Global Citizen Digest Magazine Volume 5, Issue 1

GLOBAL 

CITIZEN 

Digest 

VOL. 5. NO. 1 

INCLUSIVE 

INTERNATIONALIZATION 

SUMMIT 

The Future of Transformative Learning Summary 

ANN BULLER 

Leaving on a high note 

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP: 

An Aspirational and 

Inclusive Goal 

WHAT IS INCLUSIVE 

INTERNATIONALIZATION? 

XENOPHOBIA 

and Populist-Nationalism 

HOW DOES GENDER 

EQUITY PLAY OUT?

4 

Ann Buller 

is Leaving the Building 

What's Inside? 

11 

Xenophobia and Populist-Nationalism: Insights 

from Future Post-Secondary Students 

16 

Strengthening International 

Student Experience with VOICE 

8 

Global Citizenship: 

An Aspirational and 

Inclusive Goal 

15 

Call for your 

Submissions 

19 

What’s Fair is Fair: 

What Happened at Centennial 

College’s First Social Justice Fair? 

Check out 

the Inclusive 

Internationalization 

Summit Summary 

Report here 

GLOBAL 

CITIZEN Digest 

Vol. 5. No. 1 

Published by: 

Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Inclusion 

P.O. Box 631, Station A, Toronto, ON M1K 5E9 

Managing Editors 

Graphic Designer 

Reviewers 

Article Citation 

Punita Lumb 

Yasmin Razack 

Marie Joseph 

Gabriel Bedard 

Tatiana Wugalter 

Ankar Anwar 

Resham Karfa 

Global Citizen Digest 

Centennial College: 

Toronto 

Volume 5, Issue 1 

21 24 

How Does Gender Equity Play 

Out? Panel Pushes Audiences to 

Reimagine Sport Spaces 

Global Perspectives 

25 26 28 

31 

#WhatsOnYourShelfie Global Citizenship 

in Action 

Dear Global Citizen References 

2 Global Citizen Digest 

Global Citizen Digest 3

Longest-serving Centennial College 

President recounts her 30-year 

relationship 

Ann Buller and Centennial College arrived around 

the same time, perhaps the consequence of some 

celestial alignment. She emigrated from Scotland as 

a young girl not long after Centennial had opened its 

doors in a hastily-renovated radar factory in Toronto's 

east end in 1966. 

“It seems destined that my life and this college’s 

would become so deeply intertwined – we both 

learned to walk at the same time,” she wrote in her 

introduction to Fifty Years Bolder, the book published 

for Centennial’s 50th anniversary. 

Ann was the first in her working-class family to attend 

post-secondary education, but it would be college, not 

university, that would fulfill the role. Ann had sought 

an affordable education that prepared her for the 

world of work, but she chose a path that would give 

her so much more. 

After graduating from Humber College with a public 

relations diploma, she worked in student government 

for a short while before applying to join Centennial as 

a recruitment officer. She won the job and reported 

for duty at Warden Woods Campus, the former factory 

site that looked a lot different from Progress Campus, 

where she had been interviewed. 


ANN BULLER 

Leaving on a 

high note 

“I always felt that Warden Woods had a family feel 

to it. I hung out in the basement at home with my 

friends when I was growing up, so the campus had 

that informal vibe,” says Ann, smiling. The year 

was 1989, and Centennial had just established its 

marketing department. 

“The President called us together and said we’re down 

13 per cent in applications. I remember the energy 

around that, the creativity, and getting the resources 

to be able to do some interesting things. It was an 

amazing rollercoaster ride of working bizarrely long 

hours, but doing good things and having fun.” 

Despite having been around for more than 20 years, 

Ontario's Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology were 

not always top of mind for students and their parents 

and teachers. Just arranging visits to talk to high 

school students was sometimes challenging. 

I remember calling to book 

appointments and having high 

schools tell me, no, we don't 

want to send our students to 

college. It shocked me; I didn’t 

expect to get that response. 

Fortunately, Ann had a knack for giving high-energy 

presentations, and it wasn’t long before she was an indemand 

speaker. After all, she believed in the product, 

having completed college herself. 

"I always felt that if I could get that group riled up 

about college, then I had succeeded.” And after 

Centennial started tracking where its students came 

from, she discovered that “our students don’t go to 

college” was a misconception. 

President Ann Buller official portrait, 2004 

I remember calling some of 

the high school guidance 

counsellors back and saying 

29 of your students are here 

at Centennial. So you’re not 

helping them get here, but 

they are getting here. We had 

tremendous results from that. 

Ann and her team were the first to visit summer 

schools to talk to students who had failed a credit 

and were writing themselves off. She told them that 

they could attend college in the fall if they wished to, a 

novel recruitment approach that boosted enrolment. 

Promoted to Manager of Liaison and Community 

Relations, Ann developed strategies to meet 

enrolment targets, including personalized direct mail, 

focused customer service training and closer ties with 

high-school teachers and guidance counsellors. 

As Director of Student Services, Ann broke new 

ground by instituting student retention strategies, 

including student success surveys, work that earned 

the college a coveted Noel-Levitz Retention Excellence 

Award. She was named Centennial’s Vice President 

of Student Services and Advocacy in 1999. A year 

later she got a phone call that would change her 

career trajectory. 

“A search firm called and asked me if I was interested 

in a Vice President position at Nova Scotia Community 

College. I said absolutely not. But they kept calling, 

saying my name kept coming up.” 

Ann eventually relented and flew to Halifax to see what 

NSCC, with 13 campuses across Nova Scotia, was all 

about. What was supposed to have been an informal 

chat became a full-fledged job interview, and Ann grew 

excited about the tasks they had laid out, including 

implementing a strategic review and career education 

policy for the entire province. 

“The President had told me that it was not a matter 

of having NSCC catch up with everyone else, but to 

leapfrog ahead with some bold ideas,” Ann recalls. 

She relished the challenge and took the job. “It was 

an unbelievable rollercoaster ride, and the pace of 

change was huge.” 

Within months of her starting, two airliners crashed 

into New York’s World Trade Centre on 9/11 and 

the repercussions were felt in Nova Scotia, where 

thousands of air travellers were redirected after the 

U.S. closed its airspace. 

“We sheltered 1,500 airline passengers by opening 

Akerley Campus to them” Anne says. Much like the 

scenes from Come From Away, the hit musical about 

the travellers who landed in Gander, Newfoundland, 

the personal stories of the stranded passengers 

were extraordinary, as was the response by the local 

community. Ann and her volunteers worked around 

the clock to look after their accidental visitors for an 

unforgettable week of heartache and friendships. 

In 2003, Centennial College President Richard 

Johnston announced he would not be renewing his 

contract for a second term, and the search was on 

for a new leader. Word got back to Ann in Nova 

Scotia. Centennial was not in great financial shape, 

and enrolment growth had waned. Ann knew that 

if she wanted the job, she would have to bring a 

daring proposal. 

We needed to catalyze change at 

the college, something profound 

to make it a standout in the 

marketplace. I came up with the 

‘signature academic experience’ 

at my kitchen table.

