a 2024 Folio article and a media interview with Global News. His work was further supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship and the President's Doctoral Prize of Distinction, underscoring the quality and urgency of this research.

While pursuing his doctoral studies, Salvatore worked as a psychologist with the Cross Cancer Institute, providing individual and couples counselling to cancer patients and caregivers. Since completing his PhD, he has also maintained a private practice.

Congratulations Dr. Durante!

What led you to choose this area of study, and why the U of A?

I chose to study counselling psychology because I enjoy understanding people's lived experiences and seeing them grow and address their psychosocial and other work-life concerns.

I chose the U of A because I felt it had the academic staff and supervisors to support my thesis topic on student violence toward teachers and the impact on teachers' career-life development and wellbeing. Also, I very much enjoyed meeting new colleagues and providing counselling support to the public.

Tell us about your favourite professor and/or class.

My favourite professor was Rebecca Hudson Breen and her course on career counselling.

Did you take on any leadership or volunteer roles while you were a student? If so, please share your experiences.

I was an active research volunteer at Alberta Hospital Edmonton.

Did you face any significant challenges while you were a student, and if so, how did you respond?

The most significant challenge occurred during the first year of the PhD. My mother died in December 2020 and at that time, I was wait-listed for the PhD program. I was able to manage the grief and uncertainty before the eventual notification that I was admitted. During the first year of the PhD, the strong support of my friends, family and the university community aided in navigating grief and completing the first year courses.

What advice do you have for current or future students?

My advice to current and future students is to embrace uncertainty, process and hope.

How do you plan on celebrating convocation?

I plan to celebrate convocation with my family.

What's next after graduation?

I will continue as a psychologist with the Cross Cancer Institute and in private practice. I hope to continue doing research and teaching at the U of A or other post-secondary settings.