Mentorship

U of T Chancellor Rose Patten celebrated for her exceptional leadership

bresgead — Fri, 31 May 2024 19:23:23 +0000

U of T Chancellor Rose Patten celebrated for her exceptional leadership

bresgead Fri, 05/31/2024 - 15:23

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U of T Chancellor Rose Patten and her husband Tom Di Giacomo attend a recent farewell reception at Hart House to celebrate her tenure as the university’s 34th chancellor (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Our Community

Rose Patten

Chancellor

Governing Council

Mentorship

President Meric Gertler

Rotman School of Management

Subheadline

“Rose and leadership go hand in hand. She wrote the book on the subject – literally"

Rose Patten’s name was a byword for leadership at a celebration marking the culmination of her distinguished tenure as the University of Toronto’s 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.

After more than 25 years of service to the U of T community, Patten is set to complete her second term as chancellor (the maximum length permitted) on June 30, leaving a legacy characterized by visionary leadership and her commitment to championing those who would follow her.

At a farewell reception at Hart House, President Meric Gertler praised Patten’s unparalleled ability to bring out the leader in each and every member of the U of T community.

“Rose and leadership go hand in hand. She wrote the book on the subject – literally,” said President Gertler, referring to Patten’s vade mecum, Intentional Leadership. “Leadership 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.”

U of T President Meric Gertler said leadership has been a hallmark of Chancellor Rose Patten’s career (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

A major figure in Canada’s financial services sector, Patten’s long history with U of T has been defined by her prolific engagement in, and enhancement of, almost every aspect of university life, President Gertler said.

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’ service as chair.

From 2007 to 2010, Patten chaired the task force whose recommendations led to U of T’s current tri-campus governing structure.

Toronto-based portrait artist Brenda Bury, left, and Nobel Prize-winning U of T University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi, middle, pose for a photo with Chancellor Rose Patten (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

First elected as chancellor in 2018, Patten will have presided over 133 convocation ceremonies by the end of her six years in the position.

In addition to her ceremonial duties, Patten has been a constant presence on campus as chancellor, attending scores of university events each year.

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.

Myriad senior leaders at U of T have drawn on Patten’s expertise, President Gertler said – including himself.

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)

Anna Kennedy, chair of Governing Council, also counted herself among the beneficiaries of Patten’s knowledge and counsel.

“Rose has led with grace, wisdom and incredible generosity, providing insights and guidance to everyone she interacts with,” Kennedy said. “We’re very thankful and grateful to have had the opportunity to be able to work alongside and learn from such an accomplished leader.”

A former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Frank Iacobucci said his 10-month tenure as U of T’s interim president was as memorable as any other part of his career largely because of Patten’s remarkable leadership.

From breaking the glass ceiling in business to steering U of T through uncertain times, Patten has converted challenges into opportunities throughout her distinguished career, Iacobucci said, but what sets Patten apart as a leader is her profound understanding that every organization is at its heart a human enterprise.

“A special talent Rose possesses is a respect for and fondness of people,” said Iacobucci. “Humanity is a companion for all that she says and does.”

Mayo Moran, provost and vice-chancellor of Trinity College, echoed this sentiment as she thanked Patten on behalf of the countless U of T community members who have benefited from her human-centred approach to leadership.

This is exemplified by Patten’s steadfast commitment to mentorship, particularly for women leaders, that has not only made her a role model, but also the namesake of the Rose Patten Mentorship Program, said Moran.

“The University of Toronto is so much better for having had you at helm,” she said. “I also feel heartened … by the fact that you’ll continue, through your writing and your teaching, to shape generations who are going to go on and really exemplify the human side of leadership.”

U of T Vice-President and Provost Trevor Young, left, poses for a picture with Chancellor Rose Patten (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

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’s grand, circular entrance hallway. That key space will now be called the Rose Patten Rotunda.

Additionally, a new scholarship at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine has been named the Rose M. Patten Graduate Student Scholarship.

Both Patten and her husband, Tom Di Giacomo 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’s most recent gift, she and Di Giacomo are now members of the Chancellors’ Circle of Benefactors, the community of U of T’s most generous philanthropic supporters.

Chancellor Rose Patten and her husband Tom Di Giacomo are among U of T’s most generous donors (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

In her remarks, Patten said she was touched by the tributes and turnout to the reception, reflecting on how her relationship with U of T has deepened over the past quarter-century.

“I often speak about mentoring and volunteering, and I always say that we receive more than we give, or at least as much,” Patten said. “At U of T, it was especially true for me. And let me say, it was more.”

She highlighted her role in conferring degrees as a special privilege of her office, expressing what a joy it’s been to celebrate the milestone with graduating students and their families.