Ann travelled to Toronto in late 2003 to make her 

pitch. Knowing Centennial’s strength is its diversity, 

Ann intended to amplify it by building students’ 

understanding of social equity and justice issues, 

and by giving them portfolio learning and cultural 

competencies to prepare them to work in an 

increasingly global economy. 

Ann’s audacious vision won her the job. The renamed 

Signature Learning Experience (SLE), the product of 

extensive consultation with more than 1,000 faculty 

and staff members, became a bold statement of 

distinction that would set Centennial apart. 

Ann began her new role at Centennial in June 2004, 

and was formally installed in a ceremony at the 

gleaming new Science and Technology Centre at 

Morningside Campus. Among her first duties was to 

unveil a new summer program that involved delivering 

tuition-free courses to “at-risk” youth living in the 

Malvern neighbourhood in northeast Scarborough. 

Toronto Mayor David Miller attended the project 

launch and later told the Globe and Mail that 

Centennial’s community outreach effort was the 

highlight of his first year in office. The summer college 

experience would eventually become HYPE (Helping 

Youth Pursue Education), which continues to produce 

positive results to this day. 

As the SLE took shape – requiring every full-time 

student to take the innovative GNED 500 Global 

Citizenship course – Ann mused about offering 

opportunities for students to travel overseas. 

HYPE Baking class graduation, 2013 

Ann with Mayor David Miller, 2004 

We know from studies 

that just eight days in 

another environment can 

fundamentally change 

you – and that’s what we 

set out to do. We want 

our students to go abroad 

and see the world, to 

democratize education so 

that everyone, regardless 

of their means, can have a 

chance to get out there. 

The first group of students and faculty/staff advisors 

travelled to work in rural Dominican Republic. The 

college paid for the flights and accommodations, and 

many of the meals were provided by the local agency 

that was orchestrating the service work. 

“We try to partner with established non-profits 

on the ground who may have experience hosting 

students. That way we’re assured of a safe place 

in which our learners can perform their work,” says 

Ann. Increasingly bold adventures have dispatched 

students to destinations such as the Amazon River 

basin and the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. 

“What’s incredible is that our international students 

have really taken advantage of these trips. And the 

Aboriginal components have grown; we want more 

opportunities for students to learn about Indigenous 

cultures right here in Canada.” 

Ann with Jean Augustine, 

Ontario Fairness Comissioner 

Participating students develop leadership skills and 

work to create positive social change in rural places 

that barely register on any map. And, as promised, 

students come back profoundly changed. 

Ann has long recognized Centennial serves a 

community of learners with financial needs. In 

response, she created the Lesley Russell 

Scholarship, the Ann Buller Indigenous Entrance 

Scholarship and the David and Isabel Buller 

Scholarship. She also supports the college’s annual 

golf tournament fundraiser. 

In addition to her college diploma, Ann found the 

time between her administrative duties to complete 

a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from York University, 

and a Master of Arts in Education from Central 

Michigan University. 

To list all of Ann’s accomplishments, awards and 

accolades since her return to Centennial in 2004 

would take up a good number of these magazine 

pages. Suffice it to say that her vision to transform 

Centennial has been realized. With her guidance, 

the college community has authored three Book of 

Commitments, comprehensive strategic plans that lay 

out the college’s roadmap in five-year increments. 

The environmental scans and consultations with 

employers, advisory committee members, the Board 

of Governors, College Council, the Alumni Association, 

students and staff have resulted in plans that 

strategically and thoughtfully position Centennial 

for success. 

“Our strategic plans describe a college with bolder 

commitments, reflecting the confidence in, and 

passion for, the work of transforming lives and 

communities through learning,” notes Ann. Compared 

to the complacent school she found in 1989, the 

transformation of Centennial itself has been nothing 

short of astounding. 

Ann with culinary students 

at CENTItalia, 2017 

This spring Ann Buller will leave Centennial, reluctantly 

but by choice, as its longest-serving and most 

impactful president. But she pledges to stay connected 

to the institution she’s inspired and led for most of 

three decades. 

I have a deep emotional 

connection to this place. But 

it’s the right time for a change 

in leadership,” she says, as a 

tremor of emotion crosses her 

face. “It’s going to be hard to 

leave the building when that 

day arrives. 


Ann Buller Breakfast Club at Taylor 

Global Citizen Digest 7 

Creek Public School, 2018

I 

recently read an article by Nico Jooste – 

highly respected internationalization 

professional, past head of the International 

Education Association of South Africa and key 

idea man behind the groundbreaking Nelson 

Mandela Bay Global Dialogue on the Future of 

Internationalization in Higher Education (Heleta 

and Jooste, 2017). In the article, Jooste talks 

about the concept of global citizenship being 

necessarily western-centric, which inherently 

excludes the Global South. He and Heleta posit 

that the Global South does not have access to 

the very notion of global citizenship, and suggests 

instead focusing on global competence. He 

states that: 

…global citizenship in higher education 

(HE) is not a viable or desirable 

proposition for the South. 

(Jooste, 2017). 

Additionally, Brett Bowden (Bowden, 2003) notes 

that “to be in a position to claim to be a global citizen 

is a privilege that is reserved for the modern, affluent 

global bourgeoisie.” 

Inclusive Global Citizenship 

Global Citizenship: 

An Aspirational 

and Inclusive Goal 

While I understand and was challenged by the 

critiques of global citizenship as a child of the 

Global South raised in the Global North, I stand 

firm in my conviction that global citizenship is 

an aspirational goal available and desirable to 

all. Here's why: 

Global citizenship is an inclusive concept. 

From the conception of global citizenship, it 

has been inclusive. Kwame Anthony Appiah, in 

a 2007 keynote address, talked about the first 

known individual to claim global citizenship, 

the Greek philospher Diogenes (Appiah, 2007). 

His idea of being a global citizen, or what he 

called being a citizen of the world, had the 

following three attributes: 

1. We do not need a single world 

government. 

2. However, we must care for the fate of all 

human being inside and outside our own 

societies. 

3. We have much to gain from conversation 

with one another across our differences. 

In reviewing the literature for more recent 

definitions of global citizenship, it is clear that 

it is an expansive concept with no single and 

accepted definition. For example, a global 

citizen is defined by Ron Israel (2012) as 

"someone who identifies with being part of an 

emerging world community and whose actions 

contribute to building this community’s values 

and practices.” 

Madeleine Green (2012), drawing from a variety 

of sources, lists the following elements of global 

citizenship: 

• “A choice and way of thinking.” While being 

born in a country is out of an individual’s 

control, being engaged with the world is not. It 

speaks to the choice in thinking, the freedom 

of decision, that an individual can become a 

global citizen or not. 

• “Self-awareness and awareness of others.” 

Recognizing that personal and individual 

actions (can) affect the collective. “Global 

citizenship entails an awareness of the 

interdependence of individuals and systems 

and a sense of responsibility that follows 

from it.” 

• “Participation in the social and political life of 

one’s community.” This can range from the 

local community to the global community, and 

include religious, community, political and other 

groups. It speaks to a sense of connection to 

other communities (Green, 2012). 

According to UNESCO, “Global citizenship 

(education) aims to empower learners to assume 

active roles to face and resolve global challenges 

and to become proactive contributors to a more 

peaceful, tolerant, inclusive and secure world” 

(UNESCO, n.d.). 

