Centre for International Experience

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

Global

Rhodes Scholars

Subheadline

With the relaunch of the $3-million International Student Experience Fund, international students to enjoy expanded supports across the university's three campuses

Applying for a study permit. Finding one’s place in a learning environment far away from home. Getting a handle on intercultural workplace etiquette.

International students come to the ��Ƶ from all over the world, but share similar experiences adjusting to a new school, culture and country, says Juliana Rivas Torrente, a third-year student from Colombia who is majoring in economics and public policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Thankfully, she says, U of T offers services and resources to help international students navigate these transitions at every step of their academic journey.

Juliana Rivas Torrente (supplied image)

“I've had a support for everything that has come up in my time at U of T,” Rivas Torrente says.

Rivas Torrente is one of two student members of a committee that adjudicates proposals submitted by faculty and staff to the International Student Experience Fund (ISEF), which was launched in 2018 to help foster a supportive environment on U of T’s three campuses by supporting initiatives that enhance the experience of the university’s international students and set them up for success.

To date, ISEF has funded 33 projects that range from initiatives that promote health and physical activity to translating the stories of multi-language learners into comics that promote intercultural understanding.

Now, U of T is building on the fund’s success by relaunching it with the approval of three new projects: the development of a digital tool that will help international students stay up to date on their immigration documents, a program to prepare graduate students for professional life across cultures and a project to enhance supports for undergraduate students in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education throughout their U of T journey.

Rivas Torrente says the ISEF’s relaunch underscores U of T’s ongoing commitment to supporting international students on campus and beyond.

“There is truly a want on their part to have us here because of what we can bring to the table,” she says. “It also serves as reassurance that there are funds being allocated to creating programs that are specifically tailored to international students.”

As a member of the Centre for International Experience’s International Student Experience Student Advisory Committee, Rivas Torrente has helped shape the many supports available to international students across the university – both through targeted programs and campus-wide initiatives that have integrated the needs of international students into their services.

“U of T has done a great job setting up an institution where people are going to thrive and learn and explore,” she says, noting that international students bring with them different experiences and perspectives that contribute to U of T’s growing reputation as a global learning institution.

“But what really ends up having that differential, beyond any other university, it's really getting to meet people that challenge your worldviews – your perceptions – that make you kind of shift your attention towards completely different concerns.”

As U of T prepares to welcome some of the world’s top students for fall 2024, U of T News spoke to three other international students about how their experiences, backgrounds and ideas converged to invigorate U of T’s global community.

Mahmoud Rashid

(photo by Safa Jinje)

Though he wasn’t able to fly home to Tanzania during winter break, Mahmoud Rashid says staff at the ��Ƶ’s Chestnut Residence made sure he wasn’t feeling left out or alone.

Wellness co-ordinators organized activities including cookie decoration, postcard writing, reflection time and a communal dinner, says Rashid, a second-year student in materials science and engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

It’s just one of the myriad ways U of T supports international students at every step of their journey across the globe.

“There are so many resources that it can sometimes be overwhelming – academic and professional development, student life and mental health,” Rashid says.

He adds that he received an enthusiastic welcome to U of T moments after stepping off the plane at Toronto Pearson International Airport, where volunteer students at the U of T Airport Welcome Booth offered directions to campus and tips about Toronto.

As he settled in, Rashid says the Centre for International Experience smoothed his transition with resources about immigration, health care and life in Canada (including how to dress for the winter), while the First Year Office at U of T Engineering offered academic advising to set him up for success.

A Lester B. Pearson International Scholar, Rashid says the program, part of U of T’s growing menu of entrance scholarships for high-achieving international students, goes far beyond providing financial support for his four years of undergraduate studies.

It prepares Pearson scholars to not only excel academically, but give back to the community, says Rashid, providing resources ranging from workshops about time management to meet-and-greets with influential leaders.

“What’s a better way to learn about leadership than being with actual leaders and students who have similar dreams as yours?” he says. “They provide that platform where we get to learn from each other and make long-lasting connections.”

Whenever he feels homesick, Rashid says he turns to the African International Support Group for social support and a sense of community among students of several cultural backgrounds in Africa.

