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Home » Student Health Ambassadors at York (SHAY)

Student Health Ambassadors at York (SHAY)

  • SHAY is a volunteer ambassador program for current Faculty of Health students.
  • SHAYs share their experiences in their program and as YorkU students with prospective students and their families.
  • They assist with both online and in-person events such as open houses, the Ontario Universities’ Fair, online program information sessions, and drop-in Q&As.

The SHAY team consists of students who are:

  • In 2nd year or higher of one of the six undergraduate degree programs within the Faculty of Health
    • Global Health
    • Health Studies (Management, Policy, Informatics)
    • Kinesiology and Health Science
    • Nursing
    • Neuroscience
    • Psychology
  • Interested in attending events online and in person to share their experiences in the Faculty of Health and YorkU with future students and their families
  • Reliable
  • Proud to represent YorkU, the Faculty of Health, and its program

The SHAY program runs from September to April every year.

  • The Recruitment team schedules events and SHAYs choose which events to sign up for.
  • Events can be online or in person and are typically offered in the evening (usually Tuesdays-Thursdays, between 3:45 pm-7:00 pm) or on weekends (usually Saturdays, 8:30 am-3:30 pm).  
  • We are looking for SHAYs to assist with at least 5 events (Which equals a commitment of at least 30 hours of volunteering) over the 8 months of the program.
  • Gain volunteer experience for your resume
  • Develop personal and professional skills such as communication, leadership, organization, public speaking, and professionalism
  • Earn SHAY points for every event you assist with.  These points translate into rewards including York apparel, YU Flex Dollars, or a letter from the Dean
  • Make friends and get involved on campus
  • The application for the 2025-2026 SHAY team is now closed. We are currently reviewing all completed submissions.  If you have any questions, please email shay@yorku.ca.
  • Application Timeline:
    • The application is typically open April-May each year for the SHAY program starting in September
    • Interviews are typically completed in May -July each year. Only those candidates who are selected for an interview will be notified.
    • Training for successful SHAYs is in August

 

Please contact our team at shay@yorku.ca

What SHAYs are saying about their experience

Kevin

"The SHAY Program enabled me to meet other students within the Faculty of Health and voluntarily sign up when time permitted for various events. As part of SHAY, my volunteering experiences included participating in virtual and in-person orientation sessions, campus and program tours, Q&A sessions, and the Ontario University Fair. Being part of these events allowed me to reflect on my time as a student and assist future generations of incoming students on their decisions by offering my perspective as a York University student."

Tiffany

“My engagement in the SHAY program enhanced my enthusiasm for my program because it always gives me the opportunity to showcase the endless possibilities which my program has to offer. The SHAY program has had a positive impact on me not only because it allowed me to engage and meet prospective and current students, but it also allowed me to share my personal experiences at YorkU with fellow SHAYs whilst giving me the opportunity to listen to their experiences as well.”

Disha

“The SHAY program, by far, has been one of my favourite programs to be apart of. It is something that not only welcomed me to many friendly faces but also help me gain social and communication skills - which as an introvert I very much needed.”

Tirth

"Being a SHAY has been one of the best decisions I have made in my undergrad. The program has given me opportunities to express myself and share my passion and experiences about fitness and neuroscience with many prospective students and their families. SHAY has given me the opportunity to make life-long friends that share the same passion as me. I have been lucky to represent not one but two of programs (Kinesiology and Neuroscience). The program has helped me grow out of my comfort zone and helped with social and leadership skills. I've had the pleasure of presenting at events like the university fair and webinars. To be able to leave a positive impact in someone's life and give them more clarity by sharing my experiences to help them head in the right direction is a privilege."

Ryan

"Volunteering as a SHAY has been an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience. Being a SHAY allows me to share my own experiences and give back to York’s vibrant Faculty of Health community by helping to guide new and prospective students in order to ensure that they have the best foot forward - something I know would have helped me at the beginning of my degree! The SHAY program is a unique volunteer experience, where upper year Faculty of Health students continuously work on their interpersonal skills, whilst making lifelong connections with peers and members of faculty."

Melody

"Being a member of the SHAY has undoubtedly been beneficial to me because it allows me to interact with a variety of new faces. One benefit of being a part of the SHAY program is that it has given me access to a wide range of opportunities and increased my self-assurance and social networking skills."