Mentorship / en 茄子直播 Chancellor Rose Patten celebrated for her exceptional leadership /news/u-t-chancellor-rose-patten-celebrated-her-exceptional-leadership <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 Chancellor Rose Patten celebrated for her exceptional leadership</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-05/DZ2_9049-Edit-crop-v2.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=Y1_kSdmZ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-05/DZ2_9049-Edit-crop-v2.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=des6xbka 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-05/DZ2_9049-Edit-crop-v2.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=YQMY5uO2 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-05/DZ2_9049-Edit-crop-v2.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=Y1_kSdmZ" alt="Rose Patten beams during her retirement ceremony"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>bresgead</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-05-31T15:23:23-04:00" title="Friday, May 31, 2024 - 15:23" class="datetime">Fri, 05/31/2024 - 15:23</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>茄子直播 Chancellor Rose Patten and her husband Tom Di Giacomo attend a recent farewell reception at Hart House to celebrate her tenure as the university鈥檚 34th chancellor&nbsp;(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/adina-bresge" hreflang="en">Adina Bresge</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rose-patten" hreflang="en">Rose Patten</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/chancellor" hreflang="en">Chancellor</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/governing-council" hreflang="en">Governing Council</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/president-meric-gertler" hreflang="en">President Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">鈥淩ose and leadership go hand in hand. She wrote the book on the subject 鈥 literally"</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div> <p><strong>Rose Patten</strong>鈥檚 name was a byword for leadership at a celebration marking the culmination of her distinguished tenure as the University of Toronto鈥檚 34th chancellor, with one speaker after the next taking to the stage to express their gratitude for her transformative influence on the university and its community of future leaders.</p> <p>After more than 25 years of service to the 茄子直播 community, Patten is set to complete her second term as chancellor (the maximum length permitted)&nbsp;on June 30, leaving a legacy characterized by visionary leadership and her commitment to championing those who would follow her.</p> <p>At a farewell reception at Hart House, President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong> praised Patten鈥檚 unparalleled ability to bring out the leader in each and every member of the 茄子直播 community.</p> <p>鈥淩ose and leadership go hand in hand. She wrote the book on the subject 鈥 literally,鈥 said President Gertler, referring to Patten鈥檚 <em>vade mecum</em>, <a href="/news/intentional-leadership-chancellor-rose-patten-s-new-book-helps-leaders-navigate-today-s"><em>Intentional Leadership</em></a>. 鈥淟eadership has been the central theme of her time as chancellor. It is the hallmark of her life and career, in business and in volunteer service.鈥</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/DZ6_8087-v2.jpg?itok=COB_2iAH" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>茄子直播 President Meric Gertler said leadership has been a hallmark of Chancellor Rose Patten鈥檚 career (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div>A major figure in Canada鈥檚 financial services sector, Patten鈥檚 long history with 茄子直播 has been defined by her prolific engagement in, and enhancement of, almost every aspect of university life, President Gertler said.</div> <div> <p>Her involvement began as a member of Governing Council, where she served for the full extent of her nine allowable years, culminating in three years鈥 service as chair.</p> <p>From 2007 to 2010, Patten chaired the task force whose recommendations led to 茄子直播鈥檚 current tri-campus governing structure.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/DZ6_7855-crop.jpg?itok=MMAp6CMF" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Toronto-based portrait artist Brenda Bury, left, and Nobel Prize-winning 茄子直播 University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi, middle, &nbsp;pose for a photo with Chancellor Rose Patten (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>First elected as chancellor in 2018, Patten will have presided over 133 convocation ceremonies by the end of her six years in the position.</p> <p>In addition to her ceremonial duties, Patten has been a constant presence on campus as chancellor, attending scores of university events each year.</p> <p>Beyond her administrative roles, she has imparted her insights on leadership with the next generation as an adjunct professor at the Rotman School of Management, where she serves as co-director of the Executive Leadership Program.</p> <p>Myriad senior leaders at 茄子直播 have drawn on Patten鈥檚 expertise, President Gertler said 鈥 including himself.</p> </div> <div> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/DZ6_8257-crop.jpg?itok=436OdYg1" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Chancellor Rose Patten shakes hands with Governing Council Chair Anna Kennedy as former Interim President Frank Iacobucci and Trinity College Provost and Vice-Chancellor Mayo Moran look on (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div><strong>Anna Kennedy</strong>, chair of Governing Council, also counted herself among the beneficiaries of Patten鈥檚 knowledge and counsel.</div> <div> <p>鈥淩ose has led with grace, wisdom and incredible generosity, providing insights and guidance to everyone she interacts with,鈥 Kennedy said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very thankful and grateful to have had the opportunity to be able to work alongside and learn from such an accomplished leader.鈥</p> <p>A former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, <strong>Frank Iacobucci</strong> said his 10-month tenure as 茄子直播鈥檚 interim president was as memorable as any other part of his career largely because of Patten鈥檚 remarkable leadership.</p> <p>From breaking the glass ceiling in business to steering 茄子直播 through uncertain times, Patten has converted challenges into opportunities throughout her distinguished career, Iacobucci said, but&nbsp;what sets Patten apart as a leader is her profound understanding that every organization is at its heart a human enterprise.</p> <p>鈥淎 special talent Rose possesses is a respect for and fondness of people,鈥 said Iacobucci. 鈥淗umanity is a companion for all that she says and does.鈥</p> <p><strong>Mayo Moran</strong>, provost and vice-chancellor of Trinity College, echoed this sentiment as she thanked Patten on behalf of the countless 茄子直播 community members who have benefited from her human-centred approach to leadership.</p> <p>This is exemplified by Patten鈥檚 steadfast commitment to mentorship, particularly for women leaders, that has not only made her a role model, but also the namesake of the <a href="https://ulearn.utoronto.ca/mentoring-program/">Rose Patten Mentorship Program</a>, said Moran.</p> <p>鈥淭he University of Toronto is so much better for having had you at helm,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 also feel heartened 鈥 by the fact that you鈥檒l continue, through your writing and your teaching, to shape generations who are going to go on and really exemplify the human side of leadership.鈥</p> </div> <div> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/DZ6_7906-crop.jpg?itok=xccEeTPg" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>茄子直播 Vice-President and Provost Trevor Young, left, poses for a picture with Chancellor Rose Patten (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div>Following a video tribute, President Gertler announced that Patten recently made a new gift to the university, which, among other things, will enable the renewal of Convocation Hall鈥檚 grand, circular entrance hallway. That key space will now be called the Rose Patten Rotunda.</div> <div> <p>Additionally, a new scholarship at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine has been named the Rose M. Patten Graduate Student Scholarship.</p> <p>Both Patten and&nbsp;her husband,&nbsp;Tom Di Giacomo&nbsp;are long-time donors to the university, President Gertler said, supporting a range of initiatives to bolster student financial aid and academic programs. As a result of Patten鈥檚 most recent gift, she and Di Giacomo are now members of the Chancellors鈥 Circle of Benefactors, the community of 茄子直播鈥檚 most generous philanthropic supporters.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-05/DZ2_9067-Edit-crop-v2.jpg?itok=GMcPKDd5" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Chancellor Rose Patten and her husband Tom Di Giacomo&nbsp;are among 茄子直播鈥檚 most generous donors (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>In her remarks, Patten said she was touched by the tributes and turnout to the reception, reflecting on how her relationship with 茄子直播 has deepened over the past quarter-century.</p> <p>鈥淚 often speak about mentoring and volunteering, and I always say that we receive more than we give, or at least as much,鈥 Patten said. 鈥淎t 茄子直播, it was especially true for me. And let me say, it was more.鈥</p> <p>She highlighted her role in conferring degrees as a special privilege of her office, expressing what a joy it鈥檚 been to celebrate the milestone with graduating students and their families.</p> <p>Patten said every commitment she鈥檚 made to 茄子直播 has enriched her, noting that everyone has a role to play in leading the university toward a brighter future.</p> <p>鈥淚n this institution, there鈥檚 always more to know, more to learn, more to appreciate, more to think about,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t can make life not just a journey, but an adventure. I can鈥檛 imagine mine without my relationship with everyone here.鈥</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 31 May 2024 19:23:23 +0000 bresgead 307907 at Architecture graduate finds inspiration for community-building in mentorship and representation /news/architecture-graduate-finds-inspiration-community-building-mentorship-and-representation <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Architecture graduate finds inspiration for community-building in mentorship and representation</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-06/Zanira-Ali-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=DwhSFJDf 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-06/Zanira-Ali-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RbxNn6su 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-06/Zanira-Ali-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1EBchn8K 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-06/Zanira-Ali-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=DwhSFJDf" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>siddiq22</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-06-12T15:45:39-04:00" title="Monday, June 12, 2023 - 15:45" class="datetime">Mon, 06/12/2023 - 15:45</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>New graduate Zanira Ali plans to continue mentoring other young people as she pursues an architecture career rooted in community engagement (supplied image)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/tina-adamopoulos" hreflang="en">Tina Adamopoulos</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-research-network" hreflang="en">Black Research Network</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6899" hreflang="en">Convocation 2023</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/community" hreflang="en">Community</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/john-h-daniels-faculty-architecture" hreflang="en">John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">'I want to be that person for someone': When Zanira Ali didn't see role models in her field, she decided to lead by example</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Zanira Ali</strong>&nbsp;chose the University of Toronto to pursue her master鈥檚 studies in architecture because it was a place that she could explore her community-based approach to the field.