Documentation:CTLT programs/Global Citizenship/Global Citizenship Project Team
Project Team
GCP coordinators
Winnie Cheung
We CAN make a difference – one person at a time; one act of kindness at a time.
Winnie Cheung is the initiator and supervisor of the Global Citizenship Project. For over twenty years Winnie has been engaged in building bridges and understanding across cultures in her role as teacher and international educator in Asia and N. America. In 1990 she joined UBC as the Director of the International Student Centre, became the Director of International Student Services in 1994 and the Executive Director of International House in 2001. In April 2003 she was invited to join the Office of the Vice President (Students) as his Senior Advisor (Internationalization & Alumni Relations).
Her own international education has taken her to Malaysia as head of a university student delegation, to New Zealand as a Commonwealth Scholar and to the United Kingdom as a British Council Fellow. As a practitioner in international education, she has represented Canada on education missions to Taiwan and Iran at the invitation of the respective governments. She has won a number of awards including being named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International. She is currently an elected member on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Bureau for International Education.
Regina Lyakhovetska
Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted (Albert Einstein)
Photo credit: Dawn Waswick
Regina Lyakhovetska is the Coordinator of the Global Citizenship Project. She is an intern and Special Projects Coordinator in the Office of Vice-President Students at UBC. Regina recently graduated from UBC with MA in Educational Administration and Leadership. In her thesis, she explored how experiences of international students at UBC are related to the institutional and national policy of internationalization. Empowered by the knowledge gained through her academic and social experiences as an international student from Ukraine, Regina became the Founder and Acting President of International Students Association (ISA) of UBC in 2002-2003. She currently serves as the Chair of ISA Advisory Board. Regina sees this project as the opportunity for UBC students and alumni to have a voice in shaping the vision of the University and engage in discussions about what is important and what is good.
GCP group leaders
Tanya Baker
Life and personal growth are work in progress
Tanya Baker is a second year Midwifery student at UBC and has a BSc in Integrated Sciences combining life sciences and international relations from UBC. She was previous chair of the Global Outreach Students’ Association (GOSA) at UBC and Western Canada Representative for the Students’ University Network for Social and International Health (SUNSIH). Currently, she is a steering committee member of Youth Coalition, which is an international organization that advocates for sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people at the UN level. She is very interested in global maternal and child health and how that relates to increased quality of life and well being of societies.
Stefanie Doetzer-Gray
Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
Stefanie Doetzer-Gray is a visiting Doctoral student at UBC’s English Department. She received her Master of Arts in Cultural studies and North-American studies from the University of Bielefeld in Germany. She is currently working as a project manager at the Faculty of Science and as a peer coordinator in the Chapman Learning Commons. She also volunteers for the Minerva Foundation for BC Women and is the membership coordinator for Canada25 Lower Mainland.
Kerrie Thornhill
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars’ (Oscar Wilde)
Kerrie is a 3rd year International Relations major and Economics minor, primarily interested in Third World politics and development, as well as gender issues. She works as an Orientations Coordinator for International House, and volunteers with the Red Cross, World University Service of Canada, and the UBC Global Citizenship Project. After participating in the 2003 WUSC Seminar in Benin she became “mildly obsessed” with everything African, and hopes to return to West Africa as a development worker some day.
Hong Tao
Carpe Diem (Enjoy the day to the full) Latin proverb
Hong Tao is a 1st year MA student in Adult Education at the Department of Educational Studies. She is currently serving as a student representative for her program and is a volunteer at the Coolie Verner Memorial Reading Room. She is an international student from China.
Satya Mokamati
Dalai Lama: Each of us must learn to work not just for his or her self, family or nation, but for the benefit of all mankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best known foundation for world peace.
Photo credit: Dawn Waswick
Satya Mokamati is a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Fluid Mechanics. He is using his Fluid mechanics expertise to make best quality paper from waste paper in an effort to save the trees and environment. He often volunteers in GSS and International House events. He held a general secretary position of Indian students Association in 2002-03 and is currently serving as the President of Pulp and Paper Centre student club. He is a department representative on GSS Council. In his spare time, Satya is either taking Latin dance classes or enjoys swimming. For Satya, global citizenship doesn’t have a single and concrete definition. It is an inner quality of a person who is motivated to contribute into the well being of the globe. He hopes to bring awareness about global citizenship through this project.
Weldon Wong
César Fajardo: If you learn something and it changes you, you have made progress, but if you learn something and it changes others, you are changing the world.
Weldon is a Master’s degree student studying Leadership and Student Affairs at Trinity Western University. He works at the UBC Bookstore and volunteers for the local Health and Safety program. He enjoys working with international students and volunteering for community groups. He was an International House volunteer welcoming new international students and an active volunteer for UBC’s United Way Campaign. He is past President and Volunteer Development Chair of the Burnaby Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society. His past business experience in BC’s high technology sector, has provided him with the opportunity to travel to Asia and Europe. After Weldon completes his degree, he would like to work with international students in Student Affairs and begin a program at UBC in Intercultural Studies. To Weldon, global citizenship is about genuinely caring for people in our local and international communities. Caring begins with taking the initiative to learn about other cultures, their values and international issues.
Anoop Shankar
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance – Confucius
Photo credit: Martin Dee
Anoop Shankar is a 3rd year Honours Computer Science Co-op student with a minor in Commerce. Getting involved in UBC community has become his passion. Some of his most memorable experiences have originated from the Computer Science co-op program, International House, Imagine and the Youth Millennium Project. Being educated in today’s world means for him being a well-rounded team player and these activities help him grow. For Anoop, global citizenship means a world where people are treated and respected equally for who they are. This requires caring about the world as a whole and aiming to help people that are less fortunate.
