Convocation 2020

Before trading their white coats for black gowns and receiving their degrees at Convocation Hall, several members of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine's Class of 2022 recently looked back on their time in med school and shared advice for future students.

Five of those students – MD graduates Happy Inibhunu, Justin Lim and Jordi Klein, as well as MD/PhD grads Alainna Jamal and Siraj Zahr – describe the rollercoaster of emotions they felt during their education at the �ؿ�ζSM, from delivering their first baby to losing their first patient.

Here is a snapshot of their reflections:

Happy Inibhunu

Graduating from: MD Program
Up next: Residency in neurosurgery, Western University

Time goes by really fast, as sometimes I often rewind back to orientation and am amazed of the incredible friends I have made these last four years. Some highlights of my medical school journey are my first-ever triathlon, receiving an honorable mention by the Canadian Society of Palliative Care for my written piece, "10:30,” providing care to patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic through virtual and in-person means, and, undoubtedly, achieving my dream of becoming a neurosurgery resident.

These last four years in Toronto helped define the physician I aspire to be by building interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary networks in a harmonious manner, creating positive, empathetic and trustworthy rapport with patients, and having the extraordinary opportunity of striving diligently to provide care to neurosurgical patients as a life-long vocation.

Being part of the Class of 2022, which did more than half of medical school during the pandemic, and navigating clerkship within the pandemic was certainly a hard obstacle to overcome. Striving to build rapport and guidance with patients through the distance created with the application of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while balancing the uncertainty of the pandemic placed another layer of complexity to our learning. However, a defining characteristic that resonated through the pandemic is the ability to recognize, acknowledge and strengthen virtues of humanity. For instance, sharing a laugh, providing extra time within visits, supporting one another and always remembering the person is separate from the disease. With this mindset, more unique aspects of clerkship and the pandemic shone through while building a harmonious community throughout my rotations among physicians, residents, allied health-care professionals, patients and caregivers.

I have been aspiring to this moment for a long time. To be one of the incoming PGY1 neurosurgery residents at Western University is a humbling honour. I am excited to continue on this path towards providing optimal care for patients, similar to my mentors, paving the way for me to soon become a well-rounded, skillfully trained neurosurgeon.

Advice for incoming students: It is often common to feel out-of-place in new situations, especially in medical school. You might hear of the phrase "imposter syndrome" in your first few weeks of orientation and throughout your career. Try not to be intimated by this phrase. Instead use it as a template to branch from. To get to where you are, it takes sacrifice, passion and excitement to dedicate your life to the betterment of others.

Justin Lim

Graduating from: MD Program
Up next: Residency in ObGyn, �ؿ�ζSM

I don't think I truly knew what I was getting myself into when I decided I wanted to become a physician. I just knew I wanted to contribute to my community in a meaningful way. Through the growing pains of medical school, I learned that there is something incredibly special about how our profession affords us the opportunity to be with people at some of their most vulnerable moments. The highs are high and the lows are low, but ultimately caring for others is central to what continues to draw me in to this profession.

Without a doubt, the most remarkable highlight of medical school has been watching my friends and classmates grow as people, as a community and as future physicians – and growing alongside them. It was so wonderful watching everyone comfortably settle into their future specialties this last stretch of medical school, and be truly excited about going into our respective clinical spaces.

Medical school has been filled with many “firsts,” which is what makes these four years so fulfilling and exciting, but so darn challenging at the same time. Navigating these firsts kept me on my toes as I quickly learned that we all have things we’re good at (and things we're not so good at). It's funny remembering how nervous I was to take my first patient history. Now, that list of new experiences has grown exponentially – all the way from delivering my first baby to experiencing my first patient death. Learning how to sit with these experiences will be something I will be working on for years to come.

I am extremely excited – and nervous – for the many upcoming milestones that come along with an ObGyn residency, and am really looking forward learning how to do things with my hands. I remember learning how to throw my first knot a few years ago, and it still hasn't hit me that soon enough I'll be learning how to operate.

Advice for incoming students: you will constantly feel like you don’t have enough hours in a day. I remember feeling like I just did not ever have enough time. But I promise you that you do have time, and you will finish medical school excellent and competent.

The truth is, your to-do list will never end and the demands of medical school will feel overwhelming at times, but give yourself permission to do the things you need to do for you.

Jordi Klein

Graduating from: MD Program
Up next: Residency in emergency medicine, �ؿ�ζSM

I became interested in medicine because of my own experiences as a patient, which led to an academic interest in co-design for health-care systems and institutions. I’ve had some opportunities to use a co-design approach in creating lectures and resources for the MD program, and am excited to continue this work in residency. My experiences as a patient also cemented the importance of medicine as advocacy, and I’m motivated to continue my advocacy work supporting the health-care needs of marginalized and under-represented communities.

It’s true what they say: the days are long but the years are short. Med school was a collection of so many highlights. From de-stressing in the med lounge after an anatomy bellringer to delivering a baby for the first time, it’s amazing how much you grow in such a short amount of time. Among my greatest highlights were getting to know so many bright, hardworking, passionate future colleagues, who inspire me to be a better doctor and a better person.

I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome in medical school. I felt like I wasn’t cut out to be a doctor, that I didn’t belong here. It got worse in clerkship, as I would agonize over every little mistake, fearing it was evidence that all my worst fears were true and I actually wasn’t good enough after all. Over the course of clerkship, my mentors helped me feel more grounded and learn to adopt a growth mindset. The imposter syndrome is still a work-in-progress but it’s become easier to see mistakes as opportunities to grow. Learn by failing!

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have so many supportive mentors and colleagues throughout my training, and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to pay it forward by teaching, supporting and mentoring other learners here at U of T. My training would not have been the same without the residents who taught me procedures, got me coffee on night shifts, cried with me after patient deaths, coached me through tough days and so much more. I hope to be that resident for future medical students.

Advice for incoming students: Each of you has something special to bring to this work. Don’t be afraid to bring your full self into medical training. Let your strengths be your strengths, and find the people and places that help you feel like the best, most authentic version of yourself.