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚 enjoy the community engagement aspect of architecture. I want to understand and hear from communities about how they interact with public spaces,鈥 Ali says.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ali is graduating with a master鈥檚 degree from the <a href="https://www.daniels.utoronto.ca/">John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design</a>, determined to continue work that fuses advocacy for communities and architecture. Most importantly, she has her sights on making her mark 鈥 and impact 鈥 in mentorship within the field.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>As a graduate, Ali was a mentee with the nonprofit <a href="https://www.baida.ca/our-mission">Black Architects and Interior Design Association</a> (BAIDA), where she was paired with a mentor from Diamond Schmitt Architects. The program gave her a chance to enhance her portfolio and ask questions about the field.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>During her time at 茄子直播, Ali became heavily involved in mentoring students interested in a career in architecture through the faculty. For her, it was important that students saw representation in the field.</p> <p>鈥淕rowing up, it was difficult for me to find mentors&nbsp;鈥 I didn鈥檛 see anyone or know of someone who looked like me and studied architecture. I want to be that person for someone who is interested in the field.鈥 Ali says.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Ali volunteered with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/somali.scholars/?hl=en">Somali Scholars</a>, an organization that provides mentorship for Somali youth and undergraduates. She was also a mentor with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.daniels.utoronto.ca/outreach/building-black-success-through-design-2023">Building Black Success Through Design</a> (BBSD) program, a 12-week workshop series which offers weekly sessions for Black high school students interested in architecture to be mentored by Daniels Faculty students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-06/ezgif-3-98fee30050.jpg?itok=HTSMdFAv" width="750" height="493" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Ali鈥檚 thesis project demonstrated how funds could be redistributed to create neighbourhoods full of opportunity for communities that rely on public housing (photo submitted by Zanira Ali)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>The program鈥檚 theme this year was "building for belonging." Mentees made sketches and models to envision how to restructure public spaces in Toronto neighbourhoods and understand equity in architecture 鈥 a value that is the foundation of Ali鈥檚 work.&nbsp;</p> <p>For her thesis project, presented in April, Ali explored how the architecture of prisons contributes to oppression. When she considered her thesis topic, Ali knew that she wanted to shine a light on the social aspects in architecture not typically highlighted in the field, which led her to base her project on the critique of design.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚t鈥檚 about critiquing the spaces of confinement and control that are designed by architects. These are spaces that specifically affect racialized, Black and Indigenous communities in Canada,鈥 Ali says.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>For example, the Toronto South Detention Centre cost $700 million to build 鈥 money that could instead go toward community services to build vibrant neighbourhoods and housing, Ali explains. Using this as a source of inspiration, she developed a project titled 鈥淭he $69-Million Block鈥 for her thesis presentation.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ali designed a model neighbourhood featuring 20 row houses and services such as a school, community centre, library and a park to demonstrate how funds could be redistributed to create neighbourhoods full of opportunity for communities that rely on public housing.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淏y using those numbers, I was able to add up to $69 million to create this community block. This demonstrates how one detention centre could build nine of these community blocks&nbsp;鈥 and that鈥檚 how we should be allocating the funds.鈥</p> <p>By exemplifying how funding can be streamed to strengthen communities, Ali built a case as to why prison reform is needed to break the cycle of overrepresentation of minority groups in Toronto鈥檚 incarceration system.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>After convocation, Ali plans to seek out opportunities to further her passion for social justice, equity and architecture and will continue her role as a mentor with Somali Scholars and the BBSD program.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Ali says mentoring has given her an opportunity to learn from others, and also help youth from underrepresented groups succeed 鈥 something she wants to continue throughout her career.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚鈥檇 like to use my experience here to further my interest in community engagement," she says.</p> <p>"I鈥檇 also like to continue my thesis in the field and use architectural tools to explore the injustices in the realm of architecture and public spaces.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>Ali's advice for incoming students is to remember that personal connections are just as important as academics 鈥 and it鈥檚 important to find the balance in both.</p> <p>鈥淛oin a club or association to connect with different people," she says.</p> <p>"Be open to trying new things 鈥 even though it may seem hard at first, especially in your first year. It will be worth it in the end.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:45:39 +0000 siddiq22 301989 at Intentional Leadership: Chancellor Rose Patten's new book helps leaders navigate today's challenges /news/intentional-leadership-chancellor-rose-patten-s-new-book-helps-leaders-navigate-today-s <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Intentional Leadership: Chancellor Rose Patten's new book helps leaders navigate today's challenges</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0P8A9941-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Df9ci_24 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/0P8A9941-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Ce84wqRq 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/0P8A9941-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Q0jYwjPf 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0P8A9941-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Df9ci_24" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-03-01T16:14:32-05:00" title="Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 16:14" class="datetime">Wed, 03/01/2023 - 16:14</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/adina-bresge" hreflang="en">Adina Bresge</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leadership-culture" hreflang="en">Leadership &amp; Culture</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rose-patten" hreflang="en">Rose Patten</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">University of Toronto Chancellor <b>Rose Patten</b> says there鈥檚 one leadership skill that鈥檚 served her throughout a career spanning more than three decades, four financial sectors and several continents: the ability to adapt to change.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">It鈥檚 a quality that Patten says is paramount for today鈥檚 leaders as they confront the tumult of global crises, changing demographics and technological revolution 鈥 and it鈥檚 a central theme in her latest book, <i>Intentional Leadership: The Big 8 Capabilities Setting Leaders Apart</i>.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><img alt src="/sites/default/files/9781487508876.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left; width: 260px; height: 390px;">To better prepare leaders, Patten writes about 鈥済ame-changer鈥 trends from which no leader is exempt, identifies which abilities are more highly valued now and in turbulent times, and asks what would compel and enable leaders to be more self-aware and pursue renewal.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">In doing so, she draws from her decades of success in Canada鈥檚 financial services industry 鈥 including senior executive roles at BMO and Manulife 鈥 academia and the public sector, as well as her experiences shepherding the next generation of leaders at 茄子直播 as co-director of the <a href="https://inside.rotman.utoronto.ca/executive-leadership/">Executive Leadership Program</a>&nbsp;at the Rotman School of Management and through the creation of the university鈥檚 <a href="https://ulearn.utoronto.ca/mentoring-program/">Rose Patten Mentorship Program</a>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚 believe that everyone has the ability to be a leader, but you have to have willingness,鈥 says Patten, who is an adjunct professor at Rotman. 鈥淵ou have to understand what is most relevant to be effective today, because it鈥檚 not the same as yesterday.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">As the pendulum swings away from old-school, top-down power structures in favour of more collaborative leadership models, Patten says there needs to be a greater emphasis on the human side of leading, which she boils down to the 鈥淏ig 8鈥 capabilities: personal adaptability, strategic agility, self-renewal, certainty of character, contextual communication, spirited collaboration and developing other leaders.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Patten recently spoke to <i>茄子直播</i> <i>News </i>about how intentional leadership can help leaders learn to adapt to an ever-shifting landscape.</p> <hr> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>Why did you write this book?</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">This book was not on my bucket list. My growing passion in leadership came from all the wonderful roles that I've had the opportunity to perform throughout my career 鈥 what kind of leadership was effective and what was not.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">There鈥檚 an idea that once a great leader, always a great leader. That鈥檚 a common but flawed opinion. Leadership is not timeless. What got us here won't keep us here because change matters. And change defines leadership. I quickly learned that effective leadership is about what's needed now, not what worked yesterday.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">This work started in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008 and my efforts intensified following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">I began to explore three questions. The first was: What are the game changers happening in our world that no one is exempt from?</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The second question became: If these are the game changers, what is it that leaders will have to do differently?