“Whatever place in the world you’re coming from, at U of T, you just know there’s a group or a club of people that have experienced something similar to you,” he says.

“There are so many supports that are there for you so that you can belong.”

Sapolnach Prompiengchai

(supplied image)

Sapolnach Prompiengchai, a fourth-year neuroscience student at U of T Scarborough, credits the university’s international community for informing his research on mental health.

He says the diverse perspectives reflected in his work likely resonated with the committee who selected him for a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, making him the first student from Thailand to be selected through the Global Rhodes program.

“In mental health, to create culturally competent care, you need to understand that you need to incorporate diverse perspectives, and that was ingrained in me at the ��Ƶ,” says Prompiengchai, who attended high school in Bangalore, India before coming to U of T Scarborough.

“By understanding such diverse perspectives, I was able to truly appreciate the importance of reconciling differences to solve issues. And I think, in a way, that aligns with Rhodes’ mission of fostering a dynamic global community.”

Prompiengchai is among five U of T students and learners who are headed to the University of Oxford as part of the latest cohort of exceptional young people from around the world to receive the coveted scholarship.

He says U of T – a large and globally top-ranked research university with expertise across a broad range of fields – equipped him with a multidisciplinary outlook that will set him up to succeed among the world-renowned ranks of the Rhodes community. That includes learning how neuroscience intersects with global issues such as mental health and climate change.

Moreover, Prompiengchai says he gained a range of perspectives from the U of T community, by making friends at the International Students Centre and learning from global leaders as a Pearson Scholar.

And he has contributed his own perspective in turn.

“Regardless of what you’re interested in, you're going to get an extensive, long-term network of exceptional students and faculty from around the world,” he says of the university.

“Within this diverse set of networks, you also shape the place and make the place even more diverse. It’s a really good cycle of learning.”

Laura Ramos Barbosa

(supplied image)

When she arrived at U of T in 2019, Laura Ramos Barbosa remembers going to the Centre for International Experience (CIE) with questions about everything from getting a Social Insurance Number to navigating the St. George campus.

Now, with a bachelor’s degree under her belt, Ramos Barbosa is the one doling out answers as a University Health Plan co-ordinator at CIE as she pursues a master’s in social work.

She’s among a number of international students who have gone on to work at CIE as part of a knowledge exchange that spans graduating classes and continents.

“When you get to speak to other international students, you get to build more of that community, interact with people from other places and find people with common backgrounds.”

Originally from Brazil, Ramos Barbosa lived in a number of different places before landing in Toronto. She says she’s brought these experiences to bear in the classroom, particularly during her undergraduate studies in women and gender studies and anthropology, giving peers a perspective into parts of the world with which they might not be familiar.

“I was always trying to connect my experiences and identity with my education,” she says. “I was able to bring those experiences to the table for other people to learn about and, on the other hand, I got to learn from other people's experiences.”

U of T launches new tri-campus Minor in Global Leadership

siddiq22 — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 01:43:34 +0000

U of T launches new tri-campus Minor in Global Leadership siddiq22 Wed, 03/01/2023 - 20:43

Tabassum Siddiqui

Topic

Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Joseph Wong

U of T Mississauga

The ��Ƶ is launching a new Minor in Global Leadership that will begin in September 2023.

With a focus on interdisciplinary curricular and experiential opportunities, the tri-campus program aims to prepare students to become globally confident future leaders who recognize and embrace diversity, face challenges with empathy and champion respectful collaboration in a globalized world.

It will be available to students from different disciplines and represents the third element of U of T’s Global U initiative, which also includes the Global Citizen and Global Scholar programs.

“The world needs ethical leadership now more than ever,” said Joseph Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, noting that U of T is a globally top-ranked institution that draws students from around the world.

"At the same time, opportunities are now global in scope so it’s imperative that our graduates be equipped with the competencies, open-mindedness, curiosity and skills to really lead with impact globally – both here and abroad. The Minor in Global Leadership is an exciting opportunity that offers a unique experience for students looking to develop that expertise."