Alainna Jamal

Graduating from: MD/PhD Program
Up next: Residency in internal medicine, �ؿ�ζSM

I started my first research project as a bachelor of science student in 2010 under the skillful mentorship of Dr. S. Joseph Kim (an associate professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health) and Dr. Shahid Husain (a clinician investigator in the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine) in the multi-organ transplant program at Toronto General Hospital. They were the first to show me the physician-scientist career path, and I was fascinated. I saw research and clinical medicine as inextricably linked. I wanted to treat individual patients, while leading a research program that improves patient care and health-care systems. I am most interested in infectious diseases and epidemiology, particularly antibiotic resistance.

My research focuses on understanding transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria in hospitals and communities, using epidemiological and genomic methods. These data allow us to make policy recommendations for infection prevention and control programs in Ontario.

The greatest highlight of my experience in the MD/PhD program was the opportunity to be rigorously research-trained by my PhD supervisor, Dr. Allison McGeer [a professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Dalla Lana School of Public Health and clinician scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health) as our team worked on new and evolving public health challenges (antibiotic resistance, and toward the end of my PhD, COVID-19). She is an authority in her field who also takes mentorship seriously. She gave me independence, while always offering constructive criticism and generous support.

I'm looking forward to honing my clinical skills and gaining independence as a physician, serving as a teacher and mentor to my junior peers, and answering the next question on my research agenda.

Advice for incoming students: Open doors for junior peers. Approach everything with a diversity, equity and inclusivity mindset.

Siraj Zahr

Graduating from: MD/PhD Program
Up next: Residency in anesthesiology, �ؿ�ζSM

Looking ahead, anesthesiology offers many avenues for scientific investigation as it encompasses the entire spectrum of medicine and surgery. I’m interested in mechanisms of action of certain anesthetics on brain activity, as well as chronic pain mechanisms and treatment. The interplay between what we categorize as psychiatric/mental versus physical in chronic pain disorders – and therapeutic modalities that target both – is a particularly exciting area to me.

My main doctoral research under the supervision of Dr. Freda Miller [in the department of physiology] and Dr. David Kaplan [in the department of molecular genetics] revolved around how neurons are generated from neural stem cells to build the mammalian cortex. The cortex underlies our perception of sensory information, performance of motor activities and higher-order cognition, so you can imagine that aberrations in this process can lead to a whole host of disorders.

Honestly, my biggest highlight [of med school] would have to be meeting my wife, Tina Marvasti, who I couples matched with. Other highlights are the friendships I’ve made and inspiring mentors I have met who have made me feel at home in Toronto.

I have faced many challenges, both academically and personally. Not to bore you with the details, but some useful things I have learned are that challenges are inevitable and necessary for growth, and that it is OK to lean on others for advice and guidance when you’re stuck.

As I embark on the next phase of training, I look forward to developing focused clinical expertise and independence in managing patients of varying complexity and acuity. I’m also looking forward to learning from the fantastic clinical and scientific mentors in anesthesiology.

There is a proverb of unclear origin that goes: "The person who asks is a fool for five minutes, but the person who does not ask remains a fool forever.” In medicine and science, you are faced with many unknowns or unfamiliar territory that naturally evoke fear. I’ve noticed that there is sometimes a hidden pressure that even the most junior and inexperienced trainees need to always appear more certain and knowledgeable than is the case. So, in addition to the natural fears one has, there is an added pressure to behave with false certainty despite lack of experience. I think this really stunts learning and understanding, and is ultimately bad for patient care.

Advice for incoming students: Be humble, stay curious, maintain a growth mindset, and ask genuine questions if you don’t understand something. Essentially, be willing to be a fool for a bit.

The year in pictures: U of T News looks back at 2020

davidlee — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 21:57:15 +0000

The year in pictures: U of T News looks back at 2020

davidlee Tue, 12/22/2020 - 16:57

Cutline

The fully accessible Valley Land Trail at U of T Scarborough provided the local community with a chance to walk, run or roll into the Highland Creek Valley (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

U of T News photographers had a front-row seat to history this year as they captured pictures of �ؿ�ζSM students, faculty and staff responding to one of the gravest crises in recent memory.

Despite the grim headlines, there was also plenty of hope, kindness and inspiration – the pictures below highlight the resilience of the university community and its willingness to help others.

You'll see university staff stack boxes of personal protective equipment for donations to a local hospital network; students stretch their legs in a physically distanced yoga session in the University College quad during orientation and U of T researcher and ER doctor Sameer Masood – who developed a virtual care system and oxygen masks that filter out coronavirus particles – pose stoically for a portrait in the back of an ambulance.

These are U of T's pictures of the year.

A drone's view of a crane carefully installing a new oculus on Convocation Hall. The new glass skylight was put in place after two years of preparations involving construction specialists, designers, heritage consultants and university operations staff. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

With news of a shortage of medical supplies in the spring, U of T collected more than 250,000 pairs of gloves, 12,000 masks and respirators to donate to local hospitals. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

A thank-you banner outside Michael Garron Hospital, part of U of T's network of community-affiliated hospitals. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

For the first time in its history, U of T held convocation virtually, in keeping with public health guidelines around physical distancing. Chancellor Rose Patten, centre, was part of a platform party including, from left to right, Lieutenant Governor in Council Claire Kennedy, convocation speaker and University Professor John Polanyi and President Meric Gertler. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

The university community came together to mourn the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, which crashed in January near Tehran killing all aboard, including eight members of the U of T community. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Sameer Masood, an ER doctor at University Health Network and assistant professor in the department of medicine in the �ؿ�ζSM’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, played a key role in developing a virtual care system for the ER and a novel oxygen mask that filters out exhaled coronavirus particles. (Photo by Johnny Guatto)

A small but dedicated staff of volunteers was responsible for safely packaging 15,000 degrees and diplomas for shipment to new graduates in Canada and 99 other countries. (Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Genene Assefa, a building operations team member, checks on generator room equipment in the Central Utilities Plant at U of T Mississauga. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

In the University College quad in September, students practised a physically distanced form of yoga during orientation. (Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Stepping into nature was one of the safest ways to get out of the house this year. The fully accessible Valley Land Trail at U of T Scarborough provided the local community with a chance to walk, run or roll into the Highland Creek Valley. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

U of T medical students Daniel Lee, Orly Bogler (appearing via video conference), Jordynn Klein and Tingting Yan recruited volunteers from their class and other programs to help front-line health-care workers with everyday chores, such as groceries, during the COVID-19 crisis. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Members of the U of T Scarborough leadership team celebrated the official groundbreaking for a new, 750-bed residence building that will double the current residence capacity on campus. It will be one of North America's largest Passive House projects, a low-energy design concept. Pictured from left: Wisdom Tettey, William Gough, Desmond Pouyat and Andrew Arifuzzaman.(Photo by Dylan Toombs)

