Get Involved with UVic’s Global Community!
Are you an international or Canadian student, staff, or faculty member at UVic? Do you enjoy learning about other cultures, volunteering, exploring, developing new skills, and meeting new people? If this sounds like you, then UVic’s Global Community is the place for you!
The Global Community has something for everyone and offers a variety of great ways to enrich your UVic experience, make new friends, and learn about the world around you! With programs and events ranging from hiking trips to mentorship opportunities, the Global Community is a fantastic way to build skills that can transfer to the workplace, such as leadership skills, event planning, and communication skills.
The Global Community is currently looking for Conversation Partner and Mentorship Program volunteers for the 2022/2023 academic year. Their spring application deadline is Sunday, March 26th, 2022. Apply by clicking here!
I spoke with Tuqa Al-Musawi, a third-year student in the Chemistry for Medical Sciences program at UVic. Originally from Iraq, Tuqa and her family lived in a few different countries before settling in Victoria.
Tuqa on the right
At the end of her first year, Tuqa began attending some Global Community events after she heard about them through friends and social media.
“We had food events, we had hiking, and different fun activities. When I started going there and meeting people from different countries and different cities, I felt happily overwhelmed. You go to have fun but at the same time you learn a lot from the people there.”
The Global Community offers many different programs, events, and volunteering opportunities. For example, the Conversation Partners Program gives students the chance to practice their conversational English skills.
Another great way to get involved is through the Mentorship Program, which connects mentors and mentees across UVic. Tuqa was a mentor last semester and spoke about how she was able to share her own experiences to help a new international student navigate their first year at UVic.
“Last term I worked with a student who was still overseas, we talked about academics and some concerns they had as a first-year student. I already went through the experience of being an international student at a new university and had some struggles with it. I didn’t know how things worked here,” said Tuqa. “and this is something all international students go through because each country has different university systems. I feel like the Mentorship Program really helps new international students meet other international and domestic students who have been here for longer to give them important tips and advice.”
Tuqa also highlighted the support and various resources the Global Community provides for all students to help them succeed academically and personally. “To learn from the beginning that there is a really big support system that can help you from your first year until you graduate and even after, and is there to encourage you, empower you, is really important. That’s why I wanted to be involved with this program because it’s things that I gained from the Global Community and I wanted to share it with new international students.” says Tuqa.
When I asked Tuqa what her favourite thing was about being involved with the Global Community, she spoke about how much she enjoyed connecting with people from around the world. She explained how getting to know students from around the world enriched her university experience.
“It’s really a great place to meet new friends and this is a place where I met most of my friends at UVic. You’re going to learn a lot. Whether you’re a mentor or a mentee, you’re going to learn either way because you’re going to meet students coming from different cultures.” says Tuqa. “The Global Community is great because you get to know people from different countries, from different continents, and you can connect with one another and realize there’s actually more similarities than differences between us.”
The Global Community is open to Canadian and international students, staff, and faculty! There’s a way for everyone to get involved. To begin volunteering with the Global Community, submit your application by March 26th. Apply by clicking here!
If you’d like to learn more about how UVic is working to create an inclusive, diverse, and globally-minded campus, check out this video to hear about the experiences of students involved with the International Centre for Students!
