Cansu Aydemir

'The place to find the identity you want to build': Students from the U.K. on why they chose U of T

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 23:15:01 +0000

'The place to find the identity you want to build': Students from the U.K. on why they chose U of T

noreen.rasbach Thu, 04/25/2019 - 19:15

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The U.K.'s Neeharika Hemrajani, who says U of T offers more academic freedom and opportunity than is the case back home, began taking coding classes after attending a computer science lecture with a friend (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Cansu Aydemir

Topic

Global Lens

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Computer Science

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

Materials Science

Political Science

Psychology

St. Michael's College

Trinity College

Undergraduate Students

University College

For students from the United Kingdom, studying at the ��Ƶ can sometimes seem familiar to school back home. But there are plenty of small differences – from gourmet food trucks to an abundance of course options – that ensure a unique experience.

“My high school campus used to be 10 minutes away from UCL [University College London], but there were no food trucks,” says first-year student Neeharika Hemrajani. “It is such a North American thing.”

The chance to study a wide range of subjects was also a major draw, the Londoner adds.

The strong ties between U of T and the U.K. date back to the granting of the university’s royal charter by King George IV in 1827. Fast-forward nearly 200 years and U of T has important partnerships with institutions across the U.K. in fields ranging from urban studies to medicine – and U of T faculty have collaborated with researchers in the U.K. on thousands of publications.

So what is it like for U.K. students studying at U of T?

Cansu Aydemir – a reporter at U of T News who is an international student herself – explores the question in the final instalment of her series on the U of T international student experience.

Max Somer’s parents immigrated to London from Canada in 1997. Twenty-one years later, Somer came back to Canada to study.

Just like his father, he chose U of T.

“He is happy I came back to his alma mater,” says Somer, a first-year Trinity College student. “He enjoyed his time here.”

The flexibility U of T offers its students was also a big factor in Somer’s decision.

“In the U.K., I would have to pick my courses before I got the school. Here I can do arts and sciences combined, and that was very appealing to me because I had no idea in what, exactly, I wanted to pursue.”

Somer says he plans to major in chemistry with a double minor in political science and economics. He says the facilities at the university are impressive and the style of teaching took him by surprise since he’d expected to spend all his time sitting in lecture halls.

“It is a lot more hands-on, and more active than what I was expecting,” Somer says. “I stay at the end of the lectures to talk to the professors and they are just happy to talk to students about something that they’ve been researching for decades.”

Somer works with a research group at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and is also a part of the Capital Markets Society. He says extracurricular activities are “a great way to explore and decide whether I am interested in these subjects.”

He also loves living “downtown in one of the biggest cities in North America – in the big metropolis.”

Somer had visited Canada before but says he was shocked by Toronto’s international character.

“I was worried that I would be an outsider surrounded by Canadians, but it is certainly not the case,” he says. “It still feels Canadian – you have the nice aspects of Canadian life, like super friendliness.

“Culturally it is a really nice place to live. People are very welcoming, people are very open, always willing to help. When you walk past on the road they will smile at you.”

Somer encourages other students in the U.K. to seek “the unique experience in Toronto: a big city and a vibrant campus” even though Toronto is a long way from home.

“I think, socially, for a lot of people it is terrifying for them to go thousands of miles away – they worry about making friends,” he says. “But you need to remember that everyone comes to university with the same mentality of forming relationships with people.

“It is not necessarily going to be easy, but everyone is in the same boat as you – so you shouldn’t be stressed about that aspect of it.”

London’s Neeharika Hemrajani says the Canadian approach to higher education offers more freedom and opportunities than the U.K. system.

“In London, when you apply to university the biggest thing you have to do is make a decision about what you want to study before you go to the university,” Hemrajani says.

With “a love for so many different kinds of things,” Hemrajani says her first year at U of T allowed her to explore many different fields before choosing a focus.

“I found a little bit of a niche area where I can focus on my interest in people and how they were, how they are, and how they are going to be,” says the student at St. Michael’s College who studies history, political science and psychology.

In fact, Hemrajani says she discovers something new about herself every day.

“I went to a computer science lecture with a friend just to see what it was like – and I was so amazed, to the point where I decided I wanted to pick it up. So, I started to go to classes and joined the U of T coding club, and now it is like a hobby for me.”

She chose St. Michael’s without knowing much about the college system in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“I googled the college pictures before I made a choice and picked the prettiest one,” she says. “I love St. Michael’s. It is a part of my identity now. You are kind of far away from the centre of campus and you have your own community, your own dining hall.”

For Hemrajani, the highlights of life at U of T include snow, the winter holidays in Toronto – and food trucks.

Hemrajani says she also loves the international experience that comes from living in Toronto.

“Toronto is one of the world’s most diverse cities; there is no race or color or age or anything associated with this city,” she says. “And campus is full of so many international students that it is quite easy to find a home for yourself.”

Hemrajani says she also appreciates the range of opportunities and the welcoming atmosphere the school offers to its students.

“This is the place to find the identity you want to build.”

For Alec Derry, the journey from the U.K. to Canada was long and winding.

“I spent quite a bit of my childhood living in Western Europe – in France, Switzerland – and moved to the U.S. briefly and then to Africa and to Eastern Europe and back to the U.S.,” Derry says.

Although his passport is British, and most of his family live in the West Midlands, his parents are international teachers. By the time he finishes his undergraduate degree, Toronto will be the place he has lived the longest.

“It is hard to call anywhere home,” Derry says, when you’ve never lived anywhere longer than “maximum two to three years.”

After experiencing many different countries, Derry says he chose to study at U of T because it was everything he was looking for: a recognized university in an international city that had good public transportation.

The only challenge was funding – but he applied for a Lester B. Pearson international Scholarship and was successful.

His advice for future students is to try as many things as possible in your first year. Derry originally planned to major in computer science but, once classes began, realized he preferred psychology and switched his major to cognitive science.

“Cognitive science is just so interesting. In the lectures they explain the history of how we got to this point, they explain artificial intelligence. I am just amazed by it.”

Derry says he chose University College because of its central location and architecture.

“It is right next to most of my classes – maximum a 30-second walk to any of the buildings my classes are in. And it looked nice, honestly. The pictures were very good.”

Derry says he loves being part of a globally renowned university, but it’s not just about the reputation. It’s because of what underlies that reputation.

“What I enjoy most are the professors I have in my class – just because the university is that good. You have all these leading researchers in different fields.”

Paul Hutchinson, a student at UCL, considered several factors when deciding whether to spend his third year on exchange at U of T.

Now at Innis College, Hutchinson says he chose Canada because he wanted to be in North America, Toronto because he wanted to study in another big and multicultural city and U of T because of its academic reputation.

A history major, Hutchinson says he always assumed Canada and the U.K. were quite similar but now that he’s here he can see a difference.

He describes Toronto as “amazingly diverse” adding, “You can meet people from around the world. I thought London was quite diverse, but it is more diverse here.”

