茄子直播

#UofTGrad17: Grads from Innis, Woodsworth and Trinity Colleges are ready to change the world

Students walking towards Convocation Hall
Students from Innis College, Trinity College and Woodsworth College graduated today (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Faculty of Arts & Science students from three colleges crossed the stage at Convocation Hall to receive their degrees today, sharing the platform with honorary degree recipient Margaret MacMillan at the morning ceremony and with honorary degree recipient Peter Mansbridge in the afternoon.

Innis College

Tian Nie studied pathobiology and physiology, but she鈥檚 just as passionate about the arts as she is about science. She directed the spirited Innis Choir and served on the executive of two other performing arts clubs. Her dedication resulted in a as well as a Student Engagement in the Arts Award.

The arts are 鈥渦niversal in their language,鈥 Nie says, 鈥渃onveying difficult-to-articulate emotions and feelings to a broad audience. They鈥檙e an exploration of the question of what it means to be alive. Science is quite similar. It tells the story of discovery, of new things that we might not yet understand, but hopefully someday someone will.鈥

What was it about 茄子直播, and Innis College in particular, that helped Nie foster her interdisciplinary interests? She credits the wide variety of opportunities available to students, from field courses to research courses and work-study jobs. Nie gained experience in a number of different labs, from washing pots for plant genetics to using a 3D printer to make implants intended to guide an optical fibre to a mouse鈥檚 spinal cord. While the implant didn鈥檛 end up working as predicted, Nie says the experience was valuable regardless of the outcome: 鈥淚 learned about dealing with failure, but also how to succeed,鈥 she says. 

Donna Pan is the coordinator of Innis鈥 Orientation and the chair of Innis鈥 World University Services Canada (WUSC) local committee. For the past two years, she has run the Student Refugee Program at Innis College, which has raised enough funds to sponsor a new refugee student each year.

Pan credits the interdisciplinary majors in which she specialized 鈥 equity studies and diaspora & transnational studies with helping her to learn and grow as a person by mixing and matching a wide variety of courses to eventually narrow down her areas of interest. 鈥淚 have always been passionate about human rights and social justice,鈥 says Pan, who chose equity studies so that she could 鈥渕ake a difference on issues revolving around accessibility, inclusivity and of course refugee rights.鈥

Living and studying in a city as diverse as Toronto, especially as a person who is interested in transnationalism and diasporas, was an experience Pan was happy to share with some of the refugee students her efforts helped to sponsor. 鈥淐oming from the camps where refugees have not been exposed to such a wide range of cultures and ethnicities, I know that being placed in a new city is daunting enough; however, knowing that Toronto is such an inclusive space where everyone is accepted makes the process just a little bit easier.鈥

 

Woodsworth College

As a first-generation Canadian, Aadil Nathani says he is personally invested in social justice, justice reform, and immigration and refugee law, particularly 鈥渄ue to the interesting time we are living in, with a rise in nationalism sweeping over the West.鈥

For the recipient, who graduated today with the Woodsworth College class of 2017, personal interests are closely aligned with his achievements 鈥 in academics, campus community organizing and extra-curricular activities. Nathani served two terms doing community outreach and as vice-president of finance on the Woodsworth College Students鈥 Association, was the president of the Criminology & Sociolegal Studies Students' Association, interim president of the Woodsworth Political Society, and coordinator for both the Woodsworth E-Mentorship program and the Woodsworth First-Year Mentorship Program. And he was captain of the Woodsworth Soccer team.

鈥淚 believe that education occurs not only within the classroom and textbooks but from real life experiences,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t is proven that students who are involved in extra-curricular activities also improve academically 鈥 and I am a personal testament to this. My last two years where I was heavily involved were my best two years academically.鈥

In addition to her double major in sociology and criminology & sociolegal studies, Sandleen Azam is a passionate and dedicated community organizer who co-founded Because We Care, an on-campus group that connects students to volunteering opportunities in community organizations.