Faced with deciding whether to cancel in-person mandatory labs and send students home for the year or find a safe way to open, Leigh Revers, director of U of T Mississauga’s master of biotechnology program, found a creative and safe solution. He implemented strict safety protocols and reduced the number of students in the lab by splitting the work between team members who connected with their teammate in the lab via video conferencing – a novel approach that allowed students to continue their studies safely. (Photo by Diego Garcia)

'Be the change you want to see': U of T grad Anowa Quarcoo is using tech to improve people's lives

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:58:37 +0000

'Be the change you want to see': U of T grad Anowa Quarcoo is using tech to improve people's lives

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 11/26/2020 - 11:58

Cutline

Anowa Quarcoo, who recently graduated with a combined master's degree in global affairs and business administration, has worked with groups in Toronto and Africa that use technology to achieve social development goals (photo by Matthew Volpe)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Anowa Quarcoo gets bored easily – a quality she’s transformed into a great strength by using it as a signal to learn new skills.

She recently graduated from the �ؿ�ζSM’s combined Master of Global Affairs/Master of Business Administration (MGA/MBA) program, offered by the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Rotman School of Management.

It was a winding road, with stops in public service along the way.

“I have a background in journalism and started off wanting to be a journalist – then the 2008 financial crisis happened,” says Quarcoo. “It was really hard to get a job as a journalist, so I ended up working in corporate communications. I was a generalist: I did a bit of everything: digital, public relations, marketing, crisis management and corporate social responsibility.”

Quarcoo, who graduated at U of T’s virtual fall convocation ceremony on Nov. 21, came to the MGA/MBA with eight years of work experience in corporate communications and had worked for all three levels of government. Of all of her duties, she says it was the corporate social responsibility (CSR) work that piqued her interest the most.

“One of the companies I worked for didn’t really have a CSR program, so I ended up building one. It made me think, ‘How can you have a social impact and what does that look like?’ I started looking for opportunities to explore that. I wanted to do something that had meaning and could impact people.”

This credo informed Quarcoo’s time at U of T. Many projects she worked on allowed her to look at the intersection between technology and social issues. For instance, Quarcoo traveled to Tanzania with the Reach Alliance in 2019 to research Tanzania’s medical supply chain. She ended up co-authoring a report with her findings, detailing how Tanzania successfully distributes medication to rural areas.

“I've always been a fan of interdisciplinary learning and the Reach Alliance was a cool opportunity to do something tangible that has the potential to have an impact,” says Quarcoo. “I was really drawn to the fact that I would be able to learn about research methodology – from getting approval from the ethics board to publishing an accessible and academically rigorous report.”

Born to Ghanaian parents, Quarcoo grew up in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. She says her experience with the Reach Alliance offered an encouraging example of locally-led development in Africa.

“I think often when people talk about the continent, they talk about the work that international organizations are doing,” she says. “They don’t talk about the amount of agency that Africans have in their own development. The Reach Alliance project was even more interesting when we uncovered that. It was a great story of agency.”

Quarcoo’s interest in technology and social impact featured prominently in her internship with the MGA program. Through funding from a fellowship with the Open Society Internship for Rights and Governance (OSIRG), Quarcoo worked with Africa’s Voices, a non-profit organization in Nairobi that finds ways to use technology to centre African citizens in Africa’s development.

While at Africa’s Voices, Quarcoo worked on a consultancy project with the Mastercard Foundation, looking at how to use technology to engage with program beneficiaries.

“When you think about development programs, you often think of folks sitting in offices in Geneva saying, ‘Oh, we're doing all of these great things!’ But the beneficiaries of these programs don't really have an opportunity to be involved or give voice to what they're experiencing,” says Quarcoo. “So Africa’s Voices aggregates data to give a clearer idea of what issues beneficiaries are dealing with. That allows us to measure actual impact.”

Through OSIRG, Quarcoo also had the opportunity to attend a two-week seminar in Hungary.

Her interest in tech and society goes beyond the classroom. She is the co-founder of Civic Tech Toronto, a group that uses technology to address or examine civic issues.

“Civic Tech Toronto finds ways to use technology to solve civic problems,” says Quarcoo. “One of our early projects was something called Budgetpedia. The premise was to help people better understand Toronto’s budget and see where funds have been allocated. Since then Civic Tech’s incubated a bunch of really interesting projects. A lot of tech folks program and code, but they don’t often get to do things that have a social bend to it, and vice versa.”

Quarcoo, who served as a student ambassador during U of T’s virtual fall convocation ceremony, is currently working at Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General. To celebrate convocation, she planned two Zoom parties: one with friends and one with family members scattered across the globe.

She has food for thought for her fellow graduates: “Every generation has an opportunity to shape the future. There’s a saying in the civic tech community: ‘Nobody is coming, it’s up to us.’ Don’t wait for someone else to make the changes you want to see in the world – you should be the change you want to see.”

Why am I wearing my academic regalia, you ask?
Cuz I’m celebrating MBA/MGA @rotmanschool @munkschool
grad Anowa Quarcoo who is an absolute & is now a @UofT #Uoftgrad20!
Thank you all of your contributions!
Loved being part of the fam jam grad celebration #LeadershipMatters https://t.co/WIaVVXV5Cz pic.twitter.com/3JmrrfybYa
— Nouman Ashraf (@S_Nouman_Ashraf) November 21, 2020

'Keep applying and trying': U of T grad on how he landed a full-time job during COVID-19

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 20:44:39 +0000

'Keep applying and trying': U of T grad on how he landed a full-time job during COVID-19

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 11/24/2020 - 15:44

Cutline

MD Nafizuzzaman, shown here with his wife, is a graduate of U of T's Faculty of Information who landed a sales strategist job with Post Consumer Brands (photo courtesy of MD Nafizuzzaman)

Topic

Faculty of Information

When MD Nafizuzzaman started applying for jobs at the beginning of March, the job market was still fairly normal. Then COVID-19 hit and everything changed as nervous employers put their plans on hold.

But Nafizuzzaman persevered. Graduating with a master's degree in information this fall, the �ؿ�ζSM student managed to land a full-time contract position without ever meeting any of his new colleagues in person.