Common to these definitions are the concepts of 

self-identification as a global citizen and active, 

mindful engagement in communities, whether 

local or global, for positive change. Given these 

expansive definitions, it would follow that access 

to global citizenship is available to everyone, 

and can be deployed differently. Individuals can 

choose to be global citizens or not, regardless of 

circumstances or location. 

Global citizenship does not have to 

include mobility. 

While global citizenship may be "practiced and 

promoted by those with the ability, and means 

to travel and engage around the globe” (Jooste, 

2017) this is neither a foundational nor a required 

component of global citizenship. 

But mobility is important, even while traditional 

mobility is not the only way to move ideas around 

the world. Remember Diogenes: We have much 

to gain from conversation with one another 

across our differences (Appiah, 2007). Mobility of 

thought, facilitated by ever-accessible technology, 

has become possible like never before, and is 

accessible to both individuals in the Global North 

and, increasingly, the Global South. 

Global citizenship does not need to be measured. 

It is an aspirational goal that can be interpreted 

differently. 

Darla Deardorff et al. (2012) asks, "is it possible 

and desirable to reach commonly agreed upon 

foundational principles” of global citizenship? 

Beyond two basic notions underpinning global 

citizenship –self-identification as a citizen of the 

world and active community engagement for 

positive change – I do not believe it is. 

Therefore, global citizenship does not need to live 

within the institution. Though global citizenship is 

a concept, it is also so much more. It is an end, 

an aspirational goal and a philosophy that, when 

employed through international experiences, 

globalized classrooms, curriculums, community 

engagement and/or mindset, can lead to positive 

social change. 

Global citizenship is good, and in our increasingly 

interconnected world, fostering global citizenship 

is desirable and practical, whether it comes from a 

college or university, a community organization, or 

an inspired individual. 

Whether it is by necessity or by design, individuals 

in the Global South are highly engaged citizens 

of the world. Take, for example, the permaculture 

(permanent agriculture or permanent culture) 

farmers of Cuba. The economic downturn that 

affected much for the world in the early 1990s 

had significant repercussions for Cuba’s importdependent 

food industry. Farmers were forced 

to respond, and they did so with a system of 

agriculture that works with nature, following three 

foundational principles: Caring for the Earth, caring 

for people and returning any surplus to the land and 

to the people (Bell, 2992). Through partnerships 

with organizations throughout the world, these 

farmers share their permaculture expertise. 

Recently, a group of Centennial College 

students, faculty and staff had the opportunity 

to visit permaculture projects and were not only 

transformed by the experience, they “gained 




from (the) conversation with one another…” (Appiah, 

2007). They will share their expertise with their school 

community, but also beyond. one student, Alysha Morris, 

immediately put some of the practices in place, engaging 

future citizens of the world – her children: 

Xenophobia and populist-nationalism: 

Insights from Future 

Post-Secondary Students 

Alysha Morris, Global Citizenship and Equity Learning Experience Participant, 

May 2017. Alysha Morris teaches her children how to re-purpose used items 

for urban permaculture use. 

We took our old BBQs and scrap items that were to 

be disposed of, cleaned them up and turned them 

into plant beds and a small garden. This was to 

remember my amazing experience in Cuba and to 

implement what I have learned in my own home and 

with my children. We have planted and implemented 

one thing from each farm I attended. We did a flower 

bed made from re-used items, planted carrots, 

squash, green onions, tomatoes and 

green peppers. 

By Janine Knight-Grofe 

Janine Knight-Grofe is Manager, International 

Education at Durham College, where she is 

responsible for a multifaceted portfolio of 

activities and services for international 

students, oversees education abroad 

and supports the institution in its 

internationalization-at-home goals. 

Prior to Durham College, Janine managed 

global experiences at Centennial College, and 

spent 10 years at the Canadian Bureau for 

International Education (CBIE) where she was 

lead author of Canada’s global report on the 

state of international education in Canada and 

Team Leader for the International Students and 

Immigration Education Program. 

Janine holds a Master of Science in Comparative 

Politics from the London School of Economics. 

It 

is mid-year 2017, and in the daily news, we are increasingly confronted by stories 

of xenophobia (Zelinksky, 2006), populism (Human Rights Watch, 2017), and 

nationalism (Harvard Gazette, 2017). With just a slight scratch of the surface, 

these stories seem to reveal multiple examples of a distaste for diversity and 

a desire to exclude. At the same time, there is ample evidence that some 

organizations and nations are seeing diversity as a strength (Mark, 2017) and inclusion as a 

key goal. Deloitte (Australia) routinely produces reports focusing on the value of diversity and 

inclusion in the workplace. Closer to home, we have witnessed the relatively recent creation 

of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion with a mission "to generate the awareness, 

dialogue and action for people to recognize diversity as an asset and not an obstacle.” But 

what of the world of post-secondary education? In particular, what is the impact of this new 

political climate on students who travel internationally in pursuit of their post-secondary 

education? It is the intent of this article to begin to explore, in a very personal way, the 

first-hand impact of this new climate on international students who plan to begin their postsecondary 

learning in this new reality. 

In the interests of inclusion, this article was purposefully co-authored by one professor and 

three current secondary school students. The purpose of the article is to understand the 

personal impact of the rise of xenophobia and populist-nationalism on students. Young 

people who are currently in their final years of secondary school actively investigate where 

they wish to pursue their post-secondary studies. Insights from these students can shed light 

on the individual impact of the changing global political climate. For educators, it is vital to 

understand the perspective from students, as these are the individuals who are members of 

our classes. 

In order to write this paper, the four authors collaborated on co-creating 

questions and answers that would help to provide the reader with an insight 

into the thinking and experiences of the three student-authors in the context 

explained above. The authors agreed that the most effective way to ‘give 

voice’ to the student-authors would be to use a question-and-answer format, 

as it would provide the most direct connection between 

students and readers. The three student-authors are Jingze 

Dong, Roman Wang and Yuning Wang. Their answers to the 

questions are provided on the following page, preceded by 

their first names. 




Question 1: What general concerns do you have knowing that there 

is a climate of rising xenophobia and populist-nationalism? 

Question 3: What do you believe rising xenophobia and 

populist-nationalism might mean for your post-secondary education? 

Jingze: My general concern about rising xenophobia 

and populist-nationalism is about my postsecondary 

education and future, because I would 

like to pursue an education in the United States. 

When I realized the trend, it really makes me worry 

about how successful I can become in a society 

with rising xenophobia and populist-nationalism. 

Is the university that I am wishing to attend a 

welcoming environment, or am I going to face 

obstacles in socializing and academics at the 

same time? For example, if the professors in the 

university are xenophobic or populist-nationalist, 

are they going to give me a hard time throughout 

my studies, or are they going to expect a different 

set of standards than the average white American 

students? I might face a lot of obstacles in my 

social life, too. Will my classmates be welcoming, or 

is it hard to fit in? If I want to fit in, do I have to lose 

a lot of my own culture to do so? 

Yuning: Xenophobia may give rise to both physical 

and linguistic violence against international 

students. Moreover, I cannot help worrying that 

employers may have different standards of 

recruitment for foreigners and local citizens if I seek 

an internship during the course of my education. 