</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The third question was: How do you compel leaders to change? Some leaders might not think they need to change and others might not know how. Changing habits is hard 鈥 leadership is hard 鈥 so you need to be very intentional in order to keep up.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>What are the three 鈥渦nmistakable game changers鈥?</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">What has really changed is that we were focused more singularly for a long time on the shareholder. But now it鈥檚 grown so it鈥檚 not just about shareholders, it鈥檚 about stakeholders 鈥搘hether it鈥檚 customers, employees, students or some other group. Those stakeholders are looking for what I call 鈥渢he three Ts鈥 鈥 trust, truth and transparency. There is a big difference now in how leaders have to incorporate this into who they are, what they do and how they lead.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The second one is so apparent it hardly needs explanation: The workforce is changing and that鈥檚 changing what鈥檚 expected from leaders and how employees want to interact with the organization. The workforce has become more multicultural and more multi-generational. And then the pandemic upended what we knew about the workplace and how we work.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The third one gets a bit more into strategy. Coming from a strategy background, I look back and think about how a strategy would be considered 鈥渄one鈥 and maybe you鈥檇 be safe for five years. Now, your strategy is constantly changing. And what is really underpinning that change is digitalization. Digitalization isn鈥檛 going away, so short-lived strategies are here to stay 鈥 and this will only become more complex.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>How has the leadership pendulum shifted?</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">We have in our mind a certain model of leadership 鈥 often called 鈥渃ommand and control鈥 鈥 that was considered most effective in decades past. In this model, being a great leader meant being tough, being unflinching, being quite hierarchical. I would call it a very vertical approach.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Now, what we see with all the change coming from the expectations in the workplace is people are looking to leaders for more accessibility. They鈥檙e looking to engage with you.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">It goes two ways: You're the leader and so you're connecting more with employees a bit down the line 鈥 and you鈥檙e also utilizing that for your own decision-making. Leaders don鈥檛 have all the answers, no matter how smart you are. You want to utilize all the knowledge that鈥檚 available to you and that means getting the best talent and engaging them.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">I think we鈥檙e shifting from 鈥渃ommand and control鈥 to 鈥渃onnect and collaborate,鈥 from instinctive leadership to reflection and intention.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>What are the 鈥淏ig 8鈥 leadership capabilities?</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The real driver of the 鈥淏ig 8鈥 is that they鈥檙e all very entwined with how you deal with people. The human side of leading is on the rise, whereas in the past it鈥檚 been given less attention in how leaders are assessed or even chosen.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The first three are centred around mindset: personal adaptability, strategic agility and self-renewal. It鈥檚 about having an open mind, being willing to change it and being self-aware about how you could do better.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Then we move on to personal values. One is empathy, which is about how you relate to others. The next one I call certainty of character: It鈥檚 about who you are, what you stand for and how you act on that.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The next three relate to connecting with others. First, there鈥檚 contextual communication - today鈥檚 workforces want to understand 鈥渢he why鈥 of decisions and changes and we need to respect and utilize the value they can add. Then, there鈥檚 spirited collaboration: People think of collaboration as creating harmony, but sometimes to get the best outcome you need to allow for a bit of spirited dissent. The very last one is about developing others because, at the end of the day, the mark of a good leader is not what they鈥檝e personally achieved, but how they鈥檝e led people who can achieve and be their best.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">I see leaders as being obligated to develop very capable people to become heroes. Then the team becomes the hero and the leader is the navigator.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>How do you think this book could empower new kinds of leaders?</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">They call it 鈥淩ose鈥檚 mantra鈥 鈥 I didn鈥檛 name it myself 鈥 but I have a statement that leadership happens when, by intention or not, someone has a positive impact on someone else through inspiration, through wisdom or through empathy. That, to me, describes leadership in its broadest sense. And I believe that that's what this book can do. It's not targeted. I'm multi-sectoral and I'm across every phase of what leadership is. It's universal in this sense. Anybody can be a leader if they have the will and the fortitude.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:14:32 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 180262 at Nursing graduate finds guidance, support 鈥 and her calling 鈥撀爐hrough mentorship program /news/nursing-graduate-finds-guidance-support-and-her-calling-through-mentorship-program <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Nursing graduate finds guidance, support 鈥 and her calling 鈥&nbsp;through mentorship program </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/farah-anika.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=DJH3mER5 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/farah-anika.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=2SO1DuxA 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/farah-anika.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=jLqMRRd3 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/farah-anika.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=DJH3mER5" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-08-22T09:26:31-04:00" title="Monday, August 22, 2022 - 09:26" class="datetime">Mon, 08/22/2022 - 09:26</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Farah Khan, an adjunct lecturer and alumna of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing (left), mentored Anika Andal as part of the 茄子直播-Graduate Student Mentorship Program (photos courtesy of Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rebecca-biason" hreflang="en">Rebecca Biason</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/lawrence-s-bloomberg-faculty-nursing" hreflang="en">Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Anika Andal</strong> wasn't sure what her next step should be after graduating from the University of Toronto with a master of nursing degree.</p> <p><strong>Farah Khan</strong>, an adjunct professor in the&nbsp;Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Andal's mentor, had an idea:&nbsp;she suggested Andal follow her passion for education by becoming a nurse educator, who provides clinical education for point-of-care staff. The job description can include translating research, disseminating practice changes or&nbsp;teaching new clinical procedures.</p> <p>Andal wasn't sure she was qualified since nurse educators often have years of experience, but Khan explained&nbsp;that Trillium Health Partners 鈥 a hospital system in Mississauga and western Toronto 鈥 was looking for innovative young leaders.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭hat really shifted my perspective on what possibilities were available to me,鈥 Andal says. 鈥淚t was fantastic how Farah not only pointed me in the direction of the right door, but she opened it for me.鈥</p> <p>Andal says Khan's mentorship was nothing short of life-changing.&nbsp;鈥淭he immediate investment in my personal growth really stood out to me,鈥 she says. 鈥淔arah鈥檚 willingness to be supportive and believe in me in ways I had not considered, was so rewarding.鈥</p> <p>Khan, an alumna of 茄子直播 nursing and director of quality, risk and patient safety at Trillium Health Partners, says she relied on her own mentors and professional network throughout her academic and professional career.</p> <p>鈥淜nowing the impact mentorship had on my own life made me leap at the opportunity to be a mentor for Bloomberg Nursing and give back to the faculty, because it is not a unilateral relationship, there is also a unique chance to learn from your mentees,鈥 she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://bloomberg.nursing.utoronto.ca/alumni-giving/alumni-relations/alumni-graduate-student-mentorship-program/">茄子直播-Graduate Student Mentorship Program</a>&nbsp;launched late last year as a means of connecting graduate students with nursing leaders in a variety of fields across the health-care spectrum. With many graduate programs taking place mostly online during the pandemic, the faculty was eager to create opportunities like the mentorship program that engage&nbsp;students and foster&nbsp;a sense of community.&nbsp;</p> <p>In its first year, the program paired 18 mentors and mentees. Following the initial success of the program, the pairings for the 2022-23 academic year are expected&nbsp;to grow&nbsp;to more than 50.</p> <p>Khan and Andal say a highlight of their mentor-mentee relationship was to forge a connection as women of colour in nursing. Andal says it was extremely valuable to learn about the lived experience of a woman of colour in a leadership role in the field.</p> <p>鈥淏eing matched with Farah was a real testament to the mentorship program making space for these important relationships and reflection on being a person of colour in leadership and in nursing,鈥 says Andal. 鈥淚t was something I needed and has helped me immensely as I progress in my career.鈥</p> <p>Khan agrees. 鈥淪ince our mentorship journey began, I鈥檝e made a more formal attempt at better understanding concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion as it pertains to nursing, health care and leadership,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 want to better inform my ability to mentor others and seek out mentorship in this area for myself, too.鈥</p> <p>Throughout the mentorship program, Andal was not only able to pursue new career paths, but she also received&nbsp;advice to navigate tricky situations at work.&nbsp;</p> <p>Still early in her career, Andal says there are times when she feels imposter syndrome, leading herself to question herself and her abilities. In these and other challenging&nbsp;moments, she's often turned to Khan for guidance and support.</p> <p>鈥淲hat is unique about my relationship with Farah,鈥 says Andal, 鈥渋s that she can help me personally identify when she sees that something is not benefitting my personal growth. I had a challenging situation and wasn鈥檛 sure how to manage it in a leadership context. It was Farah who said 鈥榊ou can鈥檛 always please everyone.&nbsp;You need to focus on your work and yourself and that is what will help those around you.鈥欌</p> <p>Andal says she's grateful for the career opportunities she obtained through the master's program and Khan's mentorship.&nbsp;She notes that the way in which the nursing profession is structured&nbsp;does not always allow for nurses to be able to continue their clinical roles while exploring&nbsp;alternatives, like research or leadership. It is something she hopes will change to allow more innovation in nursing as more nurses pursue education to bring about change in the health system.