How did he do it? Over a four-week period in the spring, Nafizuzzaman did five online interviews with Post Consumer Brands, which makes Grape Nuts and Frosted Mini Wheats among many other cereals. His interviewers were located all around the world. Thanks to the experience he gained using Blackboard Collaborate and Zoom during the last classes of the winter semester at U of T, Nafizuzzaman says he was confident, if somewhat nervous, about presenting online as part of the process. He was ultimately offered a job as a sales strategist for international business.

“I felt like I could provide the 360-degree answers they wanted,” he says. “Every course that I did, whether it was in my concentration or not, has been a great source of learning and knowledge for me.”

A co-op student in the knowledge management and information management concentration, Nafizuzzaman also took several courses in the user experience design and information systems design concentrations, which he felt prepared him well for the job-hunting process.

In his new role, Nafizuzzaman spends about half his time dealing with information systems and integration of data and the other half looking to increase sales in co-ordination with sales team members in different countries. He draws on his extensive sales and marketing experience that he acquired over almost a decade working in his native Bangladesh, where he earned an undergrad degree in finance and international business.

“I'll be able to apply almost everything I’ve learned at the Faculty of Information,” he says, adding that, as a recent newcomer to Canada, he especially valued his co-op preparation course, which introduced him to Canadian business culture, and his placement at the McCarthy Tétrault law firm, where, among other things, he got to work with some of the firm’s Information system solution providers.

Nafizuzzaman, who moved to Canada with his wife and young son, chose to study at the Faculty of Information for two reasons. “I needed to train myself for the new horizon of data and information, which was something I couldn’t learn on the job,” he says. “And what better way to become Canadian?”

When applying for his new job, he emphasized both his newly acquired information systems knowledge and experience as well as his background in sales. The official offer came through in early May.

Nafizuzzaman, who has been working virtually since his first day on the job, had his first in-person meeting with his manager over pizza and soda on a bench outside the Bissell Building and Robarts Library. Neither he nor his new boss were up for eating at a patio so Nafizuzzaman offered to show her his school as they chatted about work and pandemic life.

Since then he's been to the office twice – once to pick up documents and once to taste some breakfast cereals being sent to customers in Venezuela and Nicaragua. As much as he's enjoying his new job, he misses the personal interactions with colleagues in departments ranging from marketing to supply chain.

On the plus side, working from home made it easier for Nafizuzzaman to complete the final summer course he needed to graduate while adjusting to a new job.

Nafizuzzaman advises fellow grads and job hunters to stick with it. “There are still companies hiring,” he says. “They are creating a lot of roles for people who are tech savvy because of this COVID-19 situation. I would encourage fellow students to keep applying and trying.”

In robes and pyjamas, with cake and hugs, U of T graduates celebrate virtual fall convocation

Christopher.Sorensen — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 16:46:45 +0000

In robes and pyjamas, with cake and hugs, U of T graduates celebrate virtual fall convocation Christopher.Sorensen Sat, 11/21/2020 - 11:46

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Global Lens

Convocation 2020

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

With their families and on social media, thousands of �ؿ�ζSM students celebrated graduation Saturday during U of T’s annual fall convocation – the second virtual convocation in its 193-year history.

President Meric Gertler and Chancellor Rose Patten stood on Convocation Hall’s stage, decorated with gonfalons representing each faculty and division across the three campuses, and conferred degrees on more than 5,200 graduates in absentia.

The newest group of U of T graduates found their own ways to celebrate – and make light of – the unusual circumstances as they watched the broadcast of the pre-recorded ceremony from across Canada and around the world.

“Who else is convocating in their PJs today?” tweeted Ben Ouyang, who was graduating with an MD-PhD from the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

At a podium wearing the traditional navy-and-silver ceremonial robe, President Gertler congratulated students for reaching the finish line, assuring them they would be invited back to campus to celebrate their achievements in person when the situation permits.

“We look forward to seeing you then and to acknowledging each of our graduating students at those celebrations,” he said, welcoming the graduates to the more than 600,000-strong family of U of T alumni that includes prime ministers, business and community leaders and other luminaries.

“We have no doubt that the �ؿ�ζSM’s high international standing can be attributed to generations of dedicated and very talented faculty and staff members. But we also understand that this reputation has been built by our alumni, a group that now includes each and every one of you.”

Who else is convocating in their PJs today?

Congrats Fall 2020 Grads @uoft!!! #UofTGrad20 pic.twitter.com/scBn8wNgLz
— Ben Ouyang (@ben_ouyang) November 21, 2020

Patten, a former banking executive who blazed a trail for women on Bay Street, said the graduating class “has given us all very special reason to hope” and praised the Class of 2020 for rising to meet the historic challenges brought on by the global pandemic.

“You have demonstrated exemplary courage, perseverance and generosity,” Patten said. “These are the qualities of leadership that we need in our society, now more than ever. We are so proud to count you among the global community of alumni of the �ؿ�ζSM,” she said.

More than 5,200 graduates received their degrees in absentia as they watched on screens across Canada and around the world.

The virtual fall ceremony included many time-honoured U of T traditions: a graduation procession from Simcoe Hall in traditional attire, a bedel carrying U of T’s mace, two esquires carrying the staves, an exchange in Latin between the president and chancellor, organ music by U of T’s John Tuttle and the sound of the carillon bells from Soldiers’ Tower. The bedel for the ceremony was Claire Kennedy, chair of Governing Council, while Marium Vahed and Amin Kamaleddin, both student governors, served as esquires.

There were some important differences, too.

In lieu of reading each graduate’s name on stage, a scrolling banner listed each graduate’s full name and their program – a moment that still managed to prompt shrieks of excitement that were shared on social media.

Caitlin Tejowinoto, a member of St. Michael’s College, appeared in a series of photos and a short video on Instagram that showed her watching the virtual event with family and a large cake, decorated for convocation. In the video, a finger points excitedly at a laptop as Tejowinoto’s name is about to crawl across the screen. Next comes clapping, grins and someone exclaiming: “Yay! High distinction!”

Photos were posted on Instagram that showed U of T graduate Caitlin Tejowinoto celebrating with family and cake (images via Instagram)

Another key change: The Class of 2020 – both those who graduated in June and in November – will have access to secure digital diplomas in the coming months, along with their traditional parchments, which will be arriving over the coming days by courier. The move is part of U of T’s broader Transcript Innovation Initiative, a digitization project that will be formally rolled out next year.