Patten said every commitment she’s made to U of T has enriched her, noting that everyone has a role to play in leading the university toward a brighter future.

“In this institution, there’s always more to know, more to learn, more to appreciate, more to think about,” she said. “It can make life not just a journey, but an adventure. I can’t imagine mine without my relationship with everyone here.”

Architecture graduate finds inspiration for community-building in mentorship and representation

siddiq22 — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:45:39 +0000

Architecture graduate finds inspiration for community-building in mentorship and representation

siddiq22 Mon, 06/12/2023 - 15:45

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New graduate Zanira Ali plans to continue mentoring other young people as she pursues an architecture career rooted in community engagement (supplied image)

Tina Adamopoulos

Topic

Our Community

Black Research Network

Convocation 2023

Community

Graduate Students

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Mentorship

Subheadline

'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

Zanira Ali chose the University of Toronto to pursue her master’s studies in architecture because it was a place that she could explore her community-based approach to the field.

“I enjoy the community engagement aspect of architecture. I want to understand and hear from communities about how they interact with public spaces,” Ali says.

Ali is graduating with a master’s degree from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, determined to continue work that fuses advocacy for communities and architecture. Most importantly, she has her sights on making her mark – and impact – in mentorship within the field.

As a graduate, Ali was a mentee with the nonprofit Black Architects and Interior Design Association (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.

During her time at U of T, 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.

“Growing up, it was difficult for me to find mentors – I didn’t 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.” Ali says.

Ali volunteered with Somali Scholars, an organization that provides mentorship for Somali youth and undergraduates. She was also a mentor with the Building Black Success Through Design (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.

Ali’s 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)

The program’s 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 – a value that is the foundation of Ali’s work.

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.

“It’s 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,” Ali says.

For example, the Toronto South Detention Centre cost $700 million to build – 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 “The $69-Million Block” for her thesis presentation.

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.

“By 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 – and that’s how we should be allocating the funds.”

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’s incarceration system.

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.

Ali says mentoring has given her an opportunity to learn from others, and also help youth from underrepresented groups succeed – something she wants to continue throughout her career.

“I’d like to use my experience here to further my interest in community engagement," she says.

"I’d 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.”

Ali's advice for incoming students is to remember that personal connections are just as important as academics – and it’s important to find the balance in both.

“Join a club or association to connect with different people," she says.

"Be open to trying new things – even though it may seem hard at first, especially in your first year. It will be worth it in the end.”

Intentional Leadership: Chancellor Rose Patten's new book helps leaders navigate today's challenges

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:14:32 +0000

Intentional Leadership: Chancellor Rose Patten's new book helps leaders navigate today's challenges

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 03/01/2023 - 16:14

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(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Topic

Rotman School of Management

University of Toronto Chancellor Rose Patten says there’s one leadership skill that’s served her throughout a career spanning more than three decades, four financial sectors and several continents: the ability to adapt to change.

It’s a quality that Patten says is paramount for today’s leaders as they confront the tumult of global crises, changing demographics and technological revolution – and it’s a central theme in her latest book, Intentional Leadership: The Big 8 Capabilities Setting Leaders Apart.

To better prepare leaders, Patten writes about “game-changer” 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.

In doing so, she draws from her decades of success in Canada’s financial services industry – including senior executive roles at BMO and Manulife – academia and the public sector, as well as her experiences shepherding the next generation of leaders at U of T as co-director of the Executive Leadership Program at the Rotman School of Management and through the creation of the university’s Rose Patten Mentorship Program.

“I believe that everyone has the ability to be a leader, but you have to have willingness,” says Patten, who is an adjunct professor at Rotman. “You have to understand what is most relevant to be effective today, because it’s not the same as yesterday.”

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 “Big 8” capabilities: personal adaptability, strategic agility, self-renewal, certainty of character, contextual communication, spirited collaboration and developing other leaders.

Patten recently spoke to U of T News about how intentional leadership can help leaders learn to adapt to an ever-shifting landscape.

Why did you write this book?

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 – what kind of leadership was effective and what was not.

There’s an idea that once a great leader, always a great leader. That’s 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.

This work started in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008 and my efforts intensified following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I began to explore three questions. The first was: What are the game changers happening in our world that no one is exempt from?

The second question became: If these are the game changers, what is it that leaders will have to do differently?

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 – leadership is hard – so you need to be very intentional in order to keep up.

What are the three “unmistakable game changers”?

What has really changed is that we were focused more singularly for a long time on the shareholder. But now it’s grown so it’s not just about shareholders, it’s about stakeholders –whether it’s customers, employees, students or some other group. Those stakeholders are looking for what I call “the three Ts” – 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.