</p> <p>Khan, too, sees the importance of nurses pursuing leadership opportunities in the context of the changing health-care landscape, and notes the significance of the continued presence of the&nbsp;茄子直播-Graduate Mentorship Program.</p> <p>鈥淲ith the evolution of the pandemic, the nursing profession has dynamically changed. Now more than ever, nurses aspiring to advance their professional leadership skills need access to a diverse cadre of nurse leaders through mentorship,鈥 Khan says. 鈥淏ut those of us in leadership can also benefit from learning from our mentees too.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 22 Aug 2022 13:26:31 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 176059 at 茄子直播 Law class valedictorian gained confidence by 'learning to embrace discomfort' /news/u-t-law-class-valedictorian-gained-confidence-learning-embrace-discomfort <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 Law class valedictorian gained confidence by 'learning to embrace discomfort'</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Ema_I_JDClassof2022-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=8rbSfnqM 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Ema_I_JDClassof2022-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=B8OxqGT9 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Ema_I_JDClassof2022-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=VQCdqsWR 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Ema_I_JDClassof2022-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=8rbSfnqM" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-06-17T11:17:00-04:00" title="Friday, June 17, 2022 - 11:17" class="datetime">Fri, 06/17/2022 - 11:17</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(Photo by Nina Haikara)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/nina-haikara" hreflang="en">Nina Haikara</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2022" hreflang="en">Convocation 2022</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-stories" hreflang="en">Graduate Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-law" hreflang="en">Faculty of Law</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>It's often said that it's important to step outside of your comfort zone in order to learn.&nbsp;</p> <p>For <strong>Ema Ibrakovic</strong>, a graduate of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law Class of '22, simulated legal proceedings known as mooting were the key to discovering her calling and honing her oral advocacy skills.&nbsp;</p> <p>At 茄子直播 Law, she and three other of the faculty's top mooters <a href="https://www.law.utoronto.ca/academic-programs/jd-program/mooting/grand-moot-2021">had the opportunity to present constitutional arguments</a> to a panel of current and former Supreme Court Justices (and 茄子直播 graduates):&nbsp;<strong>Andromache Karakatsanis</strong>, <strong>Mahmud Jamal</strong> and <strong>Rosalie Silberman Abella </strong>(who retired last year).&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淢ooting is fundamentally a scary thing because it puts you on your feet, in uncomfortable situations where you don't know what you're going to be asked or demanded of you,鈥 Ibrakovic says. 鈥淟earning to embrace discomfort 鈥 and get excited about it 鈥 is something that applies not just to mooting, but especially when you're beginning your professional career, and everything is new to you.鈥</p> <p>For an aspiring criminal litigator like Ibrakovic, mooting was just the right exercise to develop the oral advocacy skills she will need in court. When she first got involved the activity&nbsp;as an undergraduate taking ethics, law and society at 茄子直播's Victoria University, she initially worried that she would be bad at it. But she quickly fell in love with it and decided to apply to law school.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淢ooting has made me much more confident as a person 鈥 someone who wasn鈥檛 involved in any kind of public speaking before,鈥 she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>Her interest in mooting blossomed at 茄子直播 Law, where she coached fellow students, participated in competitions&nbsp;and served on the Moot Court Committee, helping to plan and execute the faculty鈥檚 student mooting program. She was also president of the <a href="https://www.law.utoronto.ca/student-life/student-clubs-and-events/litigation-association">Litigation Association at 茄子直播</a>, a group that mentors first-year law students and allows upper-year students to learn more about litigation.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ibrakovic won this year's Stephanie Fleur Couzin Medal for Mooting, for a student who has demonstrated outstanding performance in the mooting program as both a participant and coach.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ibrakovic was also voted the JD class valedictorian for exemplifying leadership and school spirit.&nbsp;鈥淚鈥檓 very honoured. I was a little nervous when a friend told me they want to nominate me, but it at the same time, it was great. My parents are proud,鈥 she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>As an active member of student governance, Ibrakovic has been a representative with Students' Law Society (SLS) and&nbsp;wrote a guide to help law students navigate their first year 鈥 known as 1L 鈥 and coordinated a 1L tutoring program.</p> <p>Her involvement as a teaching assistant at Toronto Metropolitan University鈥檚 Lincoln Alexander School of Law&nbsp;led Ibrakovic to coordinate a peer mentorship program for the school鈥檚 first cohort.</p> <p>鈥淚 essentially spearheaded a program where we connected Lincoln Alexander Law鈥檚 first-year students to about 200 other upper-year students across the province. It was really rewarding,鈥 she says.</p> <p>After graduation, she is due to complete two clerkships, the first at the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto and then the Court of Appeal for Ontario.&nbsp;</p> <p>While excited for what comes next, Ibrakovic says she will miss her daily interactions with classmates.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚 hope that will happen again, at court, and throughout our careers. Law school is a nice little incubator 鈥 especially at 茄子直播. People told me stories about how intimidating law school can be, but it couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth, in my experience,鈥 she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淓veryone pushes you to be your best because everybody around you is very impressive.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 17 Jun 2022 15:17:00 +0000 geoff.vendeville 175290 at Sabeen survived two abusive marriages. As a 茄子直播 student, she鈥檚 being mentored by someone who understands /news/sabeen-survived-two-abusive-marriages-u-t-student-she-s-being-mentored-someone-who-understands <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Sabeen survived two abusive marriages. As a 茄子直播 student, she鈥檚 being mentored by someone who understands </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2019-05-01-Mentors01-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=fwNpwGPq 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2019-05-01-Mentors01-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=DdLCT3UW 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2019-05-01-Mentors01-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RFV66FcE 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2019-05-01-Mentors01-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=fwNpwGPq" alt="Photo of mentors"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-05-01T11:45:38-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 1, 2019 - 11:45" class="datetime">Wed, 05/01/2019 - 11:45</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Mentor Samra Zafar and Sabeen (photo by Steph Martyniuk) </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/stacey-gibson" hreflang="en">Stacey Gibson</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">茄子直播</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">茄子直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item"> </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Sabeen* had survived two abusive marriages. She had entered the first 鈥 an arranged marriage 鈥 in Lahore, Pakistan, at the age of 21. After almost 10 difficult years, she boarded a plane with her children to start again in Canada. At 35, she then tried marriage a second time. This husband quickly turned emotionally abusive. To Sabeen, living with him felt like 鈥渓iving with the devil,鈥 and she began fearing for the safety of her children. In a matter of months, she found the strength, yet again, to leave.</p> <p>Sabeen had wanted to attend the University of Toronto Mississauga for a long time, hoping to attain a degree in criminology and sociolegal studies to pursue a career in family law. But there were so many roadblocks to attending university, including paperwork: She didn鈥檛 have her transcripts from the university she had attended in Pakistan. She was dealing with the emotional and financial toll of a divorce in progress, and of being a single working mom. But she thought a lot about applying, anyhow.</p> <p>One day, her mom sent her a link to a&nbsp;<em>Toronto Life</em>&nbsp;article, with a one-line message: 鈥淚f she can do it, you can do it.鈥 It was a memoir by U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T alum <strong>Samra Zafar</strong>, who had been forced into an arranged marriage at the age of 17. Like Sabeen, she had survived emotional and physical abuse. She, too, had two children very young. She, too, had found the strength to leave her marriage. Unlike Sabeen, Samra was much further ahead in her academic journey 鈥 and her journey of healing. She had not only earned a bachelor of science in financial economics from 茄子直播 Mississauga in 2013, but had followed it up with a master鈥檚 in economics in 2014. She was now pursuing a successful career in commercial banking.</p> <p>After she read the article, an astounded Sabeen looked up Samra on Facebook and messaged her. She wrote, 鈥淚 feel like this is a sign from God that I have to pursue this and submit an application to UTM.鈥 Samra messaged her right back, and advised her to email her story to the office of the registrar. So Sabeen wrote to them, laying out her entire life story. 鈥淚 felt, 鈥業 need someone to open one window for me so I can just jump through and save my life.鈥欌</p> <p>On a summer day in 2017, she was visiting her parents who were then living in Abu Dhabi. She sat down and checked her email. There was a letter of acceptance from 茄子直播 Mississauga. 鈥溾業 did it,鈥欌 she thought. 鈥淚 got in.鈥 That night, she messaged Samra. 鈥淚 thought I heard Samra scream through Messenger. She was so happy for me.鈥</p> <p>Since then, Samra has been her mentor, an unofficial position that sees them meet up or talk once a month. The first time they met, at a Starbucks, they talked away the hours over coffee that went cold. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥楽he is so powerful and confident鈥 鈥 and her smile,鈥 says Sabeen. 鈥淲hen people go through pain, it鈥檚 hard to smile. So for her to be able to smile like that, where her eyes and her entire face sparkle, you can tell she鈥檚 come a long way and she鈥檚 proud of herself.鈥 Adds Sabeen: 鈥淢y smile鈥檚 kind of getting there now. Going to UTM is my healing process. Doing something for myself is a whole new beginning.鈥</p> <p>Their conversations range from academics, to juggling single parenthood with classes, to career goals, to dealing with fears about future relationships. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very holistic,鈥 says Samra. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about school; it鈥檚 about life.鈥 And because mentoring shape-shifts with each step that the mentee takes, the conversations change, too: When Sabeen started school, she had questions about the credit system. Now, she mulls over whether she should pursue grad school right away or enter the job market.</p> <p>They also talk about lighthearted things 鈥 from the keto diet to dating: 鈥淪he has a great sense of humour,鈥 says Samra. 鈥淭here was a time when I went through a breakup and I said, 鈥極h my God, I have the worst luck with men.鈥欌 They both just looked at each other. 鈥淏abe, I鈥檓 with you,鈥 said Sabeen. 鈥淲e鈥檙e both magnets.鈥 In that moment, they burst out laughing.</p> <p>鈥淢entoring is very different from teaching or coaching or even helping, because it鈥檚 not about what you can do for them. It鈥檚 about how you can empower them to do it for themselves,鈥 says Samra, who has mentored more than 30 women 鈥 at U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T and otherwise 鈥 and also founded Brave Beginnings, a non-profit to support abuse survivors. 鈥淢y own mentors have never told me what to do. They鈥檝e been my sounding board. They鈥檝e given me ideas. They鈥檝e played devil鈥檚 advocate. They鈥檝e given me a reality check sometimes. They鈥檝e connected me with people. At the end of the day, I鈥檓 empowered to make informed decisions for myself, which is so liberating. I can actually craft and create the life that I want for myself, and I don鈥檛 want to do it alone and I鈥檓 not meant to do it alone. That鈥檚 the power of mentoring.鈥</p> <p>When Samra left her husband in her second year at 茄子直播 Mississauga in 2011 and moved into campus housing, she was struggling under the weight of court cases surrounding the divorce and domestic abuse; her own challenges of healing and coping; working multiple jobs; raising her girls; and going to school. It was her university mentors and friends who lifted her up: Students would look after her children when she was at the lawyer鈥檚 office. Professors would spend hours motivating her and encouraging her to go on.</p> <p>One mentor who had a profound effect on her was <strong>John Rothschild</strong>, a 茄子直播 alumnus who was then&nbsp;CEO of Prime Restaurants. He is still an integral part of her life, providing emotional support and encouragement, and helping her navigate fears and hard decisions. 鈥淧eople would hold my hand in the worst circumstances. It just warmed my heart so much, and that is what made all the difference,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 realized that resilience is not just an individual concept. It鈥檚 a collective concept. When people are connected to each other, and when people are comfortable in offering and asking for help, that鈥檚 what builds resilience.鈥</p> <p>Like Samra, Sabeen certainly knows what it鈥檚 like to navigate her way through extreme stressors while attending university and raising children. She tries to schedule her classes so she can be there when her 10-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter get home from school; then she makes dinner and helps them with homework. When night hits, it is time for her to do her own assignments. Making friends with other students has been difficult given the difference in age and life experience 鈥 and Samra helps her with that. 鈥淥nly she can understand the pain that I feel, the misery of being undermined so much,鈥 says Sabeen. 鈥淪he went to hell, she came back. And she鈥檚 OK. Unless you鈥檝e been to hell and back, you don鈥檛 know what it feels like and you don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 going to be OK.鈥</p> <p>Samra was accepted into 茄子直播 in 2004, but her husband wouldn鈥檛 pay the tuition fee and she couldn鈥檛 get OSAP because of his salary and assets. She started to babysit and tutor, and saved enough money on the sly for tuition. On a proud day in June 2013, at the age of 31, she walked across the dais in Convocation Hall, graduating as 茄子直播 Mississauga鈥檚 top economics student. Samra is now an alumni governor at U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T and her bestselling memoir,&nbsp;<em>A Good Wife</em>, was recently published by HarperCollins.</p> <p>A few weeks ago, Samra had a vivid dream that she was back living with her ex-husband and his parents. She was in the basement, and tried to open the door to get out. She was trapped. She woke in a sweat and looked around. She was home in her condo, safe. Her kids came by. 鈥淎re you OK, Mommy?鈥 They all hugged.</p> <p>After Samra has had a nightmare or flashback, or has experienced anxiety, she imagines embracing her young self. 鈥淭hat 17-year-old girl who was forced into marriage or the 23-year-old who was told she couldn鈥檛 go to school, I just imagine hugging her and telling her it鈥檚 OK.&nbsp;You鈥檙e a part of me&nbsp;and&nbsp;I love you, and just saying the things she should have heard at the time.鈥</p> <p>Now, as a mentor, Samra is able to support other women who may need an embrace 鈥 whether it鈥檚 a physical one, or more of a helping hand. She tells them: 鈥淭he only thing that can heal you is you. Know that the strength lies inside of you, not around you. The people around you will help you&nbsp;realize&nbsp;that strength, and that鈥檚 what mentoring is about, but ultimately it鈥檚 in there. Once you know that you have that power, then you鈥檙e unstoppable.鈥<br> &nbsp;<br> *Sabeen鈥檚 last name has been withheld at her request.</p> <p><em>This article first appeared in the University of Toronto Magazine.&nbsp;<a href="https://magazine.utoronto.ca/">Read more of the Spring 2019 issue</a>.&nbsp;</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 01 May 2019 15:45:38 +0000 noreen.rasbach 156488 at 'When you grow up not knowing or seeing a single doctor of colour ... it makes you question why things are the way they are' /news/when-you-grow-not-knowing-or-seeing-single-doctor-colour-it-makes-you-question-why-things-are <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">'When you grow up not knowing or seeing a single doctor of colour ... it makes you question why things are the way they are'</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-01-17-bsap-resized_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=7NZ4VMni 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2018-01-17-bsap-resized_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=yWw019eJ 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2018-01-17-bsap-resized_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=AWRzOo4_ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-01-17-bsap-resized_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=7NZ4VMni" alt="茄子直播 medical students Semir Bulle and Chantal Phillips with Dr. Onye Nnorom, MD Black health lead of the MD program"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-01-16T12:45:56-05:00" title="Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - 12:45" class="datetime">Wed, 01/16/2019 - 12:45</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">茄子直播 medical students Semir Bulle (left) and Chantal Phillips (right) with Dr. Onye Nnorom, MD Black health lead of the MD program (photo by Julia Soudat)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/liam-mitchell" hreflang="en">Liam Mitchell</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-student-application-program" hreflang="en">Black Student Application Program</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/diversity-and-inclusion" hreflang="en">Diversity and Inclusion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div>The Faculty of Medicine鈥檚 Black Student Application Program (BSAP), which began in 2017, provides a more culturally safe admission pathway for Black students to medical school. Modelled on a similar pathway for Indigenous students, BSAP welcomed its first cohort in September.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Now, after one term in 茄子直播鈥檚 MD program, Faculty of Medicine writer <strong>Liam Mitchell</strong> spoke with two students who participated in BSAP 鈥 <strong>Chantal Phillips</strong> and <strong>Semir Bulle</strong>&nbsp;鈥 to discuss their experiences and reflections on why BSAP matters. <hr> <p><strong>What inspired your interest in medicine?</strong></p> </div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips: </strong>My mother was a personal support worker (PSW) throughout my childhood and it was clear how much she cared for her patients. Having her as an example of what an empathetic health-care provider looked like gave me insight and sparked my desire to emulate that in my own career. At the systemic level, my interest in addressing health disparities in the Black community was a major propelling factor. Overall, I knew being a doctor would help merge my desire to positively and directly impact lives, while also influencing social systems that have downstream effects on the morbidity and mortality of Black Canadians.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle</strong>: Growing up in the Dixon-Rexdale area, the majority of people in my community were newly landed immigrants and refugees. I鈥檝e witnessed countless situations in which people wouldn鈥檛 go to the doctor because they felt the doctor wouldn鈥檛 properly understand them and worried the recommended course of action would be unaffordable. When you live paycheque to paycheque, being sick can be the straw that breaks the camel鈥檚 back and I just don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 fair in our society. That, coupled with my experiences serving in the hospitals in rural Ethiopia, has shaped my view on life and the intersection of health care and policy work.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <h3><a href="/news/faculty-medicine-program-opens-opportunities-black-md-students">Faculty of Medicine program opens opportunities to Black MD students</a></h3> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Do you have a sense of what type of medicine you want to practise?</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips:</strong> Throughout the first four months of medical school, I was certain I wanted to be a public health physician. Many of the physicians I look up to prioritize the role of public health in their careers and I assumed that would be the best way to express my passion for advocacy. However, through more recent experiences shadowing, I鈥檝e started to challenge that notion. Public health can be incorporated into practically any specialty and the social determinants of health play a pivotal role for all patients. With that being said, I鈥檓 back to square one and excited to further explore additional specialties.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle</strong>: Right now, I鈥檓 definitely leaning towards surgery. I enjoy the hands-on nature of the work and the intricacies of the human body interest me. However, I鈥檒l certainly pursue policy work and political avenues, too,&nbsp;since I believe that鈥檚 where the true impact is when it comes to overall change.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Did you know many Black health-care professionals before applying to med school?</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips:</strong> Absolutely none. I鈥檓 the first in my family to get a degree and I had no role models or mentors on my path to medicine, which is essential to increasing representation. When you grow up not knowing or seeing a single doctor of colour, but most of the underpaid support staff are people of colour, it makes you question why things are the way they are.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle</strong>: Most of the Black health-care professionals I encountered were PSWs or nurses. I鈥檇 never been treated by a Black physician, despite living in Toronto and then Brampton, which have substantial Black populations.