How the Tri-Mentoring Program helps you navigate university

If you haven’t heard of the Tri-Mentoring Program (TMP) at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), it’s a service and support on campus where students seek mentorship and meet other students within their faculty. On top of this, I’ve been to a few exciting events hosted by this program that were a highlight of my first year at TMU — I plan on sharing them with you soon!

Recently, I had a conversation with Irum Mahmood, a lead TMP mentor in the Faculty of Science. Her role is pairing mentees (first-year TMU students) with mentors (upper-year TMU students) in this faculty. Irum said that especially for first year students, “There are so many things to keep track of, from finding out what courses to take for their program to organizing schedules, so peer mentoring helps.”

There are three types of programs within TMP: peer mentoring, career mentoring and group mentoring. If you’re thinking of attending TMU, peer mentoring and group mentoring would be the most suitable options for you.

The peer mentoring program pairs a mentee with a mentor, to help them navigate their first year in their program. For a mentee this can include learning how to choose courses, planning through goals and receiving opportunities that match their interests. Career mentoring matches third-year students with industry professionals for transitional experience to the workforce. Lastly, the group mentoring is based on different equity-deserving groups seeking to share and connect on their programs. Some groups offered in this program are Black identified students, Indigenous students and students who identify with a disability. 

With Irum being a third-year student in the Computer Science program at TMU, she said that she’s really passionate about raising women’s equality in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs, and she encourages women to own their place when pursuing a career in these fields.

Irum loved being the mentoring lead for Women in STEM last year. She said that her favourite event was going to an escape room with the students who are a part of this group. Irum touched upon more events such as a movie screening for the film Picture a Scientist (external link, opens in new window) . She was also part of a social event for students in the Faculty of Science to meet each other and create connections. “Every event is curated to the students depending on their faculty,” she explained. “For students in Science, the events we hold are less generic and more specific to their interests. We hope to acknowledge their place on campus.”

Throughout my first year, I attended many events organized by groups in the TMP. My favourites were the South-Asian mixer and a Bob Ross Paint Night, since I met many other students who share similar cultures and hobbies like I do. In the South-Asian mixer, dinner was served and I talked with other students who came from the same backgrounds as me. I went to the Bob Ross Paint Night with my sister who also attends TMU. This event topped anything I’ve attended here because of my love for the arts. After an intimate group gathering while painting on canvases and followed a two-hour painting tutorial, it was satisfying to see the result finally come to life.

Irum said, “The Tri-Mentoring Program is a really nice way to connect with other students who identify the same as you. It makes you feel like you have a home and a place at TMU. So I definitely recommend getting involved.”

Although I’m not a part of the TMP myself, I discovered their events through social media posts and by receiving occasional emails. I’m currently subscribed to mailing alerts regarding South-Asian and Muslim women student events hosted on campus. You can sign up for TMP emails and select groups you want to be a part of, once you’re a student at TMU. For now, don’t miss out! Sign up to receive emails from us to stay updated during the admissions process! 

Talk to you later,

Hadiqah