First-Year Learning Communities: Life Sciences

Nicholas (he/him), Peer Mentor 

Year: Four

Program: Health & Disease 

College: Trinity College

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Studies: I'm going into my fourth year studying Health & Disease. Outside the classroom, I am passionate about understanding the link between genetics and disease. Currently, I am working at SickKids with Dr. Hiraki to discover how genetics cause auto-inflammatory diseases.

Why peer mentorship?  U of T is such a big place and I want to help students find a community that fits. I am super excited to build our FLC together and help create one of your most memorable first-year experiences! I am super excited to build our FLC together and help create one of your most memorable first year experiences!

Advice to first-year students: Be open to trying something new.

Javid (he/him), Peer Mentor

Year: Three

Program: Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Biochemistry, Immunology 

College: Innis College

Hometown: Baku, Azerbaijan

Studies: Studying the intricate nature of life processes from an interdisciplinary perspective is of great interest to me. Outside classes, I am also a Research Assistant at the Memory and Perception Lab at U of T and have also taken part in leadership positions on campus.

Why peer mentorship? I had been a FLC student before, and it had a significant positive impact on my university life in the first year and beyond. Now, I hope to use the experiences I have gained to guide incoming first-year students through the start of their university journeys as well. 

Advice to first-year students: Do not be discouraged by difficulties — there are always obstacles along the way. As long as you have an interest and commitment to achieve your goals, a lot will be possible! 

Maiesha (she/her), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program: Immunology, Health & Disease 

College: Innis College

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Studies: I was a lab assistant with York University for a research project that analyzed the effectiveness of face masks against COVID-19. I am also the vice president for StrengthIN at U of T. I am working to pursue Health & Disease-based research opportunities and this summer I will be volunteering at University Health Network. 

Why peer mentorship? FLC mentorship was an integral part of my first year, connecting me to resources and opportunities and providing me with a supportive community to ease my transition to first year. As a mentor, I want to support incoming first years in the same way while facilitating their growth and development.

Advice to first-year students: Take care of yourself! It can be easy to get carried away with studies, but make sure to focus on having a balance between personal and academic goals. 

Andy Dicks (he/him), Professor, Teaching Stream & Chemistry Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies 

About me: I moved to U of T in 1997 from the United Kingdom after earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemistry. On arrival, I quickly discovered that I loved teaching, and I currently oversee the successful delivery of more than 50 chemistry undergraduate courses each year. I'm very interested in designing new laboratory experiments for students and measuring their pedagogical effectiveness, especially in the areas of green chemistry and sustainability. Outside the university, I'm a huge sports fan (mainly football — the English version — and cricket), and also a semi-serious runner. My latest race was the May 2023 Toronto Marathon — I'm still suffering from it now!  

Why FLCs? I love meeting with and talking to students at all academic levels, and part of that is helping to facilitate smaller communities within our larger Arts & Science undergraduate community. I designed a Course Community for CHM151Y back in 2006, and I am also the Faculty Advisor for our Chemistry Second-Year Learning Community. I have been a faculty advisor to the Innis College First-Year Learning Community for 18 years and am very invested in helping students to enjoy their university experience and to be as successful as possible (in as many different ways as possible!).        

Top tip for incoming students: Make the most of the enormous amount of support available to you that is embedded within and related to your first-year courses. These include student hours offered by professors, online course discussion boards, Recognized Study Groups (RSGs) and peer tutoring. Reaching out for help is a sign of strength (not weakness!) and an important component towards ensuring your academic success.     

Denise Gray (she/her), Associate Registrar, Recruitment & Transition 

About me: I am an academic advisor who works primarily with first-year students from Innis College in support of your academic transition from high school to university. This includes course enrolment, program planning, academic support, referrals to campus services and more! I have been working at U of T in this role since 2006 — clearly, I enjoy it immensely! I hold a Bachelor of Arts from Rowan University with a teaching degree in Special Education from Rowan University in New Jersey, USA. I earned my master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Suffolk University in Boston, MA, USA. Away from the university, I love spending time with my family and friends, cooking, walking my dog and cheering for my favourite sports teams — mostly the Boston Red Sox.

Why FLCs? I enjoy working directly with first-year students. I appreciate the opportunity to get to know students away from the more serious academic advising role I typically inhabit. FLCs help to expose students to the wealth of opportunities and resources available around the university and being a part of that learning is very gratifying!         