The program will initially be open to undergraduate students at U of T Mississauga and U of T Scarborough, as well as in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education and the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

The minor will include a core series of three global leadership courses to be taken in students’ second, third and fourth years – each delivered by one of U of T's three campuses.

"This will be the first global-focused program at U of T that intentionally brings students together from across our tri-campus, who are studying the full spectrum of our disciplinary offerings, as part of an annual intimate cohort,” said Lynn Tucker, associate dean of experiential and global learning at U of T Scarborough.

“This model opens up the potential for new opportunities and dialogue from which students who are pursuing a range of career pathways will learn together."

U of T Mississauga will host the first of three courses planned for the program. Global Leadership: Past, Present, Futures “will address the evolving concepts both of globalization and leadership – juxtaposing, contextualizing and applying them to the challenges of the 21st century,” said Spyridon Kotsovilis, assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of political science at U of T Mississauga.

"Increasingly complex and global problems cross borders and affect people at all scales and levels, from the global to the local," Kotsovilis said. "We hope students will come to learn about current global challenges and what it takes to lead in efforts to address them."

At U of T Scarborough, the department of management will be the home base for the program, offering the second core course, Global Leadership: Theory, Research and Practice.

"Students will do a deep dive into global leadership approaches through a set of diverse lenses and explore and develop global competencies through experiential learning opportunities," Tucker said.

"They will engage with experienced leaders in a variety of sectors and grow networks so that upon completion of the program, they will be poised and confident to take the next steps on their unique learning and career journeys."

The final course, a hands-on capstone project, will be based at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering on the St. George campus.

Students taking the minor will complete the three core courses plus elective courses within each participating division. The courses will be delivered online via synchronous and asynchronous methods and include regular in-person meetings, guest speakers and embedded co-curricular activities.

Beginning in the second week of March, first-year students will be able to apply to the new minor for a second-year start. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the end of April with decisions determined by June. Course registration begins in July.

The program is open to students from the participating faculties who have a modified GPA of 2.7 based on a student’s top 3.0 full-course equivalents. Previous leadership experience is not required, but applicants are expected to have an interest in the study of leadership, global and cultural perspectives, and a willingness to engage with students from diverse backgrounds, experiences and disciplines of study.

Students interested in learning more about the Minor in Global Leadership can attend one of three virtual information sessions on March 8, March 21 or April 12.

A launch event for the new minor will be held at U of T Mississauga on March 6, featuring remarks on global leadership by keynote speakers and reflections on leadership by student speakers representing each campus.

"We want to develop a real esprit de corps among the students as they move through this new program," Wong said. "It’s the kind of network that these students are going to be able to draw on for the rest of their lives – a cohort of leaders who will help shape our global future."

Exchange students from Ukraine share their U of T experience with CityNews

mattimar — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 16:21:53 +0000

Exchange students from Ukraine share their U of T experience with CityNews

mattimar Mon, 09/19/2022 - 12:21

Cutline

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Global

Scholars at Risk

Ukraine

Two Ukrainian exchange students at the ��Ƶ say they are thankful to escape the war with Russia and continue their studies in Canada, CityNews reports.

Danylo Bohdanets, a political science student, and Mariia Cherednychenko, a biology student, are among the nearly 200 students from Ukraine who were welcomed by U of T because their studies were disrupted by the ongoing war. Both are in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“My father is [in Ukraine] and I am scared for his life, and I don’t want him to be scared for my life,” said Bohdanets. “He is doing everything possible – he is fighting in Ukraine, he is defending my country.”

“The only feeling I remember straight away is constant fear,” said Cherednychenko of the war. She came to U of T through a special exchange program between the Faculty of Arts & Science and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy that was made possible by a $3.2 million donation by the Temerty Foundation. U of T is also accepting displaced students from Ukraine through its Scholars at Risk program.

“We are happy to assist our Ukrainian students in continuing their studies during this difficult time,” Hyojin Cho, learning abroad adviser and manager at U of T’s Centre for International Experience, told CityNews. “Many people within the U of T community, including professors, staff members and students have been pitching in to help. We hope the students feel supported within our U of T community.”