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Why do you think Black students have been under-represented in medicine?</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips:</strong>&nbsp; The nature of privilege and education is multifaceted. Getting into medical school doesn鈥檛 start with the application cycle. It starts the moment we鈥檙e born and become learners. Black communities experience higher rates of poverty, which influences access to educational resources.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle</strong>: In Toronto, the average low-income family makes $32,000 before taxes. Black people are only eight&nbsp;per cent of the city鈥檚 population but make up 13 per cent of its poor. Compare that to the three per cent of Black individuals considered 鈥榟igh-income鈥 at $102,000 annually. As <strong>David Hulchanski</strong>, a social work professor here at 茄子直播, said: 鈥淢oney buys choice, and people with the most choice are going to choose to live in certain areas.鈥 This contributes to racial disparities in our neighbourhoods and different standards of life for these people.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips:</strong>&nbsp;Children from families of higher socioeconomic status typically have parents with the means to support educational activities. Academic summer camps, time at the library, tutors and early mentorship are examples of privileges that establish a foundation for learning and advancement. Furthermore, underrepresentation is cyclical. When you don鈥檛 see people who look like you represented in a particular field, especially a competitive one, it can have a negative impact on your self-image and self-efficacy.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>How did BSAP help you get to know 茄子直播 Medicine better, and help 茄子直播 Medicine get to know you better?</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle:&nbsp;</strong>This is the first time I鈥檝e had a group of Black peers in university. I went to McMaster and had a diverse friend group, but the lack of Black people was always apparent, especially in science. BSAP gave me a sense of community and that my academic experiences were similar to others.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips:</strong>&nbsp;BSAP reinforces the advocacy, diversity and inclusion outlined in the 茄子直播 Medicine strategic plan. It鈥檚 one thing to read a strategic plan and another to see measurable action of these documents. Investing in this stream to address an evident disparity emphasized the authenticity of these claims. Applying through the BSAP stream also allowed me to more genuinely speak about my involvement in the Black community. I was confident these initiatives would be appreciated for their full value, considering there were Black community members reviewing the applications.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle:</strong> 茄子直播 has done a good job of supporting us, which allows us to be free to learn how to become doctors while still serving the communities we come from and adore.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>How was your experience during the first term of the MD Program?</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips:&nbsp;</strong>My initial transition to medical school wasn鈥檛 easy. Uprooting and rebuilding your home, academic standing, social circle and community initiatives would be tumultuous for practically anyone. I got really sick at the beginning of flu season because of how much stress I was putting myself under. It was a wake-up call and made me realize I needed to alter what I was doing. I decided to prioritize my wellness and growth. Since then, I鈥檝e been much happier and better integrated. I鈥檓 excited to be here and meeting so many amazing people. This might be the honeymoon phase, but I hope it persists and I continue enjoying learning as much as I do now.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle:&nbsp;</strong>I鈥檝e had some of the best times of my life. Everyone has been friendly and there鈥檚 a real sense of community. I know most of the people in my class and we get to socialize frequently while getting some of the best education in the world, so there鈥檚 really nothing to complain about right now.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>What would you say to a Black student considering studying medicine at 茄子直播?</strong></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Semir Bulle:</strong> Do your research and look into what you have to do from the second you walk into university. Reach out to as many people as you can and put yourself out there, which is something I never did. It鈥檚 going to be a hard road but with sacrifice and a little luck, anything is possible. Also, reach out to us at the Black Medical Students鈥 Association (BMSA) 鈥 we鈥檇 give advice if you need it.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div><strong>Chantal Phillips:</strong> BSAP has set a precedent for what an inclusive, advocacy-oriented medical school looks like. Black students are becoming better represented here, there are Black faculty members and social justice is discussed throughout the curriculum. If you鈥檙e intimidated by the application process, want to build a network or seek mentorship, please connect with <strong>Ike Okafor</strong> who facilitates the Community of Support. Mentorship and preparation are key to a successful medical school application. I can speak on behalf of the other Black medical students and say that we鈥檇 love for you to be a part of this community.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 16 Jan 2019 17:45:56 +0000 noreen.rasbach 151282 at Faculty of Medicine program opens opportunities to Black MD students /news/faculty-medicine-program-opens-opportunities-black-md-students <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Faculty of Medicine program opens opportunities to Black MD students</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2019-01-16-Chantal-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4A60Kn6z 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2019-01-16-Chantal-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=o3JOF-Rs 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2019-01-16-Chantal-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=xeDvMSRc 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2019-01-16-Chantal-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4A60Kn6z" alt="Photo of Chantal Phillips"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-01-16T11:39:13-05:00" title="Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - 11:39" class="datetime">Wed, 01/16/2019 - 11:39</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"> Chantal Phillips, a first-year medical student, applied under the new Black Student Application Program (photo by Julia Soudat)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/liam-mitchell" hreflang="en">Liam Mitchell</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/diversity-and-inclusion" hreflang="en">Diversity and Inclusion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">14 Black students entered medical school in first cycle of new admissions pathway</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div>Growing up, <strong>Chantal Phillips</strong> was not sure whether medical school was for her. It wasn鈥檛 because she wasn鈥檛 interested, but because she couldn鈥檛 see anyone like herself practising medicine.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Now in her first year of the MD program at the University of Toronto, she reflected on how race and poverty made medical school seem unattainable at a recent public consultation session on the Black Student Application Program (BSAP). The program launched in early 2017 and welcomed its first cohort this fall.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>鈥淚 grew up in poverty, but I didn鈥檛 realize it until I was six,鈥 said Phillips, who was raised in Toronto鈥檚 Jane and Finch community. 鈥淚 was visiting my step-family in Vaughan when it hit me. I saw those kids had opportunities to be doctors that I didn鈥檛. But now, I am the first person in my family to go to university and I will be the first to be a doctor.鈥</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The public session was an opportunity to report back to the community about the success of BSAP鈥檚 first admissions cycle.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>鈥淲e鈥檙e here to talk about a program that we鈥檙e very proud of,鈥 said Professor <strong>Patricia Houston</strong>, vice-dean of the MD program in the Faculty of Medicine.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <h3><a href="/news/when-you-grow-not-knowing-or-seeing-single-doctor-colour-it-makes-you-question-why-things-are">'When you grow up not knowing or seeing a single doctor of colour ... it makes you question why things are the way they are'</a></h3> <div>In BSAP鈥檚 first year, 14 students were admitted to the MD program through that pathway. At the time BSAP launched, just one student in the first year class was Black. In previous years, generally fewer than five per cent of MD students identified as Black.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>鈥淲e鈥檙e passionate about creating a great opportunity, not just for those admitted through BSAP, but for all of our students who will benefit from more diverse colleagues,鈥 said Houston.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Professor <strong>David Latter</strong>, director of MD admissions and student finances, stressed that the increase in Black MD students was not the result of any quota. BSAP applicants still have to meet the same rigorous admission standards as all other applicants.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>鈥淚 think one of the reasons we saw this increase is because 茄子直播 is being seen opening our doors and showing that we鈥檙e serious in our commitment to welcome more Black students into our program,鈥 said Latter.</div> <div><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__9984 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" height="453" src="/sites/default/files/2019-01-16-bsap-group-resized.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="680" loading="lazy"></div> <div><em>Some of the faculty and staff who helped establish and run the Black Student Application Program. From left,&nbsp;Dr. Lisa Robinson, Dr. Ren茅e Beach, Dr. David Latter, La Toya Dennie, Lindsay Jackowetz, Leslie Taylor, Ike Okafor and Hana Lee (photo by Erin Howe)</em></div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Students who apply through BSAP, in addition to meeting the standard admission requirements, are required to write an additional 250-word personal essay. As part of the admissions process, members of the Black community 鈥 as well as Black physicians, faculty members, and students 鈥 take part in admissions file reviews and admission interviews.</div> <div><span class="sub_title" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: 800;"></span>鈥淵ou鈥檒l see applicants who are doing great things, but they鈥檙e not working a part-time job or babysitting their brothers and sisters. Having an appreciation for those other commitments is an important lens too&nbsp;when you鈥檙e trying to identify people who make great doctors,鈥 said Garwe.