The second one is so apparent it hardly needs explanation: The workforce is changing and that’s changing what’s 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.

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 “done” and maybe you’d be safe for five years. Now, your strategy is constantly changing. And what is really underpinning that change is digitalization. Digitalization isn’t going away, so short-lived strategies are here to stay – and this will only become more complex.

How has the leadership pendulum shifted?

We have in our mind a certain model of leadership – often called “command and control” – 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.

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’re looking to engage with you.

It goes two ways: You're the leader and so you're connecting more with employees a bit down the line – and you’re also utilizing that for your own decision-making. Leaders don’t have all the answers, no matter how smart you are. You want to utilize all the knowledge that’s available to you and that means getting the best talent and engaging them.

I think we’re shifting from “command and control” to “connect and collaborate,” from instinctive leadership to reflection and intention.

What are the “Big 8” leadership capabilities?

The real driver of the “Big 8” is that they’re all very entwined with how you deal with people. The human side of leading is on the rise, whereas in the past it’s been given less attention in how leaders are assessed or even chosen.

The first three are centred around mindset: personal adaptability, strategic agility and self-renewal. It’s about having an open mind, being willing to change it and being self-aware about how you could do better.

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’s about who you are, what you stand for and how you act on that.

The next three relate to connecting with others. First, there’s contextual communication - today’s workforces want to understand “the why” of decisions and changes and we need to respect and utilize the value they can add. Then, there’s 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’ve personally achieved, but how they’ve led people who can achieve and be their best.

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.

How do you think this book could empower new kinds of leaders?

They call it “Rose’s mantra” – I didn’t name it myself – 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.

Nursing graduate finds guidance, support – and her calling – through mentorship program

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 13:26:31 +0000

Nursing graduate finds guidance, support – and her calling – through mentorship program

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 08/22/2022 - 09:26

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Farah Khan, an adjunct lecturer and alumna of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing (left), mentored Anika Andal as part of the Alumni-Graduate Student Mentorship Program (photos courtesy of Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing)

Rebecca Biason

Topic

Our Community

Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Mentorship

Anika Andal wasn't sure what her next step should be after graduating from the University of Toronto with a master of nursing degree.

Farah Khan, an adjunct professor in the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Andal's mentor, had an idea: 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 teaching new clinical procedures.

Andal wasn't sure she was qualified since nurse educators often have years of experience, but Khan explained that Trillium Health Partners – a hospital system in Mississauga and western Toronto – was looking for innovative young leaders.

“That really shifted my perspective on what possibilities were available to me,” Andal says. “It was fantastic how Farah not only pointed me in the direction of the right door, but she opened it for me.”

Andal says Khan's mentorship was nothing short of life-changing. “The immediate investment in my personal growth really stood out to me,” she says. “Farah’s willingness to be supportive and believe in me in ways I had not considered, was so rewarding.”

Khan, an alumna of U of T 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.

“Knowing 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,” she says.

The Alumni-Graduate Student Mentorship Program 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 students and foster a sense of community.

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 to grow to more than 50.

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.

“Being 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,” says Andal. “It was something I needed and has helped me immensely as I progress in my career.”

Khan agrees. “Since our mentorship journey began, I’ve made a more formal attempt at better understanding concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion as it pertains to nursing, health care and leadership,” she says. “I want to better inform my ability to mentor others and seek out mentorship in this area for myself, too.”

Throughout the mentorship program, Andal was not only able to pursue new career paths, but she also received advice to navigate tricky situations at work.

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 moments, she's often turned to Khan for guidance and support.

“What is unique about my relationship with Farah,” says Andal, “is 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’t sure how to manage it in a leadership context. It was Farah who said ‘You can’t always please everyone. You need to focus on your work and yourself and that is what will help those around you.’”

Andal says she's grateful for the career opportunities she obtained through the master's program and Khan's mentorship. She notes that the way in which the nursing profession is structured does not always allow for nurses to be able to continue their clinical roles while exploring 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.

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 Alumni-Graduate Mentorship Program.

“With 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,” Khan says. “But those of us in leadership can also benefit from learning from our mentees too.”

U of T Law class valedictorian gained confidence by 'learning to embrace discomfort'

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 15:17:00 +0000

U of T Law class valedictorian gained confidence by 'learning to embrace discomfort'

geoff.vendeville Fri, 06/17/2022 - 11:17

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(Photo by Nina Haikara)

Topic

It's often said that it's important to step outside of your comfort zone in order to learn.

For Ema Ibrakovic, 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.

