Orientation Leaders

Name: Tehreem Fatimah
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Psychology
Year: 4
Languages: Urdu, Punjabi, English
Places Lived: Pakistan, Hamilton, London
Special Interests: Reading, baking and gardening. I also really enjoy doing anything that allows me to be creative and showcase my artistic side. 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Orientation Program and Western Book Club
Advice to your first year self: I would tell my first year self to not be afraid to reach out when I need help. As well as, be open to participating in school events and projects!

Name: Grace Gillet
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Families with a Minor in Health Sciences
Year: 4
Languages: English
Places Lived: Belmont, ON
Special Interests: Spending time with my family and friends,  mental health and wellness advocacy, exercise, time spent outdoors in nature, and lending a helping hand in my community, running, volunteering, sewing, or reading.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In:  Nutrition Ignition!, Brescia University College Students' Council (BUCSC), Brescia Orientation Program, Wellness Peer Program, and a member of the Children’s Health Foundation Youth Philanthropy Group.
Advice to your first year self: Be present each day. University will fly by and the next thing you know you’ll be done. I encourage you to be present and take advantage of each moment you have on campus. Get involved, ask questions to improve your learning experience & live each day with gratitude. Education is a privilege and you are entering a new academic journey full of various emotions. Be confident, never lose sight of your goals, and work hard each step of the way - you got this and the Brescia Soph Team is cheering you on!!

Name: Sarah Andrusiak
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Double Major in History and Family Studies
Year: 4
Languages: English
Places Lived: Chatham and London, ON
Special Interests: Dance, soccer, reading, hanging outside with my family, friends, and dogs!
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: 
Advice to your first year self: Brescia Orientation Program, and Flag Football Team
Advice to your first year self: Find your balance! Learn to time manage between academics, social time, and self-care. First year is a difficult transition time, you got this!  

Name: Aangie Rudranantha
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her 
Academic Program:  Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 3
Languages: Tamil and English
Places Lived: Scarborough, Richmond and London, ON
Special Interests: I love to dance, and am professionally trained in the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam.
I can play a South Indian string instrument called the Veenai. I also love to cook and to embroider.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: BUCSC VP Student Events, Brescia Orientation Program, and SHEA. 
Advice to your first year self: Take it one step at a time and take breaks when studying, because those breaks are essential to succeeding and for your mental health. Get involved in things you enjoy around campus, there is so much going on so there will be something for you. And most importantly, if you feel lost, just know that you are not alone because everyone will feel overwhelmed and lost at some point in their first year. You can reach out to those around you and at Brescia when you need help or guidance. 

Name: Abby Syrja
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics 
Year: 4
Languages: English
Places Lived: Thunder Bay and London, Ontario
Special Interests: Dance, skiing, hiking, traveling and cooking!
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, This is London Dance Company, Nutrition Ignition! and SNAP
Advice to your first year self: These next four years at university will be some of the best years of your life! Take advantage of as much as you can; join clubs, explore London, and participate in campus events. It’s okay to feel nervous with all of these new changes, university is a big, but rewarding step! 

Name: Andrea Dominguez
Preferred Pronouns: She/Hers
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 3
Languages: Spanish and English
Places Lived: Honduras and London 
Special Interests: Playing volleyball, watching TV shows and singing.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: SALSA Club and the Brescia Orientation Program.
Advice to your first year self: There is nothing more important than taking care of your mental health! 

Name: Asma Musa
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her 
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 4
Languages: English, Somali, and some Arabic and French
Places Lived: Toronto, London, and KW, ON. Nova Scotia and Vancouver, BC. Lastly, I have lived in Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Special Interests:  Adrenaline-filled adventures, and hobbies like baking and cooking, coffee and food connoisseur, kayaking/ canoeing, journaling, hiking and horseback riding.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: BUCSC FNS student representative, resource developer for a FRESH and cooking assistant for SNAP and the Brescia Orientation Program.
Advice to your first year self: Chat with your professors and get to know them; they are very approachable, I promise. Also, no matter how tempting it is, never take 8 AM classes! Lastly, don't be afraid to start with a four-credit course load while you adjust to your new environment (unless you have an entrance scholarship).

Name: Ava Carter
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Major in Psychology and French for Teaching
Year: 2
Languages: English
Places Lived: Saskatoon, SK and London, ON
Special Interests: I enjoy being outdoors, hiking, working out, baking, and reading. 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia University College Students' Council (BUCSC) and the Brescia Orientation Program.
Advice to your first year self: It is important to find balance between school and your personal life. Set boundaries on how much work you will do and make sure to set time aside for yourself. Time for yourself can be self care, hanging out with with others, meeting new people, going on walk, or doing anything you enjoy! 

