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We Celebrate Our Students
Name: Omkar Raghunath Kshirsagar Country of Origin: India School: Dalhousie University, Agricultural Campus Program: Master of Science in Agriculture (Environ. Microbiology) Study and Stay™ Program: Atlantic Canada Study and Stay™ -Nova Scotia Cohort 2018-2019 I came to Canada in 2016 to start my Master’s research program at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia Agriculture Campus, in Truro. I enjoyed my first snowfall and loved the environment, culture and people around. Thinking about future career plans as stepping towards graduation in 2018. I was lucky enough to be able to get selected into Atlantic Canada Study and Stay ™ - Nova Scotia program.
In this program, I felt more inspired after the first retreat event at Annapolis Basin in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia. I learned new things about the history, culture, food, and amazing stories of people who settled in Nova Scotia. Later in the program, meeting with my mentor, workshops for intercultural development and communication, networking events and conferences helped me to gain and develop my roots in this community. After successfully landing a professional job in Windsor, due to things I learned during this program about intercultural differences and work culture in Nova Scotia, I was able to make a good working relationship within my diverse team and helped me connect with everyone.
In 2020, I got the opportunity as a mentor to give back to this great program, helping international students like me. I was able to connect with and support my mentee and provide my valuable experience to become a part of the Nova Scotia community. After looking back into these past years, I am so grateful for this program and would like to recommend it to every international student.
Name: Wai Lp (Lolita) Lam Country of Origin: Hong Kong School: Cape Breton University Program: Master’s of Business Administration Study and Stay™ Program: Atlantic Canada Study and Stay™ -Nova Scotia Cohort 2019-2020 As a recent MBA graduate from Cape Breton University (CBU), I am very grateful to be a member of the EduNova family. Their team has created a home away from home for me, full of love, care and hope. In the last two years, I have been living under the shadow of the pandemic and the unstable political situation of my hometown – Hong Kong, but EduNova was always there for me.
Thanks to the networking exercise and events, one of my connections has referred me to a full-time job, and now I am going through my permanent residency (PR) application. People would say I was a blessed one, but all this only happened with the help of EduNova. I met my mentor during the program. She not only provided me with useful employment information but shared with me her valuable professional and personal experience. With her influence, I am learning French with her now, and we are planning to go for a trip after COVID.
Although I have graduated from CBU and EduNova, I feel like I have never left this circle. Because whatever I learned and absorbed from this program has shaped me into a new Nova Scotian, and I am proud to become one. To quote Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Starting from the retreat, networking event, mentoring, job-seeking training, one on one career advice section until graduation, I will never forget what EduNova has done for international students.
Name: Tanaka Shumb Country of Origin: Zimbabwe School: Dalhousie University Program: Bachelor of Science (Medical Sciences) Study and Stay™ Program: Atlantic Canada Study and Stay™ -Nova Scotia Cohort 2019-2020 I decided to come to Nova Scotia from Zimbabwe because of the opportunities available to international students postgraduation, as well as the diverse and vibrant immigrant community in our province.
The Study and Stay™ program helped me map out a vision for my career in Nova Scotia. We were provided with many resources and professional development workshops to help in developing career goals and creating a plan for executing those goals. I enjoyed the mentorship aspect the most because I had a great relationship with my mentor, and she helped me network and realize my strengths. I also appreciated having access to a Career Strategist because she was very instrumental in my career journey in providing interview advice, reviewing cover letters and resumes.
I am now working as a Residence Life Manager at Dalhousie University, where I provide supports for students in residence. I have many hobbies, including spending time outdoors. I love living in Nova Scotia, as you can experience both city life and be surrounded by nature at the same time. I plan to give back to the Study and Stay™ community by becoming a mentor for the program next year, as I want to keep contributing to the experiences that international students have in Nova Scotia.
Name: Yingjun Chen Country of Origin: China School: Saint Mary’s University Program: Bachelor of Arts, Major in French, Minor in International Development Studies Study and Stay™ Program: Atlantic Canada Study and Stay™ -Nova Scotia Cohort 2020-2021 I graduated from Saint Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Arts in French (Honours) in May 2021. Over the past four years, I was a student with a great passion for languages but also became an outstanding leader by actively engaging in numerous activities. On campus, I started from welcoming new students and presenting in student conferences, and later took on bigger roles such as Logistics Director of TEDxSaintMarysU and Founder/President of SMU French Society. Meanwhile, I continued volunteering in the community by helping many non-profit organizations, such as ISANS and IFNÉ.
To further improve my professional skills, I joined the 2021 cohort of the Atlantic Canada Study and Stay ™ - Nova Scotia Program, which is the best decision I have ever made. The program has provided me meaningful workshops and mentorship, greatly enhancing my confidence and skills. From being a diligent student, I transformed into a young and competent professional. This is due to the guidance and support from the Career Strategist, my mentor, and all the staff from the program.
All these experiences and the excellent supporters that I met have led me to a precious opportunity to work as a Marketing and Administration Support Coordinator at EduNova right after graduation. I believe that “an opportunity is always for those who are prepared for it.” No matter where I go in the future, I will keep learning and be ready for every new challenge.