Watch the full report on CityNews

International students breathe easier after Canada extends work permits amid COVID-19

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 22:04:32 +0000

International students breathe easier after Canada extends work permits amid COVID-19

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 01/27/2021 - 17:04

Cutline

Nana Sakyi, an international student from Ghana who recently completed a master's degree at U of T, says changes to Canada's post-graduation work permit policy help offset the challenge of finding a job during COVID-19 (photo courtesy of Nana Sakyi)

Topic

Economics

School of Graduate Studies

Global

Graduate Students

When Ontario implemented its first lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19 last spring, Nana Sakyi felt the pressure of a ticking clock.

In addition to the health risks posed by the coronavirus, Sakyi – like many students graduating from the ��Ƶ and other institutions – faced an uncertain job market and worried about her financial security.

As an international student, she also grappled with the possibility that her work permit would run out before she found employment, putting her immigration status at risk.

“If I didn’t get the work experience I needed to apply for permanent residence, I would have no choice but to leave the country,” said Sakyi, who hails from Ghana and has a master’s degree in economics.

In an effort to ease the strain on international students such as Sakyi who are graduating from post-secondary institutions amid the pandemic, the federal government recently announced a plan that will give them more time to find work. Beginning Jan. 27, foreign nationals in Canada with an expired or soon-to-be-expired post-graduation work permit can apply for an 18-month extension.

The policy seeks to help foreign nationals who are currently in Canada meet the requisite work hours to be eligible to apply for permanent residence.

“The work permit extension gives international graduates another year and a half to contribute to the Canadian workforce. That’s a huge benefit to Canada and the individual students who wish to take it up,” said Katherine Beaumont, senior director of global learning opportunities and international student success at U of T’s Centre for International Experience (CIE).

Beaumont added that the centre plans to make more international students aware of the new policy through alumni newsletters and the university’s career development resources. In response to a growing international student population and an increased need for guidance and advice on the documentation required to be an international student in Canada, U of T has increased the number of certificated international student immigration advisers based at CIE. As a result, CIE has been able to increase immigration advising to students by a factor of four since the pandemic began – all while adding new ways to serve students, including online and phone appointments, webinars and drop-ins.

As for Sakyi, she arrived in Canada in 2014 with the goal of becoming an economist. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia and found a job in 2018 while on a three-year post-graduation work permit. But she decided to pursue her master’s at U of T the following year, figuring a second degree would help her snag a better full-time position – even if it meant her permit would be close to expiring by the time she graduated from U of T in the spring of 2020.

Then the pandemic hit.

“I was desperate and posting on Facebook groups looking for work,” Sakyi said. “Trying to find a job was almost impossible.”

She needed just three more months of relevant work experience to qualify for a permanent residence application. Despite the uncertainty, Sakyi tried to stay positive and make the most of her situation.

She woke up every day at 6:30 a.m., did a Pilates workout and spent the bulk of the day either searching for jobs or acquiring new skills to make herself a more desirable candidate. She learned how to use Tableau, a data visualization software, as well as the programming language SQL.

In the evenings, Sakyi escaped into the universe of Haikyu!!, a Japanese anime series about a boy determined to become a volleyball player that brought back fond memories of her days as a high school volleyball player in Bogoso, Ghana.

Now, with the new government policy on work permits, Sakyi said she can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

She’s not alone.

“A lot of international students were very, very happy about this policy because this gives them the time to work towards starting the permanent residence process,” said Pooja Gupta, who earned her engineering master’s degree last year from U of T’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering and serves as president of the school’s International Students’ Council.

“Canada’s immigration policies are what gives the country an edge in terms of attracting talent.”

It was the CIE at U of T that ultimately helped Sakyi land a job. One of the CIE’s experiential learning advisers, who also assisted Sakyi in preparing for job interviews, connected Sakyi to her current position as a stewardship programs and services co-ordinator at U of T’s Division of University Advancement.

With the requisite work experience in hand, she has since applied for permanent residence – and, thanks to the policy change, she doesn’t have to worry about losing status while she awaits approval.