Name: Beatrice Pinsky
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Majors in Philosophy & Governance, Leadership and Ethics
Year: 2
Languages: English and Russian
Places Lived: Paris, France, King City and London, ON
Special Interests: Reading, baking and traveling.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, Brescia University College Students' Council (BUCSC), and PERIOD Ontario.
Advice to your first year self: It is important to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, but also to remember that it's okay to take breaks and slow down!

Name: Bisma Shafiq
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 4
Languages: Urdu and English
Places Lived: Pakistan, Oman and Canada
Special Interests: I love to play sports and be adventurous. Mostly I like playing basketball, riding my bicycle and rollerblading.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: The Brescia Orientation Program, and I am volunteering in a research project called CAN HEAL which aims to advocate and promote resilience and well being within the immigrant population of Canada!
Advice to your first year self: The best advice I could give to my first year self is to explore new things and make new friends!

Name: Bridget Molnar
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Major in Criminal Justice with a Minor in Gender and Women's Studies
Year: 2
Languages: English
Places Lived: London, ON
Special Interests: Trying new foods, spending time with family and friends, learning about social issues, and watching Netflix.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program and Anova 
Advice to your first year self: Don't be so nervous! There are so many people that will welcome and accept you for whoever you are. 

Name: Brooklyn Cowell
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Psychology
Year: 2
Languages: English and French
Places Lived: Chatham and London, ON
Special Interests: Dancing, reading, and going on walks with my dog.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program
Advice to your first year self: Stay authentic. You will find people of all different walks of life. Don’t try to change who you are to fit in with a specific group.

Name: Caitlyn Clark
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Major in Psychology with a Minor in Sociology
Year: 3
Languages: English
Places Lived: Ajax and London, Ontario
Special Interests: In my free time I enjoy exploring the outdoors with my dog, hanging out with my friends and watching Netflix. 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, BUCSC, Brescia Residence Council.
Advice to your first year self: Step outside of your comfort zone and get more involved. Further I would tell myself to live in the moment and stop planning out the future!

Name: Clara Prentice
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Foods and Nutrition with a Minor in French Studies
Year: 4
Languages: French and English
Places Lived: London, ON
Special Interests: I’m a classical pianist, I love to paint, I love hiking and traveling.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia University College Students' Council (BUCSC), former Student Ambassador and Campus Guide, and Greek life at Western 
Advice to your first year self: I would tell my first year self to not be so hesitant about joining in! Getting involved right out of the gate in first year is the best way to know yourself and the path you want to take on your university journey. 

Name: Danielle Charles
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 3
Languages: English
Places Lived: Schinveld, Netherlands, and London and Thunder Bay, ON
Special Interests: Sports, traveling, baking and anything outdoors! 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, basketball and dodgeball intramurals and FRESH.
Advice to your first year self: Take advantage of the many resources Brescia and Western have to offer and try not to stress so much about the little things! 

Name: Easha Faisal
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her 
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Psychology
Year: 4
Languages: Urdu and English
Places Lived: Karachi, Mississauga and London
Special Interests: Learning to play piano, going to the gym, reading, taking pictures of everything!
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, Wellness Peer, Brescia Flag Football Team,  Western Muslim Student Association, and have been part of the USC's Early Outreach Conference for two consecutive years and counting! 
Advice to your first year self: I would tell myself that who you are is not something set in stone. You are allowed to be multi-dimensional, you are always learning and adding to your self schema every day! You are going to learn so much, make so many friends, learn more about yourself, so don't be shy to embrace the change that is to come!

Name: Jordynn Bryan
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Double Major in Consumer behavior and Psychology
Year: 3
Languages: English
Places Lived: Oakville and London, Ontario
Special Interests: I like to work out, play with my dog, and paint. 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Athlete on Western Women's Basketball team, member of the Brescia Multicultural Club, member of Mustangs Athlete Student Council, and the Brescia Orientation Program.
Advice to your first year self: The advice I would give to my first year self is that not everything turns out as planned and that's okay. Also whatever the outcome is, trying my best is good enough and it's necessary to take some time to rest!

Name: Leila McBeth
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her 
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics with a Minor in French Studies
Year: 3
Languages: English and French
Places Lived: South Carolina, USA and London, ON
Special Interests: Running, swimming, traveling, volunteering!
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Clubs at Brescia: Nutrition Ignition! Executive Team, SHEA Executive Team, and Brescia Orientation Program. London Community: Growing Chefs Staff and Type Diabeat-It volunteer.
Advice to your first year self: Don’t stress too much about how first year will go! Brescia is such a welcoming and friendly environment, you are bound to find friends and adjust to the academics with the overwhelming level of support. If anything interests you in terms of clubs or sport teams, give it a shot. Make the most of the resources and programs provided for students, and you will not regret it! Although you may feel the weight of university workload, you are doing amazing and managing to tackle so many different tasks! 

