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Support as an international student

Ananya started at ����2024�µس�һ�� in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, coming to Toronto from Dubai. She cites the Centre for International Experience (CIE) on the St. George campus as being an invaluable resource for her as an international student during these unprecedented times. Reflecting on the experience she says, “it was my first time traveling alone and I was nervous about what documents to bring. I had an immigrant advisor assigned to me and I’d call them every day. They went over the list of documents I’d need, including Covid-related documents. They were able to link me with a lot of resources, like people who could help me with banking, and people who could help me get set up.” 

She also took part in the CIE's various workshops for international students, such as "Winter101," which taught students all things snow, ice and where to buy gear to prep for the winter months. Other resources Ananya found helpful during this time were International Orientation, booking appointments with her college registrar and joining clubs to meet friends on campus. 
 

Social Sciences background 

In her first year, Ananya found that she was drawn to the social sciences, particularly Criminology, Cognitive Science, and Psychology. She appreciated the flexibility that the Faculty of Arts and Science offered, in taking an exploratory first year, and being able to to study multiple programs. 
 

Breaking into Communications 

After studying in the Social Sciences for several years, Ananya started getting involved with more Communications-focused extra curriculars and discovered her passion for social media content creation. Starting in her 3rd year, she joined St. Michael's College (SMC) Wellness Club as their Social Media Coordinator, promoting various events like bracelet making, tote bag painting and workshops about mental health. She looks back on the experience as being "fun but also meaningful," and was grateful to be able to build community, gain events planning experience and help promote mental health initiatives on campus. 

The following year, Ananya held a communications and social media-focused work study position through ����2024�µس�һ��'s University Admissions and Outreach (UAO) branch. In this role, she worked with another work study student to create multi-channel content for prospective high school students. Looking back on the experience, she reflects that “my work study taught me how to work proactively and independently, strengthened my creative skills, provided me with a great support system at ����2024�µس�һ��, and opened my eyes to a new career path, all within a fun and engaging environment.”