New undergrads get academic and career planning insights at The Blind Duck
UTMSU and the Centre for Student Engagement put together an event for Black-identifying students to learn from and network with alumni.
On November 13, the University of Toronto (U of T) Mississauga (UTM) Students’ Union (UTMSU), the Centre for Student Engagement, and Alumni Relations hosted A Different World: Transitioning into University, a networking and workshop event at The Blind Duck Pub. The event was to support Black-identifying students as they navigate university and career life.
Starting at 6 p.m., freshmen and a handful of upper-year students gathered at The Blind Duck to have dinner and hear the presentation. The night began with an explanation of the event’s theme, “A Different World,” which was a reference to a 1987 American sitcom of the same name that portrayed the life and struggles of students in historically Black colleges and universities.
In the introduction speech, the organizers spoke about how students are entering a new chapter of challenges, opportunities, and discovery, and how, although the transition to university might seem like entering a different world, they are not alone.
Next, presenters took a moment to recognize the student groups which helped organize the event and which continuously work to create a safe community for Black-identifying students at U of T. These groups included Caribbean Connections, the Black Students’ Association, the African Students’ Association, the U of T Black Alumni Association, Black @ UTM, Black Literature, the Arts Club, and Black Future Lawyers.
The gathering featured four alumni panellists: Tobi Mohammed, Mohamed Sidibé, Hassan Manjang, and Chris Tompson. Each panellist took turns answering questions about how UTM prepared them for their career, how to manage time, how they decided on their academic and career paths, what they would have done differently, extracurricular activities, and how they faced racism in their university life.
Each panellist stressed the importance of being open to trying new things during your university life. According to them, getting involved with different clubs and being open to talking to new people opened doors for their journey after university.
Following the event, Manjang explained in an interview with The Medium that one of the biggest challenges for Black students when they start their post-secondary journey is how they feel like they should justify pursuing higher education. “Sometimes you might be the only Black student in the science class or the mathematics class,” he said. “I think the biggest thing that Black students need to know is that they are unapologetically allowed to be intellectual.”
Manjang asserted that Black students should never feel like they have to conform to situations. “If you know what your points of view and perspectives are, people will respect them.”
Recent graduate Giselle Nannan described to The Medium how the event was an opportunity to hear from alumni about their experience in undergrad, postgrads, and beyond. “It’s great to hear from Black alumni, especially with the changing culture of UTM,” she said.
UTMSU Vice President Equity Miatah McCallum explained to The Medium how there are many different opportunities for Black students at UTM and how events such as “A Different World” serve to make them more aware of that. However, she also defended how some students often feel misrepresented when they arrive on campus. “The school does not have culturally diverse food, and if they do, it’s not made to the best abilities,” she said, arguing that students sometimes feel like they are “losing their culture” due to this issue.
McCallum also outlined how important it was that the panellists talked about their struggles during university and how they were able to overcome those barriers. “Having events like this raises awareness for those resources students can reach out to,” she concluded.
The night ended with a game of trivia about Black culture for the attendees to have some fun and relax, but also with the hope that students went back home knowing that they are not alone, and that there exists a broad and supportive community they can depend on.