After spending almost a year here at U of T, Hutchinson says the school has given him a different perspective.

“The biggest difference is the academics. They are quite different because back home I only do history. Here it is been really nice to do other classes like anthropology, art history and religion,” he says. “The British way of doing university is a particular way and I think it is always helpful, especially for history, to get a different way of doing things.

“A lot of the history courses I have taken challenged the way I do history because it is very different here. Britain is very European-centered, but here, for example, I am doing an African history class, which is really interesting.”

Hutchinson says the first thing he’ll tell people back home is “it is true that people are really friendly here. Canadian people are really nice. It has been very easy to make friends and have conversations with people.”

The exchange program has also made Hutchinson realize that he could thrive by living and studying abroad.

“I think I want to apply for my master’s abroad. Germany, Netherlands, maybe Canada.”

For the U.K.’s Jennifer Dixon, who grew up in Oman and attended an American international school, “home has always been a place that is international.”

With a Malaysian and British background, the fourth-year student says she chose to study in Canada because it was “culturally similar” in many ways.

“It had the American culture, but it also had the diversity that I was looking for,” she says. “As someone who is mixed ethnicity, you’re kind of caught in this identity crisis all the time. So, one thing I like is that I have the culture of both my ethnicities present in Toronto.”

Now in her final year of materials engineering in U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Dixon says home is where your family is – and “if it is not that, then it is where your heart is, where your friends are, where you think that you are going to succeed or grow as a person.”

She says the top reputation of U of T's engineering program was a key factor in her decision to come to the university.

“I wanted to have that recognition because I knew that there was a good chance I was going to be working overseas at some point in my life, and I wanted a future employer to be able to look at my resume and say, ‘U of T? I know that place – they are known for engineering.’”

Her high school interest in chemistry and physics pushed her towards materials engineering.

“I wanted to do engineering just on the basis of problem-solving and the way I like to approach things,” Dixon says.

“Material science as a subject matter is really interesting for me because it is so interdisciplinary – every single engineer out there works with materials one way or another. And studying materials provides a very fundamental foundation of how the world works.”

Dixon says she enjoys the student life and extracurricular activities in engineering, but the academic rigour of the program can make it difficult to get involved.

“U of T engineering is so rigorous. It is a lot of work ... you have to give up some of the studying sometimes to do other things.”

Dixon advises incoming students to “find mentorship very early on.”

“Once you have a friend or someone to lean on [while] trying to navigate through all the information during the first year – the new city, the new weather, and the environment – it is a lot easier.”

International student Cansu Aydemir is an intern at U of T News. Originally from Turkey, she has lived in Toronto since 2012 and is now in her fourth year of studies at U of T where she is specializing in history and minoring in diaspora and transnational studies

'I wanted to be a part of the mosaic of diversity': Students from Mexico on why they chose U of T

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 14:41:08 +0000

'I wanted to be a part of the mosaic of diversity': Students from Mexico on why they chose U of T

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 04/10/2019 - 10:41

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Eri Kimura, from Mexico City, says studying at U of T changed the way she thinks about history, society and other topics, while the university's diverse campus gave her new insights on tolerance (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Cansu Aydemir

Topic

Global Lens

Anthropology

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

International Students

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

Undergraduate Students

University College

When ��Ƶ President Meric Gertler led a delegation to Mexico City last year, he noted that international students at U of T encounter “new ideas, perspectives and approaches that in turn inspire mutual understanding and stimulate knowledge.”

That’s a perspective echoed by many of the Mexican students interviewed by U of T News reporter Cansu Aydemir, an international student herself.

“U of T makes you question a lot,” says fourth-year student Eri Kimura, who left Mexico City to study at U of T. “Why did I take this for granted? Why did I think history was like this? Why did I think society was supposed to be like this?”

U of T has important ties with Mexico. They include partnerships with UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), Tec de Monterrey (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey), FUNED (Fundación Mexicana para la Educación, la Tecnología y la Ciencia) and CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología) – not to mention the hundreds of research publications authored by U of T scholars with Mexican colleagues.

But the experiences of Mexican students across the university’s three campuses offer a more intimate look at the relationship between the university and the country of more than 130 million.

Here are a few of their stories:

Mexico City’s Adriana Diaz Lozano Patino got to know U of T when her brother was accepted into the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering seven years ago.

Patino’s brother was the first member of her family to study abroad. She says he cleared the path her.

“My brother loved it here, he stayed after his undergraduate studies and he did his master’s here,” she says. “Now he works in Toronto.

“He passed on that love to me I guess.”

Patino says U of T’s global reputation, its welcoming approach towards international students and its research opportunities were also factors that brought her to U of T.

Now in her first year studying engineering science, Patino says she is planning to major in biomedical engineering.

“I have been dreaming for a long time to become a researcher in the field,” she says. “I picture myself in a lab, cloning molecules and whatnot.”

A top student in high school, Patino won a Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship to attend U of T. She says she was aware she was entering a competitive environment. What she didn’t expect was how much she would struggle with the language.

“I remember coming to physics lab and people started talking about these concepts and I was like, ‘Excuse me?’” Patino says. “Then I realized that I actually know the concepts, but in different words; I got used to the fact and built my own strategy within a couple of months.”

Patino says she enjoys being a part of the engineering community.

“You don’t have this feeling of unhealthy competition within the engineering community. If you have a problem, you know people will be there for you.”

For students who are considering whether to study abroad, Patino has some advice.

“For Latin American families, the idea of leaving the family at such a young age is frightening,” she says. “But they should come. They shouldn’t be scared – they are going to find amazing people, amazing professors.

“There is something here that is going to be for you whether you like dancing, whether you like writing or designing a Formula 1 car.”

It’s also important for students to remember that it is possible to “help your country even though you don’t live there,” she says.

“We can all help to rebuild what is being broken every day by pursuing your passion and you coming here, experiencing this world.”

Home for Marcos David Madrigal Albores is the southern state of Chiapas’s capital city, Tuxtla Gutiérrez. But Albores always wanted to see Toronto, the setting for Canadian author Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim versus the World.

Albores loved the popular graphic novel so much that, when he started high school four years ago, he and his family planned a vacation to Canada’s largest city.

Albores took a tour of the downtown Toronto campus and says he was impressed with the facilities and the programs offered.

“We were just joking that it would be great if I studied here at U of T,” he says.

Four years later his wish came true: Albores is now a first-year engineering science student, hoping to specialize in machine intelligence.

Getting here wasn’t easy.

“My state is not the richest in Mexico. It would be very hard to pay the tuition unless I got a scholarship,” he says.

During the final days of the application cycle, he won the Engineering International Scholar Award, which partially covered his tuition. With the financial help and support of his family, he says, he had the chance to follow his dream.

Albores defines himself as a “global person” and says that it’s the diversity that he likes most about Canada and Toronto. He also enjoys the scenery of the city.