“The government extending the work permit by 18 months is making a huge difference in our lives,” Sakyi said. “I’m sure there are a lot of people who are sleeping easier now.”

'Our thoughts are with you': U of T mourns Beirut victims

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 18:57:29 +0000

'Our thoughts are with you': U of T mourns Beirut victims

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 08/06/2020 - 14:57

Cutline

Mourners light candles in London's Kensington Gardens during a vigil to honour the victims of the Beirut explosion (photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Topic

Meric Gertler

U of T Mississauga

Feeling distressed? Find someone to talk to right now – and if there is an immediate risk, call 911.

The ��Ƶ community is mourning the victims of the tragic explosion in Beirut.

Flags on all three U of T campuses will be lowered to half-mast Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, as the university extends its sympathy and support to families and friends of those killed in the explosion in the Lebanese capital.

As many as 145 people were killed and 5,000 injured by the blast, which struck Beirut’s port on Tuesday. Hundreds of people have been reported missing.

“On behalf of the ��Ƶ, I would like to offer our deepest sympathies to all those affected by the explosion in Beirut, especially to the families and friends of those who were killed or injured, and to all those who have been displaced from their homes,” said U of T President Meric Gertler.

“Our thoughts are with you, and with the members of the U of T community who have ties to Lebanon, at this extremely difficult time."

Over 160 U of T students have either lived in Beirut or hold Lebanese citizenship.

A few students have been directly impacted by the explosion, said Katherine Beaumont, senior director of global learning opportunities and international student success at U of T’s Centre for International Experience (CIE).

“We want to support them as best we can given what’s happened.”

Beaumont said that the university has been in touch with U of T’s two Lebanese student groups, the Lebanese Student Society (on the St. George campus) and Lebanese at UTSC.

“We typically follow the lead of student groups – who are very connected with local communities and students – and work in partnership with them based on what they feel their members need,” Beaumont said.

“As we speak with student organizations, if there’s interest or desire to have some kind of community gathering – which would likely be virtual at this point – then we will work with the Multi-Faith Centre to support that.”

Staff and faculty have also come forward with suggestions on how to support those affected by the explosion, said Beaumont. She added that U of T leadership is listening to ideas and gathering more details on those affected by the tragedy as it determines how best to support them.

Beaumont added that any students experiencing distress over the event can access My SSP, the university’s free, 24/7 virtual counselling service, which is available in multiple languages.

Students with questions can also reach out to the Centre for International Experience.

Round-the-clock support:

Students can speak to a counsellor at any hour of the day.

U of T My SSP for students: call 1-844-451-9700 or download the app at the Apple App Store or Google Play. Immediate counselling support is available in 35 languages and ongoing support in 146 languages.

Other 24-7 supports available include:

Good 2 Talk Student Helpline 1-866-925-5454. Professional counselling, information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being.
Gerstein Crisis Centre 416-929-5200
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto 416-408-HELP (4357)
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health at 250 College Street
Anishnawbe Health Toronto Mental Health Crisis Line 416-360-0486

The following services are available to students on all three campuses:

St. George campus: Health and Wellness Centre (416-978-8030)
U of T Scarborough: Health & Wellness Centre 416-287-7065
U of T Mississauga: Health & Counselling Centre 905-828-5255

Faculty and staff have access to 24-7 support through:

The Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), offered through Homewood Health, online and by phone at 1-800-663-1142

For those who wish to support humanitarian needs in Lebanon, the Canadian Red Cross is accepting donations.

In university-wide effort, U of T moves services online to support students during pandemic

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 11 May 2020 20:20:10 +0000

In university-wide effort, U of T moves services online to support students during pandemic

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 05/11/2020 - 16:20

Cutline

When PhD student Azadeh Barzideh ran into obstacles with her studies amid COVID-19, she took advantage of resources that offered tips about learning at home and joined a virtual study hub and graduate student writing group (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

St. Michael's College

University Health Network

Azadeh Barzideh had spent months recruiting participants for her PhD research on reactive balance training in people with chronic stroke when the outbreak of the novel coronavirus suddenly made it unsafe to continue her work with high-risk individuals.

