Prospective Students

U of T News is in NYC this week, where the University of Toronto is hosting free panel discussions with leading experts from the university to share insights on global issues like innovative sustainable development and the aftershocks of the U.S. election.

The events will offer American high school students an opportunity to meet U of T alumni and leading scholars from across the university.

Learn more about the NYC event here

Register for the Washington, D,C, event here

U of T News talked to two alumni now living in New York City about how a U of T education prepared them for today's globally-engaged world.

Ivor Tossell, who graduated in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in English, works as a product manager at Buzzfeed's headquarters in Union Square where he works to improve online tools for editing and publishing stories.

He has chronicled the Rob Ford saga for Maclean’s, The Globe and Mail and other media. In 2012, he compiled his thoughts on Toronto’s notorious former mayor in an e-book, The Gift of Ford: Rob Ford: How Toronto's Unlikeliest Man Became its Most Notorious Mayor.

Merve Kösesoy landed an internship at the United Nations after graduating in 2015, drawing on the knowledge of European politics and the language skills she acquired at U of T. In September, she started a new job in the sustainable development division of the UN's department of economic and social affairs.

Merve Kösesoy graduated with a degree in book and media studies and European studies in 2015. She is now working at the UN (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Ivor Tossell

Why did you study English and computer science instead of journalism?

I was a big believer in getting a general education.

I really loved lit theory. I studied with (Associate Professor of English and American Literature) Paul Downes and there was a handful of courses that I took that really shaped the way I looked at the world. It was a great all-round education.

I think journalism is best practised with as much germane expertise and all-round education you can get. That's why some of the stuff the Munk Centre is doing with its journalism program is so great.

Read about Munk's fellowship in global journalism

Are there courses you took at U of T that you were particularly fond of?

Studying with Downes was amazing. You know you have these kinds of Hogwarts moments. That was the course that made me really passionate about ideas and seeing the world.

What did you learn working at the campus papers, Victoria College’s The Strand and The Independent Weekly?

It taught me a lot about working with people, the nuts and bolts of reporting. It's exhausting, intense and amazing. Everyone who does it comes out of there with this spot carved out in their hearts – and also their livers.

What was it like covering Rob Ford?

I remember it as being exhausting. There was this very intense thing that was happening all around us. It was happening to everybody and everyone could feel it. I was just madly trying to interpret it and put it into words in a way that sort of made sense. I always felt there was so much more happening than I was able to write about.

He was constantly attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the media. It felt like being locked in an existential crisis where you were trying to establish which end was up in a world that was increasingly upside down.

Read Ivor Tossell’s reflections on Rob Ford in Buzzfeed

Has your perspective on Ford changed in hindsight?

Yeah. In hindsight, my feelings toward him have really softened – to him personally. Now that I'm removed from it, it's far easier for me to see him as a tragic figure who found something that he had a knack for, something he could do and be rewarded for. I think he wanted the best for the people who supported him. He was just not a very good mayor, and he was surrounded by people who brought out the worst in him.

Many have pointed out similarities between Ford and Trump. What do you think?

There is a difference. Rob Ford was nobody's idea of a progressive and he said a lot of stupid things about race and gender. Like, a lot of them. But Rob Ford supporters really cut across all races. His support was not just old and white. There was none of the active, malicious, toxic race-baiting.

How do you cover someone like Trump? Are there lessons from covering Rob Ford that journalists can apply?

Vigilance. I don't think there's a single answer. Journalism is incredibly important. One of the reasons I'm very proud to work at Buzzfeed is we're practicing very aggressive, investigative journalism, something there isn't a lot of in the media anymore. Buzzfeed is funny because it's on the one hand a very forward new media company, but it also has a real streak of old school journalism.

Do you have any advice for U of T students who are interested in going into journalism?

Learn as much as you can about the things that fascinate you. Have a niche. I think all journalists have to be a generalist to a certain extent, but a journalist who has one or two areas of passion and expertise will stand out .

Merve Kösesoy

Why did you choose Toronto?

I applied to a bunch of schools in Canada because the U.S. was too expensive for my family.

U of T was amazing. There were so many people from all over the world. It's like the United Nations – a little UN.

How did your U of T education prepare you for the UN?

With European studies, I had to take another language course, and I was already speaking French, Turkish and English so I took Spanish. I think the fact that I speak four languages really helped me get a job here.

It helped me develop an open mindset. It taught me analytical thinking and how to best explain myself – because of the essays I had to write. And it taught me discipline.

Were there classes you particularly enjoyed?

(Associate Professor of History) Robert Austin's classes. I never fell asleep during his class. He always says something interesting. I also helped Jenna Sunkenberg with her research on how media affect cultures. Her classes also developed my understanding on how media is a gargantuan entity that presides over our daily decisions, our sense of the world and exposes us to things we've never experienced.

You compared U of T to the UN. Could you elaborate on that?

I had tons of friends from Arab-speaking countries, and everywhere. There's a cultural exchange that you experience as a student. I studied political science, and in my classes, we had a lot of discussions about culture, politics and every student was able to bring a different perspective because each came from a different part of the world.

