Student Profile Sydney

From Mentee to Mentor 

From the start of her undergrad experience, Sydney took any opportunity to learn from upper year students. In her first year, she joined the Victoria College Education and Society Ones Program, gaining a mentor as part of the program structure. In her second year, she became a campus tour guide, with a designated Senior Tour Guide (STG) leader, she could reach out to for questions. She also was elected Editor-in-Chief, Mentee for Hey, Teach! Magazine that year, which allowed her to write about interesting topics in her field while participating in the built-in mentorship program. Now as a third year student, she is an STG herself, building leadership experience overseeing the newer tour guides, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of Hey, Teach! Magazine, mentoring the student who is now in the mentee role she was in last year. Sydney says these experiences have prepared her to be a leader and mentor in the classroom, as she hopes to become a high school teacher after graduating. 

The Global Classroom

This past summer, Sydney took part in a study abroad program based in Hong Kong. For the month-long experience, she taught media literacy to 16-year-old students honing skills in lesson planning, teaching, and classroom management. She also got to meet and collaborate with other university students from across the world, building a global network and getting to experience living in another country!

Networking as a Commuter Student

Despite being a commuter student, living at home in the GTA, Sydney has found many ways to build a community on campus. From attending commuter orientation, to college-specific events like Commuter Pancake Breakfasts, to finding friends through on-campus jobs like tour guiding, Sydney has built strong connections that will last beyond university.