And, in a first for the university, the national anthem was performed by the U of T Symphony Orchestra and U of T Wind Ensemble, with each musician recording their part separately from kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms across the Greater Toronto Area. More than 60 student musicians appeared on screen in a Zoom mosaic to play a version of O Canada that was arranged by John Fenwick, a U of T Faculty of Music graduate, and mixed by Jeff Wolpert, the director of music technology and digital media program.

The national anthem was performed by the U of T Symphony Orchestra and U of T Wind Ensemble, with each musician recording their part separately.

Convocation speaker Maydianne Andrade, a world-renowned evolutionary ecologist known for her expertise in the mating habits of cannibalistic spiders and her efforts to champion equity and diversity on campus, offered graduates a “double congratulations” for reaching one of life’s important milestones – and doing it during a global public health crisis.

“You deserve to be very proud of these extraordinary accomplishments,” she said. “More than that, because of what you have experienced and overcome, you have every reason to look eagerly towards your future.”

Professor Andrade, the vice-dean, faculty affairs, equity and success at U of T Scarborough, urged students to use their knowledge and talent to solve the greatest challenges facing the world – many of which have come into sharper focus during the pandemic. They include climate change, income inequality and anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, she said.

“Now more than any time in recent history, you will be central to our ability to overcome the daunting challenges we must face together.”

No doubt there were many graduands who, like Ouyang, took the opportunity afforded by a virtual convocation to graduate in pajamas, sweatpants and other casual attire. Others rented formal convocation regalia from Gaspard, U of T’s official supplier.

Ellen Gute, meanwhile, tweeted a photo of herself after her thesis defence in August when she had an unusual cardboard mortarboard perched atop her head. The mortarboard depicts ice crystal formation on a tree pollen in a cloud, a reference to her PhD research on the effects of atmospheric processing on pollen ice nucleation ability under cold and mixed-phase cloud conditions.

Gute, who comes from Germany, explained that the making of a hat related to your PhD research topic is a European tradition.

Ellen Gute tweeted a photo of herself wearing a mortarboard that represents her PhD research (image via Twitter)

“It was very special that my family and friends prepared the hat for me especially since it was not too easy to get all the parts together during the pandemic,” she said, after watching the convocation event with her friends and parents back in Germany.

Near the end of the virtual event, students received congratulations from their peers, faculty and division leaders, who wished them well from locations across the university’s three campuses.

Shira Joudan, who graduated with a PhD in environmental chemistry, watched the ceremony from her couch while texting with her parents in Winnipeg. After the event, she joined a spontaneous Zoom chat organized by U of T students graduating with doctorates in science.

At one point, her mom messaged her:

“Mazel tov!! Crazy but it brought a tear to my eye and you weren’t even there!!”

Shira Joudan joined a spontaneous Zoom chat with other U of T grads immediately following the official ceremony (image via Zoom)

For Keon Priestley, the moment represented an achievement that was a long time coming. The U of T Scarborough graduate finally completed a degree he had begun more than two decades earlier, when a health condition forced him to drop out of school.

He dedicated his convocation to his late mother on Instagram with the following post:

“Today I can officially say I am a graduate of the �ؿ�ζSM. It has been a long journey, but all in its due time. This could have never happened if it were not for the support or family and friends, but especially the motivation my Mom provided. This degree is ours Mom. Graduate School next.”

After a 20-year hiatus, U of T grad dedicates his degree to his late mother

Christopher.Sorensen — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 15:44:01 +0000

After a 20-year hiatus, U of T grad dedicates his degree to his late mother

Christopher.Sorensen Sat, 11/21/2020 - 10:44

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Keon Priestley dropped out of school due to health issues in the late 1990s, but his late mother kept pushing him to go back – which he finally did at age 40 (photo by Alexa Battler)

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Keon Priestley’s mom, Marie, always encouraged him to finish his degree.

But in 1998, as Priestley’s first semester at the �ؿ�ζSM Scarborough wrapped up, his health deteriorated.

“Diabetes runs in my family, but at 18 years old I didn’t think it would be something I’d have to struggle with,” he says.

After two weeks in the hospital, Priestley’s doctors struggled to find the right treatment. His medication made him sleep for 16 to 18 hours every day, forcing him to drop out of school.

Once his health improved, Priestley spent a decade at telecommunications giant Telus, working his way up from a customer service representative to a national training specialist, before eventually landing a job with the Canada Revenue Agency. Yet, Priestley felt something was missing. His mother knew it, too.

“My mom always reminded me, ‘You still have that U of T situation you haven’t quite finished,’” he says. “I always told her, ‘I’m making good money and I have a decent job, so why do I need to go back?’”

Priestley’s mother instilled in her three kids the importance of education. She immigrated to Canada at age 18 and then worked to bring the rest of her family over from Jamaica.

“She didn't really have the opportunity to go to school,” Priestley says. “Being in Canada, she found out from a very early age that education was the way to become more than you were.”

Three years ago, Priestley was laid off due to budget changes. As he mulled his next steps, his mother was there to remind him: “It’s never too late to go back to school.”

At 40 years old, Priestley returned to finish the bachelor of arts degree he’d started 20 years earlier. He visited his mom every other day, who was “over the moon.” She encouraged and supported him as his course work piled up.

Then, halfway through his first reading week, Priestley’s mother died.

“That was rough,” he says. “That was really rough.”

Priestley was tempted to drop out. He knew he could get a decent job, and even found one in his second year of study as a financial aid assistant in the registrar’s office. But he kept going through it all: 3 a.m. study sessions followed by 9 a.m. shifts at work; a global pandemic and online courses that became online semesters. He says it always came back to honouring his mom.

“I really used my mom’s passing as a push to keep going,” he says. “I don’t think I would have been as motivated to stick out the hard times without her.”

Priestley also leaned on one of his professors, Donna Gabaccia, who teaches historical and cultural studies at U of T Scarborough. Gabaccia regularly called to check on Priestley and share information about on-campus resources that could support him.

“She opened all these doors and resources to me,” he says. “We actually maintained a relationship after her class was done, which was really awesome.”

Priestley encourages students to make use of campus resources like he did. He received support from Accessibility Services and often visited the Health & Wellness Centre’s counsellors.

He also received the Get Finished Scholarship earlier this year, which covers the tuition cost of one course for domestic students nearing the end of their degree.