Roman: The last thing I would want as a student 

is to have external factors such as xenophobic 

classmates affecting my learning. I hope the postsecondary 

learning environment will be inclusive 

and accepting, instead of hostile and close-minded 

(like that which is portrayed in the news). 

Jingze: I think rising xenophobia and populistnationalism 

means challenges for my postsecondary 

education. Or it might be the biggest 

challenge that I might face in the future. Not only 

post-secondary education, even after that, I will 

have to face the same challenges when I step into 

the workforce. In Canada, there are not that many 

problems, because it is a multicultural society, so I 

never have to worry about it, but when I think about 

going to the States for university, it becomes a 

question that I usually think about. 

Yuning: One concern for me is that local students 

may not be willing to cooperate with me in group 

work because of the rising xenophobia. I may not 

be able to accomplish certain tasks that require 

co-working, because some people may resent 

collaborating with me, a foreigner in their country. 

Roman: The development of these recent trends 

has narrowed down universities (or rather 

locations) I am comfortable with studying in. 

There were even times when I eliminated the 

United States altogether as an option for my postsecondary 

education. The biggest surprise for me is 

the ignorance that our neighbors to the south can 

have. Despite being so close in culture and 

geography, Canada’s diversity is worlds different 

from America. This is just my perspective, which 

I have developed through exposure to the media. 

However, I still intend to study in the U.S. and get a 

sense for myself. 

Question 2: When thinking specifically about your future post-secondary 

education, how safe do you feel in terms of where you might want to study, 

how well you will be understood, and/or how included you might feel? 

Question 4: In this climate, what would you like to tell educators? 

Jingze: To be honest, I often worry about mental 

safety if I want to pursue a post-secondary 

education in the States. I have been studying in a 

Canadian school for almost five years now. Even 

though Canada is a very multicultural society, 

I still find some xenophobic behavior, and the 

States is only going to be worse. I have to be 

mentally prepared for the potential unwelcoming 

environment. 

Yuning: What worries me the most is whether my 

future professors would be influenced by such a 

climate, and if I will receive unfair treatment when 

my exams and assignments are being graded. It 

is a major concern for me that my performance 

during my post-secondary education would be 

underestimated because of my nationality. 

Roman: I intend to study in globalized cities that 

have diverse ethnic communities. I cannot expect to 

have the same expectations in terms of acceptance 

and diversity in the U.S. as compared to Canada. 

But I feel now with the media working against the 

hostile and xenophobic Trump administration, 

people (especially the younger generation) will have 

a more mature perspective on immigration and 

people who aren’t exactly your “average American.” 

Jingze: When a student comes in the door, and it 

is the first time you meet him, he should be like a 

blank piece of paper. Educators should not judge 

them based on what they look like. If you judge a 

student by how they look, it is like working with a 

article that is already written. It is hard to change, 

and it will be impossible to discover the truth of 

that person. 

Yuning: Please do not judge a student according 

to the stereotypical impression of their race or 

nationality. Each student has unique strengths and 

weaknesses, which don’t differ because of where 

they came from. 

Roman: I believe that as educators, they have 

responsibility to utilize their knowledge (which 

comes with a certain degree of credibility and 

authority) to educate people and the younger 

generation. If they do see the wrongs with the 

current social and political trends, they should 

attempt to influence those around them (especially 

the students and the post-secondary community). 

After all, a lot of xenophobia and populistnationalism, 

I believe, rose from misinterpretation 

of certain ideas and the lack of education of the 

general public. 




Intentionally, as co-authors, we do not want to interpret the comments of the three student 

co-authors. We believe that their words speak for themselves. It is our hope – with a desire to 

celebrate the strength that diversity and inclusion bring - that the comments provided here may 

initiate other discussions with secondary and post-secondary students about the climate of rising 

xenophobia and populist-nationalism, and the effect it has on them and their educational pursuits. 

Coupled with this, it is our hope that the questions we used and the issues raised here may be of 

support to educators both to gain insights into the lives and experiences of their students but, as 

well, to assist professors and instructors in best serving the educational needs of their students 

who are seeking a post-secondary education. 

References 

Alvin Powell, Harvard Staff Writer, Peter Reuell, Harvard Staff Writer, John Laidler Harvard 

Correspondent, Liz Mineo, Harvard Staff Writer, Clea Simon Harvard Correspondent, and Corydon 

Ireland Harvard Correspondent. "In Europe, Nationalism Rising." Harvard Gazette. Harvard Gazette, 

01 Mar. 2017. Web. 28 Apr. 2017. 

Mark, Michelle. "'Diversity Is Our Strength': Justin Trudeau Says Refugees Are Welcome in Canada." 

Business Insider. Business Insider, 28 Jan. 2017. Web. 28 Apr. 2017. 

"World Report: The Dangerous Rise of Populism Global Attacks on Human Rights Values." Human 

Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch, 19 Jan. 2017. Web. 28 Apr. 2017. 

Zelinsky, Wilbur. Nation into State: The Shifting Symbolic Foundations of American Nationalism. 

Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina, 2006. Print. 

By : Mr. Jingze Dong, Dr. Richard Williamson, Mr. Roman Wang, Ms. Yuning Wang 

GLOBAL 

CITIZEN 

Digest 

The Global Citizen Digest is a hub for sharing ideas on how global citizenship education can foster engaged learners 

ready to succeed in a knowledge-based, globalized, technology-driven world. 

Centennial College has the highest number of students with disabilities across all colleges in Ontario. In the 2018 

academic year, 15 per cent of the student population identified as having a disability. As a college committed to 

social justice, equity and inclusion, we are taking action to ensure that students with disabilities thrive while at 

Centennial College. By embedding the principles of universal and inclusive design in our teaching and learning 

environments, we are strengthening student learning outcomes and preparing students with the knowledge and 

skills to succeed in the workforce. 

We are excited that the theme of this edition of the Global Citizen Digest will be: 

Universal and Inclusive Design at Centennial College 

We are seeking submissions in the form of articles, book reviews, artwork or poetry focused on universal and 

inclusive design at Centennial College. We invite Centennial College students and employees to share their 

experiences, perspectives and research on the following topics: 

• Narratives of Universal and Inclusive Design at Centennial College 

• Promising practices in Universal Design for Learning at Centennial College 

• Impact of Universal and Inclusive Design on the student experience 

CALL FOR YOUR 

SUBMISSIONS 

• Best practices for Universal and Inclusive Design in a global context 

• Strategies to strengthen employment outcomes for graduates with disabilities 

DEADLINE: JUNE 17, 2019 

Jingze Dong is a 17 yearold 

grade 12 student at 

York Mills Collegiate 

Institute. He was born and 

raised in China and moved 

to Canada with his family 

at the age of 12. He is 

currently hoping to pursue 

a post-secondary 

education in the 

United States. 

Dr. Richard Williamson 

has served as a 

teacher, education 

administrator, program 

author and professor. 

His current work 

focuses exclusively on 

leadership for diversity 

and inclusion at both 

the undergraduate 

and graduate level. 