“Tall buildings, blue sky, snow in the streets, the tiny communities like Greektown, Little Italy. I feel like they are all part of the city’s character and I love it.”

Albores says he hopes that one day his brother, 10, will also study at U of T.

“U of T is the number one school in Canada, among the top 20 in the world,” he says. “The engineering program’s level of detail and depth is much more than you could get in Mexico or other parts of the world.”

When Eri Kimura’s parents told her she could leave Mexico City to study abroad, she immediately thought of Toronto.

Her sister had studied in the United States, but Kimura says Canada’s approach to multiculturalism was more appealing.

“In sociology it is called the mosaic versus the melting pot,” Kimura says. “My friends who have gone to the U.S. had to fit into the society – they molded into the society – but I wanted to be a part of the mosaic of diversity where I could still be me, still have my culture and also be able to explore others.”

She chose New College for a similar reason: diversity.

“New College seemed like it was more multicultural: all their programs and initiatives were [about] equity and they wanted students to feel like they are in a community,” she says.

“That really resonated with what I wanted.”

After her first year at Rotman Commerce, Kimura says she realized she wanted to widen her studies.

Now in her fourth year of specializing in management at Rotman Commerce, she is also doing a major in international relations and a minor in economics.

“I see myself in international institutions and diplomacy,” she says.

After the devastating earthquakes in Mexico in 2017, Kimura initiated a campaign to help the victims.

“I basically bought two jars, went out and started collecting money,” she says. “Then I received very positive reactions and in the end we were 15 or 16 students trying to get help for earthquake victims.”

Kimura believes that the way she thinks has changed dramatically at U of T.

“I am way more tolerant and way more conscious about how I treat others, or how I interact with others,” she says. “U of T makes you question a lot. Why did I take this for granted? Why did I think history was like this? Why did I think society was supposed be like this? And it gives you all the tools to explore further.”

For future students, Kimura recommends attending Step Up, the orientation program for international students.

“For me it was a game-changer,” she says. “I met my friend group – we are from 10 different nationalities – and we are just very similar in so many different ways.”

Kimura is planning to spend her summer after graduation in Toronto working with a professor on a G20 research project.

Mexico City’s Luis Carlos Soldevilla Estrada knew he wanted to study abroad. One option was to follow his brother to the United States – but he didn’t like the political situation there.

“My whole family are immigrants,” he says. “My father is from Peru and my mother is from Bolivia, and I don’t like how the United States is going right now with Trump.”

Now in his first year studying computer science and mathematics at U of T Mississauga, Estrada says he chose U of T because of the “opportunities and the variety of programs.”

Initially, Estrada wanted to major in economics. However, when he started doing research projects in mathematics in high school he changed his mind. He started programming and he found it “very useful and interesting”.

Estrada chose to study in Mississauga because, after living in Mexico City, he wanted a different lifestyle .

“Mississauga is a little bit calmer,” Estrada says. “You have your space, there are fewer people, nature is beautiful – I wanted to try a new thing and that is very new for me.”

Estrada says the cozier atmosphere of Mississauga meant the social life on campus exceeded his expectations.

“It is easier to find friends here. If I see my friend in a classroom on Monday, I could see him the next day in the cafeteria,” he says.

Estrada says he likes how “everything is well organized” in Canada and he appreciates the opportunities and aids the school provides for students.

“If I have some doubts about a course, I could approach academic advisors or faculty. The building is two minutes away from my residence – they are very approachable and it’s easy to communicate.”

In his mathematics club, Estrada says they work on challenging math problems and talk about recent research projects.

He also plays intramural soccer and is involved with the machine learning reading club.

“Every week one person presents either an interesting subject in machine learning or anything they implemented,” he says.

“If you choose U of T – any campus, doesn’t matter, St. George, Mississauga or Scarborough – you are going to get a lot of great experiences and you will meet with many people from different countries.”

Born in Mexico City, Vinicio Corral Gutierrez attended high school in San Diego – so when it came time for university, his first thought was to try his luck with U.S. colleges.

Then a friend suggested Toronto.

“It was before the 2016 election and my friend said Donald Trump is going to win, we should apply to Canada,” Gutierrez says. “I didn't know much about Toronto, but I said, ‘Sure,’ because I knew that it would be a clean slate.”

After spending time in Toronto, he says he really likes the multicultural structure of the city.

“There are so many people from everywhere,” he says. “When you go outside, you hear a lot of different languages – I hear a lot of Spanish which is nice.”

Now, Gutierrez is in his second year, studying anthropology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, at University College.

He says he chose his college randomly, but is happy with how things worked out.

“University College is really nice,” he says. “I really like the people I have met there, and it is one of the best dining halls in campus.”

Finding the right academic focus was more challenging than choosing a college, Gutierrez adds. He began by majoring in physics and mathematics in his first year, but soon realized he needed to make a change.

“I realized that I am very bad at math; I was good at high school math, but not at university math,” he says.

He switched to anthropology when he realized his interest lies in human interactions. He hopes to build a career in public relations.

“I thought that anthropology would be good because it is the study of people, so I got to study all these different cultures and all these different backgrounds which I can apply to my work later on.”

A scholarship from the CONACyT program, supported by the Secretary of Energy in Mexico, brought Arturo Reza Ugalde to U of T for his PhD in mechanical engineering.

Ugalde, whose research is in sustainable energy, completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in Mexico City. At U of T, he works on composite materials for electrochemical applications and the reduction of carbon dioxide into synthetic fuels.

“Environmental impacts of sustainable energy are something we see everywhere in the whole world,” he says.

Ugalde adds he could have chosen to study anywhere in the world with the scholarship, but selected Canada and U of T for very important reasons.

“Mexico is trying to do something about clean energies because Mexico City is one of the most contaminated cities in the whole world – and Canada is really good at [clean energy research],” Ugalde says. “I love everything related to clean energies. I am passionate about it.”

He adds that U of T's global rankings helped seal the deal.

Ugalde visited Toronto before making a decision and liked the people and the city. While he knew Toronto was diverse, the level of multiculturalism in Toronto still surprised him once he got here.

“For some reason, I imagined that I was going to be surrounded by Canadian people – but then when I came here, I realized that Canadian people are people from all over the world,” he says. “You can go to a restaurant and, all of a sudden, you start hearing six, seven languages at the same time.”

Ugalde says U of T provides a variety of options and opportunities to graduate students.

“We have access to a lot of resources, labs have a lot of good equipment and we also have access to any other department – so that makes easier to work in any type of research,” he says.

For any students of any age planning to attend U of T, Ugalde has some advice.

“We Mexicans are really tied to our roots, families and home and that is what makes it harder for us to emmigrate to another country, but when you are here you feel very supported by others – your colleagues and professors – and it makes things easier,” he says. “I would love others to experience what it is [like] to be in a world-class university with pretty much unlimited access to resources and equipment.

