巴黎疯马秀

Yujin Choi

Program(s) of Study: Political Science (Major), Criminology and Sociolegal Studies (Major)
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
College: University College

My experience in the International Relations Stream helped me broaden my perspective and understand how history and politics interact to shape our society today. The course鈥檚 discussion-based style helped me practice my public speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills. Further, Trin One provided me with a nurturing environment and invaluable opportunities, such as the 巴黎疯马秀 Undergraduate Research Conference, where I had the privilege to present my final project to a wider audience.

In my free time, I like to unwind by listening to music and going on walks. I also love spending cozy nights reading in my room; my favourite genres include historical fiction, mystery, and bildungsroman. Outside of class, I have been a member of SMILE UofT, a student-run club dedicated to mental health awareness. As the junior events coordinator, I planned fun events for students to take a break from studying and de-stress. I also look forward to being a student-leader in the International Issues Discussion (IID) Series this year.

Trinity One has been a key part of my university experience so far, and I am delighted to be coming back as a senior mentor to help incoming Trinity One students enjoy the program as much as possible. I am always open to chat and am excited to help new Trinity One students in any way I can!

Beatrix Stone

Program(s) of study: Political Science (Specialist), History (Minor), and English (Minor)
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
College: St. Michael’s College

Trinity One introduced me to some of my best friends in first year, and made me feel very well prepared going into second year. I gained valuable presentation experience, as well as developing strong writing and research skills. This program allowed me to engage deeply with complex issues, and explore a wide range of subjects relating to many fields. As well, the collaborative nature of class discussions created a space for constructive debate and problem solving.

I am heavily involved in the Model United Nations community on campus, and there is a lot of crossover both with people and skills between MUN and Trinity One! Leadership and team building skills required to be a successful Trinity One Mentor are also instrumental in running a successful MUN committee. In addition to MUN, I volunteer as a musician and sound technician at St. Paul鈥檚 Bloor Street. My musical background has taught me the importance of team work and collaboration, which is a foundational element of this position.

Welcome to Trin One, we are so happy you鈥檙e here! I am so excited to meet all of you, and support you in this program. Be ready to learn a lot, and don鈥檛 hesitate to reach out to your mentors with any questions or concerns – we鈥檙e here for you!

To celebrate the Convocation and achievements of the class of 2025, I am honored to share the journey and reflections of Armann Ahmad and Regina Chong, two Trinity One Alumni from the International Relations (IR) stream.听

Armaan Ahmad recalls his Trinity One IR classes not only as one of his first in-person university courses (with most still conducted on Zoom due to the pandemic), but also as his first seminar-style class. This experience not only gave him an appreciation for discussion-based learning but also shaped his critical thinking, discussion style, and ultimately his choice of degree.

Having experienced it for himself, Armaan doesn鈥檛 deny the initial apprehension and impostor syndrome that naturally come not only with the shift from high school to university, but also with the increased rigour of his Trinity One International Relations courses. Rather than getting bogged down by the difficulty, Armaan chose to embrace the experience. In the process, he found a community eager to support him. With his fellow Trinity One classmates, he learned to dissect and discuss various topics with respect. With his professors, he learned to question everything. He found priceless guidance in his Trinity One professors and mentors鈥攅specially Professor Joy Fitzgibbon, who, in class, cut through academic jargon and provided a solid foundation in IR theory that would repeatedly appear throughout his years at U of T. Beyond scholarly theory, Fitzgibbon encouraged Armaan to take a step back from the pressures of conforming to a specific degree and consider what he truly wanted to do. Realizing he wanted to be in a position to effect change in global governance, Armaan began paving his own path by pursuing Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies as well as Political Science, instead of his original plan to focus solely on International Relations.

While still in Trinity One, Armaan took advantage of the mentorship offered by the program, receiving guidance not only from professors but also from upper-year mentors. Inspired by this, he became a Summer Program Assistant for Trinity One and later a mentor for incoming PCJ students. Through frequent meetings with students, planning mentorship socials, and organizing conferences, Armaan proudly gave back to the communities that first supported him.

Before he officially wraps up his time at U of T, Armaan hopes that incoming students will keep an open mind. Drawing from his own experiences, he encourages them not to be deterred by the unfamiliar, remembering how the same IR theory that once daunted him is now something he can speak about with confidence, thanks in large part to his early exposure in Trinity One. Even for students not in a small program like Trinity One, he stresses the importance of getting involved as much as possible, as it鈥檚 a great opportunity to build camaraderie and find long-lasting friends and mentors.

