Four new clubs enhance creativity, career opportunities, and sense of community at UTM
The four new student organizations are bringing opportunities for students to be creative, plan for their healthcare career, hone leadership skills, and explore the science behind food.
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The Basgiath Creators Guild (BCG), the UTM Future Surgeons Society (FSS), the Empire Foundation Club, and UTM FoodLab are newly formed clubs. They each have abundant events planned for the academic year, ranging from creative competitions and assistance in medical school applications to networking events and hands-on food experiments.
The Basgiath Creators Guild
The BCG is bringing students together through creative projects, events, and an online community focused on anime and other interests. Although the club is based at UTM, its Discord community is open to students from different schools, programs, and backgrounds.
One of the club’s planned events is an open-ended creative competition, where students can submit original works like writings and illustrations. While the prize remains a mystery, the competition is intended to provide space for students to share their work.
Kayla, who preferred to reveal only her last name, is the president of the BCG. She shared that the club’s goal is to give students something to look forward to throughout the school year. “Coming to school felt like a chore, and [the executive team] wanted to make something for people to look forward to,” she said.
Kayla shared she had previously looked for book clubs but found that many did not offer the inclusivity or range of interests she was looking for. Through joining the BCG, she hopes students will be more than a name on its members’ list. Instead, she encourages students to be part of a meaningful community and events.
UTM Future Surgeons Society
Students interested in medicine and other health-related careers can find programming through the UTM FSS.
The club is open to students interested in medical or graduate studies, as well as those who want to learn more about careers in healthcare. Students do not have to be in medicine-related programs to join.
The society is working with Apply Yourself Global, an admissions consulting firm, to connect students with resources for standardized exams, including the MCAT, the LSAT, and information on international medical school applications.
Vice-President of Communications Humna Khan shares that the society provides a platform for students to explore the path to medical school alongside peers with similar interests. A main question Khan hopes to help students answer is, “Where do I start my journey to medical school?”
Upcoming events at the UTM FSS include a Blood Drive in collaboration with Canadian Blood Services on September 29 to 30 at the Kaneff Centre.
The Empire Club Foundation
The Empire Club Foundation is bringing mentorship, leadership, networking opportunities, and discussions about Canada’s future to UTM. Students can expect general meetings, panels, and one-on-one sessions with professionals in fields of their interests.
UTM alum Manisha Biring, a student in the Master of Urban Innovation program and graduate representative of the Canadian non-profit organization, said the organization aims to help students consider their role in shaping Canada’s future.
“We want to create a space where students can connect, build leadership skills, and think about what they want Canada to look like,” Biring said.
The club also plans to host a tri-campus initiative involving students from UTM, UTSG, and Trent University. The initiative will provide students an opportunity to connect across campuses and participate in discussions outside UTM.
UTM FoodLab
UTM FoodLab is perfect for students interested in the science behind food.
The club was co-founded by fourth-year biology for health sciences students Amman Ahmed and Lyndon, who preferred to only reveal their last name. It was created as an alternative to the many existing medicine-science-focused organizations at UTM.
UTM FoodLab plans to explore topics including nutrition, food safety, and the science behind the taste and properties of different foods and drinks. Events will be open to students from all programs, with no prior science experience required.
Lyndon said the club aims to make these topics accessible to students while exploring the science behind food.
One of the club’s first major events will be a DIY ice cream-making experiment. The event will combine hands-on experimentation with an introduction to the science behind ice cream.
With their first events getting underway this fall, the four clubs are building new and exciting communities at UTM.
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