“Here, for example, students start doing research and internships during undergrad – and I would like Mexican students to experience working in the industry, and really experience research from a very early stage.”

Ugalde says he is considering a post-doctoral position at U of T in the coming year.

“I am pretty sure whatever I do here – all the research – it will be really, really beneficial for Mexico when I go back.”

'Bring the best out of you': Students from India on why they chose to study at U of T

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 21:09:14 +0000

'Bring the best out of you': Students from India on why they chose to study at U of T

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 02/14/2019 - 16:09

Cutline

Sukhmani Khaira, from Amritsar, says that, while the academics are rigorous, U of T provides students with the opportunity to chart their own course (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Cansu Aydemir

Topic

Global Lens

Computer Science

Entrepreneurship Hatchery

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

India

Innis College

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

Undergraduate Students

Victoria College

Victoria University

The ��Ƶ is forging an ever deeper relationship with India as evidenced by plans to launch an urban research centre and entrepreneurship hub in the country of 1.3 billion in partnership with Tata Trusts.

At the same time, a growing number of Indian students are opting to study at U of T, with undergraduate enrolment soaring 280 per cent between 2014 and last year.

Why U of T?

The university’s global reputation coupled with Toronto’s welcoming atmosphere and diverse communities are oft-cited reasons.

To get a fuller picture of U of T’s Indian student experience, U of T News reporter Cansu Aydemir – an international student herself – asked students from India about their life on and off campus.

Here's what they said:

When Taanvi Malhotra was trying to decide where to attend university, she knew she wanted to study abroad to get an international experience.

The Bangalore student considered the United States, but in the end she chose Canada.

“Canada had a better reputation than the U.S.,” Malhotra says. “I knew it would be better for my employment and my quality of life.”

Now in her third year, Malhotra studies digital enterprise management at U of T Mississauga. She says she considered all three campuses but chose Mississauga for three reasons: She wanted to be in the management program and she loved the campus’s modern architecture. Plus, she felt U of T Mississauga offered a smaller, more intimate university experience.

“You know everyone on campus, you are connected to everyone in some ways and it just makes you more comfortable,” she says. “I love the campus; I think it is very pretty. I love the nature, and I love the deer.”

While Malhotra didn’t anticipate being actively involved in campus life when she first arrived, she says the variety of options and opportunities made her want to step forward.

Last year, she was the public relations director for the Student Management Association and this year she has a work-study placement at the department of management as the engagement and digital media assistant.

Malhotra says her role mostly focuses on social media.

“I’m basically in charge of organizing the online reputation of the department of management, insuring that all social media accounts and all communications are successfully done,” she says.

Asked what she likes best about the school, she responds “the opportunities, the endless opportunities – you can do whatever you want if you just want it hard enough at U of T.”

Amritsar’s Sukhmani Khaira didn’t just want to find the right university – she also wanted to find the best country to help build her career.

“When it came to deciding between England, the United States or Canada the fact that Canada is an open and warmer community than other places was what attracted me here,” Khaira says. “I did look at the fact that if I am going to stay in a country after my graduation for a year or two to gain some experience, that is much easier in Canada than in England.

“And Toronto is the New York of Canada; it is the best place if you want to work in the financial sector or business-related jobs.”

Now in her first year at U of T’s Victoria University on the downtown Toronto campus, Khaira is pursuing a double major in mathematics and economics.

What made her choose Victoria?

“It looks a lot like Hogwarts,” she says, referring to the fictional British school of magic from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Khaira says she chose U of T because of its high ranking. She was aware that she was going to join a competitive environment.

“A lot of people did tell me that U of T is a hard school and that people are going to be as good as me if not better,” she says. “It takes a lot of time to get used to the fact that if you are an above-average student back in high school you are an average student here, and you can’t just get straight As.”

While she feels the academic rigour, Khaira says U of T provides a variety of opportunities to its students.

“You can use U of T to bring the best out of you. I really like the degree flexibility at U of T – you can just mix and match your courses. That’s something they didn’t have back home. You couldn’t double major in, let’s say, psychology and mathematics. But here you can.”

Khaira says she is getting used to living in a new country, and that the Indian community in the GTA is a big help.

“I really like the fact that Toronto is very close to Brampton and Mississauga, and that has a lot of Indian community; if I am really homesick I can go to the restaurants there or visit the places in Brampton – it kind of feels like home,” she says.

An interest in artificial intelligence and cyber security caused Shubhra Bedi to fix her gaze on North American universities.

She applied to both U.S. and Canadian schools but had her heart set on U of T.

“I went through a lot of research and I found that U of T is number one in Canada and among top 10 in the world for AI research,” she says.

Bedi is from Delhi – one of the most populated cities in the world – and she grew up in Doha, capital of Qatar. She says a tour with her parents that included stops in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto, also helped her to finalize her decision.

“I saw most parts of Canada. It was a very beautiful experience with mountains and snow and I loved Canada,” she says.

Now in her first year of computer science, Bedi says she chose New College on the downtown Toronto campus because of its location, size, social scene and amenities.

“New College is the closest to all the classes, it is in the middle [of the downtown Toronto campus] so you can reach everywhere with a 10-minute walk – plus it has a very big community, so lot’s of events are happening continuously,” she says.

Bedi has joined a dance club, works as a house representative at New College, and plans to join U of T’s Model United Nations.

She says she made the right choice by coming to U of T.

“It has a very safe environment, lots of people from different backgrounds and various clubs,” she says.

But life isn’t always easy. Sometimes, Bedi says, the competitiveness of the computer science program can be overwhelming.

“Computer science is one of the hardest programs to get into,” she says referring to the grade point average she required. “That is the hard part.”

Living far away from home and family also makes her miss “the comfort of not worrying about anything,” she says. However, she says she enjoys being independent and “standing on her own feet.”

For future students, she recommends, “keep working right from the beginning, getting rid of distractions.

“You just have to stay in your path and make sure you achieve what you came here for.”

Avani Singh had always wanted to leave her home in Jaipur to attend university. Destination: North America.

But how to decide between the U.S. and Canada?

“In my year, which was 2016, the whole election thing was going on, so it was a tipping point towards Canada,” Singh says.

Rankings matter a lot to international students, she adds, and U of T’s high ranking among the world’s top universities was a big draw for her.

After a rigorous search, she settled on Victoria College at U of T’s Victoria University.

“Victoria suited me best because it has this artsy and inclusive vibe going on around it that I love. Everyone knows everyone and they all are very open-minded and generous and kind.”

Singh is now in her third year at Rotman Commerce specializing in management, with minors in economics and computer science.

She chose Rotman Commerce because it is “one of the most valued business programs in almost the entire North America,” she says.

“My classes are fabulous – very integrated, and hands-on. It is not just like learning the material and writing the exam. We have guest speakers, we get to interact with them, we actually go to sites and do studies – it is way better than I imagined and I am learning more than I imagined,” she says.