At U of T Law, she and three other of the faculty's top mooters had the opportunity to present constitutional arguments to a panel of current and former Supreme Court Justices (and U of T graduates): Andromache Karakatsanis, Mahmud Jamal and Rosalie Silberman Abella (who retired last year).

“Mooting 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,” Ibrakovic says. “Learning to embrace discomfort – and get excited about it – is something that applies not just to mooting, but especially when you're beginning your professional career, and everything is new to you.”

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 as an undergraduate taking ethics, law and society at U of T'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.

“Mooting has made me much more confident as a person – someone who wasn’t involved in any kind of public speaking before,” she says.

Her interest in mooting blossomed at U of T Law, where she coached fellow students, participated in competitions and served on the Moot Court Committee, helping to plan and execute the faculty’s student mooting program. She was also president of the Litigation Association at U of T, a group that mentors first-year law students and allows upper-year students to learn more about litigation.

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.

Ibrakovic was also voted the JD class valedictorian for exemplifying leadership and school spirit. “I’m 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,” she says.

As an active member of student governance, Ibrakovic has been a representative with Students' Law Society (SLS) and wrote a guide to help law students navigate their first year – known as 1L – and coordinated a 1L tutoring program.

Her involvement as a teaching assistant at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Lincoln Alexander School of Law led Ibrakovic to coordinate a peer mentorship program for the school’s first cohort.

“I essentially spearheaded a program where we connected Lincoln Alexander Law’s first-year students to about 200 other upper-year students across the province. It was really rewarding,” she says.

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.

While excited for what comes next, Ibrakovic says she will miss her daily interactions with classmates.

“I hope that will happen again, at court, and throughout our careers. Law school is a nice little incubator – especially at U of T. People told me stories about how intimidating law school can be, but it couldn’t be further from the truth, in my experience,” she says.

“Everyone pushes you to be your best because everybody around you is very impressive.”

Sabeen survived two abusive marriages. As a U of T student, she’s being mentored by someone who understands

noreen.rasbach — Wed, 01 May 2019 15:45:38 +0000

Sabeen survived two abusive marriages. As a U of T student, she’s being mentored by someone who understands

noreen.rasbach Wed, 05/01/2019 - 11:45

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Mentor Samra Zafar and Sabeen (photo by Steph Martyniuk)

Topic

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

Sabeen* had survived two abusive marriages. She had entered the first – an arranged marriage – 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 “living with the devil,” and she began fearing for the safety of her children. In a matter of months, she found the strength, yet again, to leave.

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’t 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.

One day, her mom sent her a link to a Toronto Life article, with a one-line message: “If she can do it, you can do it.” It was a memoir by U of T alum Samra Zafar, 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 – and her journey of healing. She had not only earned a bachelor of science in financial economics from U of T Mississauga in 2013, but had followed it up with a master’s in economics in 2014. She was now pursuing a successful career in commercial banking.

After she read the article, an astounded Sabeen looked up Samra on Facebook and messaged her. She wrote, “I feel like this is a sign from God that I have to pursue this and submit an application to UTM.” 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. “I felt, ‘I need someone to open one window for me so I can just jump through and save my life.’”

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 U of T Mississauga. “‘I did it,’” she thought. “I got in.” That night, she messaged Samra. “I thought I heard Samra scream through Messenger. She was so happy for me.”

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. “I thought, ‘She is so powerful and confident’ – and her smile,” says Sabeen. “When people go through pain, it’s 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’s come a long way and she’s proud of herself.” Adds Sabeen: “My smile’s kind of getting there now. Going to UTM is my healing process. Doing something for myself is a whole new beginning.”

Their conversations range from academics, to juggling single parenthood with classes, to career goals, to dealing with fears about future relationships. “It’s very holistic,” says Samra. “It’s not just about school; it’s about life.” 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.

They also talk about lighthearted things – from the keto diet to dating: “She has a great sense of humour,” says Samra. “There was a time when I went through a breakup and I said, ‘Oh my God, I have the worst luck with men.’” They both just looked at each other. “Babe, I’m with you,” said Sabeen. “We’re both magnets.” In that moment, they burst out laughing.

“Mentoring is very different from teaching or coaching or even helping, because it’s not about what you can do for them. It’s about how you can empower them to do it for themselves,” says Samra, who has mentored more than 30 women – at U of T and otherwise – and also founded Brave Beginnings, a non-profit to support abuse survivors. “My own mentors have never told me what to do. They’ve been my sounding board. They’ve given me ideas. They’ve played devil’s advocate. They’ve given me a reality check sometimes. They’ve connected me with people. At the end of the day, I’m 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’t want to do it alone and I’m not meant to do it alone. That’s the power of mentoring.”