Armaan is excited to culminate his four years of hard work with travel plans over the summer before heading off to Western University鈥檚 Faculty of Law. On behalf of Trinity One, we wish him all the best and look forward to the impact he will make!

For Regina Chong,听joining the Trinity One IR program was one of the 鈥渂est decisions [she] could make for [her] first year鈥� and gave her the confidence to juggle her studies in International Relations, Political Science, and Latin American studies. Trinity One introduced her early on to much of the material that she would encounter in her upper years, giving her the tools and confidence to understand and manage the content load. This rigour didn鈥檛 come without due support, despite the initial shock that comes with the jump from High School to University, Trinity One gave her that community and mentorship hard-sought in the typically large first-year lecture rooms. It was also through this smaller community that Regina developed strong connections with her professors, Dr. Joy Fitzgibbon and Dr. Arne Kislenko. She capped her appreciation for them with a tip to 鈥渏ust go to office hours鈥�, a practice she never once regretted, as it led her to find long-term mentorships and friends.

Even past her time as a Trinity One student, Regina remained well-connected with the program, serving for 2 years as a Trinity One Peer Mentor to the IR stream. Personally, as one of her mentees, I can attest that Regina truly sought to foster a sense of community and support, something she consistently achieved in various settings, including the IID series (a student-led forum committed to fostering discourse on major events around the world, co-founded by her previous Trinity One professor and long-time mentor, Dr. Arne Kislenko), and the U of T Rotaract Club which she revitalized.

Constantly seeking to support fellow students and 鈥済ive back鈥� to the Trinity One community, Regina hopes to remind incoming Trinity One students that 鈥渢here is a reason you were selected into the program, you just have to gain the confidence to see yourself through it.鈥� As she learned for herself, it is important to trust that things would work out, taking the time to enjoy new friends and experiences in the moment to get through the challenges ahead.听

Regina is applying this advice to herself once again as she looks forward to the next stage of her life, entering the prestigious dual-degree program with the Munk School of Global Affairs and the London School of Economics, where she will receive a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Global Affairs. She welcomes the challenge wholeheartedly, excited not only for the practical work experience but to experience the London culture (and subway system!) for the first time.听

Closing off the interview, Regina reiterates that as important as it is to explore your interests, there is no point in time you truly stop figuring out everything. Take the time to rest and ground yourself with friends and family in all transitions of life.听

As we wish Regina all the best at the London School of Economics, on behalf of Trinity One we congratulate and thank her once more for her sound wisdom and encouragement.听

Article: Grace Gaw, Trinity One Program Assistant, International Relations 鈥�24

As a first-generation immigrant from Iraq who has witnessed firsthand the consequences of war,听Ali Nadhum听was drawn to the study of IR because of its relevance to his life experiences. Embracing challenge, Ali credits Trinity One鈥檚 unique structure in preparing him well for difficult upper-year coursework and seminar discussions. In particular, he highlights the policy brief in TRN151, an assignment rarely found in first-year courses.

Beyond academic rigor, Trinity One was a key stepping stone in shaping Ali鈥檚 critical thinking. The program鈥檚 focus on exploring IR鈥檚 broad theories in historical trends and political science challenges Ali鈥檚 initial viewpoints and enables him to form objective analyses.

Over his undergraduate career, Ali would navigate the difficult IR program alongside commuting challenges, online class transitions, and, more recently, work demands. From May 2022 to September 2023, Ali was one of the youngest in his team at Global Affairs Canada, conducting Open-Source Intelligence research while studying full-time. Through his work, he was directly exposed to the demands of diplomacy, while learning to push through his arduous schedule with the help of a strong support network of colleagues, friends, and family.听

Reflecting on his experience in the IR field, Ali highlighted the importance of being interested in and willing to immerse himself in global politics. “University and Trinity One are there to teach you how to critically analyze world events”, Ali emphasizes. To do so, he advises prospective students to push themselves to find their niche interests and read up as much as possible. Although acknowledging that preconceived beliefs can make some topics difficult, Ali encourages students to view their classes and readings with an open mind, constantly seeking to grow and learn.听