The initiative 鈥渉as been a labour of love right from the start,鈥 says Azam, and has built a volunteer base of around 200 students since its inception. 鈥淭his year we were able to create and deliver 鈥楤lessing Bags鈥 filled with basic hygienic necessities, to the homeless population in Toronto. It was amazing to have the idea come to life and see all the people we were able to help.鈥

Novera Hasan Khan, a Woodsworth student graduating with a major in political science and minors in sociology and economics, enrolled at 茄子直播 in 2013, just six months after immigrating to Canada with her family. Khan鈥檚 parents, a doctor and a professor of biochemistry in their native Pakistan, have taken positions outside their line of work in Toronto for the past four years in order to ensure their three daughters would have a promising future in Canada.

鈥淭hey sacrificed their whole lives鈥 worth of work, education and relationships to ensure a better lifestyle for my sisters and I,鈥 says Khan. 鈥淭heir primary goal was to have their children study at the most prestigious university in Canada, and they are very happy that we have been successful in doing so.鈥

Khan鈥檚 younger sister is pursuing a double major in biology and global health at 茄子直播, while her youngest sister is currently in high school and hopes to attend 茄子直播 too.

鈥淚 am interested in pursuing either constitutional law or international law 鈥攕pecifically immigration/refugee law,鈥 she says. 鈥淓ssentially, I hope to understand, and directly or indirectly impact the policies that effect vulnerable populations.鈥

(Below: Khan, Azam and Nathani/photo by Diana Tyszko)

photo of Woodsworth students

Trinity College

Trinity College's Nathan Chan graduated today with an honours bachelor of science degree with a specialist in physiology and a major in pharmacology. He hopes to become a clinician scientist, a goal that would 鈥渋nvolve obtaining both an MD and PhD 鈥 over a decade of school!鈥

鈥淪ome would find it daunting, said Chan. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 looking forward to the journey both in school and of practising both science and medicine.鈥

But for Chan 鈥 who has dedicated himself to social justice advocacy for racialized and LGBTQ+ students 鈥 university has not been just been about coursework, studying and exams.

He co-founded (PoC@Trin), a social support group.

鈥淲e wanted to create a safe space for racialized students to discuss and validate each other鈥檚 experiences with racism and exclusion,鈥 said Chan. 鈥淧oC@Trin facilitates community building and supports the voices of students attempting to create a space for themselves within the wider Trinity College community.鈥

Chan also served on the executive of 鈥 an LGBTQ+ club dedicated to creating more positive spaces and fostering an open and friendly environment.

鈥淢y participation in social justice can be summed up as simply 鈥榙oing the right thing鈥.鈥 said Chan. 鈥淚 am committed to the recognition of human rights and the promotion of social equity.鈥

Trinity's Sameen Zehra also graduated today with a major in peace, conflict & justice and a double minor in political science and contemporary Asian studies. The recipient of the 2017 Dean鈥檚 Student Leadership Award, Zehra was recognized for her work as a fundraiser and community leader.

The best part about winning the award for Zehra was sharing the moment with her parents.

鈥淎fter the ceremony, they said to me: 鈥榗an you believe we immigrated to Canada 20 years ago, and now we鈥檙e here?鈥欌 said Zehra. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e taught me everything I know about hard work, staying humble and helping others whenever you can.鈥

As president of the University of Toronto Refugee Alliance 鈥 a student-led organization committed to raising awareness about refugee issues 鈥 Zehra has led fundraising initiatives that have raised $10,000 in support of the Red Cross and the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture.

鈥淢y interest in refugee issues stemmed from my research on the Syrian conflict in the Munk One program,鈥 said Zehra. 鈥淎fter an entire year of writing about and conducting an interview project on the topic, I was very much invested in the issue of those suffering in this relentless war.

鈥淚 realized that it was not enough to be studying the conflict and its effects, and then letting my research collect dust after it had been graded. I wanted to get involved and contribute, even if it was in a minor way.鈥

Zehra is also involved in the community through her leadership at Sol Music 鈥 a student-run volunteer program that provides free, weekly piano and guitar lessons to students in Toronto鈥檚 Alexandra Park neighbourhood.

鈥淚 know from personal experience how much of a financial burden private music lessons can be,鈥 said Zehra. 鈥淟ike the children we teach, I also attended schools that couldn鈥檛 afford instruments for every student interested in music.

(Below: Zehra and Chan in the Trinity quad/photo by Diana Tyszko)

photo of Trinity grads

The Bulletin Brief logo

Subscribe to The Bulletin Brief

Arts & Science