When Samra left her husband in her second year at U of T 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’s office. Professors would spend hours motivating her and encouraging her to go on.

One mentor who had a profound effect on her was John Rothschild, a U of T alumnus who was then 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. “People would hold my hand in the worst circumstances. It just warmed my heart so much, and that is what made all the difference,” she says. “I realized that resilience is not just an individual concept. It’s a collective concept. When people are connected to each other, and when people are comfortable in offering and asking for help, that’s what builds resilience.”

Like Samra, Sabeen certainly knows what it’s 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 – and Samra helps her with that. “Only she can understand the pain that I feel, the misery of being undermined so much,” says Sabeen. “She went to hell, she came back. And she’s OK. Unless you’ve been to hell and back, you don’t know what it feels like and you don’t know if it’s going to be OK.”

Samra was accepted into U of T in 2004, but her husband wouldn’t pay the tuition fee and she couldn’t 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 U of T Mississauga’s top economics student. Samra is now an alumni governor at U of T and her bestselling memoir, A Good Wife, was recently published by HarperCollins.

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. “Are you OK, Mommy?” They all hugged.

After Samra has had a nightmare or flashback, or has experienced anxiety, she imagines embracing her young self. “That 17-year-old girl who was forced into marriage or the 23-year-old who was told she couldn’t go to school, I just imagine hugging her and telling her it’s OK. You’re a part of me and I love you, and just saying the things she should have heard at the time.”

Now, as a mentor, Samra is able to support other women who may need an embrace – whether it’s a physical one, or more of a helping hand. She tells them: “The 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 realize that strength, and that’s what mentoring is about, but ultimately it’s in there. Once you know that you have that power, then you’re unstoppable.”

*Sabeen’s last name has been withheld at her request.

This article first appeared in the University of Toronto Magazine. Read more of the Spring 2019 issue.

'When you grow up not knowing or seeing a single doctor of colour ... it makes you question why things are the way they are'

noreen.rasbach — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 17:45:56 +0000

'When you grow up not knowing or seeing a single doctor of colour ... it makes you question why things are the way they are'

noreen.rasbach Wed, 01/16/2019 - 12:45

Cutline

U of T 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)

Liam Mitchell

Topic

City & Culture

Black Student Application Program

Diversity and Inclusion

Faculty of Medicine

Mentorship

The Faculty of Medicine’s 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.

Now, after one term in U of T’s MD program, Faculty of Medicine writer Liam Mitchell spoke with two students who participated in BSAP – Chantal Phillips and Semir Bulle – to discuss their experiences and reflections on why BSAP matters.

What inspired your interest in medicine?

Chantal Phillips: 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.

Semir Bulle: Growing up in the Dixon-Rexdale area, the majority of people in my community were newly landed immigrants and refugees. I’ve witnessed countless situations in which people wouldn’t go to the doctor because they felt the doctor wouldn’t 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’s back and I just don’t think that’s 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.

Faculty of Medicine program opens opportunities to Black MD students

Do you have a sense of what type of medicine you want to practise?

Chantal Phillips: 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’ve 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’m back to square one and excited to further explore additional specialties.

Semir Bulle: Right now, I’m definitely leaning towards surgery. I enjoy the hands-on nature of the work and the intricacies of the human body interest me. However, I’ll certainly pursue policy work and political avenues, too, since I believe that’s where the true impact is when it comes to overall change.

Did you know many Black health-care professionals before applying to med school?

Chantal Phillips: Absolutely none. I’m 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.

Semir Bulle: Most of the Black health-care professionals I encountered were PSWs or nurses. I’d never been treated by a Black physician, despite living in Toronto and then Brampton, which have substantial Black populations.

Why do you think Black students have been under-represented in medicine?

Chantal Phillips: The nature of privilege and education is multifaceted. Getting into medical school doesn’t start with the application cycle. It starts the moment we’re born and become learners. Black communities experience higher rates of poverty, which influences access to educational resources.

Semir Bulle: In Toronto, the average low-income family makes $32,000 before taxes. Black people are only eight per cent of the city’s population but make up 13 per cent of its poor. Compare that to the three per cent of Black individuals considered ‘high-income’ at $102,000 annually. As David Hulchanski, a social work professor here at U of T, said: “Money buys choice, and people with the most choice are going to choose to live in certain areas.” This contributes to racial disparities in our neighbourhoods and different standards of life for these people.

Chantal Phillips: 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’t 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.

How did BSAP help you get to know U of T Medicine better, and help U of T Medicine get to know you better?

Semir Bulle: This is the first time I’ve 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.

Chantal Phillips: BSAP reinforces the advocacy, diversity and inclusion outlined in the U of T Medicine strategic plan. It’s 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.

