Fateen Kabir swapped his textbooks for a dean’s desk for a day, advocating for greater student engagement and career readiness in the Faculty of Arts & Science.
A busy third-year neuroscience, psychology and physiology student, Kabir balances a full course load, part-time jobs and volunteering, making him the perfect fit to share his ideas for enhancing the student experience. Kabir, a member of Woodsworth College, was the winner of the 2025 Dean for a Day contest hosted by the Arts & Science Student Union (ASSU), swapping roles with Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science.
Kabir attended Woodin’s meetings and discussed his ideas with U of T leaders while Woodin attended Kabir’s classes and extracurricular activities.
“This is my favourite day of the year,” said Woodin. “I gain invaluable insights by stepping into the shoes of our students and really experiencing their on-campus and in-class activities. In turn, our dean for the day provides a fresh perspective to our leadership team, which helps inform our work at A&S.”
As dean, Kabir’s schedule was jam-packed. He began his day by inviting A&S leaders to “his office” in Sidney Smith Hall. In meetings with Suzanne Wood, associate dean of student affairs, and human biology professor Bill Ju, he discussed the structure of A&S and the importance of student engagement in the faculty’s initiatives.
Kabir spent the afternoon darting around campus to meet with various U of T leaders, including Sandy Welsh, vice-provost, students; Charlie Keil, principal of Innis College and acting vice-dean of college relations; Vicki Lowes, executive director of experiential learning & professional development; and Christopher Yip, dean of the Faculty of Engineering.
With Yip, Kabir discussed the importance of fostering a sense of community among the student body.
“I didn’t realize the dean had so many meetings!” said Kabir. “I appreciate how much responsibility she has. I was also surprised by how large and multidisciplinary the leadership team is. It’s evident that teamwork is very important in a place as large as A&S.”
Kabir, who mentors students in the Arrive Ready program, First-Year Learning Communities (FLC) and the Sidney Smith Commons shared some of his own ideas with the leadership team.
His priorities are to increase opportunities for students to learn career-specific skills like coding, public speaking, data analysis and leadership, while also improving access for first-year students to engage in the campus community.
“The best part was seeing leaders listen to my ideas,” Kabir said. “It really showed that they care about student feedback and want to improve our student experience.”
Meanwhile, Woodin, as a student, had a hectic day of her own.
She stopped by the Human Biology Student Union to help vice-president Michelle Zhao plan an upcoming social event before heading to Innis College for a FLC session.
As a FLC peer mentor, Kabir hosts advising and study sessions for first-year students. The theme this week was finding one’s path in life sciences. Woodin, who brought snacks to the session, talked to the students about identifying their passion in the life sciences and connecting that passion to research opportunities and potential careers.
“Hearing from the first-year FLCees was the highlight of my day,” said Woodin. “Their questions were very insightful and showed a deep level of introspection. I hope I was able to inspire them to find their passions and continue their own journey in the life sciences.”
Woodin ended her day by attending Kabir’s neuroanatomy lecture with Paulo Koeberle, an associate professor in the Department of Surgery in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. There she brushed up on her knowledge on cranial nerves and even earned some class participation marks by asking a question.
For Kabir, an international student, this experience was enlightening. “I didn’t know there were so many different roles and spaces at U of T dedicated to the student experience.”
As part of the initiative, ASSU and the Dean’s Office made a joint donation to the U of T food banks.