The Peer Mentor program has been designed to provide guidance to EUC students. They deliver programming and information sessions to help new undergraduate students transition to university and to the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. As a new student you are part of the larger community of York University.
Peer Mentors are trained leaders. They are academically successful, and they can be a positive influence on students by providing sound advice and encouragement.
What Do They Do?
Provide Guidance & Support
Our well-trained Peer Mentors are available to guide and help you over the course of your program.
Their office is a welcoming place where you can meet other students in your program.
Our Peer Mentors provide the friendly support you need to help you navigate university life.
Help You Integrate & Thrive
Attend first- and second-year classes to inform students about support services within EUC as well as York University.
Invite you to the annual De-Stress Day - a fun day to help you relax before exams.
Offer instructional support for some courses.
Offer writing support! Talk to your professor or TA for writing issues and then contact us!
Peer Mentor Office Hours
The Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change Peer Mentors are available Monday to Friday.
Office hours for Fall 2022 are listed below.
Meet Your Peer Mentors
Program: Politics Arts and Justice Faculty of Environmental with a minor in Indigenous Studies.
Year of study: 3rd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Bradford District High School
Reason for choosing program: I wanted to study environmental justice or Indigenous studies because those were my two favourite courses in high school.
Intentions for the future: I hope to continue with York and study law after I finish my BES.
Favourite part of the program: My favourite part of the program in my third year was the crossover between environmental studies classes and the indigenous studies classes.
Program: Sustainable Environmental Management
Year of study: Year 3
High school or other academic institutions attended: St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School, Toronto, ON & Durham College, Whitby, ON.
Reason for choosing program: Since childhood, I have always been intrigued by the natural world and our planet. I found this program to be a great opportunity to educate myself with the way in which our environment and habitats function to gain a better understanding and one day help to make a positive impact.
Intentions for the future: I am highly interested in sustainability and energy. I see myself working in a fast-paced environment, providing sustainable solutions and advice to companies seeking to be greener. The education I have recieved and plan to recieve will position me well for a career in sustainability with mid-to-large companies and the government.
Favourite part of the program: The interdisciplinary approach of learning environmental, social, and global concepts. The curriculum provided me with a wealth of information that will equip me for my future endeavours and career. The staff and students in the faculty are very friendly and easy to talk to which really helped during my first-year experience.
Program: Environmental Management
Year of study: Year 5
High school or other academic institutions attended: Father Bressani Catholic High School
Reason for choosing program: I picked my particular program because I really liked how it included the human aspect of environmental work and constantly reflects on the various aspects of a problem so as to keep sight of the larger issue.
Intentions for the future: I am still narrowing down my interests in order to have a clearer goal to aim for once I graduate, but as of right now I know that I have an interest in restoration ecology and developing systems for sustainable living.
Favourite part of the program: My favourite part about the program so far is just the sheer amount of diversity in topics we learn and how they are connected, and often inseparable, from one another. Equal importance is placed on history, art, and science so as to create a more holistic image of our world and its complex issues, which I haven’t really seen in other programs.
Program: Environmental Studies
Year of study: Year 4
High school or other academic institutions attended: Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute
Reason for choosing program: I’ve always been interested in the environment and the world around me, so I knew the environmental studies program would be perfect for me! I also love that the program is interdisciplinary. There are many different interests and passions that I can develop and pursue in this program.
Intentions for the future: After my undergrad, I want to do a masters! There’s still so much I want to learn and would love to continue my studies in something environmental/geography related when I’m finished my undergrad.
Favourite part of the program: My favourite part of the program is the variety in what we learn. I never feel bored because I get to learn about many interesting topics. My other favourite part of the program is the different opportunities available to us as EUC students to get involved, take experiential learning courses and more!
Program: Environmental Arts and Justice (BES)
Year of study: 2nd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Emily Carr Secondary School
Reason for choosing program: I chose to study Environmental Arts and Justice because this program combines my interests of sustainability and environmental issues with the arts and human rights. I wanted to learn how to incorporate my creative skills as an artist and a musician into my passion for the environment, all while advocating for social and environmental change.
Intentions for the future: In the future, I hope to pursue further education by going to law school or completing a Master's degree. I can see myself becoming an environmental or human rights lawyer given my interests in social and environmental justice. I would love to directly advocate for conservation and social justice through the law, and I feel as though this would be a great way to influence change through legislation and policy.
Favourite part of the program: My favourite part of the program is the creative and multidisciplinary approach to studying sustainability concepts. Taking many diverse environmental courses related to the arts, writing, history, and geography provides me with the intersectional knowledge I need to succeed in the future as an environmentalist. The Faculty provides many opportunities to students, allowing them to gain experiences and expand on their studies. For example, I work with the Ecological Footprint Initiative, which has developed my skills in a professional setting.