“The scholarship made it easier in terms of feeling the support of the school, [and] I actually felt a human component,” he says. “It’s like the school is saying, ‘Hey, we realize it’s tough to finish and we’re going to help you.’”

To mature students, his advice is two-fold: Embrace discomfort and don’t be afraid to be wrong.

“You learn so much from your mistakes. You also learn so much when you're in uncomfortable situations.”

As the 22-year journey ends with his convocation this week, Priestley says his mom remains close at heart.

“I feel like my degree belongs to the both of us,” he says.

U of T bridging program helped grad Faraz Khoshbakhtian 'find a future for myself'

Christopher.Sorensen — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 15:40:04 +0000

U of T bridging program helped grad Faraz Khoshbakhtian 'find a future for myself'

Christopher.Sorensen Sat, 11/21/2020 - 10:40

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Faraz Khoshbakhtian, whose family fled Iran in 2012, studied philosophy, computer science and statistics with a special focus on artificial intelligence (photo courtesy of Faraz Khoshbakhtian)

Topic

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Philosophy

Woodsworth College

“When my family escaped from Iran in 2012, the goal was always for my sister and I to attend university,” says Faraz Khoshbakhtian.

Now, Khoshbakhtian is fulfilling that dream as he takes part in the �ؿ�ζSM’s fall convocation.

A member of Woodsworth College and a recipient of the college’s Brookfield Peter F. Bronfman Scholarship, Khoshbakhtian studied philosophy, computer science and statistics with a special focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and the intersection of technology and society.

Khoshbakhtian was born in Iran where he and his sister didn’t have the same educational opportunities available in other countries because they were from a Baháʼí family. What’s more, he faced conscription into the military and so he, his mother, sister and grandparents left.

They left for Turkey and stayed there as refugees for two-and-a-half years until – through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – they finally made their way to Canada.

“We came in the winter,” says Khoshbakhtian. “It was hard to talk to people, to find our community. It was hard financially and I was on welfare for a while. I used food banks and worked as a banquet server and security guard.”

Khoshbakhtian looked into ways of attending university without the normal education credentials. Some entry programs took years, but an aunt suggested a program she had gone through in order to attend U of T: the Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program at Woodsworth College.

The program is designed to bridge the gap between a student’s prior education and entry into a degree program in the Faculty of Arts & Science – even if students don’t meet the usual academic requirements.

“It was a lifesaver,” says Faraz. “I had no other way of getting into university and it made it possible for me to attend and find a future for myself. It was a really good program and I couldn’t have done it without its financial assistance.

“What’s more, my professor in the program was Thomas Socknat, the academic director of the [academic bridging] program at Woodsworth College. I will always remember him because he helped me get on my feet academically. Plus, he encouraged me to work hard on my English to make sure it was university-level.”

Khoshbakhtian’s interest in technology was kindled as a teenager by video games and movies like The Matrix.

“I was always thinking about things like AI for sure,” he recalls. “Also, I was brought up in a family that was very science-oriented. So, from an early age, I started coding and had an interest in math and software.”

But Khoshbakhtian’s perspective as a refugee also sparked an interest in political philosophy and questions about inequality and oppression.

“These experiences prompted me to change course a bit and explore these different ideas,” he says.

“In my first-year philosophy course, we had to read Nietzsche and it just clicked for me. It changed my worldview and helped me to live my life as a person who has struggles and aspirations – some of them achieved and some not.”

Khoshbakhtian’s path to Canada and university also led to thoughts of where the two domains – technology and philosophy – intersect.

“Where the two meet is interesting to me because of the way technology is changing our worldview and the way we’re living,” he says. “It requires us to rethink our philosophy of life – our political philosophy, our metaphysics. And, at the same time, the way we think about these issues informs the way we develop technology as a society.”

As for advice he would to first-year students?

“I would say, don't take marks or GPA or other evaluative numbers too seriously,” he says. “You come to university having done very well academically, but then you get to university and you don’t do as well. Firstly, you shouldn’t think less of yourself. And secondly, remember that you’re not alone – you're not the only one struggling.”

As for his post-convocation life, Khoshbakhtian plans on finishing his master's project, which focuses on developing and applying machine learning solutions in health-care planning and policy. Also, he plans to continue to better understand “how machine learning, AI and data science can help us be a better society and be more civil, rather than attacking each other.”

He also intends to be engaged with his communities: the university, Toronto and the Iranian-Canadian community – a continuation of what he’s done ever since making Canada his home. For example, he is co-founder of the CineIran Film Festival of Toronto, which was held at the TIFF Bell Lightbox and which has since grown into the Cyrus International Film Festival.

“I'm happy and proud that all these communities take in new people from all over the world and give them a chance,” he says. “And for myself, I feel I’ve achieved something I was looking forward to all my life. This year has been a very happy one for me.”

'Put yourself out there': U of T grad Maame De-Heer on how she built a career amid COVID-19

lanthierj — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 20:34:49 +0000

'Put yourself out there': U of T grad Maame De-Heer on how she built a career amid COVID-19

lanthierj Fri, 11/20/2020 - 15:34

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Maame De-Heer, who graduates with a master's degree from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, says she was determined to make the most of her time at U of T as much “as my strength and capacity would allow me” (photo by Mike Tamakloe)

Topic

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Ghana

Global

Graduate Students

The pandemic couldn’t stop Maame De-Heer from graduating from the �ؿ�ζSM’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health this fall – it couldn’t even slow her down.

De-Heer, who will receive her master of public health in social and behavioural health science, with a dual collaboration in global health and health services and policy research on Nov. 21, has big plans for life after graduation.

The Ghanaian-born grad hopes to revamp her family’s 17-year-old orphanage in Ghana and she’s starting her own organization – The Power of Love Foundation Canada – a grassroots approach to improving the wellbeing of Black people in Canada. She has already secured funding from the City of Toronto for the organization’s Single Mothers Project to aid single Ghanaian mothers in Etobicoke who need support during COVID-19.

De-Heers, who moved to Canada when she was 13, says a public health internship at the Tema General Hospital in Ghana sparked a desire to bridge the health gap for marginalized and underserved communities.

“Public health is a very broad concept and sometimes when you actually go to the Global South, you can see the effect of the lack of public health implementation and surveillance in action,” she says. “When I saw the lack of public health technology and the lack of tools that can improve the lives of people, I knew that this was it. This is what I need to do.”

