Three to watch: Convocation 2014’s education leaders
Published: June 16, 2014
More than 12,500 students are expected to cross the stage at Convocation Hall this June, to receive their hard-won undergraduate or graduate degrees, and join the ranks of the University of Toronto's more than half a million alumni around the world.
That's more than 12,500 unique stories of dedication, struggle, creativity and triumph to celebrate - from those who held part-time or even full-time jobs while studying, to those who juggled family and volunteer responsibilities, launched their own companies, or published leading research.
While most of those stories will only be shared among family, friends, classmates and mentors, U of T News asked faculty and staff for their suggestions of grads who are global citizens, health leaders, community builders, entrepreneurs, education leaders and city builders to watch in the years to come.
Below, writer Liz Do shares some of the stories of U of T's future education leaders.
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Miriam Sykorova is graduating with a double major in archaeology and classics, and with a CGPA of 3.96, she could easily go on to further research in either field. Instead she’s committed to pursuing a teaching career.
Next fall, she’ll be starting her graduate program in teaching at OISE. “In high school, I wouldn’t have imagined pursuing teaching, but in recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to work in a lot of volunteer positions with kids,” said Sykorova.
Volunteer opportunities included working with the Durham District School Board through a program teaching young kids about Canadian archaeology.
“At the end of the program, students get a final trip attending a real archaeological excavation. For two terms, I’ve helped guide those students and their early interpretations of archaeology,” she said.
She hopes that through volunteer work and studying at OISE, she’ll be ready to one day teach Toronto students in grades 1 through 8.
“I love their enthusiasm. They’re so eager to learn, and it’s fascinating to watch and be a part of their early development,” said Sykorova.
Between graduating in June and entering OISE next fall, she’s also studying Finnish at the University of Oulu in western Finland this summer. That means missing her convocation ceremony, but for Sykorova it’s worth it.
“It’s a personal interest of mine,” she said about furthering her education. “I took Finnish courses at U of T, just to learn the language and grammar, and that led me to want to study abroad this summer.”
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Walk around the halls and offices of the Jackman Humanities Institute right now, and you’ll notice paintings and art installations that were meticulously curated by visual studies Master’s student John Hampton.
As a curator, Hampton is a unique education leader. “I’m bringing artworks together to develop conversations around them, using them as a stimulus for thought. It’s a more abstract approach to education.”
For the Jackman Humanities Institute, Hampton curated an exhibition to showcase the theme, Translation and the Multiplicity of Languages. It’s one of several exhibitions Hampton has curated while a student at U of T, some of which took place across the country.
“In first year, I was going back and forth between here and Regina because I was still working as the curator there,” said Hampton, who has also been working part-time as the program director at Trinity Square Video.
Starting next fall, he’ll begin a curatorial residency at Hart House’s renowned Justina M. Barnicke Gallery. There, he hopes to continue sparking dialogue about art, making it both inspiring and accessible to students and visitors.
“For me, the most important aspect of education in curating is the act itself. I view it as a model for knowledge translation and production,” he said. “It’s not a traditional way of learning.”
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For Andrey Bilenkyy, the journey to convocation has been a challenging one. On June 16, Bilenkyy graduates with aspirations for an academic career. But 10 years ago, Bilenkyy was struggling to adjust to life as a new Canadian.
Born in Ukraine, Bilenkyy grew up in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which marred Ukraine with a decade of economic collapse, rising unemployment, poverty and crime. When he was 16, the economic crisis in Ukraine deepened, and he and his mother decided to immigrate to Canada.
The transition proved extremely difficult for Bilenkyy, who eventually dropped out of his high school’s ESL program and took jobs as a dishwasher and cook for the next six years. However, by 2009, he decided to give the academic route another shot.
Bilenkyy enrolled in The Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program at U of T. The Academic Bridging Program is designed for people who have been away from formal education for some time and do not meet the university’s established requirements for direct entry.
“The program introduced me to academic writing, and sparked my interest in philosophy and literary theory,” he said. After completing the bridging program, Bilenkyy was admitted to the Faculty of Arts & Science, and studied philosophy, Russian language and literature, where he discovered his love of teaching.
During the 2013-2014 academic year, he was a teaching assistant for Introduction to Philosophy, leading tutorials for nearly 50 first-year students. “[Teaching was] a source of immense pleasure, which I realized as soon as I stepped into the classroom and began discussing philosophy with my students,” said Bilenkyy.
Although Bilenkyy will celebrate graduation on June 16, he isn’t leaving U of T just yet. Next fall, he’s starting his Master’s program at U of T in Slavic Studies, and will instruct a course in advanced Russian. After completing his Master’s, he hopes to pursue a doctoral degree. In 10 years, he sees himself being a part of an academic community and educating the next generation of university students.
“I consider teaching an integral part of academic pursuit, conducive to developing intellect, creativity and moral capabilities in both the student and the teacher,” he said. “I hope to be able to make a positive impact in the lives of my students by providing them with the learning experience that will enable this development.”