After graduating, Ali will be working with the Royal Bank of Canada鈥檚 High-Risk Client Management team as an Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorist Financing Analyst. I am grateful for the opportunity to interview and be inspired by Ali鈥檚 journey. On behalf of the Trinity One community, I congratulate him for his achievement.听

Article: Grace Gaw, Trinity One Program Assistant, International Relations 鈥�24

Like her peers in Trinity One鈥�21, Anna Lysenko began her university journey online, navigating through a sea of closed video cameras and a sense of disconnection from what would have been lecture halls filled with hundreds of classmates. However, in TRN151 and TRN152, she discovered a different world. Here, the seminar-style classes provided a glimpse into the engaging discussion-based environments she would later thrive in during her fourth year. As the year progressed, Anna found herself engaged with听professors who were passionate about each week鈥檚 new topic and 24 classmates, each with their camera on, ready to uncover a profound interest that would shape their academic path and achievements.听

Anna was always aware she was interested in International Relations, but it would only be through TRN151, a Trinity One course taught by Professor Fitzgibbon, that she discovered the world of cyberpolitics.听 Following a class focused on cyberspace and its violations, Anna’s passion for cybersecurity was ignited, leading her to model her TRN151 final project on cyberpolitics and culminating in her receiving the prestigious Laidlaw scholarship. During 6 weeks of research, she would travel to San Francisco to present her findings and conduct workshops on increasing cybersecurity with an NGO. One of the proudest moments in her journey was her capstone project: a 60-page senior thesis analyzing cybersecurity in Ukraine, bringing together her interest in cybersecurity coupled with her identity as a Ukranian.听

Despite her list of accolades, Anna continuously emphasized that there was always more to learn. To prospective students, Anna encourages them to never give up their curiosity, optimism, and determination. Specific to research, she suggests taking quantitative classes, especially statistics for research collection to build their toolbox of research skills and help them craft their research. Beyond that, 鈥渟tudy hard and just enjoy university!鈥澨�

After graduation, Anna will be an analyst for Deloitte, working as part of their cybersecurity cloud computing team. Taking to heart her advice, Anna looks forward to further developing her technical skills to complement her strong social science background. A heartfelt congratulations once more Anna, on behalf of Trinity One we wish you well in your endeavours!听

Article: Grace Gaw, Trinity One Program Assistant, International Relations 鈥�24

A heartfelt congratulations to the class of 2023! Your perseverance through your education is deserving of celebration! I am grateful to have the opportunity to interview two exceptional graduates from the Margaret Macmillan Trinity One International Relation stream, Maryam and Nivaal Rehman. They reflect on a supportive and positive university experience that significantly influenced their continuing education.

Trinity One Alumni (IR Stream) Maryam and Nivaal Rehman

As students of the Trinity One Program, Nivaal found that the International Relations stream pushed her ideas about preconceived perspectives and Maryam produced long-lasting connections from the program that lasted throughout undergrad. The classes were a strong foundation for their pursuit of international relations: “It was a great way to start our undergrad. Participating in the program was inspiring, and the courses were inspiring.”

The sisters found that the program’s seminar style though challenging, helped them grow. Upper-year courses were easier to navigate and less daunting due to early exposure to extensive research, close interaction with educators, and opportunities for direct interaction and support from professors throughout the program.

Trinity One and U of T had a lasting impact on their global perspectives. In their last year at U of T, the twins won the Adams Sustainability Innovation Prize. Nival was particularly proud of their work with the Sustainability film festival s where they were able to combine their passion for film, storytelling, and UN sustainable development. For Maryam, her proudest moment was organizing orientation for 巴黎疯马秀, both in 2021 as a mostly hybrid and online experience and then again in 2022 where she directed the return to in-person activities, creating a memorable first impression for new students at the college not once but twice!

To all incoming students, the twins want to let you know to be open and prepared for change. Don鈥檛 be overwhelmed by the questions you might still have. You might not be able to learn about everything and might have more questions than you started with, but that’s okay. It’s essential always to have a drive to learn.

They also want to let you know not to feel stuck to one path or feel pressured to follow other people’s paths: 鈥淕o out of your way to find courses and programs that interest you and pursue things that are specific or different from what your interests are.鈥� 鈥淚f you don’t see what you want to get out of university, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and look for other courses.鈥� Finally, for those of you who might be wondering how to make this happen, they advise: 鈥淢ake sure to take advantage of the campus support; they can help accommodate your needs and passions.鈥�

After graduation, Maryam and Nivaal are excited to attend post-grad at Oxford University. Before they go, they have one more adventure to share. They鈥檝e just been in Brazil to communicate with climate defenders and activists in preparation for creating their first feature film since 2019.