At U of T, De-Heer was determined to be as involved as she could. She was a cohort representative in her first year. She served as the financial officer for the Black Graduate Students Association. A finalist in the School of Graduate Studies’ three-minute Thesis Competition, she was also an ACORN advisory team member who helped user experience designers make timetables easier for students to use.

And that’s only a sliver of her activities in the past two years.

“I was at U of T,” De-Heer says. “I did not want to do this program and go to this school without taking advantage of resources they had.

“My plan was to engage in a lot of things – as much as my strength and capacity would allow me.”

When the lockdown began, De-Heer switched gears and began exploring ways to get involved in the issues she cares about online, turning to LinkedIn to extend her network. In the same way that some people post pictures of their meals on Instagram, De-Heer says she shares her achievements online. “I keep it professional and move along.”

The shift to online took a lot out of her. De-Heer says she had to build the strength to find resources, foster online connections and share her successes with the world. But the effort opened doors.

De-Heer was recently selected as a delegate to RBC’s Future Launch’s Fast Forward 2020 – Youth Summit. Only 120 of 1,000 applicants were chosen to take part. Delegates meet other young people across the country to discuss and connect on solutions for Canada.

Recently, she was asked to speak at the panel “Prescribing Equity: Unpacking Racial Health Disparities for BIPOC communities” with scholars she admired: Camille Orridge, Lee Maracle and Dalla Lana Assistant Professor Roberta Timothy.

“When I got the call to speak and then I saw the event flyer, I nearly cried,” says De-Heer. “’I’m on a panel with the Roberta Timothy. I was grateful and that’s how I realized that putting myself out there has benefited me.”

De-Heer is ready to put her degree to work – and to draw on the skills she developed during the pandemic.

“A lot of people need your knowledge and want you to share it with them,” De-Heer says. “Never be scared to put yourself out there and share what you have done.

“It might be the stepping-stone for your progress.”

A car crash. A brain injury. U of T nursing grad Philiz Goh persevered – and is helping others do the same

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 17:16:21 +0000

A car crash. A brain injury. U of T nursing grad Philiz Goh persevered – and is helping others do the same

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 11/20/2020 - 12:16

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Philiz Goh is still recovering from a 2015 car crash that hampered her ability to walk and read. She's graduating from U of T with a master's in nursing and is an advocate for accessibility (photo courtesy of Philiz Goh)

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Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

A global pandemic has made every student’s path to graduation this year more difficult, but it was hardly the first obstacle in Philiz Goh’s long journey to convocation.

In 2015, she was working part-time as an oncology nurse at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and studying for a master’s of nursing in health systems leadership and administration at the �ؿ�ζSM when a collision on Highway 401 changed her life’s trajectory.

Driving near the Leslie Street exit on the way to a restaurant for lunch with her family, she felt a jolt as something slammed into the back of her blue Hyundai.

“I remember the sound of tires and then the crunching of metal and me screaming,” she says.

“And then darkness – black.”

Her memory is foggy but she remembers dialing 911 and leaving the crash site in a neck brace, lying flat on a backboard. The collision left her with soft-tissue injuries to her knee, shoulder, neck, back and right hip.

But the most serious problem was the invisible damage to her brain. She was often dizzy, unable to walk and suffered severe headaches, along with other debilitating symptoms. Specialists at Sunnybrook later diagnosed her with “mild traumatic brain injury.”

“I had all these plans and all of a sudden everything just kind of collapsed, and it was devastating,” Goh says.

Despite the challenges that lay ahead in her recovery, she was determined to get her life back on track and fulfil her goal of becoming a health-care leader to improve patient care.

One of the hurdles was to regain mobility. In physiotherapy, she completed a range of exercises, wiggling her toes, feeling the swing of her foot, pushing down through her heels to recover spatial awareness and movement. In her eagerness to get better, she overdid the exercises to the point of developing blisters and requiring hand braces.

She saw a long list of specialists: an audiologist (for sound sensitivity), a neuro optometrist and ophthalmologist (for dizziness, balance, double vision and focusing problems), a vestibular therapist (also for dizziness and balance) and a neuropsychiatrist (for injury-related depression, anxiety and PTSD).

Her friend Dorothy Lo was shocked to see the change in Goh soon after the crash. Lo, the head of the division of hematology and oncology at St. Joseph’s Health Centre and a staff medical oncologist, knew Goh from her residency at Sunnybrook. She found her friend moving with difficulty, wearing noise-cancelling headphones and earmuffs to block out sound and two pairs of sunglasses to filter out light.

Lo tried to lift Goh’s spirits by encouraging her to take up art again. The pair painted with acrylics on Goh’s dining table.

Although the crash took a toll on Goh’s faculties, it did not diminish her willpower or drive, according to Lo.

“Over the last four years, she was so determined about making a recovery and to share her story and motivate other people,” Lo says. “She always had it in her.”

About two-and-half years after the collision, Goh’s therapist asked if she would like to try going back to university to complete her degree. She didn’t need to think twice.

In the years since the crash, Goh’s ability to read – hampered by her injury – gradually improved through practice and the use of special reading techniques. In the early stages of her recovery, she read in the stop-start manner of a child, she says. “For example, if a sentence read: ‘The cat walked across the street,’ I would be like: ‘The cat. Walked across. The street.’”

But the academic writing she would be confronted with in her graduate-level nursing program was a different story – not to mention having to summarize articles in essay form.

That’s where U of T’s Irene Sullivan came in.

The neurological team lead at Accessibility Services on the St. George Campus, who has worked in the field for more than 30 years in hospitals and community agencies, met with Goh to address her unique learning needs.

“The paperwork that comes from a doctor [about an injury] can look identical, but the experience is entirely different for each person based on what they’re trying to do in their life,” Sullivan says, adding that, while a brain injury can be diagnosed as “mild,” its consequences can be serious and life-changing.

Sullivan helped Goh make arrangements with faculty and staff in her program, referred her to outside specialists and introduced her to an adaptive technologist and learning strategist in Accessibility Services. The technologist helped her get connected to an online tool that reads articles aloud while the learning strategist helped Goh break down academic readings and projects into more manageable parts.

“I took one course at a time. I was very slow,” Goh recalls. “But I was able to complete my master’s. In each course I was able to get 90s, which was fantastic, because I worked really hard.”