Semir Bulle: U of T 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.

How was your experience during the first term of the MD Program?

Chantal Phillips: My initial transition to medical school wasn’t 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’ve been much happier and better integrated. I’m 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.

Semir Bulle: I’ve had some of the best times of my life. Everyone has been friendly and there’s 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’s really nothing to complain about right now.

What would you say to a Black student considering studying medicine at U of T?

Semir Bulle: 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’s 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’ Association (BMSA) – we’d give advice if you need it.

Chantal Phillips: 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’re intimidated by the application process, want to build a network or seek mentorship, please connect with Ike Okafor 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’d love for you to be a part of this community.

Faculty of Medicine program opens opportunities to Black MD students

noreen.rasbach — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 16:39:13 +0000

Faculty of Medicine program opens opportunities to Black MD students

noreen.rasbach Wed, 01/16/2019 - 11:39

Cutline

Chantal Phillips, a first-year medical student, applied under the new Black Student Application Program (photo by Julia Soudat)

Liam Mitchell

Topic

City & Culture

Diversity and Inclusion

Faculty of Medicine

Mentorship

Subheadline

14 Black students entered medical school in first cycle of new admissions pathway

Growing up, Chantal Phillips was not sure whether medical school was for her. It wasn’t because she wasn’t interested, but because she couldn’t see anyone like herself practising medicine.

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.

“I grew up in poverty, but I didn’t realize it until I was six,” said Phillips, who was raised in Toronto’s Jane and Finch community. “I was visiting my step-family in Vaughan when it hit me. I saw those kids had opportunities to be doctors that I didn’t. But now, I am the first person in my family to go to university and I will be the first to be a doctor.”

The public session was an opportunity to report back to the community about the success of BSAP’s first admissions cycle.

“We’re here to talk about a program that we’re very proud of,” said Professor Patricia Houston, vice-dean of the MD program in the Faculty of Medicine.

'When you grow up not knowing or seeing a single doctor of colour ... it makes you question why things are the way they are'

In BSAP’s 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.

“We’re 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,” said Houston.

Professor David Latter, 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.

“I think one of the reasons we saw this increase is because U of T is being seen opening our doors and showing that we’re serious in our commitment to welcome more Black students into our program,” said Latter.

Some of the faculty and staff who helped establish and run the Black Student Application Program. From left, Dr. Lisa Robinson, Dr. Renée Beach, Dr. David Latter, La Toya Dennie, Lindsay Jackowetz, Leslie Taylor, Ike Okafor and Hana Lee (photo by Erin Howe)

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 – as well as Black physicians, faculty members, and students – take part in admissions file reviews and admission interviews.

“You’ll see applicants who are doing great things, but they’re not working a part-time job or babysitting their brothers and sisters. Having an appreciation for those other commitments is an important lens too when you’re trying to identify people who make great doctors,” said Garwe.

BSAP is only one of the initiatives intended to diversify U of T’s MD program, which is based on a similar program aimed at Indigenous students. In 2015, U of T established Community of Support to enable students who are Indigenous, Black, Filipino, economically disadvantaged or who self-identify with having a disability, at every stage of their journey to medical school. This includes admissions advising, mentoring and support through the application process, including MCAT and interview preparation. Under the leadership of Ike Okafor, the MD program’s senior officer, service learning, the program has spread to other medical schools across Canada.

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. More than 800 students have participated in the program since it was established.

While it’s important to open up new pathways to medical schools, said Dr. Onye Nnorom, Black health lead of the MD program, it’s also important to provide a culturally safe and supportive space for Black students when they arrive. In partnership with the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario, Nnorom has been working with Dr. Renée Beach 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.

“We 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,” said Nnorom.

That work is appreciated by Phillips, who admits to having a sense of “imposter syndrome” as a new medical student.

“I sometimes feel like I don’t belong. But I remind myself I do, and then do the inner work that makes me realize it’s true.”

Meet U of T student city builders who are shaping Toronto’s future

Romi Levine — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 15:16:38 +0000

Meet U of T student city builders who are shaping Toronto’s future

Romi Levine Wed, 12/19/2018 - 10:16

Cutline

The U of T Trash Team created an inventory of the trash collected in the Don River (photo by Chelsea Rochman)

Romi Levine

Topic

City & Culture

Cities

Ecology & Environmental Biology

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Undergraduate Students

It’s been a busy year for University of Toronto students leading the charge to make Toronto more sustainable, equitable and accessible.

From shedding light on the waste that travels through Toronto’s waterways to rethinking opioid overdose kits to help save more lives – here are some of the ways U of T students are making their mark in the city.