Top tip for incoming students: My one piece of advice is to plan. Plan your day. Plan your schedule. Plan your activities. Plan your free time. If you become adept at making a schedule — and sticking to it — you will find you have room in your day/week/month/years for a variety of meaningful activities and events. This helps to minimize stress, maximize mental health, contribute to your well-roundedness, academic capacity and social well-being. Learning to plan is a lifelong skill!

Jitian (she/her), Peer Mentor 

Year: Three

Program: Chemistry

College: New College

Hometown: Jiangsu, China

Studies: I am going into my third year specializing in Chemistry and I love exploring the delicate chemical reactions happening! I have been working as an executive member around New College and in various student unions. I will also be doing chemistry research this coming summer. 

Why peer mentorship?  In my first year, I received lots of help and guidance from my FLC mentors, and I also feel that my experience as an Assistant Peer Mentor last year was really rewarding. I hope to use my experience and knowledge gained to help more incoming students. 

Advice to first-year students: Always take good care of yourself! University is not all about studying. Try to get enough sleep whenever you can! 

Jeya (she/her), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program: Neuroscience, Immunology, Psychology 

College: New College

Hometown: Fort McMurray, Alberta

Studies: I am currently an incoming second-year student hoping to major in Neuroscience and Immunology with a minor in Psychology. I am currently a research assistant, where I am studying the correlation between sleep length and quality and the specificity of autobiographical memories.

Why peer mentorship?  I am interested in being a peer mentor, as I know how hard it can be to adjust to university life after high school, especially if an individual is not even from Canada. I would love to be able to provide help and guidance to those just entering U of T!

Advice to first-year students: U of T has so many opportunities for research and leadership. I would advise every single first-year student to get involved in some way to build a community and lasting friendships!

Alex Sabzparvar (she/they), Student Life Programs Coordinator 

About me: As an SLPC I work closely with students on their co-curricular journey with a focus on mentorship, orientation and student organizations. I completed my undergraduate studies at U of T in Life Sciences (Physiology, Immunology and Psychology) and am currently working on my MEd (Adult Education and Community Development) at OISE. I enjoy spending quality time with my cats (Leonidas and Xerxes), embroidering/cross-stitching and archery.

Why FLCs? I was a FLCee in the New College Life Sci FLC and loved my journey throughout the program! I got to do fun activities, learn more about opportunities within the university and Toronto and go on field trips. I developed close bonds with my fellow FLCees and received life-long learning opportunities from my peer mentors and advisors. FLC is a program I hold near and dear to my heart as one of my first community involvements at the university.

Top tip for incoming students: Don't be afraid to ask for help! It can be easy to think that you have to figure out things on your own, but your network and supports are wider than you think.

Polly (she/her), Peer Mentor 

Year: Three

Program: Pathobiology

College: New College

Hometown: Markham, Ontario

Studies:  I’m a Pathobiology specialist student. During my second year, I volunteered at my local hospital and was a work-study student at the Harris Lab. This summer, I will be doing a research project on Parkinson's disease at Dr. Lorraine Kalia’s Lab as part of the LMP SURE program.

Why peer mentorship? I enjoyed being an Assistant Peer Mentor in second year, as I was able to share resources and advice to help FLC students feel supported in their sometimes intimidating first year. This was a fulfilling experience because being in FLC helped me navigate my first year. I'm excited to be involved again!

Advice to first-year students: Take a deep breath — you've got this! First year may feel daunting, so take it one step at a time. Remember to always make some time for yourself and that it’s okay to ask for help if you need it. 

Jeff (he/him), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program: Pharmaceutical Chemistry

College: New College

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec

Studies: I chose to study Pharmaceutical Chemistry because I like applying chemistry in real-world situations. As I did not want to pursue a program that requires lots of memorization (like biology) or one that is heavily focused on math (like physics), chemistry was the perfect fit for me. 

Why peer mentorship? As a peer mentor, I have the opportunity to give back to the community by providing support and guidance to others. I intend to share my experiences with those who are facing similar challenges in the hopes that they can make more informed decisions.

Advice to first-year students: "Believe you can and you're halfway there." You are capable and have what it takes to succeed!

