Paying it forward: How recipients of International Education Centre services help others succeed
At the University of Toronto Mississauga, the International Education Centre is a vital resource for learners hailing from outside of Canada, providing support in areas such as developing intercultural competence, building study skills, accessing campus services and completing immigration paperwork.
For students Mariela Torroba Hennigen, Niguel Walker and Adriana Rosas Rodriguez, the IEC is also a place to give back. After benefiting from the centre’s services in their first year, they are now part of its team, helping international students navigate the institution and excel in their academics.
Here, they share how the IEC guided their transition to university education and life in a new country, and why and how they are contributing to services and supports for first-year international students.
Mariela Torroba Hennigen
4th year
BA, communications, culture and technology, and professional writing and communication
Like many students in 2020, Torroba Hennigen found herself having to complete her first year of university online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But despite being thousands of kilometres away at her home in Brazil, Torroba Hennigen was able to become familiar with Canada through an innovative IEC program.
Canada, Eh? exposes newcomers to the peoples, places, seasons, foods and cultures of the country. Running the program that year as a series of online workshops, the centre shared information and images to highlight the country’s distinct character. The sessions were also an opportunity for international students to connect and build friendships with each other.
“It was good to understand what Canada is like — the landscape and landmarks, the weather,” Torroba Hennigen says. “I ended up making really good friends whom I am close with until today.”
When Torroba Hennigen began in-person studies at UTM in her second year, she decided to volunteer for the IEC’s Scholars in Together program, which guides international learners in discussing their global experiences with potential employers. This year, she joined the centre’s staff as a programming assistant and leads the Canada, Eh? program. She organized trips to Niagara Falls, the ROM and the Aga Khan Museum, as well as a Thanksgiving dinner with UTM Vice-President and Principal Alexandra Gillespie.
“Transitioning to university is a big experience, and as an international student, it can be overwhelming because you are leaving your home country. I enjoy helping others find their way,” Torroba Hennigen says. “It’s also been great because I’ve met so many people who have taught me about their home country.”
Niguel Walker
3rd year
BA, Biology for Health Sciences and Chemistry
For Walker, a native of Jamaica who began at UTM in the fall of 2021, what helped him feel engaged in his first year was participating in the IEC’s Transition Coaching Program (TCP).
Designed to help international students adjust to the expectations and rhythm of university, it pairs participants with a coaching assistant — an upper-year student who offers guidance to first-year international students in six key areas:
learning course material,
managing time,
paying for expenses,
getting help with schoolwork,
making new friends and
interacting with faculty
Walker recalls learning from his coaching assistant about scheduling techniques to stay on top of tasks, effective methods for studying course material, and essential campus services.
As someone enrolled in the same degree as Walker, she was also able to help him understand the importance of pursuing research opportunities to excel in his program.
“With any challenges I had, she would share her experiences and some of the strategies she used to ensure her success at UTM,” Walker says.
“She had advice that was pretty salient for me…and helped me feel more comfortable.”
With the mentorship experience making an indelible impression on Walker, he has chosen this year to work in the same role “to help students who were in my shoes.”
Having served as a coaching assistant to four students so far, he shares information and encouragement to help them optimize their time at UTM, making sure to emphasize to “not follow the crowd…and have a personal experience.”
“I want to give back because this program gave me something valuable…and I want to help others gain the same benefits,” Walker says.
“Helping them set and work towards their goals feels really fulfilling.”
Adriana Rosas Rodriguez
4th year
BCom, Finance and Economics
When she started her degree online from her home in Peru in the fall of 2020, Rodriguez also found benefit in the TCP. Through web sessions with her coaching assistant, she learned how to fulfil the requirements of her study permit, connect with teaching assistants for academic guidance and, in preparation for her eventual learning on campus, create a budget.
“I received a lot of tools to help me identify the different expenses of being a student and save money,” Rodriguez says. “The advice was tailored to my academic and personal success…and it helped me a lot.”
That positive experience compelled Rodriguez to pay it forward by working in her third year as a TCP coaching assistant. Supporting about a dozen students, she created a comprehensive resource sheet to help them access campus services relating to academics, immigration, mental health and other areas.
Now on the cusp of completing her degree, Rodriguez feels immensely grateful to have had a study abroad experience she describes as “enriching” and that helped her “grow as a person.” To make these perks available to other UTM students, she joined the IEC’s Global Learning portfolio as a team lead. In this role, she organizes course-aligned academic opportunities in countries such as Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, England, France and Germany.
“In this role, I can offer other students the chance to travel for their learning, experience different cultures and, importantly, develop a global citizen perspective,” Rodriguez says.