Looking back, Singh says certain opportunities helped smooth her transition to U of T life.

“I thought U of T would be this huge place where I would never find a community. But literally the moment I stepped in I became a part of Step Up, the international transition program that happens a week before university starts, which introduced me to my first group of friends and gave me the confidence that I needed.”

Now, Toronto feels more like home than her actual home, she says.

“U of T made Toronto into my house.”

Singh is doing a work-study placement at the Centre for Community Partnerships, with a focus on the Alternative Reading Week program, which aims to help communities in need.

“During Reading Week we take approximately 150 to 200 students and we send them out into communities out where they can help the community with whatever they need,” she says. “So it gives them a lot of experience and exposure to what Toronto is actually like and allows them to do something useful over the reading week.”

Singh, who comes from a desert area of India, says the weather has been challenging at times. But she says the warmth of the people she meets helps offset the cold.

“I remember the day I came: I had two suitcases with me and two strangers helped me on the street. That doesn’t happen in most parts of the world,” she says.

“Knowing how much war and everything is going on, Canada is like this beacon of friendship and peace and I really like it.”

She encourages other Indian students who are thinking about studying abroad to choose U of T.

“Canada is a beautiful country and it will definitely make you a better human being. I want them to know, it may feel scary, it may feel big, but it will feel like home after a while.”

A Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship brought Akshit Goyal to U of T from his home in the northern border city of Amritsar.

Now in his first year of studying computer science, Goyal says that, along with the prestigious scholarship, U of T’s global reputation for computer science and research opportunities were key factors in his decision to come to Toronto.

“The teaching I get here, the professors that I have here – I wouldn’t get that in any other college in the world,” he says.

Goyal chose Innis College on the downtown Toronto campus, primarily for its size.

“Innis is one of the smallest colleges at U of T,” he says. “When you are in a small community you see each and every person every day, you talk to them everyday – it becomes like a family.”

Goyal says he appreciates the great range of opportunities that the school provides and tries to get involved as much as possible.

“The professors give you opportunities – you get to do some research with them,” he says. “You don’t get that kind of opportunity at every school, you only get it at top schools like U of T.

“I really like the [Entrepreneurship] Hatchery in the engineering department. If you have a startup idea you can go to them and they will find you resources for that – they will help you.”

Goyal recently participated in an “Accelerator Weekend” competition organized by the Hatchery. His team, called Sparrow, won first prize.

“It was a two-day event held at Fields Institute Building where we had to come up with a startup idea and a pitch for that startup idea in the span of 28 hours,” he says.

Goyal is also a student ambassador at U of T, and a TEDxUofT volunteer.

“I’ve actually always watched TEDx videos online and I really liked the concept of it, but when I came here I never imagined that I would be a part of it,” he says.

Of course, he had his own questions before coming to a big school in a different country.

“At first when I saw the size of the university it was a bit scary,” he says. “Will I get lost here? Will I make friends?

Today, he says, he feels at home.

“I have friends who I believe will be life-long friends. Everyone is so supportive here.”

Goyal says he doesn’t miss home much – except for his mom’s food – and that there’s one “strange, but nice” thing he really likes about Canada.

“Here the pedestrians have the rights. If you want to cross the road the cars will stop; in India it is not possible. I was really confused at first, but this is something I really like about Canada,” he says.

He has a message for future students.

“Don’t be afraid. Trust me, there is this assumption that U of T is really hard – but nothing is hard if you want to do it.

“You can do it.”

'You will be one step ahead': Students from Turkey on why they chose U of T

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 15:27:02 +0000

'You will be one step ahead': Students from Turkey on why they chose U of T

noreen.rasbach Thu, 01/24/2019 - 10:27

Cutline

Selin Eksioglu says she chose U of T over other Canadian schools because of U of T’s global reputation and the range of opportunities it offers (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Cansu Aydemir

Topic

Global Lens

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Graduate Students

International Students

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Undergraduate Students

Varsity Blues

The number of Turkish students at the ��Ƶ may still be relatively small – they accounted for just 223 of U of T's approximately 21,000 international students in 2018 – but their numbers can be expected to grow.

More than 1,000 prospective students from Turkey applied to U of T last year, drawn by U of T's global reputation, high ranking and Canada's welcoming multicultural environment.

“I knew that it was one of the best 20 schools in the world,” says Selin Gur, a fourth-year student at U of T Mississauga. “There are no words to explain my excitement when I received the acceptance letter from U of T.”

In order to better understand the many facets of U of T's international student experience, Cansu Aydemir – herself a student from Turkey and an intern at U of T News – recently spoke with several students from Turkey about their studies, life on campus and what drew them to the university.

When Deniz Nalbantoglu finished high school in Istanbul, she says she had two options: study in Canada or the United States.

Nalbantoglu says she chose Canada because she felt the country was more open and welcoming towards international students. She chose to study at U of T because of its global reputation and ranking.

Now in her second year of studying industrial engineering, Nalbantoglu says today she has two homes.

“Home for me is where my family is and that’s why Turkey – Istanbul – is home, but Toronto is my second home since I have a different kind of family here, with my friends,” says Nalbantoglu.

For someone who “always aimed to be efficient in every part of my life, even in small tasks,” industrial engineering has been a great fit, Nalbantoglu says. She loves the discipline’s emphasis on productivity and efficiency, and says the field offers many opportunities, including in management.

“I didn’t want to limit myself – and in industrial engineering there is no limit,” she says. “I don’t want to sit in an office all day and work with numbers. Industrial engineering is something that would allow me to use my social skills.”

Engineering has challenged her, and helped her grow, she says.

“At U of T, I started to clearly see what I can and can’t do. For the first time in my life, I feel that I’ve achieved things. Back in Turkey, I have family – they always help – but here I am alone and I have to do everything by myself; stand on my own feet. I believe U of T made me more independent and boosted my self-confidence.”

Asked about her favourite things in Canada and Toronto, she says, “people,” without hesitation.

“It is very easy to communicate with people here,” Nalbantoglu says. “People are very respectful, tolerant and helpful.”

Zeynep Sanem Bekci knew she wanted to study in Canada – and U of T was at the top of her list.

Bekci, who hails from the Aegean coast city of Izmir, is now in her second year at U of T’s Trinity College, specializing in biochemistry and minoring in immunology.

“It is a great country to live,” she says. “It’s home for many immigrants and that’s why people are very open-minded here.”

The academic opportunities at U of T were another big factor, she says.

“U of T offers many more opportunities than Turkish schools, especially for the subject that I study,” Bekci says, adding that she is receiving significantly more lab experience here.

”I can go and talk with my professors and see these labs; I can do internships at these labs. I think it is one of the major pros of U of T,” says Bekci.

She also appreciates all the opportunities students have to stay active on campus, like playing intramural volleyball and attending yoga classes.

Although she misses home – and of course, Turkish food – Bekci says she is happy with her new life here in Canada.