Sofia (she/her), Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program:  Genetics, Human Physiology

College: St. Michael's College

Hometown: Russia

Studies: I am double majoring in Genetics and Physiology. I enjoy learning about how the human body operates and personally for me, it is the most complex system nature has ever created. I was volunteering at a local church helping people in human trafficking. And hopefully, I will be able to volunteer at SickKids this year.

Why peer mentorship? I moved from Russia to Sweden when I was 16 to study. My family stayed in Russia, so I had to abruptly learn to be independent. I think, by having this experience, I can help all those students who just moved out of their parents' house and feel homesick. 

Advice to first-year students: It might feel like you do not belong here. You do! 

Gretl (she/her), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program: Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Linguistics

College: St. Michael's College

Hometown: Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France

Studies: I am double majoring in Cognitive Science and Neuroscience, potentially with a minor in Linguistics. I am a part of a research lab with OISE about how math digital games can help academic achievement and am hoping to do some volunteering this summer.

Why peer mentorship? I want to be a peer mentor to share my experience from my first year and provide whatever support I can for the next first years for them to be well equipped to navigate their first year.

Advice to first-year students: Plan out your time but save space for spontaneity! Your plans are highly likely to change but it helps to give yourself some structure to guide your exploration — academically, socially, or personally.

Zoyeb, Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program: Neuroscience, Psychology, Russian

College: St. Michael's College

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Studies: I'm majoring in Neuroscience, with minors in Psychology and Russian. I will be part of the Starman’s Lab next fall looking at how children evaluate moral character and how their perceptions themselves change over time. I am currently working as a clinical receptionist at a medical clinic near U of T. 

Why peer mentorship? Mentorship was very important in general for me in my first year, even outside of FLCs. I took advice from wherever I could get it, and this helped me take advantage of a lot of the opportunities at U of T. Thus, I wanted to be a mentor myself and help other students make the most of their first year.

Advice to first-year students: Take advantage of all the various opportunities offered at U of T to complement your academics. Come to U of T with a plan, but be open to new ideas, knowledge and interests.

Sarasa (she/her), Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

College: St. Michael's College

Hometown: Kobe, Japan

Studies: I am intending to double major in Human Biology and Nutritional Science with a minor in Psychology. This summer, I will be interning with Cyrine Gonzaga, a sports physiotherapist and athletic trainer. This school year I was in MED-Life and was part of UTWSA as an events intern. 

Why peer mentorship? As an international student, I understand the challenges that can be faced by first-year students. I would like to be able to use the experience that I have had to assist students from all walks of life and help them ease into the first year the way that my peer mentors did for me.

Advice to first-year students: Make sure you always make time to take care of yourself by working out, sleeping and hanging out with friends.

Jana (she/her), Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program: Neuroscience, Immunology

College: Trinity College

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Studies: I am studying neuro-immunology. I am interested in regenerative medicine. I won the COUHR Novel Therapy Case Competition and joined the Lefebvre lab at SickKids to develop regenerative therapies (RT) for retina disease. I am excited to join the Zhang Lab this fall to develop lung RT in mice for ARDs.

Why peer mentorship? Although I have extensive certifications and mentoring experience that support my competence, I wanted to be a FLC mentor since I gained my confidence in making professional connections after becoming acquainted with my FLC mentors last year. I hope to use these experiences to guide my mentees. 

Advice to first-year students: Start now… like right now! Take time to create a regular schedule for your week, and do not be afraid to take on more. I always found that when I am busier, I manage everything better.

Daniella (she/her), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

Program: Cell & Molecular Biology, English, French Studies

College: Trinity College

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

Studies: I am pursuing a major and double minor program. I am majoring in Cell & Molecular Biology and double minoring in French Studies and English. I always had a passion for science, but I wanted to be able to pursue a wide range of other interests with my degree — hence why I am studying so many programs!

Why peer mentorship? I participated in the Life Science FLC in my first year. I was able to meet so many amazing people right away, and I learned so many skills for my studies! I wanted to be able to pay forward all the great experiences and opportunities I had from my FLC to the next round of first-year students. 

Advice to first-year students: The biggest piece of advice I would give is to not be afraid of trying new things and applying for opportunities at U of T. The worst they can say is no, which is just a learning experience! 