Thank you so much, Maryam and Nivaal, for taking the time to attend an interview. Congratulations on graduating, and best wishes to all graduates and their future endeavours!

Written by: Eugene Seo, Trinity One Program Assistant, Medicine and Global Health ’22

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 on your Convocation! I am grateful to have had the opportunity to interview Quinn Teague-Colfer (International Relations 鈥�20), an alumnus of the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program who is part of the graduating class. He shares fond memories of the program and is excited to enter a new chapter of his life.

Quinn expresses gratitude for the Trinity One program, where he developed meaningful relationships with peers and faculty. Quinn recalls entering first-year with some self-doubt, but he was able to overcome 鈥渋mposter syndrome鈥� thanks to the program鈥檚 supportive community and opportunities to practice both academic and social skills in seminars. Quinn decided to further pursue studying International Relations in his upper years. He thanks the program not only for sparking his interests in this field, but for providing a solid academic foundation for his major.

Having spent half of his time at the university online, Quinn is proud of his achievements during this tough time. Quinn shares that his favourite accomplishment is the work he put into the Trinity One program as a mentor in his upper years, seeing the crucial difference that the mentors made to the program. He feels grateful that he was able to stay connected to this community and form a close bond with the mentorship team. We thank Quinn for his contributions and lasting impacts on the Trinity One program.

Reflecting on his undergraduate experience, Quinn emphasizes the importance of 鈥渃ollaboration over competition鈥� in academia. With regards to Trinity One, Quinn advises students to take full advantage of the resources and support available in the program. He recognizes that everybody struggles and says there is no shame in speaking up about it. Quinn encourages incoming students to be confident in their abilities and prepare to step out of their comfort zone.

Quinn will be attending law school at the University of Cambridge. I would like to thank Quinn for sharing his valuable experiences with us, and I extend my sincerest congratulations to him on behalf of the Trinity One community.

Written by: Jessica Wang, Trinity One Program Assistant, Ethics Society and Law 鈥�22.

I want to extend my sincere congratulations to the class of 2023. After years of learning in online, in-person, and hybrid settings, you all deserve a meaningful celebration for your efforts! I am grateful to have the opportunity to interview an outstanding graduate from the Margaret Macmillan Trinity One International Relations stream, Tomer Zaidman. He reflects positively on his university experiences propelling him to his interest in continuing education.听

Trinity One Alumnus (IR Stream) Tomer Zaidman

Tomer Zaidman took an International Relations and Math double major alongside a Political Science minor as an undergrad. As a student of the Trinity One Program, he found the experience from the program a 鈥渉ighlight of the first year.鈥� The small community and seminar classes were the best place for him to form companionship and camaraderie. The classes were听 rigorous and engaging, as they challenged him to get a glimpse into global policy that traditional students don鈥檛 get to experience.

Trinity One professors Dr. Joy Fitzgibbon of TRN 151 鈥� Global Governance and Dr. Arne Kislenko of TRN 152 鈥� Justice and Global Conflict significantly inspired his undergrad learning. His first publication was based on a topic from his first-year foundations courses, and he continues to cite papers from these courses to this day.听

Despite a solid first impression, Tomer had many concerns and worries about campus life. Covid-19 restrictions diminished community building opportunities and made half his degree off campus. Initially, he had concerns about being prepared enough for in-person classes and being driven out of practice for student interaction. Despite these worries, he was comforted by the quick adaptation to online courses and opportunities for learning around campus. He was able to go on an exchange to Denmark, found connections back to music through playing the clarinet. and had significant involvement in the North American Model UN at U of T.听

To all incoming students, Tomer wants you to know that 鈥淚t will be fine. Classes will be fine, and you will enjoy yourself.鈥� The most significant takeaway he would tell any incoming students is that things will not go as planned, and there will always be a good reason. As for incoming Trinity One students, he wants to tell them not to get caught up with prestige or social pressures regarding program choices and extracurriculars: 鈥淢ake decisions for yourself and not from the pressures of anybody else.鈥澨�

听After graduation, Tomer is excited to pursue his Ph.D. at Stanford鈥檚 political studies program, where he can combine his love for mathematics and politics by applying formal theory and game theory in political scenarios. A Ph.D. was not on his radar, but his professors and the academic environment provided by U of T built up his confidence and passion for pursuing a direct entry. He鈥檚 anxious but incredibly excited to do what he loves at a Ph.D. level.

