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When 18-year-old international student Savannah Mastrodicasa applied to Ryerson for her first year of social work studies, she thought she would be there in person.

鈥淚 was excited to come in September and to be there on campus,鈥� she said from her home in Wellington, New Zealand.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, suddenly, her plans shifted.

鈥淲hen I found out everything was moving online, I thought it was best to ride out the first semester here,鈥� she explained.

While she鈥檚 not currently on campus, there鈥檚 something special connecting her to it: thanks to Ryerson鈥檚 Tri-Mentoring Program (TMP), Mastrodicasa was paired with third-year student Aliyah French to help ease the transition into university life.

鈥淥h my gosh, Aliyah has been amazing,鈥� she beamed in an interview video call. 鈥淚鈥檓 so happy I was matched with her, she鈥檚 helped me so much,鈥� Mastrodicasa said, noting that French has been calling and exchanging messages with her since the end of August.  

鈥楽he鈥檚 someone I feel comfortable asking all my questions to鈥�

Founded in 2001, the TMP was initially created to help connect first-generation and racialized students with mentors as they navigated university life. Over the years, the program grew to encompass a wide range of students to help in their academic and professional journeys.

The program has three streams: a peer-to-peer program, group mentoring and career mentoring. The peer-to-peer stream, which Mastrodicasa and French are part of, pairs first-year students with upper year students.

This past summer, Mastrodicasa learned about TMP through Facebook and immediately knew she wanted to join.

鈥淎s soon as I saw it, I just thought, 鈥極h this is so cool,鈥欌�� Mastrodicasa said.

She and French, who is also in the social work program, communicate with each other multiple times a week.

鈥淲ith everything that鈥檚 happened with COVID-19, it's been such a crazy time. I've been so grateful to have Aliyah,鈥� Mastrodicasa said.

鈥淪he鈥檚 someone I feel comfortable asking all my questions to and to just get all my worries and concerns off my chest,鈥� she continued, noting she鈥檚 also learned helpful tips about Ryerson鈥檚 support services through French as well.  

鈥淚t鈥檚 also been great to connect with someone in Canada who can give me some perspective of how things are going there, too.鈥�

鈥業 wished I had someone to guide me鈥�

When French first signed up as a mentor, she didn鈥檛 realize she would be matched with someone outside of Canada, and is grateful she can help bridge the gap.

鈥淲ith the time difference it鈥檚 a bit challenging, but we鈥檝e been able to work around it pretty well,鈥� she said.

French says she wanted to be a mentor to help someone with many of the problems she once struggled with.

鈥淟ast year, someone from the program came into one of my classes to talk about it, and I was like, 鈥榃ow, what a great thing to do, I wished I had had a mentor in my first year,鈥� she said, explaining that she began her undergraduate degree in psychology and eventually transferred into social work.

鈥淚 just thought, 鈥業 wish I had had someone to guide me,鈥� she said.

She鈥檚 now sharing everything she can with Mastrodicasa to help ensure she has a successful start.

鈥淲e鈥檝e discussed all kinds of things, but a lot so far has been how I deal with course work鈥� For example, every professor uploads things in different formats, and it can be a lot to figure out at first. I was also giving her tips on ways I found it helpful to organize my lecture notes, and how to lay her semester out in a Google calendar, with reminders of tests and assignment due dates, things like that,鈥� she continued, adding, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big adjustment from high school to university.鈥�

French says she feels badly for students like Mastrodicasa, who are beginning post-secondary school virtually, but says connecting through the TMP 鈥渕akes you feel you鈥檙e not alone.鈥�

60 to 600 participants: 鈥業t just ballooned鈥�

Celebrating its 20th year, TMP has grown considerably over the years.

鈥淚n the first year, we had 60 students 鈥� and 600 the next. It just ballooned,鈥� said TMP manager Jen Barcelona.

She said this year, being virtual has especially sparked demand.

鈥淚n the peer-to-peer program alone, we had almost 2,700 people signed up in just the first few months in the spring of 2020. We now have 1,391 mentors and 1,315 mentees,鈥� she said, noting the program usually sees such numbers much later into the school year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable to have this much interest before we鈥檙e barely into October.鈥�

Barcelona says she鈥檚 especially grateful for such enthusiasm since it could be a particularly challenging year for some.

鈥淟earning the technology and how to navigate systems virtually is an added layer. You know, who do you talk to to get your questions answered? If you鈥檙e on campus, you could find your way, but now you鈥檙e having to figure it out virtually. That鈥檚 why mentoring and having these connections is huge,鈥� she said.

Barcelona says the program can be especially meaningful for students in equity groups who may not have support at home, or who may also be the first in their family to attend university.

鈥淭here will be many students whose families may not be able to guide them or help answer their questions,鈥� she said.

Creating community for equity groups

Each year, equity groups are a particular focus for TMP. Such groups can include those who are 2SLGTBQIA+, Black, Filipinx, Indigenous, mature students, Muslim women, women in STEM, students with disabilities and more.

Students of all levels who identify as part of an equity seeking group are encouraged to join Group Mentoring to find a sense of community while exploring their identity(ies).

鈥淕roup mentoring could involve anything from how religion impacts your daily life and connects to your culture, to women in STEM learning to navigate their identity as a woman in that field,鈥� Barcelona said.

鈥淔or mature students, it could take the shape of a support group for one another, because mature students wear so many other hats,鈥� she continued.

Career connections

The third stream of programming, Career Mentoring, is for students who are in their third year or higher to be matched with an industry professional (Ryerson alumni or non-alumni) to assist with their personal and professional goals as they transition from university into the workforce.

鈥淚n the career mentoring program, we try to give our mentees tools they can use after they graduate. It also gives mentors professional development opportunities as well,鈥� she said.

To date, Barcelona says that since the program began, 26,000 mentors and mentees have gone through the peer to peer program alone, with thousands more having participated across the additional streams. Mastrodicasa is grateful she鈥檚 one of them.

While it鈥檚 still only a virtual connection for now, she hopes to be physically present at Ryerson when it鈥檚 safe to make the move.

If and when she does, she鈥檚 excited for simple things - like going to a lecture in-person.

鈥淥ne of my lecturers is so cool, he always has fun activities and provides comic relief, which is so needed at a time like this,鈥� she said of Prof. Steve Solomon, who teaches her Critical Social Work Foundations class. 鈥淚 can just tell he鈥檚 so awesome, so I can鈥檛 wait to be there to meet him in-person,鈥� she said, adding that she鈥檇 also love to play for Ryerson鈥檚 varsity soccer team - and one day, possibly become a mentor herself.

鈥淚 would love to have the opportunity to help support a first-year student, as I know how confusing and stressful it can be,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have had such a positive experience with Aliyah and would love to give that same experience to a future Ryerson student.鈥�

For more information about Ryerson鈥檚 Tri-Mentoring Program, please visit the TMP website.

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