Amanda Loder, a PhD candidate in physical geography, met Goh in 2018 while they were both junior fellows at Massey College – three years after the crash. Goh spoke openly about the collision and its impact. “It’s horrifying to think about going from just being an academic or a master’s student and a nurse and then the next day physically not being able to do that,” Loder says.

“Something I found inspiring and really interesting: She genuinely wants to educate people on what it’s like living with a brain injury or having gone through something traumatic.”

Goh chaired Massey’s accessibility committee, gave talks about her experience and about accessibility spaces, and is writing a self-help book about her past with tips for people living with a brain injury.

As Goh’s graduation day approached, she received a congratulatory email from Sullivan at Accessibility Services. “I wish I could shake your hand,” the email said.

“We’re people who helped her along the way, but the work has all been hers,” Sullivan later told U of T News.

Goh and her family are planning a simple celebration for her convocation day this weekend. Surrounded by close relatives, she plans to watch U of T’s virtual fall convocation ceremony on her brother’s big screen TV.

But her journey is not over.

Having gone from wheelchair to walker and now to a cane, Goh is still very much in the process of recovery. She doesn’t know what the future holds, but, for now at least, she knows she can’t go back to seeing 150 patients a day as a nurse at Sunnybrook. So, she plans to continue advocating for patients and better accessibility.

“I’m just determined to do the best I can every day,” she says.

As for others whose path to a life goal has taken an unforeseen turn, Goh says not to lose hope.

“Don’t let that setback worry you or lose your focus or determination because it’s just a little blip in your life’s journey. Focus on your future and the rest of your life … This little blip is nothing.”

U of T grad Malek Abdel-Shehid passionate about 'Black sense of place, African diaspora and urban planning'

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 16:22:11 +0000

U of T grad Malek Abdel-Shehid passionate about 'Black sense of place, African diaspora and urban planning'

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 11/20/2020 - 11:22

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Malek Abdel-Shehid, who is graduating this week with an honours bachelor of arts degree, says he's passionate about helping marginalized groups and is considering a master's degree in urban planning (photo courtesy of Malek Abdel-Shehid)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Victoria College

Malek Abdel-Shehid’s path to convocation had plenty of twists and turns, including changing colleges and programs as well as a trip to Ghana.

“My university experience was kind of unconventional,” he says. “I’ve made some amazing friends, met some incredible staff and faculty and learned so much about the world.”

That unconventional road, his involvement in student organizations and a passion for helping marginalized groups has led Abdel-Shehid to a focus on urban design and planning, community outreach and education.

The Victoria College member will graduate from the �ؿ�ζSM tomorrow with an honours bachelor of arts degree in human geography and diaspora and transnational studies that includes a minor in African Studies.

“While it’s a mouthful, they worked so well together,” he says. “I’m pretty passionate about Black sense of place, the African diaspora and urban planning.”

His interests led him to one of his undergraduate high points: a summer trip to Ghana between his third and fourth year where he took part in a month-long research project.

“The research trip was as an experiential learning opportunity,” he says. “We travelled across the country, visiting a couple of universities where we met students and faculty, visited the Manhyia Palace and Cape Coast slave dungeon, and learned about the chieftain legal system.”

Through his journeys – both close to home and abroad – Abdel-Shehid helped other students find their own paths as they transitioned to university life. He helped organize a conference in his second year for Black high school students from across the GTA that involved them visiting campus and getting a feel for university life. As a transition mentor, Abdel-Shehid also welcomed first-year students into Victoria College, providing guidance and resources. That led to him winning a U of T Student Leadership Award, which recognizes graduating students for exemplary contributions and having a significant impact on U of T and on the university experience of their peers.

Having helped and supported so many students, Abdel-Shehid has advice for anyone considering U of T and Victoria College.

“First and foremost, research all of your options prior to making such a big decision,” he says. “Undergrad only happens once, so choose carefully where you think would work best for you.”

However, once you’re in your first year, he says, there’s still time to make changes.

“Though I loved my programs, it took some time for me to find the right ones. In high school, I thought I wanted to study political science and economics. Only through trial and error with courses and speaking with my registrar and friends was I able to find what worked for me.

“If something isn’t working for you, first year is the time to make mistakes and learn from them,” he adds. “Believe it or not, I failed two courses in my first year. Though that was a pretty tough time for me, I was able to figure out what I excelled in and take those types of courses.”

He also recommends getting to know your professors and TAs. “Visit their office hours if you have any questions about course content, build a rapport with them and don’t be afraid to ask for references,” says Abdel-Shehid.

He also highly recommends exploring non-academic opportunities available on campus such as orientation and student groups.

Abdel-Shehid says he found the community and connection he was seeking through student groups such as the Black Students’ Association, the African Studies Course Union and the Caribbean Studies Student Union.

“When considering U of T, I would suggest thinking of how you can strive to make the campus a welcoming place for marginalized groups,” he says, adding that he hopes the university takes steps to boost the presence of Black students, staff and faculty, support a better understanding of oppression and equity and increase the funding of programs related to Black people.

“As a Black student, we have to deal with certain issues that negatively impact and disproportionately affect our educational experiences.”

Abdel-Shehid is currently pursuing a geographic information systems (GIS) certificate at Ryerson University. He also has his sights set on completing a master’s degree in urban planning in the next few years.

“Another one of my goals is to do social planning and advocacy work with community organizations towards supporting marginalized communities.”

Convocation 2020

Medical school grads reflect on their time at U of T – and share tips for future students

Happy Inibhunu

Justin Lim

Alainna Jamal

Siraj Zahr

Read more at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine

The year in pictures: U of T News looks back at 2020

'Be the change you want to see': U of T grad Anowa Quarcoo is using tech to improve people's lives

'Keep applying and trying': U of T grad on how he landed a full-time job during COVID-19

In robes and pyjamas, with cake and hugs, U of T graduates celebrate virtual fall convocation

After a 20-year hiatus, U of T grad dedicates his degree to his late mother

U of T bridging program helped grad Faraz Khoshbakhtian 'find a future for myself'

'Put yourself out there': U of T grad Maame De-Heer on how she built a career amid COVID-19

A car crash. A brain injury. U of T nursing grad Philiz Goh persevered – and is helping others do the same

U of T grad Malek Abdel-Shehid passionate about 'Black sense of place, African diaspora and urban planning'