Roman Run Jia Wang 

was born and raised 

in Dalian, China and 

immigrated with his 

family to Toronto, 

Canada in 2009. He 

is currently attending 

his third year of high 

school. He aspires to 

attend university in 

New York City, where 

he intends to further 

his study and interest 

in business. 

Yuning Wang is a 

secondary school 

student who is 

currently studying an 

international curriculum 

in China. She plans 

to continue her postsecondary 

education in 

North America. 

Submission Criteria: 

• Articles and book reviews must not exceed 1000 words 

• All photos must be high resolution 

• References must follow APA guidelines 

Send submissions to: 

Tatiana Wugalter at twugalter@centennialcollege.ca 

14 Global Citizen Digest Global Citizen Digest 15


Strengthening International 

Student Experience with VOICE 

The 

creation and 

implementation 

of VOICE, a 

voluntary Englishspeaking 

peer 

mentoring partnership for international students 

in the Personal Support Worker program at 

Centennial College, was created out of an 

identified need to welcome, support and assist 

international students into Canada and into 

Canadian college classrooms. Having someone 

to meet with before class, during class and 

after class to talk to, text and email not only 

strengthened student voices and writing skills, 

it evolved into an intercultural experiential 

“learning and leading by doing" experience. 

Strengthening verbal objectives in the classroom 

environment was the initial mission of VOICE, 

however, through its implementation and 

evolution, you will hear from the students and 

team coordinator how it became much more 

than that. When reviewing the literature, the 

need to pay greater attention to the holistic 

needs of international students by implementing 

student transitioning programs into the higher 

educational setting was evident. Providing 

peer mentoring programs for student support 

in the higher educational setting was cited 

time and time again in the literature as a way 

to build bridges, empathy, compassion and 

understanding for the participating parties to 

prevent feelings of loneliness, isolation and 

feelings of non-connectedness in the learning 

environment and to the people within it 

(Briguglio, 2000; Devereux, 2004; Yeh 

and Inose, 2003; Zhai, 2002). 

VOICE was created with this in mind and was 

built based on Topping’s (2005) peer-to-peer 

collaborative learning partnership model. 

Topping identified in his work that peer-topeer 

learning had an advantage for students 

compared to other models. Topping cited that 

students who were accomplishing the same 

goals could actively learn, side by side, as they 

went through the program together and he 

acknowledged that when students were at the 

same level of learning, learning was happening 

through exchanges of teaching, sharing and 

feedback. Topping (2005) also felt that this was 

a more stimulating environment for learning 

and was a motivating factor for students to 

want to learn. Topping (2005) felt that it was the 

immediacy of feedback that was key between 

peers, because that ignited excitement about 

learning in this collaborative learning model. 

VOICE members also felt when asked and when 

exploring experiences and feelings in their 

biweekly workshops that having a peer with 

them was a great experience that allowed them 

to not feel alone. Peers felt supported by having 

someone they knew in the classroom. Students 

talked often of the friendships they developed, 

and the sharing of cultural customs related to 

language, foods, music, holidays, dress, body 

language and even recreational activities. It 

was such a priviledge to be involved with the 

students in our workshops of community 

and discovery. 

Observations of increasing self-confidence and 

feelings of belonging also became evident and 

inspiring as the students progressed in the 

partnership and the semester. The students 

knew that there was someone who cared and 

accepted them for them. 

In the words of a valued VOICE team coordinator, 

“this program is the greatest for our students. This 

partnership teaches our students so much and gets 

them actually living, giving and receiving help in a safe 

place where all students feel that they belong and that 

they are not alone.” 

Connectedness and a feeling 

of belonging 

For many international students, choosing to study 

abroad is a decision that is exciting, however, it can 

also be a lonely time until supports and classroom 

connections with peers are made, and this is reflected 

in the testimonial of VOICE mentees. 

Intercultural caring, sharing and respect 

Members show empathy by recognizing 

and understanding the other person, 

imagining what it is like to be that 

person experiencing or living the 

situation as they do. 

(VOICE mentee) 

As an international student coming to 

Canada, I really didn’t know what to 

expect, as it was my first time in the 

country. Entering into a new college, 

a new environment, not knowing 

what to expect, VOICE stepped in 

and allowed me to feel at home and 

comfortable. I started college without 

any friends or anyone to talk to, so 

when VOICE was introduced to me, 

I immediately became a member 


I used to feel so lonely, because I have no friends in Canada. I cannot go 

out and speak my natural language. I tried to speak clearly, but it still was 

difficult for Canadian students to understand me. When I was studying to 

be a Personal Support Worker, I heard about VOICE. Everything has been 

changing since I attended VOICE. I have a mentor. She is a Canadian. 

That means English is a first language with her. We have spent a lot of 

time communicate. We are friends. 


Members lead by actions, 

empathy and respecting 

each others culture. 





It was a very rewarding experience to 

learn about another person, where they 

come from and how different our lives 

have been, yet so similar with how we 

view other people. 

(VOICE mentor) 

I was able to learn a lot about another 

culture---really, it was like a whole other 

world! Where my "mentees" come from, 

how different their health and school 

systems are, how they handle conflict 

and problem solve---very different 

from ours. 


What’s Fair is Fair: 

What Happened at 

Centennial College’s First 

Social Justice Fair? 

Again, their way of life is so different from ours. How they 

view the world, and things that we take for granted is 

eye-opening and humbling. Being a "mentor," I was also a 

"mentee," and I've learned some amazing things I would 

not have if I did not participate in this program. I have 

also made some life long friendships. 


VOICE works in so many ways. I urge a partnership 

like this in your colleges. Students at Centennial 

College in the Personal Support Worker program 

not only learned the definition of global citizenship, 

they lived it, experienced it and passed it on in their 

partnerships and membership with VOICE, and this 

is reflected in this article’s closing testament from 

one of our international students. 

A global citizen is someone who has 

a global mindset and self-awareness. 

The global citizen identifies as being 

part of a worldwide community and 

whose actions are lead by empathy, 

intercultural intelligence, personal 

and social responsibility. 


By Lorraine Nelson 

Lorraine Nelson, creator and coordinator of 

VOICE, is a Nursing Educator who enjoys teaching, 

research and making teaching and learning 

connections for students through the use of 

engaging research, mentorships, curriculum, 

pathways and technology. Lorraine is a Doctoral 

Candidate in the Educational Technology 

Graduate program at Central Michigan University. 

Special thanks to my Chair, Dianne McCauley, 

who supported VOICE in the PSW program, Joan 

Wighton, team coordinator and, of course, all 

VOICE members! 

On 

February 21, overcast 

skies loomed over Progress 

Campus while the Centre 

for Global Citizenship 

Education and Inclusion’s 

Global Citizen Ambassadors finalized details for 

the Centre’s first Social Justice Fair. The Centre 

partnered with the Progress Campus Library 

to create a multi-faceted event experience for 

Centennial College students. 

The purpose of the Social Justice Fair was to 

give students the opportunity to support the 

social justice issues that they are passionate 

about. Centennial College has many students 

who are seeking meaningful volunteer 

opportunities, and the Social Justice Fair is 

one event that can help them connect with 

organizations looking for volunteers. 