With her research on hold, the second-year doctoral student at the ��Ƶ’s Rehabilitation Sciences Institute quickly shifted her attention to her comprehensive exam. But she soon discovered that studying for the test while confined to her shared house in the Annex neighbourhood came with its own set of challenges.

“I had to bring my expectations down. That was one of the first things I learned during this process,” she says.

Originally from Iran, Barzideh found support through new services offered through U of T’s Centre for International Experience and division of academic success. She logged onto Zoom for an online chat about learning at home and joined a virtual study hub and graduate student writing group.

She also downloaded a Pomodoro technique extension for her web browser, helping her study in 25-minute bursts, and found a YouTube playlist of library sounds to help her concentrate.

“These things helped me move from my starting point to gradually stay on track,” Barzideh says.

The Zoom discussion that Barzideh joined is part of a suite of new online programs set up by U of T to help students navigate the challenges of studying during a global health emergency that has limited social contact and closed campus buildings.

Across the university’s three campuses, staff have found creative ways to adapt core services – many of which hinged on face-to-face interaction – for the COVID-19 era. That includes taking staple services that students have come to rely on, from fitness classes to counselling appointments, and moving them online, while also launching brand new programs that offer advice on studying at home or managing stress during the pandemic.

“It’s clear that students are looking to continue to have that sense of community with us, and we’re going to continue being there for them throughout,” says Sandy Welsh, U of T’s vice-provost, students.

The rapid transformation of campus services so they could be accessed online required “unprecedented” teamwork across the university, Welsh adds.

“The forums we’re providing online are a real opportunity – not simply for us to convey information, but, more importantly, for us to check in with our students and for them to have a chance to connect with other students.”

The list of virtual supports and resources offered by U of T run the gamut from wellness classes to virtual workouts. The university’s Sports & Recreation division holds fitness classes through Zoom and Instagram several times a day, including barre classes, yoga and cardio dance parties. The Health & Counselling Centre at U of T Mississauga has moved its popular Wellness Hub online, including daily virtual workshops and Tea Talk Tuesdays – an opportunity for students to engage on topics like resiliency and share tips on how they’re coping. U of T Scarborough has also transitioned to virtual services, even moving its popular Get Hired conference online. The three-day event helps upper-year students get a leg up in their job hunt.

The Centre for International Experience is hosting virtual language exchanges for students learning English as an additional language, and is working with the division of academic success to put on a new series of online discussions on subjects like structuring your day while managing different time zones.

“The whole idea is to have everyone talk about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and start from there,” says Yaseen Ali, a learning strategist at Academic Success who facilitates the discussions with Lydia Li, a student life officer.

Li says she and Ali encourage students to share their stories to demonstrate that others are often experiencing similar problems. “We try to build a common ground so they feel safe,” she says. “They can be vulnerable with us and share their struggles without being judged. Our job is to give them validation, support and resources.”

The list of online supports available to students doesn’t end there.

At U of T’s First Nations House, staff share Indigenous stories and teachings via Zoom and host online beading circles on Tuesdays. The School of Graduate Studies has moved many activities online, too, including virtual coffee hours and online workshops on subjects like how to manage your finances during and after the pandemic. Through Hart House, students can play board games with others online or join an audio book club.

Students who are feeling peckish, or just need a study break, can tune into a new Instagram series of bite-size cooking shows by Kimiya Karbasy, a residence life co-ordinator at University College and recent U of T graduate with a master’s of science degree in nutrition. In each episode, available on @ucstudentlife’s Instagram account, Karbasy goes over how to prepare simple and satisfying treats like black tea lemonade and peanut butter cookies.

“We really want to support students and let them know we’re still here,” she says about the college’s new virtual programming initiatives.

“Even if they’re not here physically, they’re still a member of this community and we’re still here to support them.”

Support goes beyond online spaces

Hriday Chheda, who is studying computer science and math, was unable to return home to Mumbai because of travel restrictions, but says staff at Trinity College have been checking in on him and other students (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Around Easter, Hriday Chheda found a surprise hanging from the doorknob of his dorm room in Trinity College: a care package from college staff that included a chocolate Easter bunny and a handwritten note of encouragement.

