Academic mentor appointments

Each year, Amara has become more involved in campus than she was in her previous year, creating wonderful memories. “Gaining new experiences working student jobs and getting involved with clubs here at U of T has been vital to improving my student experience and has allowed me to learn valuable skills I believe will help me in my professional life!” She is grateful for this opportunity as an Academic Success peer mentor that allows her to make students’ experience a little less stressful and be a valuable resource to help students improve their academic, social and professional skills!

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Criminology, Sociology & Women and Gender Studies

Year of Study: 3rd

Interest(s):

• Reading
• Writing
• Photography

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: Master of Arts, Cinema Studies

Interest(s):

• Reality TV
• Movies
• Trying out new coffee shops across the city

Maddy enjoys helping students navigate their university experience and is very happy to be part of the Academic Success Peer Mentor team! Maddy also enjoys tutoring, volunteering and mentoring students of all ages.

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: Disability studies and childhood studies in the Social Justice Education department at OISE

Year of Study: PhD

Interest(s):

• Spending time with her cats, Martin & Lucy
• Going for walks
• Spending time with her family

Mentors for academic and career advice were essential for helping Sadi figure out his career path and how to navigate through university life. Applying to grad school was nerve-wracking for Sadi, since many schools wanted a perfect GPA—but he learned that participating in extracurriculars could help his application and recommends that others do the same.

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: Biomedical Engineering, focusing on medical imaging and heart disease

Year of Study: PhD

Interest(s):

• Baking desserts!

Matthew is joining the team as a peer facilitator with experience facilitating mental health groups and providing cultural support for international students arriving in Toronto. “As someone who came to Toronto from another country for university, I understand how difficult it can be for students to adjust and adapt to a new environment, especially at the University of Toronto.” Matthew will continue his work providing support and resources for students through various peer-led workshops with Academic Success.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Psychology & Urban Studies

Year of Study: 4th

Interest(s):

• Cooking
• Trying out new cafes and bakeries
• Playing ultimate frisbee

Janice has a passion for enhancing student life, and is looking forward to working within the education stream or student success teams in schools or institutions in the future. Being a peer storyteller allows her to connect with fellow students, have more exposure to the resources and academic programs on campus, raise awareness and make an impact through an online community. She has previous experience in creating various content, and values being able to offer support to other students in navigating the University of Toronto.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Linguistics & Cognitive Sciences

Year of Study: 3rd

Interest(s):

• Exploring different places with friends (whether for food or fun)
• Travelling
• Staying active

Through her active involvement in campus life during her undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, Lindsay learned the importance of time management, balance and organization. "I always rely on my colour-coded calendar as a resource that keeps me organized and ensures that I don’t miss anything. I also learned the importance of setting realistic expectations for myself and only taking on as much as I could handle. I have always relied on my social network including friends and family. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experiences with other students!"

Status: Graduate

Program of Study: Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

Year of Study: 2nd

Michelle is passionate in working with children and wishes to contribute to improving children’s lives in the future. She enjoys engaging in different perspectives when learning about global issues and hopes to develop skills that will help her in providing firsthand assistance for communities in need. As a student life peer storyteller, Michelle organizes promotional materials for the academic success team and works alongside with many peers to help students in navigating resources. She is very happy to have this opportunity that allows her to provide meaningful support for students.

Status: Undergraduate

Program of Study: Life Science

Year of Study: 2nd

Interest(s):

• Eating at different restaurants with her friends
• Exploring nature parks
• Watching Korean variety shows (her favourite is Running Man!)