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>BSAP is only one of the initiatives intended to diversify 茄子直播鈥檚 MD program, which is based on a similar program aimed at Indigenous students. In 2015, 茄子直播 established Community of Support to enable students who are Indigenous, Black, Filipino, economically disadvantaged&nbsp;or who self-identify with having a disability,&nbsp;at every stage of their journey to medical school. This includes admissions advising, mentoring&nbsp;and support through the application process, including MCAT and interview preparation. Under the leadership of <strong>Ike Okafor</strong>, the MD program鈥檚 senior officer, service learning, the program has spread to other medical schools across Canada.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>And, for nearly 25 years, the Faculty of Medicine has hosted the summer mentorship program, which gives high school students of Indigenous or African ancestry a chance to explore health sciences at the university over four weeks in July.&nbsp;&nbsp;More than 800 students have participated in the program since it was established.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>While it鈥檚 important to open up new pathways to medical schools, said Dr.&nbsp;<strong>Onye Nnorom</strong>, Black health lead of the MD program, it鈥檚 also important to provide a culturally safe and supportive space for Black students when they arrive. In partnership with the Black Physicians鈥 Association of Ontario, Nnorom has been working with Dr.<strong> Ren茅e Beach</strong> to establish a mentorship program for Black MD students. She has also incorporated more information about cultural safety and population-specific health needs into the MD curriculum.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>鈥淲e want to ensure our students feel safe and secure so they can focus on their studies and do what they need to do to succeed,鈥 said Nnorom.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>That work is appreciated by Phillips, who admits to having a sense of 鈥渋mposter syndrome鈥 as a new medical student.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>鈥淚 sometimes feel like I don鈥檛 belong. But I remind myself I do, and then do the inner work that makes me realize it鈥檚 true.鈥</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 16 Jan 2019 16:39:13 +0000 noreen.rasbach 151281 at Meet 茄子直播 student city builders who are shaping Toronto鈥檚 future /news/meet-u-t-student-city-builders-who-are-shaping-toronto-s-future <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Meet 茄子直播 student city builders who are shaping Toronto鈥檚 future </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Trash-team-1140-x-760_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=sFQg2_Q6 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Trash-team-1140-x-760_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=oYSyi45B 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Trash-team-1140-x-760_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Bkx33KO8 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Trash-team-1140-x-760_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=sFQg2_Q6" alt="Photo of 茄子直播's Trash Team"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Romi Levine</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-12-19T10:16:38-05:00" title="Wednesday, December 19, 2018 - 10:16" class="datetime">Wed, 12/19/2018 - 10:16</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The 茄子直播 Trash Team created an inventory of the trash collected in the Don River (photo by Chelsea Rochman)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/romi-levine" hreflang="en">Romi Levine</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cities" hreflang="en">Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ecology-environmental-biology" hreflang="en">Ecology &amp; Environmental Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">茄子直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">茄子直播 Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>It鈥檚 been a busy year for&nbsp;University of Toronto students leading the charge to make Toronto more sustainable, equitable and accessible.</p> <p>From shedding light on the waste that travels through Toronto鈥檚 waterways to rethinking opioid overdose kits to help save more lives 鈥 here are some of the ways 茄子直播 students are making their mark in the city.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Waterway warriors&nbsp;</h3> <p><strong>Rachel Giles</strong> spent a hot summer鈥檚 day sorting through smelly piles of garbage and debris at the mouth of the Don River. This winter, she鈥檒l be wading through ice cold water in heavy-duty gear.</p> <p>These might be unusual research settings for most, but Giles 鈥 a master鈥檚 student in ecology and evolutionary biology 鈥 wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.</p> <p>鈥淚 think most scientists are eager go out in the field no matter what the conditions are,鈥 she said. 鈥淭o be able to go outside and spend a day outdoors is far better than spending a day indoors by your computer crunching some numbers or writing a paper.鈥</p> <p>Giles is part of <strong>Chelsea Rochman</strong>鈥檚 lab. <a href="/news/last-straw-u-t-ecology-expert-students-create-inventory-plastic-litter-collects-don-river">Rochman, Giles and a group of students spent that hot summer鈥檚 day collecting trash to find out how much of it comes down the Don River and enters Lake&nbsp;Ontario</a>.</p> <p>鈥淭hese plastic materials that are not caught would go down into the lake and break down into smaller and smaller pieces and become microplastics,鈥 said Rochman, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. 鈥淟ittle bits of plastic enter into our entire aquatic food chain, and from my research we find they can have impacts on the wildlife that live there."</p> <p>Rochman鈥檚 lab focuses on the sources and impact of contaminants like plastic that end up in waterways 鈥 including those found in urban areas.</p> <p>The research group, also known as the 茄子直播 Trash Team,&nbsp;participates in regular urban shoreline cleanups and outreach programs at schools.</p> <p>Giles鈥檚 sub-zero research this winter will focus on road runoff and its effects on invertebrate species in the Humber River that live in the sediment. She鈥檒l be looking at the kinds of contaminants that make their way into waterways including plastic and road salt.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>City hall insiders</h3> <p><img alt="Yasmin Rajabi" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__9856 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/Rajabi-750-x-500.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> <em>Yasmin Rajabi was among 10 young women taking part in the City of Toronto鈥檚 Prot茅g茅 Program (photo by Ken Jones)</em></p> <p>Two 茄子直播 Scarborough students spent the first half of the year getting to know the inner workings of Toronto鈥檚 city government.</p> <p><a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/undergraduate-experience/women-support-women-through-city-mentorship-program"><strong>Yasmin Rajabi</strong> and <strong>Hazelmae Valenzuela</strong> participated in the City of Toronto Prot茅g茅 Program, a mentorship initiative </a>that paired them with female councillors and staff who they shadowed while participating in constituency work and attending city council meetings.</p> <p>鈥淚n municipal politics you actually see more immediate change happen, and because it鈥檚 local it has a much larger impact on the people around you,鈥 said Rajabi, who was mentored by Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon, and Mary-Anne Bedard, director of service system planning and integrity.</p> <p>Rajabi, who has since graduated with a double major in public policy and city studies, is now working at Toronto think tank Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She said the Prot茅g茅 Program was invaluable preparation for her current role, where she regularly works with the public sector on designing programs and policies.</p> <p>鈥淚t really did teach me much more about the governance of the City of Toronto and the decision-making and how that occurs,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 am passionate about serving the public and ensuring that government policies are reflective of the needs of the end user.鈥</p> <p>Rajabi said she encourages students to apply for the Prot茅g茅 Program, regardless of their academic program.</p> <p>鈥淟earning about how decisions are made at city hall and in the City of Toronto has huge ramifications in all of our lives,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what governance looks like at how decisions are made in the city.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Urban solution engineers</h3> <p><img alt="Engineering students" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__9857 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/naloxone-750-x-500.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> <em>From left: Jacqueline Fleisig, Cassandra Chanen and Zhengbang Zhou show their redesigned naloxone kit at the 2018 Praxis Showcase (photo by Laura Pedersen)</em></p> <p>Earlier this year, first-year students in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering went out into the city to help businesses, social services, governments and other community organizations address challenges with design solutions.</p> <p><a href="https://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/first-year-students-bring-engineering-solutions-to-toronto-communities/">The students, who were taking the engineering Praxis course, tackled a range of projects</a>&nbsp;from redesigning the life-saving naloxone opioid overdose kits to helping a sporting venue develop a device that would assist participants in a quick knife-draw competition.</p> <p><strong>Cassandra Chanen</strong>, <strong>Jacqueline Fleisig</strong> and <strong>Zhengbang Zhou</strong> worked together on the naloxone kit design. They talked to front-line workers and business owners about how they use the naloxone kits with the aim of improving its design to speed up the time it takes to deliver the drug.</p> <p>鈥淭he opioid crisis is an urgent problem affecting thousands of people,鈥 said Chanen. 鈥淲e saw this course as an opportunity to work on something really relevant to people of all ages, but especially our age.鈥</p> <p><strong>Alan Chong</strong>, an associate professor, teaching stream, who taught the course, said this kind of community partnership is a unique opportunity for students.</p> <p>鈥淭he most important experience for them is being able to understand that you're not doing engineering in a vacuum, you're really dealing with a whole group of stakeholders and you're dealing with complex problems that you may not be able to see all the solutions to."</p> <p>A new cohort of engineering students will have the chance to work on community design projects when the course begins again in January.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Globe-trotting urbanists</h3> <p><img alt="Sidewalk Fellows" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__9858 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/sidewalk-750-x-500.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> <em>茄子直播 students and Sidewalk Fellows (from left) Keisha St. Louis-McBurnie, Paul Seufert, Carol Yeung and Sharly Chan (photo by Romi Levine)</em></p> <p>Twelve post-secondary students, including four from 茄子直播, spent their summer travelling to cities around the world to learn about what makes for good city building.</p> <p><a href="/news/four-u-t-students-travel-world-sidewalk-fellows-help-shape-city-s-waterfront-vision">They were participating in a fellowship program organized by Sidewalk Toronto</a> 鈥 a partnership between Waterfront Toronto, a government-led initiative to develop Toronto鈥檚 waterfront, and Sidewalk Labs, the subsidiary of Alphabet (which also owns Google) that seeks to use technology to improve urban living.</p> <p>The students鈥 urban globetrotting culminated in a report on how they would envision Sidewalk Toronto鈥檚 proposed Quayside neighbourhood.