The computer science and math student, who couldn’t go home to Mumbai because of travel restrictions, says he appreciated the gesture as opportunities for human interaction have been few and far between since social distancing has become the norm.

Trinity staff have also been checking in on each student in residence over the phone. “That was pretty cool,” Chheda says, “because usually when you get a check-up call it’s a quick, ‘Hello.’ But this lasted half an hour, and they asked me what my plans are for the summer and if I needed anything.”

Andrea Carter, the assistant dean of student wellness, support and success at U of T Mississauga, is helping co-ordinate supports across the university, particularly for the more than 2,000 students still in residence across the three campuses.

“We know the research shows that the more a student has a sense of community, the better they do at university,” Carter says. “So, it’s really important that we don’t lose that during a time of social distancing and different obligations on how we’re [supposed] to interact with one another.”

It’s important that students know that services are still accessible, even if the university has scaled back in-person operations on campus, according to Carter.

To get the message out, staff from the Scarborough campus, U of T Mississauga and Hart House have been redeployed to residences across the university to spread awareness about campus resources.

While students and staff can’t meet face-to-face, virtual sessions have exceeded expectations, Carter adds.

“We’ve always assumed that the learning and community exchanges have to happen in person, but I think what we’re starting to see is you can still form meaningful relationships, even though they’re virtual,” she says. “Seeing someone’s face on a screen and talking about the difficulties that come with living in these circumstances are meaningful for people and helping with their resiliency.”

Kristen Moore, the dean of students at Trinity College, says all seven of the university’s colleges are experimenting with new ways to engage and support students.

St. Michael’s College, for example, has consolidated students living on campus so that no one would be living in a mostly empty building. They also made sure that students who had been living in the same dorm got to stay together. Residence staff welcomed students from the all-women’s Loretto College and re-housed them on the same floor of another dormitory so they can be together.

At Trinity, meanwhile, there are weekly yoga and meditation classes through Zoom, gift card giveaways on Instagram and student surveys that ask how services can be improved.

“We’ve basically moved everything we do in person to online, and we’ve tried to supplement that by recognizing that students are really lacking the opportunities for connection that they usually have, which are really the bread-and-butter of the residence experience,” Moore says.

Other initiatives elsewhere at the university include: opening up summer work-study positions that entail working remotely and providing bursaries to help students with unexpected costs like the need to extend their meal plan.

In conversations with students, whatever the medium, Moore says compassion and understanding is the operative word. “Everyone is doing the best they can in really unusual circumstances,” she says. “We’re here if students want to connect, even if we can’t do it in the same way we normally would.”

Along with Welsh, Joe Wong, the university’s vice-provost and associate vice-president, international student experience and a professor in the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the Faculty of Arts & Science, is heading a group of staff leaders across the three campuses that is looking at how to further adapt services in the wake of COVID-19.

“Some units are reporting that there are new students engaging with these services that weren’t engaging in the past,” Wong says.

Looking ahead to the fall semester, the group led by Welsh and Wong is planning for a situation where students may be working across time zones and different online platforms. Whereas new students typically get their bearings on campus during the first week of September, they may be arriving at different times in the fall as travel restrictions are progressively lifted.

Different parts of the university are working in tandem to support students as much possible, says Wong.

“We’re seeing collaboration like we’ve never seen before.”

How St. Michael's College helps first-year U of T students find their footing

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 21:34:27 +0000

How St. Michael's College helps first-year U of T students find their footing

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 01/31/2020 - 16:34

Cutline

A new "check-in" program at St. Michael's College matches first-year students with professors to chat about making the adjustment to university life (photo courtesy of St. Michael's College)

Catherine Mulroney

Topic

Our Community

Student Experience

Health & Wellness Centre

Mathematics

Mental Health

Randy Boyagoda

St. Michael's College

Undergraduate Students

Randy Boyagoda, the principal of the ��Ƶ’s University of St. Michael's College, is happy to give credit for the college’s new first-term check-in program where it’s due: the students themselves.