Name: Marisa Yang
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program:  Double Major in Psychology and Family Studies
Year: 3
Languages: English and conversational Mandarin
Places Lived: Toronto and London, ON
Special Interests: Cooking, hikes, skincare, and makeup.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Kendo Club, Multicultural Club, CMHA volunteer, and the Brescia Orientation Program. 
Advice to your first year self: Brescia attracts really kind and like-minded people. It is completely normal to be nervous but the community and people around you are always there to help. Step outside of your comfort zone and take those opportunities!

Name: Naheda Kanaan
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Major in Family Studies and Human Development with a Minor in Psychology
Year: 2
Languages: English and Arabic
Places Lived: London, ON
Special Interests: Reading (let me know your recommendations), hiking, traveling and thrifting. 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, Western Women in Fitness and Purple Yogies.
Advice to your first year self: I would tell my first-year self to be more confident in who I am, not to be afraid to reach out for help with the difficult transition from high school to university, and be way more involved in my Western and Brescia community. The last and most important piece of advice I would give myself is to GO TO MORE O-WEEK EVENTS. I felt that I missed out so much on making connections and memories because I was nervous about leaving my comfort zone and putting myself out there. And never forget always to be yourself! 

Name: Olivia Watts
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Double Major in French for Teaching and Linguistic Anthropology
Year: 2
Languages: English and French
Places Lived: Stratford and London, ON
Special Interests: Sports, painting, photography and hanging out with friends!
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, Director of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) at Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority and recreational hockey.
Advice to your first year self: I would give myself two pieces of advice. First, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone! Make new friends and get involved in both the Brescia and Western communities. Second, support is always available so don't hesitate to reach out for assistance if you need it. There are likely hundreds of other students with the same questions in mind!

Name: Paige Howlett
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 2
Languages: English
Places Lived: Calgary, AB and London, ON
Special Interests: Reading, cooking, baking, sewing, and skiing.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program and the Brescia club SHEA (Executive member)
Advice to your first year self: Don't compare yourself to anyone else in any way! Everyone is trying to do what is best for them and it may not be what is best for you. You know yourself better than anyone, so do what feels best to you even if it isn't what everyone else is doing.

Name: Precious Egbujuo
Preferred Pronounrs: She/Her 
Academic Program: Honours Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 4
Languages: English
Places Lived: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nigeria
Special Interests: I love reading Fantasy books, doing nail art, and watching K-dramas
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Beyond the Books Club (UWO), Black Physician Association (UWO), Chess Club (UWO), and the Brescia Orientation Program.
Advice to your first year self: The first advice I would give to my first year self is to believe and have the confidence that I can and will succeed in my program. The second advice is to get involved in school clubs and activities. The third, is to take care of my mental health and well-being, it is extremely important. The fourth advice is to ask for help when struggling. The last advice is to have fun and enjoy the process. 

Name: Samantha Alexander
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Honours Specialization Nutrition and Dietetics
Year: 3
Languages: French and English
Places Lived: North Bay and London, ON
Special Interests: Art, traveling, outdoors, music, hiking, camping, reading.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program 
Advice to your first year self: Go easier on yourself. The transition from living at home to moving far away and not knowing anyone is scary and very overwhelming. I put a lot of pressure on myself and set very high expectations for how I wanted things to go. I struggled a lot with the changes but I also had so much fun and met so many people in the most unexpected ways. Let go of your expectations and embrace the change.

Name: Shayla Henderson
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Double Major in French for Teaching and Disabilities Studies
Year: 3
Languages: English and French
Places Lived: Aylmer, Toronto and London, ON
Special Interests: If I’m not doing yoga or adding to my crystal collection, I am playing Animal Crossing on my Switch! 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program
Advice to your first year self: Listen your body and take care of yourself. Talk to your professors, they do care!

Name: Teresa Therrien
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: MOS with a Specialization in Consumer Behaviour
Year: 3
Languages: English
Places Lived: Toronto, Markham and London, ON
Special Interests: Watching movies and TV, reading, softball, and photography.
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program and the Western Marketing Association
Advice to your first year self: Get involved in the school community! Take advantage of all of the opportunities on campus like clubs, sports, or campus events. By getting outside of your comfort zone, you give yourself the opportunity to meet new people outside of your program/classes and possibly build lifelong friendships.

Name: Zainah Abushanab
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
Academic Program: Major in Psychology
Year: 3
Languages: Arabic and English
Places Lived: Saudi Arabia and Canada
Special Interests: Photography, Listening to music, swimming, watching Netflix, and spending time with my friends and family. 
Clubs/Sports/Organizations Involved In: Brescia Orientation Program, Palestinian Cultural Clubs (Western), Arab Students Association (Western), Muslim Student Association (Western).
Advice to your first year self: Get involved in as many clubs and organizations as you can. Get out of your comfort zone and talk to people even though it can be hard sometimes. Everyone is just as nervous as you are if not even more, take it easy and don't push yourself too hard.