Third-generation alumna looks ahead

Her parents Wesley Acco, BSc 86, BEng 05, and Maria Joanne (Antonico) Acco, BSc 86, met at the university, mid-way through their first semester in the applied mathematics program. They married in 1988, two years after graduation.

Joanne has been working at the same wealth management company for the past 25 years, while  Wesley decided to return to Concordia for a career change at the turn of the millennium.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Electrical Engineering in 2005 and became an avionics engineer — another family tradition — at Air Canada.

Young Gemma learned a great deal observing her father’s strong work ethic. “It’s tough to see your dad work full time, attend school part time and come home to do his assignments late into the night,” Gemma says. “I’m so proud of him and thankful for the perseverance he taught me.”

Like father, like son. Gemma’s late grandfather Joseph Philip Acco, BEng 73, also raised his family while studying electrical engineering. He was the first Acco to graduate from Concordia — at the time, Sir George Williams University, one of Concordia’s two founding institutions.

Joseph became an avionics engineer, like his own father before him. Including Wesley, Joseph’s four sons all graduated from Concordia: Benjamin Acco, BSc 85; Jean-Paul Acco, BAdmin 90; David Acco, BA 97.

Gemma’s younger brother Jordan hopes to become a fourth-generation avionics engineer.

New path

Gemma is taking a different career path. Her undergraduate experience with student government piqued her interest in a public policy career.

Prior to her position as PSSA president, Gemma was responsible for relaying messages to her classmates as the association’s ambassador in 2013-14. That year she became a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and participated in the Queen’s University Model United Nations.

Months of campaigning culminated in her election as PSSA president for 2014-15. Heading the student association for one of the largest Canadian university political science departments was no light task, especially during city-wide student protests.

“I encountered the biggest challenges of my student career in the weeks leading up to April 2015,” Gemma recalls. Students groups were organizing themselves for protests against the Quebec government’s austerity measures for social services.

“We had to form a mobilization committee for the impending protests and make sure our response was appropriate,” Gemma says.

“In anticipation of student demonstrations, I spearheaded discussions with faculty. In some cases, the mobilization committee had to safely block classrooms to encourage professors to cancel their classes.”

Gemma concurrently acted as a councillor for both the CSU, representing Faculty of Arts and Science students, and the CCSL, which reports to the Board of Governors.

“It was near impossible to balance my schedule in final year,” Gemma admits. Despite the time constraints of extracurricular activities and schoolwork, she earned her major in political science and minor in law and society, with distinction.

Gemma looks to stay in touch with the Concordia community. So far this hasn’t proved too difficult as she spent her summer working as an orientation coordinator for the CSU.

In September, she will enter McGill University’s Faculty of Law.

“I want to become a lawyer to make a positive impact on the society I live in,” Gemma says. “Ultimately, I aspire to become Minister of Education for Quebec. Education is very important in my family, and Concordia is our shared cornerstone.”

Besides her education, the university will always have special place for Gemma. “If my parents didn’t meet at Concordia, I would have never existed! Concordia will always be in my heart as my alma mater.”

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