Cherryl-Lyn Olamuyiwa (she/her), Academic Advisor, Career Exploration & Education 

About me: I mostly do career, job and grad school advising to undergraduate students as well as career programming, such as group work, seminars and other employment related things. I also do academic advising, which connects with careers in various ways. I have a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba, with a major in Women & Gender Studies and a minor in Family Social Sciences. However, my entire career has been in career advising, student advising and career programming. My favourite hobbies are overseas travelling and reading. Every year I try to visit a new country that I have never been to before. I'm also a member of two book clubs that are based in two different countries. One is based in Trinidad (where I am originally from) where we read books from mostly Caribbean and Black authors, and the other is based in Wales, where we literally read a bit of everything.

Why FLCs? I was a staff advisor last year and I loved being able to meet and work with new students throughout their first year. It was amazing to see them go from shy high school students to independent university students who were able to navigate their first years successfully. 

Top tip for incoming students: Don’t worry if you don't have it all together just yet. It's normal to feel overwhelmed in the beginning. Just do your best and you will look back at it and wonder what you were worried about. 

Rabbia (she/her), Peer Mentor 

Year: Four

Program: Health & Disease, Psychology

College: University College

Hometown: Brampton, Ontario

Studies: In my third year, I took a Health & Disease research course and next year, I will be doing a research project in Human Biology. Over the summer, I have been working as a Research and Special Projects Assistant at OVPIUE. I was an Assistant Peer Mentor for the UC Life Sciences FLC last year and I am excited to work as a Peer Mentor.

Why peer mentorship? As a former FLC participant in my first year, I understand the challenges of being a first-year student. FLC played a crucial role in helping me find a supportive community, and I am eager to be a peer mentor to offer the same experience to incoming students.

Advice to first-year students: Embrace new experiences and seek support when needed. You'll figure it out! 

Alexandra (she/her), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Three

Program: Global Health

College: University College

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Studies: I am in my third year studying Global Health and have applied to the Psychology major program. I have really enjoyed learning about abnormal and cognitive psychology and hope to somehow integrate the knowledge from both majors into my future career. 

Why peer mentorship? I wanted to become a peer mentor because I was in FLC in my first year and really enjoyed my time and it helped me build some connections with others in my program. I also want to be able to help first years navigate the start of their university life as I know from experience what a big change it can be. 

Advice to first-year students: It is okay to feel lost and unsure of what you are doing. Make sure to take the time to explore other fields and courses through electives and find something you truly enjoy. 

Chris Garside (he/him), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream 

About me: As a teaching stream professor, I strive to create an interactive environment where students are given the opportunity to take risks and question accepted theories, leading to the development of critical thinking that inspires an enthusiasm for learning. I am dedicated to being approachable, enthusiastic, motivating and effective. My goal is to cultivate a dynamic environment conducive to engaged learning and establish a connection with students that fosters their ongoing growth and development.

My pedagogical interests include the exploration of and investigation into innovative and evidence-based approaches to increase student engagement with lecture and laboratory materials and ultimately providing my students with transferrable concepts and skills. Examples include: development of communications skills by the integration of innovative semi-scaffolded writing assignments, investigating the effectiveness of interactive student response platforms with peer instruction, integration of web-based virtual reality laboratories, and the design and incorporation of problem-based and inquiry-based learning labs into the courses I teach and coordinate.

I completed my master's and PhD here at U of T in the old Zoology department and then took a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) post-doctoral fellowship to the University of London, UK. I have been teaching animal physiology for nearly 20 years. 

Why FLCs? As a former U of T undergraduate student, U of T graduate student, and now teaching stream professor in the Department of Cell & Systems Biology, I aim to share my experiences and insights from navigating these positions. I encourage students to ask as many questions as they like. If I can answer them, I will!   

Top tip for incoming students: Get involved in cocurricular and extracurricular opportunities and take chances.                           

Adriana (she/her), Peer Mentor

Year: Three

Program: Physiology, Human Biology

College: Victoria College

Hometown: Ain Saadeh, Lebanon

Studies: I'm double majoring in Physiology and Human Biology, and I am hoping to pursue a medical degree after completing undergrad. I am particularly interested in cardiology and am looking to participate in research projects in that field over the summer and this academic year. 

Why peer mentorship?  I greatly value the guidance I received to ease my own transition into a new environment in my first year. I have since been passionate about imparting my own experiences and advice to foster community for and mentor first-year students as they navigate their own academic and social journeys at U of T. 

Advice to first-year students: Attend your professors’ office hours, be curious and ask questions. All these helped me feel a lot more confident and engaged with the abundance of information I learned in my life science courses.  