“The pretentiousness that you see in other countries, you don't see that here. People are more friendly and nicer. They help a lot too. When I have an issue, I know that once I ask someone, they answer, they help.”

She encourages other Turkish students who are thinking about applying to U of T to take the step – so long as they don’t mind the cold.

“I know it is far and the weather is different than what we are used to in Turkey, but it is a great country to live in, the city is great and the school is great. The school teaches you everything and offers many opportunities. If you don’t mind the winters, it is just perfect.”

After studying in French schools in Turkey for 13 years, Selin Gur says she realized she needed to pursue the “global language” of English in university.

She didn’t know too much about Toronto, except that it was home to Drake. But she knew of U of T’s global reputation – and says she applied without expecting too much.

Now at U of T Mississauga, studying digital enterprise management, Gur says the early days were challenging. “You can’t go and visit your family and friends randomly when you live in a place that has a seven hour time difference with your home.”

Alone, and facing a significant language barrier, Gur found frosh week to be a big help. The atmosphere was inclusive – and definitely global.

“In Canada, everyone helps each other, without expecting anything in exchange. The most common words are ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry.’ People are nice, they are open and welcoming. In such an inclusive environment, it is impossible to feel like an outsider.”

“More importantly, you don’t only see Americans or Canadians here; there are people from all around the world, India, Pakistan, China, Russia, France, South Korea ... It is a multicultural heaven.”

She says she has enjoyed living in residence and using the pool and fitness centre at U of T Mississauga, but she notes that her years at U of T have been rigorous.

”There is a reason why they call U of T ‘the Harvard of Canada,’” Gur says. “You might face more hardships than your other friends back in Turkey. You definitely won’t be able to see your loved ones whenever you want, but it will make you stronger, more responsible and mature.

“You will be one step ahead. Toronto, as a multicultural city, will change your worldview and expand your vision. During my first days in Toronto, I was too shy to say ‘hi’ to others. And now, here I am.”

Selin Eksioglu was born in Canada and lived here until she was three, while her father pursued his PhD in Quebec. Although the family ultimately returned to Istanbul, she always knew she’d be back.

“I think my parents regretted [leaving] and I think they keep asking, ‘What if we stayed?’ So for me and for my two brothers, we were raised with the idea of going to Canada.”

Eksioglu says she chose U of T over other Canadian schools because of U of T’s global reputation and the range of opportunities it offers.

Now in her fourth year at U of T Scarborough and majoring in political science with minors in history and sociology, Eksioglu says transitioning from a very small high school to a huge university in a different country was a challenge at the beginning. But getting involved in life on campus really helped.

“I’ve lived in residence and they had a lot of opportunities to get involved – they had many events, which made me feel better,” she says.

It took a while for Eksioglu to find her way. She started her studies in business administration but hit her stride after switching to political science.

“We talk about current events and apply the theories that we’ve learned,” she says, adding the program is as rewarding as it is challenging.

“I was not used to being asked to think about something in so many ways, to build up my own arguments, and provide evidence,” she says. “U of T has given me a whole new perspective.”

Over the years, Eksioglu says she found the more she engaged with people, the better her experience.

“In U of T, you have the opportunity to research, observe or examine anything you wish and anything you want. There is always a professor who will help you through, there is always a professor doing research, there are events, student clubs. So everyone does something, the school always puts something forward for everyone else to join.”

Alara Demirag wanted to be a professional tennis player until the age of 14, when she realized she had a passion for “creating something” and decided to become an architect.

Now in her third year at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, Demirag is specializing in the technology stream of architectural studies.

“I saw the opportunities here,” Demirag says. “The job options are really good and the school has academically good standing.”

Tennis has also remained a key part of her life – and U of T’s tennis team was a big pull-factor, she says.

When she was first applying to universities, Demirag considered going to the U.S., but felt that being a college athlete would be a huge challenge there. At U of T, she believed, she could find a balance between her studies and tennis.

The Varsity team has helped her build a home.

“We have so many international players like me; they see you as a family member,” she says.

Although Demirag is from Istanbul, she graduated from an American high school. She says U of T’s ranking and global reputation were well known at the school, but she still had questions.

“I am coming from another culture, how am I going to communicate with them? How will they respond to me? Will I be able to make my jokes to them? How they will react?”

She says she found her answers quickly.

“People are really friendly, the place is very multicultural which is really amazing, and they treat people really nicely,” she says, adding that U of T has proven to be a place where “you can change yourself, create a new individual out of yourself, you can reach your potential here.”

Toronto is home now, Demirag says, but she connects with friends when she’s home for the holidays.

“I miss my friends, but they are mostly studying abroad; so Turkey is kind of the meeting point for us now,” Demirag says.

After she finished her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Nazli Eser Kaya chose Canada to pursue her master’s degree in mechanical and industrial engineering. Her research focuses on driver distraction and attention.

“I’m really interested in people; what makes them think the way they do, what motivates them to behave the way they behave, and how their lives can be made easier through a simpler design,” Kaya says. “Human factors engineering aims to design systems that leverage the capabilities of human operators while compensating for their limitations.

“My research focuses on driver attention and distraction at urban intersections by utilizing a state-of-the-art instrumented vehicle and eye-tracking equipment. For road safety, an in-depth approach based on human-centred design is a necessity.”

A fluent German-speaker, Kaya applied to German universities but U of T offered a scholarship and the opportunity to be a teaching assistant.

“U of T engineering is one of the top schools among the worldwide universities,” Kaya says. “Also, U of T and Toronto are so international – that makes me feel so comfortable, and that is not the case in Europe, for example.”

Kaya has been in Toronto for more than a year and says the diversity makes it easy to feel at home.

“People don’t judge you based on your religion or ethnicity,” Kaya says. “Me being Muslim or Turkish doesn’t affect how people perceive me.”

Kaya says she has benefited from support offered to graduate students.

“Since I came here, I have completed a lot of certificate programs, been involved with our department’s graduate association – and there are so many networking activities, too, and they helped me a lot.

“Because I don’t know many people here, I have to build connections and also do some networking to find a job after I graduate.”

Students who are thinking of applying to U of T, but do not trust their English levels, should go for it, Kaya says.

“Don’t be scared. I have taken many academic writing classes here for free; U of T gives a lot of resources to improve language skills.”

'An environment I wanted to be a part of': U of T's American students on why they headed north

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:38:02 +0000

'An environment I wanted to be a part of': U of T's American students on why they headed north

noreen.rasbach Tue, 01/08/2019 - 13:38

Cutline

Celine Simone, who is studying architecture, says she was drawn to U of T's size, academic reputation and the way it's seamlessly incorporated into one of the world's most diverse cities (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Cansu Aydemir

Topic

Global Lens

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Humanities

International Students

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

The ��Ƶ is home to roughly 19,000 international students from more than 168 countries – with greater numbers of international students arriving every year.

