Cultural Connections
Cultural Connections is an intercultural understanding program that provides students with the opportunity to connect across differences and similarities. This program promotes acceptance and appreciation of different cultures and the capacity to function interdependently with people from different cultural backgrounds.
Through Cultural Connections, you will enrich your ideas on appreciation, practice empathy toward different cultural backgrounds, and self-reflect. The Cultural Connections program will generate motivation and inspiration to create culturally conscious individuals with the potential to bring positive changes in the community they live, work, and play.
The Cultural Connections offerings are “choose your own adventure” style, meaning that you take part in as much or as little as you would like to! Check out the opportunities that are most meaningful to you.
International and domestic students are all invited and encouraged to participate and celebrate diverse perspectives through Cultural Connections.
- To enrich ideas on acceptance, appreciation, empathy of diverse others
- To appraise your own cultural values and that of others
- To enjoy learning about the experience of diverse others
- To become more aware and understand your own perspective better
- Increase intercultural awareness for a competitive advantage in the global workforce
As a result of participating in the Cultural Connections program, participants will:
- Recognize their own cultural values and biases and how this contributes to the perspective they bring to their communities
- Recognize their own strengths and challenges when interacting with cultural differences and similarities
- Recognize how one is part of a global community
- Share their learning through reflection and how they have developed as a result
- Be able to apply their learning to accomplish their personal, professional, and academic goals
An introspective and self-reflective workbook way for you to apply and practice your intercultural learning. Download the PDF and use it as a companion to the modules, or on its own! Take notes in the workbook to track your learning and identity exploration.
Are you a member or a leader of a cultural-based student group at Toronto Metropolitan University?
Cultural Ambassadors would love to provide consultations with your group leaders on how to:
- Incorporate intercultural learning into your activities
- Connect international and domestic students
- Lead an intercultural reflection activity during one of your meetings or events
- Share how your members can get involved in the Cultural Connections activities
Email ISS at issask@ryerson.ca to be connected to a Cultural Ambassador. Please include the “Cultural Connections” in your subject and specify which student group you are emailing on behalf of.
For more information about Cultural Connections, please contact the ISS Office at issask@ryerson.ca.