The fair was held in the Progress Campus Library 

Commons and Fireside Gallery from 11 am – 2 pm. 

The Commons hosted 14 organizations motivated 

by social justice, alongside an art display, courtesy 

of the organization TakingITGlobal, featuring 15 

pieces that tackled prevalent issues from extreme 

poverty to global warming. The Fireside Gallery 

acted as a secondary interactive space where 

students made social justice buttons, played 

board games, perused a display of over 50 books 

from the library covering topics ranging from 

LGBTQ2+ rights to Islamophobia, and enjoyed 

free muffins and coffee (if one could finish their 

Social Justice Passport, that is!). A video featuring 

speeches, poetry by Maya Angelou, and trailers for 

documentaries covering social justice issues played 

on loop in the background as students enjoyed the 

interactive portion of the Social Justice Fair. 

The Fireside Gallery was also filled with the sound of 

powerful spoken word courtesy of iNsight, performer 

Tanika Riley’s stage name. When asked about the 

fair, Riley said, 




I really commend any educational institution… 

that really tries to enlighten students about issues 

surrounding social justice. So that students, no 

matter what degree that they’re doing… know that 

we’re still on this planet together. 

How Does Gender Equity Play Out? 

Panel Pushes Audiences to 

Reimagine Sport Spaces 

The library was filled with a sense of 

togetherness and benevolence as students 

were excited to be networking with 

organizations who carry powerful messages. 

Pricilla Arias, the Young Women’s Outreach 

Coordinator at the Scarborough Women’s 

Centre thinks that “it’s great that there’s 

a social justice fair,” Robbie Ahmed, the 

Men’s Outreach Coordinator for the Alliance 

for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP), 

comments, “It’s amazing how many folks are 

coming out.” 

“It’s very inspirational.” Riddhi Hingragiya, a 

first year biomedical engineering student, 

says. “We are meeting social organizations 

[from] Canada… We also got to know about 

[volunteering in] Canada.” Another student, 

Nihhn Baten, who is in biomedical 

engineering, commented that "we can help 

spread awareness and help other people. 

It’s amazing!” 

By Allyson Aritcheta and Hailey Bartolomeu 

Allyson Aritcheta is a freelance 

editor and journalist situated in 

Toronto. She holds a graduate 

certificate in publishing from 

Centennial College, and a 

Bachelor of Arts from Ryerson 

University, where she studied 

psychology and English. Allyson 

Although the Social Justice Fair was a 

success, there is still room for improvement. 

“It would be nice if we could meet people 

who are volunteering with the organizations. 

I think it would be better to see… students, 

so we can get [their] experiences about what 

it’s like to be a student and a volunteer,” 

Tayzin Mawani, a second year energy 

systems engineering technology student 

from Tanzania comments. “I also feel like the 

volunteer positions are limited.” 

Given the volume of positive and constructive 

feedback, the centre hopes that plans for 

the second Social Justice Fair will be in the 

works soon. 

The weather on February 21 may have 

been gloomy, but from 11 am – 2 pm the 

Global Citizen Ambassadors proved that 

no amount of overcast skies could deter 

students from being socially proactive within 

their community. 

has been published in This 

Magazine, From the Root, 

and On the Danforth. 

Hailey Bartolomeu is a Social 

Service Worker student at 

Ashtonbee with a passion 

for activism. 

Silence ensued, and she later explained she was 

shocked that no one jumped up and said "men 

have more testosterone – that’s why they are 

bigger, stronger and faster." Barb calmly said there 

is no other reason besides access. The arguments 

surrounding the differences vary across disciplines 

and yet one still rises to the top: Access. The gap 

is slowly narrowing, but without equal access, 

variances will persist. 

Men have more access to sport. Men are pushed 

to play, and outdoor sport spaces have invisible 

boundaries (ie. gender stereotypes that women 

should not play sports, or women may fear asking 

or claiming the space) that make it safer for men 

to play. The world expects men to play, we are 

socialized to believe that men should and need 

to play. Women are regulated to the sidelines as 

walk on girls or grid girls (Meadows, 2018) and 

cheerleaders. Yes, we have come a long way 

and are witnessing small increases in women's 

I 

recently facilitated a Sport and Inclusion session 

in collaboration with the Centre for Global 

Citizenship Education and Inclusion at Centennial 

College. The amazing panelists included sport 

media activist Shireen Ahmed, Deaf Olympian 

Courage Bacchus and Sport LGBT Inclusion Expert 

Barb Basharat. Each shared compelling stories and 

knowledge about inequities in the world of sport. 

One discussion point that resonated with me was 

the debate on the myth of why men are ‘better’ than 

women in sport. 

Barb asked the question, why are men ‘better’ at 

sports? The photo on the following page was used 

when she asked the question to illustrate the gap of 

performance within certain sports. 

participation as sport leaders, Olympians, coaches 

and board members, as well as increased 

representation in sports media. However, a 

real shift towards gender equity requires the 

dismantling of inequitable systems and a 

reimagining of sport spaces as more inclusive for 

women from all walks of life. 

How does gender equity (CAAWS, 2018) play 

out on the field? More recently, allegations 

surrounding sexual misconduct by sports 

reporters (Rosenthal, 2017), athletes (Edwards, 

2018) and sports media (Deitsch, 2017) have 

surfaced. However, a number of examples in pro 

sports suggest that the industry may be slowly 

recognizing that organized sport is a breeding 

ground that promotes gender inequality and 

realizing that necessary changes are needed. 

The #MeToo movement seems to be speeding 

this process along. 




Recently, two professional sports organizations 

have made visible changes in the format of their 

sport that directly impacts women. The professional 

dart association has decided to ban “walk on 

girls” (Stuff, 2018) in the sport. The role of walk 

on girls is to accompany the dart players as they 

go on stage. Formula One professional race car 

driving followed suit, and has banned grid girls, who 

similarly stand along the red carpet to welcome the 

drivers on the track. We are experiencing a tectonic 

shift when it comes to women’s equality, and if we 

view sport as a microcosm of society, the roles of 

women suggests that we have quite a long way 

to go: 

• Only 17% of U Sport head coaches are women 

(Fueling Women Champions Report) 

• Only 20% of Team Canada coaches for the 

2016 Olympics were women. 

• Women hold 38% of senior staff positions 

and 29% of board positions in National 

Sport Organizatons and Municipal Sport 

Organizations – Fueling Women Champions 

Report (caaws.ca) 

the rhetoric that no one wants to watch women’s 

sports, along with their unequal l funding and 

resources, it is not impossible to believe, as Barb 

proved, that it's ingrained in our consciousness 

that women are not equal to men when it comes 

to sport. 

Courage Bacchus led us through her plight to 

gain support as an athlete with a disability. She 

also faced double jeopardy, being a black women 

and also coming from a family that did not have 

the means to provide her with all of the available 

opportunities to participate and compete in sport. 

