Looking forward at the end of the year
With the school year coming to an end, we asked some graduating students to look back at their time at Ryerson and forward into their future to see what they’ve learned and what they’re excited to do.
Photo: Sanjeev Kuganesapillai
Christina Usanov, Nursing
What is the most important lesson you learned at Ryerson?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned during my four years at Ryerson is that what matters most is what you put into it. Can you pour your heart and soul and the very fibre of your being into what you’re doing? Sometimes this means looking at your own program from an entirely different lens. So this is what a few of us did. Nursing Students for Social Justice (external link) started out small, but as we gained confidence in ourselves as well as with the support of Ryerson faculty and students we started realizing that, as a whole, we were more powerful than we thought we could ever be. Our main aim was to get students out of the safe bubble of textbooks and theoretical arguments and pull them into direct action. Ryerson will forever be known to me as a university that equips their students to be change agents and future makers. As such, I am incredibly proud to say that I will be soon calling myself a Ryerson alumni.
What are your plans for the future?
I will be making my way across the globe to Sydney, Australia, for three months to work as a research assistant on a project exploring how to address domestic violence at the healthcare provider level. It is my hope to use not only the skills and knowledge gained from this experience of a lifetime, but also the outcomes and data to pursue a master’s degree. Before that, I’d like to gain a few years of experience under my belt, working at the bedside and learning how to advocate for patients. My interest lies primarily in two areas: community health nursing and preoperative nursing. My sole desire is that wherever I work, whether in acute care or primary health care, I maintain my passionate involvement in social justice and healthy equity challenges both in Toronto and at the global scale.
Aimee Bridgemohan, Child and Youth Care
What is the most important lesson you learned at Ryerson?
The biggest thing that I’ve learned from my time at Ryerson is that there are tons of supports, resources and mentors available to help you throughout your university experience. Getting into an accident right before my fourth year began was a life changing moment, that not only set back my academic and graduation plans but made learning quite difficult. From this experience, I was able to discover different student supports that Ryerson offers. I learned that suffering in silence is not the answer, and that I can still be resilient with the help of others. Working at the Tri-Mentoring Program this past year has shown me different walks of life, the importance of community and how it is possible to find a mentor in different areas of your life.
What are your plans for the future?
My ultimate goal for the future is to do something I am passionate about and to continue to learn. As of now, I plan to graduate in the fall, leaving me some time to narrow my direction. I plan to continue advocating for women’s rights and experiences through my work with Our Women’s Voices (external link) . I plan to continue my creative journey with makeup artistry, visual arts and wellness. I also hope to eventually continue my education in the criminal or social justice field. In whichever area I end up, my mission is to empower and support others to tap into their personal power.
Alexander Hardy, Urban and Regional Planning
What is the most important lesson you learned at Ryerson?
Ryerson helped me to realize that we learn through failure, and ultimately I should embrace failure. Nobody becomes an expert at what they do the first time they do it. Early on during my time at Ryerson, I took the consequences of underperforming and making mistakes into my advantage. Ultimately, I have taken advantage of Ryerson's opportunities to better myself, and I will ensure to better myself further throughout the duration of my career.
What are your plans for the future?
Ultimately, I would like to help make our communities better for everyone tomorrow than they are today. In the short term, I plan to continue gaining experience in my field of urban planning and to gain exposure in both the public and private sector while being open to pursuing new opportunities. It would also be a great time to travel and take a look at other communities across in the globe. In the long term, I am seeking post-graduate education and hope to lead the next generation of projects in the city.
Photo: Clifton Li
Chelsea Davenport, Social Work
What is the most important lesson you learned at Ryerson?
The most important lesson I learned at Ryerson was to make most of my time here! Although four years seems long, it goes by really fast, so don't be afraid of getting involved with the greater Ryerson community. It will open more doors than you could ever imagine! Ryerson is filled with wonderful opportunities for students to expand their horizon, all it takes is the first step.
What are your plans for the future?
Next year I will be attending McMaster University for the Master of Social Work program. At McMaster, I will have the opportunity to examine the challenges and possibilities of working toward a more inclusive society through my personal research. I hope to take the skills I learn from this program and apply them towards advocacy and community development.
Photo: Alex D'Addese / Ryerson Rams Athletics
Gillian Rossi, Early Childhood Studies
What is the most important lesson you learned at Ryerson?
The biggest thing I have learned during my time at Ryerson is the power and importance of human connection. I have had so many opportunities to make meaningful relationships with my professors, classmates, children I’ve worked with, mentors and teammates. In a world that can seem more digital and individualistic than ever before, I believe what made my time at Ryerson so impactful are all of the face-to-face conversations I’ve had. This is a lesson I look forward to carrying with me into my future plans.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the future are to attend St. Francis Xavier in September to complete a bachelor of education. After that, I am looking to pursue a master’s degree before, hopefully, getting into a school board. I have some exciting opportunities to travel lined up, including a trip with other Ryerson student-athletes to First Nations communities in the James Bay region and a trip to Panama and Mexico with an organization called Athletes in Action.
Photo: Sanjeev Kuganesapillai
Aseel Masri, Nutrition
What is the most important lesson you learned at Ryerson?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned from my time at Ryerson is to take advantage of the various opportunities that come up, even when they’re outside of my comfort zone. Without this mentality, I would not have done a lot of the things I ended up doing during my time at Ryerson. For example, I wouldn’t have been the president of the Nutrition Course Union in my third year, I wouldn’t have gone to India through Ryerson to participate in Amrita University’s Live-in-Labs Program, and I wouldn’t have received the Dennis Mock Student Leadership Award! I truly am grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way, and I am glad that, despite my fears, I took advantage of many of them!
Sally Park, Occupational and Public Health
What is the most important lesson you learned at Ryerson?
The biggest lesson that I’ve learnt at Ryerson is to embrace the opportunity when it arises. There are many big and small opportunities that were available during my studies academically, professionally and socially. Although it involved tough decisions at times, these opportunities allowed me to grow and mature as a more socially conscious individual.
What are your plans for the future?
I am excited to complete another major step in life and to start working in my field of study. The public health program gave me so much to take away and I was lucky to have amazing professors who were passionate about their teaching and their students. The public health program will be a great stepping stone to build a new career in the field, and I’m excited to see how the things that I learned in class come into action in the real world.
I hope that everyone is looking forward to relaxing after the school year ends. This has been an amazing year and I’ve loved being your student storyteller. You can always follow me on Twitter @msavestheworld (external link) and make sure that you follow @RyersonFCS (external link) to keep up with everything that the faculty is doing.