What did you do as a UN intern?

Last December, I was helping my team to finalize the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society, an intergovernmental negotiation process that first took place in Geneva in 2003 and then in Tunis in 2005. Last year was the 10th-year anniversary of that summit. There were many interns last year, but I had the biggest workload. I really wanted to make an impression here. I was the only intern who attended negotiations between governments on the mandate of the summit's resolution.

How do you like working here?

I love it. For example, this morning I went to watch the new secretary-general Antonio Guterres be sworn in. Also, I went to the 71st Session General Assembly Meeting in September. I heard Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speak, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Francois Hollande, Turkish President Erdogan – everyone.

Here, you're always learning something. Even at lunch. In the cafeteria, someone will ask to sit at your table and they will tell you about their countries.

What was it like seeing Trudeau speak at the UN?

It was amazing. I just love him so much! I was going to scream “Marry me!" but I told myself, “No, no, no. You don't want to get fired in your first month as a consultant.”

What is your dream job?

Maybe this is going to sound silly, but I want to be the UN Secretary-General. Until now, there hasn't been a female SG.

What would your priorities be as secretary general?

Empower women. If you do that, I think a lot of the other stuff would fall into place. I would also want to bring more empathy and awareness about global problems.

We the north: U of T invites prospective U.S. students and alumni to events in NYC and Washington D.C.

geoff.vendeville — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:11:44 +0000

We the north: U of T invites prospective U.S. students and alumni to events in NYC and Washington D.C.

geoff.vendeville Thu, 12/08/2016 - 10:11

Cutline

Greg Venizelos chose to study at the University of Toronto although he had a full scholarship to an American university. He opted for U of T to learn from some of the best international relations professors and law scholars (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Author legacy

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

When American students Greg Venizelos and Dan Proctor were applying to universities, neither of them initially knew much about the University of Toronto. They quickly learned it was exactly what they were looking for.

And they say more Americans would make the same choice if they knew more about U of T.

This month, U of T is going to them, hosting free panel discussions in New York City and Washington D.C., where leading experts from the university will share insights on global issues like innovative sustainable development and the aftershocks of the U.S. election.

High school students will have a chance to mingle with U of T alumni and leading scholars from across the university.

“Our intention is to re-affirm to prospective students that U of T is a globally leading university, ranked among the very best worldwide,” said Joseph Wong, associate vice-president and vice-provost of international student experience. “I am also keen to convey to students that the U of T is a global platform, which connects students to other parts of the world.”

Greg Venizelos, a first-year student from Connecticut, studies in his dorm room at Sir Daniel Wilson Residence (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Wong will be the moderator for the first event Dec. 13, the panel discussion on innovative sustainable development at New York City's Westin Grand Central Hotel. It will include experts from the Faculty of Arts & Science, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, U of T Mississauga, Munk School of Global Affairs and the Rotman School of Management.

Panelists will include Yu-Ling Cheng, a professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering whose electricity- and sewage- and water-free toilet for the developing world has received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Dr. Stanley Zlotkin, a SickKids pediatrician and U of T professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dalla Lana School of Public Health who developed Sprinkles, a nutrient-packed powder that can help the developing world fight malnutrition; and Avni Shah, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Toronto Scarborough and Rotman School of Management. Kourosh Houshmand, a Faculty of Arts & Science student who started the Toronto Star Student Hub, a community of aspiring student journalists, and Education Rediscovered, a student organization devoted to global education reform and is a student trustee for the Toronto District School Board, will also be part of the panel.

Register for the NYC event here

At the Dec. 15 event, a U of T panel will discuss the impending Trump presidency at the W Hotel in Washington D.C. It will be moderated by U of T political scientist Peter Loewen, who has regularly appeared in the media, talking about the U.S. elections. Panelists will include Janice Stein, one of Canada's most respected commentators on international issues and the founding director of U of T's Munk School of Global Affairs; Chris Cochrane, an associate professor of political science at U of T Scarborough; and Tiff Macklem, dean of U of T's Rotman School of Management.

Register for the Washington, D.C. event here

“We want students to see that leading scholars at the university are engaged in global conversations to have a real-world impact,” Wong said.

The U of T events come on the heels of a surge in American interest in the university's application website after the election.

Read about interest in U of T from U.S. and international students after the Nov. 9 election

For Venizelos, politics had nothing to do with his decision to come to U of T this year.

He came to Toronto from Fairfield County, Conn. to learn from some of the brightest minds in international relations and law. The first-year student plans to major in philosophy and apply to the ethics, society and law program. He hopes to eventually go to law school and become a judge like his heroes on the U.S. Supreme Court.

He thought of going to another Canadian university or to accept a scholarship at the University of Vermont. But U of T gave him the chance to study at a school consistently ranked among the best public universities in the world, in a diverse multicultural city that is still relatively close to home, he said.