Waterway warriors

Rachel Giles spent a hot summer’s day sorting through smelly piles of garbage and debris at the mouth of the Don River. This winter, she’ll be wading through ice cold water in heavy-duty gear.

These might be unusual research settings for most, but Giles – a master’s student in ecology and evolutionary biology – wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I think most scientists are eager go out in the field no matter what the conditions are,” she said. “To 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.”

Giles is part of Chelsea Rochman’s lab. Rochman, Giles and a group of students spent that hot summer’s day collecting trash to find out how much of it comes down the Don River and enters Lake Ontario.

“These plastic materials that are not caught would go down into the lake and break down into smaller and smaller pieces and become microplastics,” said Rochman, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. “Little 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."

Rochman’s lab focuses on the sources and impact of contaminants like plastic that end up in waterways – including those found in urban areas.

The research group, also known as the U of T Trash Team, participates in regular urban shoreline cleanups and outreach programs at schools.

Giles’s 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’ll be looking at the kinds of contaminants that make their way into waterways including plastic and road salt.

City hall insiders

Yasmin Rajabi was among 10 young women taking part in the City of Toronto’s Protégé Program (photo by Ken Jones)

Two U of T Scarborough students spent the first half of the year getting to know the inner workings of Toronto’s city government.

Yasmin Rajabi and Hazelmae Valenzuela participated in the City of Toronto Protégé Program, a mentorship initiative that paired them with female councillors and staff who they shadowed while participating in constituency work and attending city council meetings.

“In municipal politics you actually see more immediate change happen, and because it’s local it has a much larger impact on the people around you,” said Rajabi, who was mentored by Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon, and Mary-Anne Bedard, director of service system planning and integrity.

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 Protégé Program was invaluable preparation for her current role, where she regularly works with the public sector on designing programs and policies.

“It really did teach me much more about the governance of the City of Toronto and the decision-making and how that occurs,” she said. “I am passionate about serving the public and ensuring that government policies are reflective of the needs of the end user.”

Rajabi said she encourages students to apply for the Protégé Program, regardless of their academic program.

“Learning about how decisions are made at city hall and in the City of Toronto has huge ramifications in all of our lives,” she said. “It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what governance looks like at how decisions are made in the city.”

Urban solution engineers

From left: Jacqueline Fleisig, Cassandra Chanen and Zhengbang Zhou show their redesigned naloxone kit at the 2018 Praxis Showcase (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Earlier this year, first-year students in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering went out into the city to help businesses, social services, governments and other community organizations address challenges with design solutions.

The students, who were taking the engineering Praxis course, tackled a range of projects 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.

Cassandra Chanen, Jacqueline Fleisig and Zhengbang Zhou 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.

“The opioid crisis is an urgent problem affecting thousands of people,” said Chanen. “We saw this course as an opportunity to work on something really relevant to people of all ages, but especially our age.”

Alan Chong, an associate professor, teaching stream, who taught the course, said this kind of community partnership is a unique opportunity for students.

“The 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."

A new cohort of engineering students will have the chance to work on community design projects when the course begins again in January.

Globe-trotting urbanists

U of T students and Sidewalk Fellows (from left) Keisha St. Louis-McBurnie, Paul Seufert, Carol Yeung and Sharly Chan (photo by Romi Levine)

Twelve post-secondary students, including four from U of T, spent their summer travelling to cities around the world to learn about what makes for good city building.

They were participating in a fellowship program organized by Sidewalk Toronto – a partnership between Waterfront Toronto, a government-led initiative to develop Toronto’s waterfront, and Sidewalk Labs, the subsidiary of Alphabet (which also owns Google) that seeks to use technology to improve urban living.

The students’ urban globetrotting culminated in a report on how they would envision Sidewalk Toronto’s proposed Quayside neighbourhood.

“In the context of our city’s 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,” said Sidewalk Fellow Keisha St. Louis-McBurnie, an urban studies and political science student in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

The report is now published and includes 27 recommendations for how to build an inclusive, sustainable and livable urban neighbourhood.

Underground poet

Poet and U of T Scarborough alumnus Adrian De Leon released a book of poetry inspired by subway stops (photo by Alexa Battler)

In Adrian De Leon’s book of poetry called Rouge, the “city becomes the poem.” The U of T Scarborough alumnus and current PhD student in the department of history travelled to every subway stop on the TTC, crafting a “poetic moment” for each station.

While De Leon's poems tell the story of distinct parts of the city, Scarborough is where his most powerful prose takes place.

The book, which was released in October, centres around two poems, both called “Rouge,” which are a response to the Danzig Steet mass shooting in Scarborough.

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.