The program, which matches first-year students with professors to chat about adjusting to university life, is the result of an idea brought forward by St. Mike’s student union.

Boyagoda says he was pleased when a group of students approached him last spring to ask what St. Mike’s was doing to promote mental health.

“A delegation from the Student Life committee met with me and wanted to know what was being done locally,” he recalls. “They asked what St. Mike’s could do to respond. The challenge came from students.”

In ensuing discussions about what causes students worry or distress, one of the issues that came to light was students’ anxiety over meeting with professors – an experience that is pretty much unavoidable over the course of four years of a post-secondary education.

“Students were telling us they felt intimidated. Our goal was to humanize the relationship,“ Boyagoda says.

Working to overcome that challenge seemed like a good – and feasible – first step so the first-year check-in idea took root with the goal of normalizing professor-student meetings.

A quick survey of professors – both at St. Mike’s as well as fellows associated with the college – indicated a willingness to help and the program was launched successfully this past fall, according to Boyagoda. He adds that U of T has taken notice of the program and is considering broader applications.

“This program is not about course advising. It is totally voluntary and student-centred,” he says.

First-year student Lisa-marie Lofty took advantage of the new program, and says she found the opportunity to chat with Felan Parker (left), an assistant professor of book and media studies, helpful as she adjusted to life at St. Mike’s.

“We met early in the semester as I was still thinking about courses and we had a friendly conversation about things to consider as the year went on,” Lofty recalled.

As someone who had attended boarding school four hours outside of Nairobi and was drawn to U of T in part because of the appeal of a big city, Lofty says it was nice to have another friendly face to relate to, especially as Parker told her a bit about his own experiences as a student.

St. Mike’s fellow Mary Pugh, a professor in U of T's department of mathmatics, also participated in the program after a student contacted her. She says the main message she conveyed was that the student could contact her at any time.

The program “gives students access to a disinterested/non-judgmental person who’s well-familiar with the Faculty of Arts & Science and its classes and programs – someone who can treat them like a human and offer support/advice if needed,” Pugh says.

As helpful as the program is proving to be for students, it is also proving to be educational for professors as well.

“Because I usually teach upper-year courses, I haven’t had much interaction with first-year students,” says Parker. “Contrary to popular myth, I’ve found that they are the opposite of entitled, frequently apologizing for asking for help and uncertain of what kind of support is available. My hope is that the first-year check-ins, along with other initiatives like the first-year foundations seminars, will help show students that we are here to help.”

Social worker Nicole LeBlanc (left), St. Mike’s in-house wellness counsellor, says first-year students can experience anxiety for a number of reasons. Everything from worry over marks and making friends through to loneliness and being far from home can make students feel anxious or depressed – or both.

“Students face a lot of pressure these days, whether it’s competition to get into graduate programs or wanting to please parents, or worrying over expenses. Add in relational issues – the rules of engagement over dating and friendships, for example – and it can be very challenging,” she says. “Many students are going from being a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a very big pond, no longer having the top marks or profile they might have had in high school. It’s a shock to the system.

“Be open and honest,” she says when asked what others can do to help. “Tell the person that you notice a change, and let them know that you care. You can suggest counselling or a doctor. Destigmatizing mental illness is very important.”

LeBlanc offers one-on-one counselling for St. Michael’s students and notes that all it takes is an email or call to set up an initial appointment with her. She finds that a significant part of her role is letting students know what services are available, whether it’s academic help via the writing centre or learning strategist, social support from places like the Centre for International Experience, a referral to U of T’s Health & Wellness Centre for medical issues, or friendly encouragement to take advantage of on-campus activities offered through St. Mike’s Student Life.

'We're here for one another': U of T community remembers students following plane crash

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 19:20:04 +0000

'We're here for one another': U of T community remembers students following plane crash

geoff.vendeville Fri, 01/10/2020 - 14:20

Cutline

Mourners laid flowers at a vigil held at U of T Scarborough to remember students who were on Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, which crashed in Iran (photo by Dylan Toombs)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Flight 752

Computer Science

Translational Research Program

U of T Mississauga