There are some systems (ownthepodium.org) 

and organizations (jumpstart.canadiantire.ca) in 

place to alleviate some of the financial burden 

(kidsportcanada.ca) and barriers placed on 

families (righttoplay.ca) that prevent participation 

in sport and physical activity. As discussed, 

financial constraints are not the only reason 

women do not participate in sport. Shireen, Barb 

and Courage each spoke about the complexities 

of involvement in sport by women, including 

gender expectations, gender stereotypes, sexism, 

racism, homophobia, competing interests and 

cultural expectations. For a more comprehensive 

explanation on each of these, there are a 

number 1 of reports 2 and websites (caaws.ca) that 

you can visit to obtain more info 3 . What we can 

take away from the panelists is that the status 

quo of systems, structures and behaviours are 

being challenged. Sport needs to continue to 

re-examine and investigate ways to be not only 

more inclusive, but intentional towards achieving 

gender equity within sport and physical activity. 

Now, let’s examine the role of cheerleaders. 

Despite advancements in the competitiveness 

of cheerleading, the role of cheerleaders can be 

argued as one of viewing pleasure for the male 

gaze. Most cheerleaders are severely underpaid 

(Eagan, 2018) and many are depicted in 

stereotypically sexual ways. There is also a lack 

of value and mistreatment of cheerleaders 

within organizations who employ them. Other 

organizations, like the Toronto Raptor have 

replaced the cheerleaders with ‘dance paks’ 

(Toronto Raptors, 2018) in an effort to legitimize 

their place or value within the organization. 

There are many other sports that might not have 

walk on or grid girls, but put women on display. 

For example, ring girls (Kelliher, 2017) are used 

in boxing to signify another round; a women 

wearing revealing, tight-fitting clothes walks 

around the inside of the boxing ring displaying a 

placard above her head. 

Of course we still have cheerleaders/ 

dance paks/ice girls in professional football, 

basketball, baseball and hockey. Within all 

forms of media (especially videogames), we 

constantly see these images, as well as in 

amateaur sports and within our schools. 

The Centre for Global Citizenship Education 

and Inclusion encouraged this courageous 

conversation, which concluded that professional 

and amateuar sport systems, including high 

schools, reproduces the role of women on the 

sidelines and/or for viewing pleasure. Each 

panelist asked us to ponder the question of 

how it's possible to level the playing field when 

positive representations of women in sport is so 

stark, even at such a young age. When you hear 

Sabrina Razack is an Educator for the TDSB, 

with NCCP certifications in basketball, track and 

field, and has coached multiple sports for over 

seven years. She recently finished a three and 

a half year contract with the Pan Am/Parapan 

Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015). Her 

role included developing sports for development 

programs, curriculum and large-scale events 

that promoted a fusion of sport and culture. 

Sabrina has also worked with the Canadian 

Association for the Advancement of Women and 

Institute for Canadian Citizenship. (2014, July). Playing Together – New Citizens, Sport and 

Belonging. 

Retrieved from https://www.iccicc.ca/en/insights/docs/sports/PlayingTogether%20Full%20 

Report.pdf. 

Community Foundations of Canada. (2018). Vital Signs: Sport and Belonging. Retrieved from 

By Sabrina Razack 

Sport and Physical activity, where she designed 

programs and resources for newcomer and 

racialized women. At the University of Toronto, 

Sabrina completed her master’s thesis examining 

the player experiences of National Women’s 

Cricketers in Canada. She currently sits on the 

Advisory Board of the Canadian Sport Film Festival 

and is also an individual board member of the 

Commonwealth Games of Canada. As a scholar 

and sport sociologist, Sabrina is fascinated by the 

intersections of race, gender, class and culture. 

http://communityfoundations.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2016/04/Vital_Signs_Sport_and_ 

Belonging.pdf. 

Sport for Life Society. (2018, January). Sport for Life for ALL NEWCOMERS TO CANADA Creating 

Inclusion of Newcomers in Sport and Physical Activity. Retrieved from http://sportforlife.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2018/01/Inclusion-for-New-Citizens.pdf. 




Global Perspectives 

#WhatsOnYourShelfie 

Centennial College has launched an innovative tool for students to showcase their unique 

educational experience by earning a Global Perspectives Digital Badge. A digital badge is 

a visual credential that can be used in online portfolios to verify a particular achievement 

and highlight specific skills. With the increasing digitization of resumes and talentrecruitment 

practices, digital badges enable a job seeker to show a potential employer a 

more holistic professional representation, and contribute to one's own personal brand. 

In 2006, Centennial College made a commitment through our award-winning Signature 

Learning Experience (SLE) to prepare our students to achieve meaningful employment 

while contributing to civil society in compelling ways. The SLE empowers students to learn 

how to excel in a diverse world and gain a competitive edge in the job market by engaging 

in global citizenship, equity and social justice learning experiences. These experiences 

can now be highlighted on their resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, portfolios and in 

job interviews with the Global Perspectives Digital Badge. 

The launch of the Global Perspectives Digital 

Badge brings together meaningful curricular 

and co-curricular experiences for students 

to demonstrate global citizenship as a core 

competency, a skill that is identified as one of 

the eight must-have skills for the future of work. 

There are four steps to earning a digital badge: 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Participating in four or more 

Global Perspective Experiences 

Completing an Activity Verification 

Form for each of the Global 

Perspective Experiences 

Completing the application for a 

Global Perspectives Digital Badge 

Submitting all completed documents 

to the Centre for Global Citizenship 

Education and Inclusion 

To learn more, please visit the Centre for 

Global Citizenship Education and Inclusion's 

Digital Badge Guide online at 

centennialcollege.ca/gcei-badge 

Global 

Perspectives 

Digital Badge 

Global citizens get hired! 

Digital 

Badge 

Guide 

I am invested in keeping 

present the forgotten bodies. 

– Citizen: An American Lyric, Claudia Rankine 

A 

black hoodie, disembodied from the rest of the 

sweatshirt adorned by its bearer. This is the 

image that author Claudia Rankine presents the 

reader with in her powerful collection of poetry 

and stories in Citizen: An American Lyric. The 

compelling cover evokes thoughts of young Trayvon Martin, 

murdered and reduced to his choice of attire as justification 

for his slaying. Not Guilty. His race and social ‘place’ was 

enough of a reason to kill him. 

Rankine challenges the reader through her poetic musings 

to reflect on the concept of ‘citizen’ beyond an immigration 

status or passport one holds, to consider categories of social 

membership, including belonging and freedom. 

Who can execute their rights as a ‘free citizen?' Who is 

afforded justice, and for whom is the justice system designed? 

This is a book that can be consumed in one sitting, but the 

lyrical prose becomes imprinted in the mind, having a lasting 

effect far beyond the reading. From larger public discourse 

and media representations to daily racial microaggressions, 

Rankine explores black identities and experiences that shape 

the notion of lived ‘citizenship’ versus the one the free nation 

claims to prescribe. 

Written as a series of poems, thoughts, lyrics and short essays, the 

text provides thought-provoking bursts of images that capture black 

experiences in a candid honesty that builds upon each other as the 

reader goes from cover to cover. 

Citizen: An American Lyric leads the conversation that 

ultimately asks the question - who is truly afforded ‘citizen’ 

membership and its benefits? 



Global Citizenship 

in Action 

My team focused on developing a fundraiser 

which would help Action Against Hunger 

purchase more food supplements for children 

in Guatemala. We developed an effective 

communication strategy by assigning unique 

roles to each team member in order to 

coordinate and function well as a team. 