One country where the university's popularity has been rising fast is the United States, where applications to U of T soared by nearly 70 per cent between 2016 and 2018. U of T's depth and breadth of academic disciplines, coupled with its global reputation and proximity to the U.S., are just a few of the reasons American students give for choosing U of T – along with the diversity and inclusivity of Toronto and Canada.

One might think that being a student in Canada is easier for Americans than for students from other countries due to the similarities between two cultures. But is it?

Cansu Aydemir, a reporter at U of T News who is herself an international student from Turkey, asked five Americans to share their U of T experiences. Here's what they said:

Home for Rebekah Robinson is Maryland – but it was a passion for Russian that brought her to the ��Ƶ.

“Not a lot of universities in the United States offer Russian studies as a major program,” says Robinson.

Yet, while U of T's reputation in the field was a big draw, Robinson – now in her second year of a double major in history and Russian language and literature in the Faculty of Arts & Science – says it was the university's people who sealed the deal.

“When I came to visit U of T for the first time, my tour guide was friendly, all the other students were friendly; it was the kind of environment I wanted to be a part of,” she says.

Once she’d settled in at New College on the downtown Toronto campus, the city – with its range of festivals, cuisines, and events – proved to be another asset.

“Life is different in Toronto, there are so many people speaking so many different languages – it is really a multicultural city,” says Robinson. “Because I study Russian, I am so surprised every time I’m walking on the street – I hear people speaking Russian and that makes me really happy.”

Coming from a small high school, Robinson says she can see why some students might find U of T`s size and competitiveness intimidating, but she says an international student orientation helped her settle in quickly. And once classes began, she made a point of visiting professors during office hours and getting involved. Now, Toronto feels like home.

“I genuinely came here without knowing anyone. Now I want to spend more time here instead of going back home, because I genuinely feel like all my friends are here,” she says. “I miss my dog, I miss my family, but otherwise Toronto feels like home right now. When I am not here I miss this place.”

San Francisco’s Celine Simone is a second-generation U of T student. Her mother, who was born in Croatia, came to Canada during the communist era, received asylum status and graduated from U of T.

“My mom really loved U of T,” Simone says. “She liked the idea of me going to Canada and, because U of T treated her very well, she was very happy that I went to U of T.”

But it was more than her family’s ties that brought Simone, now in her first year studying architecture and history, to Toronto.

“I know this is a very stereotypical response, but it really is the city – it is one of the most international cities in the world.”

Coming from a high school in which the graduating class was 73 people, Simone says she always wanted to attend a big school. She was the only member of her class to apply outside the U.S.

“When you are from America and there so many of the world’s top universities and international students there, you just kind of assume by default, ‘Okay, I will go to an American school,’” Simone says. “I really liked the size of U of T and how incorporated into the city it was, and, of course, it is also an incredible school.”

She says she also likes the way the sprawling downtown Toronto campus comprises smaller communities.

“There are tens of thousands of students, but I am in architecture, which is quite small, and I live at Trinity College, which is also very small,” says Simone. “I thought it would always be giant, I’d always be surrounded by people I had never seen before – but I really like the combination.

“It is both very big and very small.”

Although she misses home, “politically, I am very happy to be here; I was very happy to escape Trump,” she says, adding that she encourages other American students to live a different experience by studying abroad.

“People are so focused on Ivy League schools, but I just want to let people know that you can leave America and still get an incredible education that you can compare with those Ivies.”

A keen interest in artificial intelligence motivated Priyanshu Arora to leave New Jersey for Toronto.

“I knew that U of T was one of the best on AI in Canada and in the world,” says Arora, now in his first year of studying computer science. “Since it is such a research-heavy university, I assumed that the professors would be amazing – and so far that’s true.”

A student in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Arora says that he chose New College because of the all-you-can-eat dining hall plan and its close proximity to Bahen Centre.

“I also heard from my peers on Reddit that New College dining hall is the best in all of U of T,” says Arora adding that the residence's modern buildings were another factor.

Arora says he’s found enough similarities between American and Canadian culture to make life as an international student an easy transition.

But there was one difference he wasn’t expecting.

“One surprising thing for me, at first, was the number of international students," says Arora. “I thought it was going to be 90 per cent Canadian students here.” Instead, he adds, many are from "halfway around the world."

Arora says he’s noticed that people from the same countries tend to form their own groups at the beginning. He recommends international students “get involved with sports activities, intramurals or clubs and to get out of their comfort zones.”

Discovering that many of his professors are not only renowned for their research, but also for their teaching was another revelation.

“I have one amazing math professor: Alfonso Gracia-Saz. He is a great professor – I absolutely love him, best teacher I have had in a long time,” Arora says. “If you look at the textbooks and if you look at the authors, the very authors of textbooks are the ones teaching the courses.

“You are being taught by the people who wrote the book, which is great.”

Boston’s Jacob Nazarenko had dreamed about going to a top school for computer science – and then a visiting recruiter from U of T told him about the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program.

He applied, and won.

“A dream come true,” says Nazarenko, pointing out U of T “is very well ranked – top 10 or 15 in computer science.”

Before coming to the school, Nazarenko says he had heard about U of T’s competitiveness and the “work hard, play hard” mentality of students.

“There are definitely a lot of people who work hard,” he says, but “I think that aligns with my personality and goals.”

A student in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Nazarenko says that he chose New College primarily for its size, accommodation and dining options, as well as its proximity to his classes.

“I also chose New because it is known to have one of the highest percentages of international students compared to other colleges at U of T, and has students representing a variety of different disciplines, including my own.”

Nazarenko says Toronto is “basically a bigger and more diverse version of Boston, but it also has a somewhat different vibe.” Every week he ends up trying some new food or hearing of a cool event.

Nazarenko says U of T offers a great range of opportunities, events, clubs, and info-sessions for students.

“There is something at U of T for everyone.”

Michigan’s Christina Visser wanted to leave home to attend university. Her mother wanted her to choose a school with a global reputation.

“I wanted go out and explore intellectually, I guess. But I also wanted a different geography,” Visser says.

Visser’s mother, who works in education, suggested U of T. But some of the online comments Visser read suggested the university had a reputation for being all about the books.

“It was just like people didn’t socialize as they do in college towns was and academic rigor is insane – those were the expectations I went in with,” Visser says. “But I know that what you put in is what you get out – and it is completely different; it is not antisocial at all.”

Visser adds that, while the school is huge and academics are rigorous, U of T is no more difficult than other top universities.

“It is not crazy,” she says.

Visser attends U of T’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design.

“I wanted to focus on architecture, and I like that it is a small, specialized community so it's more intimate, which I think is very advantageous,” Visser says.

This is Visser’s fourth year in Toronto, away from home. She says she misses her family, but adds that she feels Toronto is now her home, too.

“When I go home now it just feels like I am visiting a place where my parents live,” says Visser.

She says she likes the slight differences she’s found between American and Canadian cultures.