“When you think about it, I’m only one state away – New York state and a lake away,” Venizelos said. “If you put it into perspective, you’re really not that far, but I’m far enough that my parents can’t visit me by surprise, which is pretty nice.”

After a term at U of T taking courses on the Roman Empire and philosophy, he has learned that the university's students are highly driven.

“It’s very rigorous here,” he said. “I find that it makes the work more fulfilling. You know that if you’re doing well, you’ve truly earned it.”

Read a Metro News story featuring American student Dan Proctor

When he visited the university for the first time, he fell in love with U of T's downtown Toronto campus and the city around it. That made the decision to apply easy.

“It’s hard to put into words, but it seems like a city on the rise,” he said. “The arts scene, the music scene – it feels like this city is still happening. It hasn’t already happened.”

His siblings' study-abroad experiences in New Zealand and Italy encouraged him to go to university in Canada.

“I lived in the same house my entire life, and I knew the same people because I was from such a small town. It’s nice that I’m so close to home while being far away,” he said.

His mom made him promise to Skype once every two weeks – and he’s kept his word, except during the busy exam season.

Now in his third year, he says his classes have been challenging and stimulating. Although he isn’t much of a long-term planner, he can see himself staying here after graduation, at least for a few years, he said.

Proctor's advice to American high school students applying to university?

“Seriously consider U of T, and if you do end up coming here, give it a chance,” he said. “It might be intimidating at first, but once you’re here it just feels like home.”

Read President Gertler's interview with Times Higher Education on Canada's welcome for international students

'A stark alternative': President Meric Gertler on Canada's openness and inclusiveness in a changing world

ullahnor — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:00:54 +0000

'A stark alternative': President Meric Gertler on Canada's openness and inclusiveness in a changing world

ullahnor Thu, 12/08/2016 - 10:00

Topic

Undergraduate Education

Subheadline

“I think we’re doing many things right now that will position us as a stark alternative to things that are happening in other countries, including the U.K. and the U.S.”

University of Toronto President Meric Gertler speaks about Canadian universities' potential to “capitalise” on political climates in the U.S. and U.K. in today's Times Higher Education.

“There’s no question that with the kind of uncertainty that Brexit has triggered and also with the political climate south of the border in the U.S. and the kind of election campaign [there] over the last…months, Canada has certainly emerged as a place of stability, of openness, of inclusiveness,” said President Gertler, who spoke to Times Higher Education before Donald Trump was elected as the next American president.

“I think we’re doing many things right now that will position us as a stark alternative to things that are happening in other countries, including the U.K. and the U.S.,” he said.

He said it was a time for change at Canadian universities.

“One gets a sense that it is a particularly interesting moment where Canadian universities have an opportunity to capitalise on some great advantages if we do it intelligently.”

Canada hopes to attract 450,000 international students by 2022, roughly double the numbers in 2011. President Gertler told Times Higher Education that the key to meeting this target is the Canadian government's plans to relax the citizenship process for international students and the federal government's increased investment in research and scientific infrastructure.

“There’s no question that one of the factors that attract students to study in Canada is the opportunity to stay here after they graduate and build lives and build careers here,” he said.

Read the Times Higher Education article

U of T is organizing events for prospective students and alumni in New York City on Dec. 13 and in Washington D.C. on Dec. 15.

Read the U of T News article about U.S. students

The NYC event will feature a talk called 'Saving The World: Innovative Sustainable Development At U of T,' moderated by Professor Joseph Wong of the Faculty of Arts & Science, U of T's associate vice-president and vice-provost, international student experience. The talk will include professors from the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Rotman School of Management.

Learn more about the NYC event

At the Washington D.C. event, a talk called 'Aftershocks: A Global View On The U.S. Election' will feature professors from the Faculty of Arts & Science, the University of Toronto Scarborough and the Rotman School of Management. Professor Peter Loewen will moderate.

Learn more about the Washington D.C. event

Transitional Year Programme, Student

sgupta — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 20:47:19 +0000

Transitional Year Programme, Student sgupta Thu, 01/07/2016 - 15:47

URL

https://typ.utoronto.ca

Prospective Students

From Buzzfeed to the United Nations: U of T alumni call NYC home

Learn more about the NYC event here

Register for the Washington, D,C, event here

Read about Munk's fellowship in global journalism

Read Ivor Tossell’s reflections on Rob Ford in Buzzfeed

Read more about U of T's events in the U.S. this week

We the north: U of T invites prospective U.S. students and alumni to events in NYC and Washington D.C.

Register for the NYC event here

Register for the Washington, D.C. event here

Read about interest in U of T from U.S. and international students after the Nov. 9 election

Read more at the Globe and Mail

Read a Metro News story featuring American student Dan Proctor

Read President Gertler's interview with Times Higher Education on Canada's welcome for international students

'A stark alternative': President Meric Gertler on Canada's openness and inclusiveness in a changing world

Read the Times Higher Education article

Read the U of T News article about U.S. students

Learn more about the NYC event

Learn more about the Washington D.C. event

Transitional Year Programme, Student

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