Our most effective communication strategy, 

through which we were able to gather most 

of our funds, was through text messaging 

and posts about the cause on social media 

Every semester, Professor Natalie 

Chinsam’s Corporate Social 

Responsibility and International 

Development class puts their global 

citizenship skills to action! 

Teams of five to six students utilize their 

theoretical skills by developing comprehensive 

fundraising and communications plans for 

international projects. Team members take on 

formal roles, such as Director of Social Media, 

to mimic a real-world experience. 

Professor Chinsam’s students develop smallscale 

campaigns for reputable international 

non-governmental organizations. In the past, 

they have collaborated with Greenpeace, which 

strives to build a greener, more peaceful world. 

Most recently, they worked with Action Against 

Hunger, a global humanitarian organization 

that takes decisive action against the causes 

and effects of hunger. In the past year, Action 

Against Hunger's global network served more 

than 20 million people in nearly 50 countries. 

Action Against Hunger presented their work 

to Professor Chinsam’s students, sharing 

information about child malnutrition in 

Bangladesh, Guatemala and South Sudan. 

Each team of students chose a country to 

focus their project on and developed unique 

and effective communications and fundraising 

strategies tailored to the particular issues in 

their chosen country. 

Together, the students’ fundraising and 

communication campaigns raised a record 

$8,942.47 and reached over 5,000 people 

in three countries. Prachi Shah, a Human 

Resources Management student, reflects on 

her experience as a global citizen in action. 

My team chose Guatemala for the fundraiser, 

as we realized that malnourished children in 

Guatemala are in urgent need of an effective 

response. In Guatemala, poverty is the main 

reason behind malnourishment in children 

under the age of five. My team was astonished 

to learn that the upper-arm circumference of 

the most malnourished child is less than the 

size of a loonie. To assist in bringing these 

children back to normal health, Action Against 

Hunger provides them with a food supplement 

known as “Plumpy Nuts,” which is a form 

of peanut butter paste containing essential 

nutrition for growing children. 

platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook 

and Instagram. We also created a 

GoFundMe page to receive funds 

online in case people did not have 

cash to donate. Additionally, we held a 

fundraiser at the Centennial College, 

Progress Campus bridge, which was 

a huge success, as we gathered 

almost half of our funds from there by 

approaching students, professors and 

visitors and conveyed our message to 

collect the funds. 

I never had fundraising experience 

before this. The project was a oneof-a-kind 

experience for me and very 

beneficial, as it will definitely help me 

in my future when I seek a job in this 

field. It taught me many skills, like 

public speaking, which is the most 

important skill I could take from 

this event. 

Prachi Shah has a Bachelors in Social Work from India. She 

obtained a Post-Graduate degree in International Development 

from Centennial College, Ontario and is currently pursuing a 

second Post-Graduate degree in Human Resources Management 

at Centennial College, Ontario. She is passionate about helping 

people help themselves. 



‒ Student 

Dear Global Citizen 

Dear Global Citizen, 

Should I anglicize my name on my resume to increase my 

chances for being called for an interview? 

My professor told us to anglicize our names when we apply for jobs to increase our 

employability. I believe the professor had our best interests in mind by being so frank, 

but I’m uncomfortable doing this. Is this a common practice in Canada? 

Dear Student, 

Unfortunately, it is a common practice 

even in a diverse and richly multicultural 

country like Canada. According to a 

two-year study conducted by University 

of Toronto, the call back rate for job 

interviews is significantly higher for 

resumes in which applicants anglicize 

their names and/or remove cultural/ 

ethnic-based work experience. You can 

find some information about the study in 

the Toronto Star article below. 

With that being said, I agree that most 

likely your professor was trying to help 

you in your job hunt, but ultimately, you 

have to decide how you want to approach 

this racial barrier to employment. Now 

that you know this barrier exists and you 

can name it, you have to decide how 

you feel comfortable overcoming it. You 

are not alone, though. Look for people 

who can help you. For example, the 

Centre for Global Citizenship Education 

and Inclusion has two portfolio advisors 

who can help you create a portfolio 

that emphasizes the importance 

and relevance of diversity and global 

perspectives in the workplace. So 

rather than whitening your resume, you 

may have just as much a chance for 

an interview through highlighting the 

relevance of your unique experiences. 

Regardless of what you decide, you 

should understand that this type of 

systemic racism is not your fault. It is 

a problem within our society that 

hopefully, studies like these will help 

address and fix. 

thestar.com/news/ 

immigration/2016/03/17/jobseekersresort-to-resum-whitening-to-get-a-foot-inthe-door-study-shows.html 

‒ Faculty 


How do I stop homophobic comments in the classroom? 

I have a class of approximately 40 students, and there is a group of six students who 

are quite boisterous. They started making homophobic comments in class, which 

I addressed immediately by telling them that it's not appropriate. However, it is not 

stopping, and now the entire class will laugh along with their jokes. How do I put a stop 

to this? 

Dear Faculty, 

Thank you for writing in about this. You’re 

right, it’s absolutely unacceptable. The 

College has protocol around discipline 

and student behaviour that is available 

to you through the Student Experience 

Office. However, to address this problem 

on a larger scale, I would use resources 

such as seminars, workshops, text 

and videos that address homophobia 

and human rights. I encourage you 

to connect with Centre for Global 

Citizenship Education and Inclusion 

to book Positive Space training for 

the class. A Positive Space workshop 

would address homophobia, and how 

it is a form of discrimination, as well 

as offer information around LGTBQ2+ 

issues. It seems that the entire class 

needs to be addressed, in addition to 

following up with the specific group of 

students you mentioned. The Centre 

could also provide additional resources 

to follow up the workshop to ensure 

enough dialogue around this topic so 

that students understand the severity 

of their current behaviour. Every student 

and staff member has the right to attend 

this college without fear of judgement or 

discrimination based on sexuality. 



References 

– Faculty 

Dear Global Citizen 


As a professor, should I interfere with students flirting with 

or ogling female students in class? 

In my class I have a female student who dresses quite provocatively. Many of the male 

students will make comments on her appearance or ogle her when she walks in. I 

can’t tell if she is uncomfortable with the attention. I’m unsure of how to approach 

her, or even if I should approach her. I feel uncomfortable for her, but I don’t want to 

overstep my bounds. 

Dear Faculty, 

Let’s take a look at this problem from 

a different angle. Is the problem with 

how the male students are looking at 

the one female student, or is it that the 

male students are not paying attention 

in class? Or is it both? With the female 

student, unless she’s breaking any 

dress codes, her outfits are not really 

the issue. I see the main issue as being 

the behaviour of the male students 

that you identified in your question. 

Rather than approaching your female 

student, perhaps talk with your male 

students about their behaviour. The 

Centre for Global Citizenship Education 

and Inclusion can assist you by running 

workshops around sexual violence and 

awareness to address the issues around 

the behaviour you’ve mentioned. It’s 

important to explore the deeper issues 

around your question, as well as address 

the concern around safety and comfort 

for your female students. 

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http://www.righttoplay.ca/Pages/default.aspx. 



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Global Citizen Digest Magazine Volume 5, Issue 1

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