Program: Environmental Management
Year of study: 4th year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Craig Kielburger Secondary School
Reason for choosing program: The BES program allows students to explore their own interests while keeping the environment their main focus.
Intentions for the future: I’m interested in learning about the fundamentals of policymaking and environmental consultation and management. With the knowledge of environmental policymaking and consultation, I want to make sure organizations are compliant with environmental regulations and policies, and perhaps even create policies that help reduce air pollution and create a clean environment.
Favourite part of the program: The peer mentors and advisors in this program are very close and supportive. The amount of support I receive academically and personally has helped me prosper as a student.
Program: Sustainable environmental management
Year of study: 3rd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Notre Dame catholic high school
Reason for choosing program: I was really interested in the program from the beginning so it was as just a perfect fit.
Intentions for the future: For the future I would love to work in a government position or in business advising.
Favourite part of the program: The history of the politics.
Program: Sustainable Environmental Management
Year of study: 3rd Year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Vinschool Highschool (Hanoi, Vietnam)
Reason for choosing program: To be honest, studying about the environment and the earth system is always a passion of mine since I was a kid. I consider myself a person of action who likes to practice planning how to implement change from a logistical approach rather than from a scientific or mathematical perspective. Therefore, when I first saw the program description posted on university’s website, I immediately found environmental management a perfect choice for me. It allows me to innovatively come up with environmental solutions and ideas in order to create a better and more sustainable world, yet, from very common things in our daily life. How interesting it is!
Intentions for the future: A project coordinator for NGOs!! The idea of constantly changing the working environment and the research areas sounds very much fantastic to me! Further, as also being interested in the ecological economics sector, I aim specifically to the projects that are in this field, working to drive the global economy to a more sustainable future. That is the reason why I am now taking Economics as my minor, along with the major in SEM.
Favourite part of the program: The best part of BES program to me is the fact that I have a chance to approach with numerous ecological concepts and theories. It is so open minding when you realize that protecting the environment is more than just merely going green and consuming less. Rather, it proposes such radical changes in the mind set and actions. Further, I also love the fact that you are always encouraged to discuss critically and creatively in every lecture.
Program: Environmental Management
Year of study: Year 4
High school or other academic institutions attended: Sherwood Secondary School
Reason for choosing program: I enjoy learning and working with our environment and this program allowed me to be able to do both!
Intentions for the future: I would like to work with the government in any way that I can or with the Weather Network
Favourite part of the program: How open and connected everyone is within our faculty and the amazing experiences and opportunities that are available to us like the EcoCampus in Costa Rica which is an opportunity for our program and is my favourite part of our program!
Program: Environmental studies
Year of study: 4th year
High school or other academic institutions attended: The Segi college
Reason for choosing program: I loved how my program provides a multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies including biological, cultural, social, and physical elements. It is also linked to science, geography, economics, statistics, health, technology, population, and ecology.
Intentions for the future: I see myself as an environmental scientist or an engineer. Maybe a restoration ecologist or environmental analyst/manager. Although I really hope to sit in the senate and advocate for environmental /human rights protection which we often neglect in the haste of expansion and profit.
Favourite part of the program: I love how interconnected we are. We are a group of like minded people who are driven and want to see the world become a better place. We are truly a family.
Program: Environmental Studies
Year of study: 4th year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Emery Collegiate Institute
Reason for choosing program: I chose the Environmental Studies program because of its interdisciplinary nature that allows me to explore different issues through multiple lenses, as well as encouraging creativity and community when imagining solutions.
Intentions for the future: I hope to use my knowledge and skills to work in community and art spaces to help other people learn and share their own ideas about how we can work together to create better futures.
Favourite part of the program: I love the friendly and welcoming learning environments and feeling like we're all part of a community.
Program: Environmental Management (Legacy) & the GIS Certificate
Year of study: 4th year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School
Reason for choosing program: It teaches me how to care for what I love... wildlife and nature, and ultimately the planet. It bolsters my confidence in humanity that it is indeed possible to emancipate the natural environment from anthropogenic influence; to salvage and restore what we have been, and continue to harm. It is teaching me how to become, a changemaker.
Intentions for the future: To continue working on my level up! I am considering graduate studies, however, I am definitely interested in putting everything I've been learning in theory into practice with a field position in conservation and biodiversity management.
Favourite part of the program: The catalytic community and meaningful connections that I make along the way! I love the suite of versatile skills I am gaining, allowing me to pursue virtually whatever my heart desires because I now possess the talent and knowledge necessary to do so. Also, COSTA RICA. I recommend seizing the opportunity to study abroad in this awe-inspiring environment... I will never forget that experience for teaching me that there is so much more to life than concrete and computers.