听Thank you, Tomer, for spending the time to partake in an interview. Congratulations on graduating, and best wishes to all graduates and their future endeavours!

听Written by: Eugene Seo, Trinity One Program Assistant, Medicine, and Global Health 鈥�22

听听

To celebrate the Convocation of the Class of 2022, I had the pleasure of interviewing听Tessa Di Vizio,听Rachel Zack听and听Sarah Weiner, who are three Trinity One International Relations stream alumni. They graciously shared their experiences with Trinity One, how it affected the rest of their undergrad and their plans following this incredible milestone.

All the alumni cherished their time in Trinity One and highlighted the sense of community that Trinity One fosters, especially in a large University like UofT. They听emphasized听their ability to develop long-lasting relationships with not only their classmates, but other Trinity One students and even Professors.

Looking back, all the alumni appreciated the rigorous nature of the Trinity One program because it prepared them for the challenges of upper year courses. They were already familiar with much of the content thanks to Trinity One and it helped them succeed for the rest of their undergrad. They were also able to better manage their time and gained experience with complex readings and citations. Additionally, the seminar setting helped them gain confidence with public speaking and debate. Sarah said 鈥渢he experience felt very much like being thrown in the deep end [but] in the years following I felt so much more prepared, capable and confident because of my experiences in Trin One鈥�.

Each alumnus also credited the stream for influencing their future program decisions as well by developing their interests in different aspects of International Relations. Tessa said that the content from the International Relations stream also helped foster her love for History alongside her International Relations academic interests.听 Similarly, Rachel stated that her experiences with her professor encouraged her to also pursue a history major in addition to her International Relations major. Sarah鈥檚 exposure to International Relations through the Trinity One Program also led her to pursue an International Relations major with an English major.

Unsurprisingly, their university journeys have seen many challenges, especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When classes were moved online, they all felt that they were losing out on their university experience. Rachel couldn鈥檛 play her two varsity sports, rugby and wrestling, and also had an exciting study abroad opportunity cancelled. Tessa lost out on the sense of community that she had enjoyed up until the pandemic as well. However, they expressed that there were some upsides like being able to rewind or pause asynchronous lectures or even being a part of online group chats to maintain the social aspect of class. Nevertheless, all the alumni are extremely excited to be able to attend convocation in person and celebrate their massive accomplishments.

This group of alumni has overcome many obstacles that university or the pandemic threw at them and wanted to impart some advice on incoming students. Tessa stressed the importance that there is no one right way to get your degree and urges students to take courses that they are interested in. Rachel emphasized that 鈥測ou are not your resume鈥� and that your grades or extracurriculars do not define your worth. Sarah highlighted the fact that 鈥測ou belong in that room just as much as everyone else does, even when you feel like that鈥檚 not true鈥� and to not be afraid to fail.

After convocation, each of the alumni will be taking a well-deserved break from academics and starting new careers. Tessa will soon be applying to various master鈥檚 programs so that she can pursue her dream of becoming a History professor. Sarah will be studying for the LSAT so she can apply to law schools for the Fall 2023 term.

I would like to thank Tessa, Rachel and Sarah for taking the time to speak with me during this extremely busy and exciting time and wish them all the best in their future endeavours. Congratulations on these amazing milestones and we can鈥檛 wait to see what you will do next!

My participation and learning听in the听Trinity One International Relations stream was integral to my success in HIS344.听Trinity One听provided me with听the most rewarding and intellectually stimulating听experience among all my first-year courses. Trinity听One exposed me to primary听historical sources, foundational literature in political science, the art of research and many more.听Specifically, through听writing final research papers in Trinity One, my professors supported me听and equipped me听with the necessary skills to work on听long, daunting听upper-year course assignments.听Most importantly,听the听rigour of the听Trinity One Program taught me to听embrace听and explore听academic challenges. Without Trinity One,听I would have imagined or feeling comfortable听challenging听myself with听a third year history course in my second year. Overall, Trinity One allowed me to discover听my academic passions and empowered me to conduct effective research.