Valeriy Kostyuk (BFA ’18) is a Ukrainian-Canadian producer who has had a successful career in art and entertainment. However, after hearing about the conflict in his home of Ukraine, he set forth to make a positive change in his community. Now, as the executive director of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, he hopes to build bridges between […]
Looking back at her time at York, Taylor Graves (BES ’15) recalls the experience she gained as a student that provided a strong connection to the university. Today, as a manager of Customer Experience at Metrolinx, she delivers a similarly enriching experience to positively influence public transportation ridership. What was your experience at EUC like […]
In 2013, registered psychologist Andrew Miki (MA ’04, PhD ’09) recognized the lack of adequate mental health support for employees because of barriers like stigma, cost and accessibility. This led to the development of Starling Minds, a digital mental health platform that provides affordable and accessible mental health support and psychoeducation to individuals. Today, over 4 […]
Born in the U.S. and raised in Canada in a Spanish-speaking home with roots in Barcelona, Nuria Madrenas (BA ’16) is deeply inspired by culture, creativity, and community. It took just over two years for this arts enthusiast to fuse her passion and entrepreneurial desire to create positive change and bring Tacit – an online gallery […]
A storyteller at heart and a marketing strategist by trade, Mira Kopanarov is anything but conventional. Throughout her 20-year long career, she has broken down silos, challenged norms and created spaces where women’s voices are heard. From corporate boardrooms to art exhibitions, Mira’s journey has been fuelled by her belief in the power of connection. […]
Dr. Dionne Stephens (BA ’96), an esteemed alumna whose journey began long before becoming the only black tenure-track faculty member in the department of Psychology at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, discusses opportunities, representation and learning in the University’s dynamic, metropolitan and multicultural stage. She reflects on her experience as a Black woman pursuing […]
It was life’s twists and turns that led Ngozi Iroanyah (MA ’17) to pursue research dedicated to improving the health status of Black communities . And it’s her passion for creating positive change for Black people living with dementia that has fuelled years of study on the topic. “I’m always hoping that we can destigmatize […]
From the age of 15, York alumna Fatou Jammeh (iBA ’15) was certain she wanted to become a diplomat. She fulfilled this dream working in various roles at the UN World Food Programme in Italy, Kenya and most recently, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Today, Fatou is breaking barriers in the non-profit sector as […]
Growing up, Stephanie Bertini (BA ’07) always felt she was meant to be in the spotlight. But it wasn’t until she became a student at York University that Stephanie discovered she was destined to work on television as an anchor and reporter. Thanks to the help of the York U Career Centre, Stephanie completed various […]
When York alumnus Joannes Yimbesalu (MLCE ’19) decided to transition from his role as a cancer biologist to pursue his passion in international development, he realized he needed to return to school to develop his leadership skills. It would be York’s Leadership and Community Engagement program that would draw his interest, thanks to its focus […]