Program: Urban & Regional Environments with a Certificate in Climate Solutions & Sustainable Energy Management
Year of study: 3rd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: N/A
Reason for choosing program: Urban Planning and the policy landscape in which it operates either positively or negatively impacts Canada's ability to meet our federally set net-zero targets.The way in which we live and the places we occupy have contributed significantly to our GHG emissions and unsustainable consumption habits, therefore reworking the way in which the built environment is managed, maintained and planned are seminally important in helping achieve those plans towards a decarbonized economy. This program has enabled me to understand what kinds of skills & areas of knowledge are needed to help our transition towards reaching our net-zero targets and the roadmapping our way in collectively co-creating time-tested sustainable communities.
Intentions for the future: Urban Planner , with a focus on Sustainable Placemaking & Communities
Favourite part of the program: The field work courses & the climate change science and energy related courses.
Program: Legacy BES Environmental Management
Year of study: 4th year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Holy Cross Catholic Academy
Reason for choosing program: I was interested in a variety of environmental and social issues. I found that the courses offered were interdisciplinary and encapsulated many of the topics that piqued my interest.
Intentions for the future: I intend to pursue sustainable energy and climate change mitigation. I would also like to be an environmental educator.
Favourite part of the program: The endless experiential education and work/study positions available to help us improve our interpersonal skills and apply the concepts learned in our courses.
Program: Environmental Arts and Justice and Concurrent Education
Year of study: 3rd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Emily Carr Secondary School
Reason for choosing program: I chose my program because I am not only interested in learning about the environment around us and the many different frameworks and theories that can help battle the current crises we are facing. However, since I plan to become a teacher, I knew choosing the Environmental Arts and Justice program would give me a better foundation that would allow me to teach future changemakers ways to love our natural world around them at a young age
Intentions for the future: I plan on being a teacher
Favourite part of the program: While I love learning new frameworks and theories, my favourite part of my program is the community we created in Envrionmental Arts and Justice along the Faculty of Envrionmental and Urban Change.
Program: Sustainable Environmental Management
Year of study: 3rd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Our Lady Queen of the World Catholic Academy
Reason for choosing program: This program covers a broad range of subjects and is not too science-heavy. Each class presents a diverse classroom setting with like-minded students who are eager to learn how to advocate for a better future. It's often easy to become accustomed to unsustainable practices in a fast-growing economy so it's refreshing to be a part of a program that constantly tries to showcase ways to implement more sustainable practices into your day-to-day life and in the future.
Intentions for the future: Ideally, I would like to help develop and implement ways to tackle resource mismanagement. I would like to finish my bachelor's degree in sustainable environmental management and am also considering adding a minor in psychology. I remain undecided on whether I will continue my studies to complete my master's or perhaps go to college for a supplemental degree.
Favourite part of the program: I thoroughly enjoy studying ecology and learning how to advocate for a better future. The BES program is very diverse and touches on a wide range of topics - including economics, statistics, science, history, etc… It strongly encourages innovative thinking while accessing historical and current environmental practices. The program presents a good balance between group work and individual efforts. Plus many interesting and enlightening readings often involve riveting group discussions.
Program: Sustainable Environmental Management
Year of study: 3rd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton C.S.S.
Reason for choosing program: I have always had a passion for the environment, but my interests lie in a wide range of topics. Therefore, when I saw how interdisciplinary this program is, I knew it was perfect for me!
Intentions for the future: My intentions for the future include continuing my studies with a masters degree in Edinburgh, Scotland. I also hope to pursue a career in environmental consultancy for different businesses, on smaller and larger scales. This will give me an opportunity to change my work environment and research areas in line with my many interests, while also aiding businesses in their sustainability efforts. Additionally, as a small business owner myself, I have a first hand account of how sustainability practices can be implemented on a smaller scale.
Favourite part of the program: My favourite part about the program is how diverse the topics of study are, but also how interconnected they are, where you can use the knowledge you gained in one class to help support your statement in another. It truly allows you to build a well rounded and strong understanding of the topics for your future studies and career.
Program: Geography (iBA)
Year of study: 3rd year
High school or other academic institutions attended: Homeschooled then attended Humber College
Reason for choosing program: I wanted to make some positive change in the world, and I’ve always been interested in geography. As well, I find how people make attribute meaning to a place, and what happens to that meaning when new people move into those regions, or when the original people leave (or are forced out). The culmination of all this is to reframe the narratives surrounding migration and displaced populations, from a hostile and antagonistic rhetoric to one that views the movement of people is an essential part human society, and that it has been going on for a while, and that it will continue.
Intentions for the future: I will pursue a masters, and perhaps a doctorate degree if I want to be a professor, then I would like to work with aid organisations, NGO and governmental, to help displaced populations. Either that or, as mentioned before, I would like to pursue an academic career as a professor, as I believe quality and critical education is important to a functioning society.
Favourite part of the program: I would say that the professors are wonderful, as are my fellow students. But, I do greatly appreciate the way in which the theories of socio-political geography are taught in a very critical way, that fosters original thinking on the part of the students.
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