Zeynep (she/her), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Two

College: Victoria College

Hometown: Mersin, Turkey

Studies: My intended majors are Neuroscience and Psychology — I'm still debating! 

Why peer mentorship? I am excited to become a peer mentor because I had a great experience as a part of the FLC community last year. The staff was incredibly helpful, and I would like to give back by assisting incoming first-year students (like you!) in adjusting to university life.

Advice to first-year students: A bad mark will not ruin your university career. Keep trying and do not give up on yourself!

Kris Quinlan (she/her), Professor, Department of Chemistry  

About me: I have been a teaching faculty member in the Department of Chemistry for more than 15 years and I teach the large first-year course for Life Science students, CHM 135 and CHM 136. Over 20,000 students have attended my classes, a number that I find both humbling and inspiring! I love teaching incoming first-year students and being part of their transition to learning at the University of Toronto. My partner, an evolutionary geneticist, and I have two kids (14 and 17 years old). We enjoy travelling as a family, playing board games and exploring the diverse and excellent restaurants in Toronto. We are also animal lovers, and our household includes a dog, toad and gecko. I also spend a few hours every week in the pottery studio, throwing cups, bowls and teapots. Art, of some form, has been an important part of my life since high school and is important to my well-being. 

Why FLCs? Being part of the First-Year Learning Community is very important to me as it lets me engage with students outside the classroom, in a less formal setting. I enjoy sharing tips and advice to support the student transition to first-year university and getting to know students more personally. My FLC group also gives me valuable insight into the student experience that helps inform my teaching and other interactions with students.

Top tip for incoming students: Over your undergraduate years, you have the opportunity to grow so much as a person, intellectually, socially and emotionally, but this requires being open to new opportunities and, sometimes, getting out of your comfort zone. I encourage you to be open to learning at U of T! We have world-renowned faculty at U of T who are eager to introduce you to cutting edge thinking in their fields of study. Equally important, find your community on campus! Being involved in FLC is a good step to forming close ties with your peers at U of T.                          

Thomas MacKay (he/him), Manager, Student Success & Academic Advising 

About me: After many years at U of T doing an undergrad in English and Religion, a Master’s in Religion, and not finishing a PhD in Religion, I found student advising. I've worked in student services and advising for 20+ years. My current hobbies include pottery and prestige/trashy TV. 

Why FLCs? Connection with new students and learning from them their desires, successes, challenges and way through as they transition to U of T helps me tremendously in my work and is a constant focus. I hope in turn I can bring what I've learned back to the new students in the FLC.   

Top tip for incoming students: Connect with others. FLCs, classes, residence, Vic or campus clubs – wherever. And if you are not sure how, ask. Academic tasks are often solitary tasks – but it doesn’t need to be lonely.                    

Isabella (she/her), Peer Mentor 

Year: Four

Program: Nutritional Sciences, Molecular Genetics

College: Woodsworth College

Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela

Studies: As someone who is very passionate about food, culture and nutrition, I am double majoring in Nutritional Sciences and Molecular Genetics. Currently, I am volunteering as a summer research student at a nutrition lab at the University of Cincinnati.

Why peer mentorship?  After being a FLCee in my first year and an Assistant Peer Mentor in my third year and realizing how essential mentorship was for my first-year experience, I would love to pass on my experience to others and hopefully make that difference for new students who may be as confused as I was when I began university. 

Advice to first-year students: You define your own success. Don't compare yourself to others and their accomplishments since we all have our own unique path towards success (and first year is only the beginning of that). 

Meng (she/her), Assistant Peer Mentor 

Year: Three

Program: Pharmacology, Health & Disease

College: Woodsworth College

Hometown: Rome, Italy

Studies: My studies so far have given me a broad understanding of the human body from the molecular, genetics, social and experimental design perspectives. I enjoy how applicable it is to daily life, as well as understanding the mechanisms behind the complex interaction between the human body and drugs.

Why peer mentorship? I love sharing experiences and pieces of advice with my peers. You can not only learn so much by talking and listening to other people's stories, but also find ways to support each other. As a peer mentor, I look forward to contributing to my peers’ university journeys and supporting them in the best way I can.

Advice to first-year students: Go out there and fully pursue all the passions and hobbies you have! University is a great place to develop time management skills and new perspectives.