“We all wanted to reclaim how to represent our neighbourhood, our community,” De Leon said. “We wanted to show we can work through this collective community trauma in really productive ways.”

Cycling champion

PhD candidate Léa Ravensbergen is encouraged by the rise in popularity of urban cycling (photo courtesy of Cycle Toronto)

More Canadians are choosing to commute on two wheels, and Léa Ravensbergen is hoping that number continues to rise. The U of T Mississauga PhD candidate has spent the last five years researching urban cycling – particularly in relation to gender – under the supervision of Professor Ron Buliung.

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.

“Some women I interviewed learned how to bike through this program – an achievement they described as incredibly empowering,” she said. “For 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.”

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.

'So much potential goes unspotted': Celebrating 20 years of the Rose Patten Mentorship Program

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 17:45:32 +0000

'So much potential goes unspotted': Celebrating 20 years of the Rose Patten Mentorship Program

noreen.rasbach Thu, 12/13/2018 - 12:45

Cutline

“The more we can learn and ply our knowledge for spotting potential and nurturing and developing it, the better off we’re going to be in the leadership world,” says Chancellor Rose Patten (photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

When University of Toronto Chancellor Rose Patten 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 hushed.

“So much potential goes unspotted,” she told the room filled with mentors and mentees on Tuesday afternoon. “The more we can learn and ply our knowledge for spotting potential and nurturing and developing it, the better off we’re going to be in the leadership world.”

Patten has been a champion of mentorship at U of T and throughout her career. The Rose Patten Mentorship Program celebrates the contributions of its mentors and mentees each year, but for this year's 20^thanniversary, 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.

“Dr. Patten is probably the quintessential mentor,” Kelly Hannah-Moffat, U of T’s vice-president of human resources and equity, told the gathering. "She had the foresight from very early in her career to understand the role of mentoring – 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.”

Hannah-Moffat, whose office sponsors the program, also praised its senior leaders and participants.

Among those honoured on Tuesday were Louis Charpentier, who retired as secretary of U of T's Governing Council in 2015 and was co-founder of the program, Fran Wdowczyk, who is a leader of the program at U of T Scarborough, and Sheree Drummond, secretary of the Governing Council who has served as a mentor for 10 years.

“I can get very personal about this,” Charpentier said. “I have worked very closely with Rose when she was chair of Governing Council, and I have respected and appreciated her incredible leadership gifts.

“She has served, in many ways, as a mentor to me.”

Heather Hines (left) and Mariaveronica Sayewich: “The first day that I met Heather, I thought, ‘Ah, this is going to be good,'” says Sayewich (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Drummond, who previously worked at the University of Alberta, joined the program to help nurture mentees with similar career trajectories.

“I was asked to be a mentor and I was very enthusiastic about it,” said Drummond, who served in the provost's office when she was tapped to become a mentor. “I wanted to help others who were making a similar transition, and figure out the university faster.”

The early days involved many discussions on how to organize the program. Wdowczyk, director of business development and special adviser to the chief adminisrative officer for U of T Scarborough, said there was “lots of work around governance and finance and building your spiels.

“There were a lot of opportunities to actually visit other departments and faculties,” she said about the work taking place across all three campuses.

She described U of T as “the mountain with no top” because it is constantly growing. And mentorship has become so crucial in that growth, she said, in a way "that is a little bit more casual, that allows a mentee to keep discovering.”

The program has promoted a “culture of mentoring,” Charpentier said.

“Think of those 600 [mentors and mentees], and beyond that the kind of impact that those people have had.

“That’s a major cultural shift.”

Tuesday's ceremony also recognized this year’s participating mentors and mentees.

For Mariaveronica Sayewich and Heather Hines, her mentor, the partnership began on a Skype call.

“The first day that I met Heather, I thought, ‘Ah, this is going to be good,'” said Sayewich, who was then co-ordinator for alumni relations on the downtown Toronto campus. “Beverly [Kahn, the program’s co-coordinator] introduced us and said, ‘Oh, I’m going to leave you for a half hour on your own.’”

“I wanted to join this program to see what kinds of skills, tips and tricks I could use and build to get into that position,” said Sayewich, who credits the program with helping her land a digital project managerial role that she began this week.

Hines, director of undergraduate programs and student services at U of T 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 ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, you are going in the right direction.'”

Sayewich was Hines’s fourth mentee. After being informally mentored when she first arrived at U of T Mississauga, Hines felt compelled to help others grow their careers.

“What can you do to make things better? This is an opportunity – to meet with people who are interested in their careers at the university and are looking for ways to contribute.

“If I can help, then I’m expanding that circle of people who really care and want to be what the university is all about – excellence, inclusivity, all those things.”