“Canadians are noticeably nicer, and I think their general attitude towards each other is more collective; they are more aware of how their actions affect other people,” says Visser.

Visser says her experience as an international student has given her a critical perspective.

“There is so much I have learned about myself,” she says.

International student Cansu Aydemir is an intern at U of T News. Originally from Turkey, she has lived in Toronto since 2012 and is now in her fourth year of studies at U of T where she is specializing in history and minoring in diaspora and transnational studies.

Meet five impressive graduating students who got the most of their U of T experience

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Meet five impressive graduating students who got the most of their U of T experience

noreen.rasbach Thu, 11/08/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

Rachel McKenna-Marshall of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design with paintings based on photographs she took of her friends under water

Topic

Artificial Intelligence

Convocation

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Global

Graduate Students

Humanities

International Students

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

U of T Mississauga

Undergraduate Students

University College

As this fall's convocation comes to an end, we introduce you to five students who have made the most of their time at the ��Ƶ.

Natasha Malik

Natasha Malik originally wanted to specialize in a science field, but that changed when she took some elective courses in the humanities. In the end, Malik split the difference – graduating this week with a bachelor’s of science degree, with a double major in English and health and disease.

“I like arts and I like sciences, so I really liked that I could do both with my degree,” she says.

Malik, a University College student, took advantage of many of the opportunites the university offers, taking on student leadership roles and building an impressive resumé with work placements.

“When I was a frosh, I didn’t exactly picture myself as a leader,” she says, adding that “leadership is something that anyone can pursue.”

After being introduced to student life on campus through University College's commuter orientation, Malik went on to become a leader in the program, holding an orientation executive role in her third year.

She received a UC Merit Award this year, in recognition of her contribution to student life at the college. “I really like the amount of exposure at UC to so many different leadership opportunities and engagement opportunities because they really allowed me to strengthen skills and become more familiar with who I am.”

Malik also took part in the work-study program, working in the imaging facility at the department of cell and systems biology.

She served as a student ambassador at Hart House, where she developed an interest in work in social media and later became a communications assistant at the department of psychiatry.

In September, she started working as a social media intern in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

Malik plans on doing graduate work in media studies.

- Angela Gu

Eray Sonmez

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

When Eray Sonmez crossed the stage at Convocation Hall, he marked the end of a journey that began when he left his home in Adana, Turkey at the age of 17.

Sonmez, who first came to Canada to attend an international high school, chose to remain here to study political science, history and Canadian studies at U of T Mississauga.

“U of T has a global reputation,” Sonmez says. “I know that when I put my U of T diploma on the wall, that name will make a difference; it will open many doors to me.”

Sonmez says he is returning home to work for his family business – and bringing a new perspective with him.

“U of T has changed my worldview and expanded my vision,” Sonmez says. “Now, because of U of T, I am thinking bigger, and I believe my new international vision will be a big help for the business.”

He is leaving Canada with more than an undergraduate degree, he says.

“The best thing about here is that I have friends from all over the world.”

Sonmez says he plans to write a book about the history of Adana, using the research and writing skills he honed during his time here.

He also has a message for future international students.

“If you are thinking about applying to U of T, I strongly recommend it. The school makes you successful and at the same time it provides many opportunities.”

The international students’ centre is a good resource, Sonmez says, and a significant help for students who are seeking a job.

“The other thing is you can freely express your own opinions in classes with your peers and professors without hesitation. Everyone is open to discussion and respectful, even if you think differently than others."

- Cansu Aydemir

Melinda Scott

Melinda Scott serves as the dean of students at University College and until this fall she was a student herself.

"The perspective of being both a professional and a student helped me in both realms,” she says.

Scott graduated this week with a PhD in higher education at U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, conducting research that focused on professional development planning in student affairs.

She says her role as dean of students helped her identify research questions and issues that she saw as worthy of investigation, while her PhD research “helped to bring an academic perspective” to her work.

Some of her best experiences at OISE involved getting to meet with other PhD students to learn from each other’s successes and challenges.

“I found that really, really helpful,” she says.

Reflecting on her PhD experience, Scott says that despite the stress, the PhD program was “really interesting, and really worthwhile.”

“I will miss it,” she says.

– Angela Gu

Joey Bose

Joey Bose’s interest in computer vision was sparked when he became a research assistant in Professor Steve Mann’s lab while working on his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

“We see face detectors everywhere these days – they’re so prevalent,” he says, citing as examples their use on social media platforms and airport security cameras. But, he says, the technology "doesn’t function as admirably as we would hope,” adding that face-detection systems can falter if even a little bit of noise is added to the image.

He graduated this week with a Master of Applied Science focusing on computer vision – specifically, artificial intelligence for facial recognition and protecting personal privacy.

Bose has created his own company, FaceShield, which helps people protect their privacy online by shielding photos from detection software.

“The idea is that anyone should be able to use these filters,” he says. “If you want to protect your privacy by adding these filters to your images, you can now do so.”

Bose completed what is usually a two-year master's program in just a year, which he credits to the support of his supervisor, Associate Professor Parham Aarabi of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Aarabi encouraged Bose to start his company and pursue a PhD.

“He helped me a lot. I can’t thank him enough,” he says.

Bose is now a doctoral student in computer science at McGill University and Mila, the inter-university machine learning laboratory run by both McGill and the Université de Montréal.

- Angela Gu

Rachel McKenna-Marshall

When Rachel McKenna-Marshall ran the Toronto Waterfront 10K, she got to see a display of the fruits of her labour from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

Marshall, who came to U of T to study architecture two years ago, will be graduating this fall with a double major in architectural studies and visual studies.

This summer, McKenna-Marshall took an intensive course where the class designed and built a meditation pavilion for athletic apparel firm Lululemon, with groups working on different aspects of the final product.

She and a few classmates “were the most excited about it, so we got a lot done” – including building meditation chairs by hand.

The pavilion was displayed at the Toronto Waterfront 10k. “It was really incredible,” she says, of seeing the pavilion in use, post-race.

McKenna-Marshall also did an independent study this summer involving her artwork. She took underwater photos of friends in a pool, which served as the source images for her paintings.

Her project was conducted under the supervision of Associate Professor Sue Lloyd, who praises McKenna-Marshall’s productive and self-led efforts and says the course allows students to do work at the master's level.

Looking back, McKenna-Marshall is grateful for the opportunities she’s had, especially working closely with faculty members. “They care about the individual students.

“I think that it’s really good to have a lot of creative people in the same space," she says. "I think it helps your work, I think it helps what you produce."

- Angela Gu

Cansu Aydemir

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Meet five impressive graduating students who got the most of their U of T experience

As this fall's convocation comes to an end, we introduce you to five students who have made the most of their time at the ������Ƶ.

Natasha Malik

Eray Sonmez

Melinda Scott

Joey Bose

Rachel McKenna-Marshall

As this fall's convocation comes to an end, we introduce you to five students who have made the most of their time at the ��Ƶ.