</p> <p>鈥淚n the context of our city鈥檚 widening socio-economic disparities and political divisions, I believe it is crucial to ensure that Quayside will be a model for equitable and inclusive mixed-use and mixed-income neighbourhood development,鈥 said Sidewalk Fellow <strong>Keisha St. Louis-McBurnie</strong>, an urban studies and political science student in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.</p> <p><a href="https://sidewalktoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SidewalksTOFellowsReport_Final_webcopy.pdf">The report is now published and includes 27 recommendations for how to build an inclusive, sustainable and livable urban neighbourhood.</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Underground poet</h3> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__9859 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="500" src="/sites/default/files/De-Leon-750-x-500.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="750" loading="lazy"><br> <br> <em>Poet and 茄子直播 Scarborough alumnus Adrian De Leon released a book of poetry inspired by subway stops (photo by Alexa Battler)</em></p> <p>In <strong>Adrian De Leon</strong>鈥檚 book of poetry called <em>Rouge</em>, the 鈥渃ity becomes the poem.鈥 <a href="/news/when-city-becomes-poem-author-challenges-scarborough-stereotypes-taking-readers-ttc-journey">The 茄子直播 Scarborough alumnus and current PhD student in the department of history travelled to every subway stop on the TTC, crafting a 鈥減oetic moment鈥 for each station</a>.</p> <p>While De Leon's poems tell the story of distinct parts of the city, Scarborough is where his most powerful prose takes place.</p> <p>The book, which was released in October, centres around two poems, both called 鈥淩ouge,鈥 which are a response to the Danzig Steet mass shooting in Scarborough.</p> <p>In July of 2012, rival gang members opened fire at a crowd of 200 during a community street party, killing two people and injuring 23. De Leon was living a block away when it happened.</p> <p>鈥淲e all wanted to reclaim how to represent our neighbourhood, our community,鈥 De Leon said. 鈥淲e wanted to show we can work through this collective community trauma in really productive ways.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Cycling champion</h3> <p><img alt="L茅a Ravensbergen" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__9860 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/Lea-750-x-500.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> <em>PhD candidate L茅a Ravensbergen is encouraged by the rise in popularity of urban cycling (photo courtesy of Cycle Toronto)</em></p> <p>More Canadians are choosing to commute on two wheels, and <strong>L茅a Ravensbergen</strong> is hoping that number continues to rise. <a href="/news/phd-candidate-cycling-her-work-and-passion-even-winter">The 茄子直播 Mississauga PhD candidate has spent the last five years researching urban cycling 鈥 particularly in relation to gender 鈥 under the supervision of Professor <strong>Ron Buliung</strong></a>.</p> <p>Ravensbergen worked in collaboration with a community initiative called Bike Host, which helps newcomers get acquainted with urban cycling by pairing them with cyclist-mentors and lending them bikes and safety gear.</p> <p>鈥淪ome women I interviewed learned how to bike through this program 鈥 an achievement they described as incredibly empowering,鈥 she said. 鈥淔or them and others, biking provided confidence in their physical abilities, was a time-saving mode of transport or facilitated a sense of belonging in Toronto, their new home.鈥</p> <p>Ravensbergen is currently gearing up for winter cycling after spending some time in Melbourne, Australia, where she was analyzing interview data and presenting her findings at Monash University.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 19 Dec 2018 15:16:38 +0000 Romi Levine 149322 at 'So much potential goes unspotted': Celebrating 20 years of the Rose Patten Mentorship Program /news/so-much-potential-goes-unspotted-celebrating-20-years-rose-patten-mentorship-program <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">'So much potential goes unspotted': Celebrating 20 years of the Rose Patten Mentorship Program</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-12-13-mentorship-patten-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=WuDhsl6v 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2018-12-13-mentorship-patten-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=pazgsebU 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2018-12-13-mentorship-patten-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Ydq3bLVF 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2018-12-13-mentorship-patten-resized.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=WuDhsl6v" alt="Photo of Rose Patten"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-12-13T12:45:32-05:00" title="Thursday, December 13, 2018 - 12:45" class="datetime">Thu, 12/13/2018 - 12:45</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">鈥淭he more we can learn and ply our knowledge for spotting potential and nurturing and developing it, the better off we鈥檙e going to be in the leadership world,鈥 says Chancellor Rose Patten (photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/perry-king" hreflang="en">Perry King</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rose-patten" hreflang="en">Rose Patten</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/governing-council" hreflang="en">Governing Council</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hart-house" hreflang="en">Hart House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mentorship" hreflang="en">Mentorship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">茄子直播 Mississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When University of Toronto Chancellor <strong>Rose Patten</strong>&nbsp;began to speak about mentorship and leadership at this week's celebration marking 20 years of a program she created, the packed Music Room at Hart House&nbsp;hushed.</p> <p>鈥淪o much potential goes unspotted,鈥 she told the room filled with mentors and mentees on Tuesday afternoon. 鈥淭he more we can learn and ply our knowledge for spotting potential and nurturing and developing it, the better off we鈥檙e going to be in the leadership world.鈥</p> <p>Patten has been a champion of mentorship at 茄子直播 and throughout her career. The&nbsp;Rose Patten Mentorship Program celebrates the contributions of its mentors and mentees each year, but for this year's 20<sup>th </sup>anniversary, it honoured all 600 mentors and mentees who have taken part over the years. Patten gave a small gift to volunteers who contributed at least six years to the program.</p> <p>鈥淒r. Patten is probably the quintessential mentor,鈥 <strong>Kelly Hannah-Moffat</strong>,&nbsp;茄子直播鈥檚 vice-president of&nbsp;human resources and equity, told the gathering. "She had the foresight from very early in her career to understand the role of mentoring 鈥 especially as it applies to those with different opportunities, and to women and racialized people and employees within different kinds of corporate contexts and public-sector interests.鈥</p> <p>Hannah-Moffat, whose office sponsors the program, also praised its senior leaders and participants.&nbsp;</p> <p>Among those honoured on Tuesday were&nbsp;<strong>Louis Charpentier</strong>, who retired as secretary of 茄子直播's&nbsp;Governing Council in 2015 and was co-founder of the program, <strong>Fran Wdowczyk</strong>, who is a leader of the program at&nbsp; 茄子直播 Scarborough, and <strong>Sheree Drummond</strong>,&nbsp;secretary of the Governing Council who has served as a mentor for 10 years.</p> <p>鈥淚 can get very personal about this,鈥 Charpentier said. 鈥淚 have worked very closely with Rose when she was chair of Governing Council, and I have respected and appreciated her incredible leadership gifts.</p> <p>鈥淪he has served, in many ways, as a mentor to me.鈥</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__9822 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" height="453" src="/sites/default/files/2018-12-13-mentorship-resized.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="680" loading="lazy"></p> <p><em>Heather Hines&nbsp;(left) and&nbsp;Mariaveronica Sayewich:&nbsp;鈥淭he first day that I met Heather, I thought,&nbsp; 鈥楢h, this is going to be good,'鈥 says Sayewich (photo&nbsp;by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>Drummond, who previously worked at the University of Alberta,&nbsp;joined the program to help nurture mentees with similar career trajectories.</p> <p>鈥淚 was asked to be a mentor and I was very enthusiastic about it,鈥 said Drummond, who served in the&nbsp;provost's office when she was tapped to become a mentor. 鈥淚 wanted to help others who were making a similar transition, and figure out the university faster.鈥</p> <p>The early days&nbsp;involved many discussions on how to organize the program. Wdowczyk, director of business development and special adviser to the chief adminisrative officer for 茄子直播 Scarborough, said there was 鈥渓ots of work around governance and finance and building your spiels.</p> <p>鈥淭here were a lot of opportunities to actually visit other departments and faculties,鈥 she said about the work taking place across all three campuses.</p> <p>She described 茄子直播&nbsp;as 鈥渢he mountain with no top鈥 because it is constantly growing. &nbsp;And mentorship has become so crucial in that growth, she said,&nbsp;in a way "that is a little bit more casual,&nbsp; that allows a mentee to keep discovering.鈥</p> <p>The program has promoted&nbsp;a 鈥渃ulture of mentoring,鈥 Charpentier said.</p> <p>鈥淭hink of those 600 [mentors and mentees], and beyond that the kind of impact that those people have had.</p> <p>鈥淭hat鈥檚 a major cultural shift.鈥</p> <p>Tuesday's&nbsp;ceremony also recognized this year鈥檚 participating mentors and mentees.</p> <p>For <strong>Mariaveronica Sayewich</strong> and <strong>Heather Hines</strong>, her mentor, the partnership began on&nbsp;a Skype call.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭he first day that I met Heather, I thought,&nbsp; 鈥楢h, this is going to be good,'鈥 said Sayewich, who was then co-ordinator for alumni relations on the downtown Toronto campus. 鈥<strong>Beverly </strong>[<strong>Kahn</strong>, the program鈥檚 co-coordinator] introduced us and said, 鈥極h, I鈥檓 going to leave you for a half hour on your own.鈥欌</p> <p>鈥淚 wanted to join this program to see what kinds of skills, tips and tricks&nbsp;I could use and build to get into that position,鈥 said Sayewich, who credits the program with helping her land a digital project managerial role&nbsp;that she began this week.</p> <p>Hines,&nbsp;director of undergraduate programs and&nbsp;student services at 茄子直播 Mississauga, said her mentee was "very thorough in her analysis of things and it made our conversations easy for me. She was really looking for someone to bounce ideas off of. She knew where she was going, she needed someone to say 鈥榊eah, yeah, yeah, you are going in the right direction.'鈥</p> <p>Sayewich was Hines鈥檚 fourth mentee. After being informally mentored when she first arrived at 茄子直播 Mississauga, Hines felt compelled to help others grow their careers.</p> <p>鈥淲hat can you do to make things better? This is an opportunity 鈥 to meet with people who are interested in their careers at the university and are looking for ways to contribute.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚f I can help, then I鈥檓 expanding that circle of people who really care and want to be what the university is all about 鈥 excellence, inclusivity, all those things.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 13 Dec 2018 17:45:32 +0000 noreen.rasbach 149005 at