Melissa Kelly
If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart - Buddha
Melissa is a final year student in the faculty of Arts. She currently works at UBC Career Services and the UBC English Language Institute and is completing research at MOSAIC, an immigrant settlement agency in the downtown east side. In her spare time, Melissa volunteers with International House and WUSC, and is a part of the coordinating committee for the Africa Awareness initiative. Melissa spent last year on exchange at the University of Hong Kong and had the chance to backpack all over Asia. This past December she was thrilled to return to Asia to represent UBC at the World Student Summit in Singapore. For Melissa, global citizenship means taking responsibility for the world as a whole and striving to relate to and respect people despite political, cultural, and racial differences.
Judy Maxwell
Chinese proverb: Make the past serve the present.
Judy Maxwell is a 2nd year Master’s student in Chinese Canadian history, researching the Chinese Canadian veterans of the Second World War. Her Master’s research focuses on the debates (1944) as to whether Chinese Canadians should comply with conscription, given that they were denied political rights and labelled as ‘aliens.’ She has spent the past 4 months attending and giving presentations on the significance of the Chinese Canadian veterans at the University of Hong Kong, Rutgers, Carleton, York, Wilfred Laurier and UBC. Judy is also a volunteer Research Associate and Director for the Chinese Canadian Military Museum of Vancouver, the only one in Canada. Judy believes that global citizenship is about inclusiveness. Everyone matters and everyone can learn from each other; participation and contributions are important and valued. Interacting and working together is the core of being and belonging, and we need to look beyond ourselves and focus on the big picture — we need to realize how important our connections are with others in our friendships, neighbourhoods, our communities, and with our planet at any or all levels. Global Citizenship is about everyone.
Madeleine Lyons
The test of an adventure is that when you’re in the middle of it, you say to yourself, ‘Oh, now I’ve got myself into an awful mess; I wish I were sitting quietly at home.’ And the sign that something’s wrong with you is when you sit quietly at home wishing you were out having lots of adventure.’ Thornton (Niven) Wilder (1897-1975)
Madeleine is a 1st year Arts student hoping to major in political science. She became involved with the Global Citizenship Project through the UBC Campus Group of World University Service of Canada (WUSC), an organization with which Madeleine is travelling to Africa this summer. Aside from her studies, Madeleine currently holds positions on the executive boards of WUSC and the International Relations Student Association, while volunteering with Humanities 101 in her spare time. Off campus, Madeleine is a facilitator with the Canadian Red Cross and UNICEF while acting as the producer and host of a youth radio show. After graduation, Madeleine hopes to pursue a career in broadcasting or development work. Madeleine believes that a global citizen is one who is able to understand the impact of their actions on world issues and is able to empower others through example. She believes that becoming a global citizen is a life-long process of experiential learning.
Cathy Liao
Treat others as you want to be treated
Cathy Liao is a 2nd year M.A. student in higher education program in the Department of Educational Studies (EDST). She was a student representative for her program in 2002-2003. She is currently serving as an international student representative on the International Planning Committee in her department.
Koyali Burman
Live simply that other may simply live. – Gandhi
Photo credit: Dawn Waswick
Koyali is a 1st year Master’s student in the department of Educational Studies (EDST). Her research interest is in planning online courses. She is the President of UTSAV-Indian Students Association of UBC. Koyali also serves as a student representative on the EDST International Planning Committee. She enjoys volunteering in the UBC Trek Volunteer program. She is a member of the Royal Commonweath Society. In her spare time, Koyali is teaching Indian classical dance to UBC students. Global citizenship to her is about understanding global factors and how they affect local issues. It is important for all people to realize that they are members of one global community sharing one planet.
Mari Takeda
Helen Keller: ‘I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.’
Photo credit: Dawn Waswick
Mari is a second year science student studying Chemistry. Mari is a member of the Trek Leadership Network with the UBC Learning Exchange Trek Program and has benefited tremendously from her participation in Reading Week Community Service Projects at Munroe House and Dickens Elementary School. She also served as the Human Resources Coordinator for the 2004 Student Leadership Conference. When she needs a break, Mari can be found reading a novel or training for her first half-marathon. To her, global citizenship is about taking responsibility for your actions, words, and thoughts all throughout your life, which includes educating yourself about global issues and effecting positive change. Mari sees a need for UBC students to communicate with one another about issues affecting local, national, and international communities, and hopes that this initiative will provide a venue for students to connect.
Shannon Beebe
We can do no great things – only small things with great love.’ – Mother Teresa
Photo credit: Dawn Waswick
Shannon is in her 2nd year at UBC studying Arts courses in preparation for late entry into the Global Resource Systems program. She has been involved on campus through her presidency on the Place Vanier Residents’ Association, her work with the UBC branch of Free the Children (UBC Global Builders) and membership of the UBC Salsa Club. Shannon defines the concept of global citizenship as personal awareness of and sensitivity to both local and foreign affairs, and recognition of the importance of collaboration in working toward harmony amongst people, governments and environment. Shannon is excited that the UBC administration has provided this opportunity for students to voice their opinions. She hopes that the discussion groups will cause students to scrutinize their definitions of global citizenship, and that numerous innovative suggestions will be made and eventually implemented to incorporate the concept into the curricula here at UBC.
Suresh Pillai
As a net is made up of a series of ties, so everything in this world is connected by a series of ties. If anyone thinks that the mesh of a net is an independent, isolated thing, he is mistaken. It is called a net because it is made up of a series of interconnected meshes, and each mesh has its place and responsibility in relation to other meshes (Buddha)
Suresh did graduate work in Theoretical Physics at UBC. He started off life at UBC as an Orientation Leader and Peer Group Leader with International House. Noticing a lack of student involvement at the GSS, he went on to become a councillor before being elected VP Services. He introduced multicultural exhibitions, academic speakers, dance parties, cultural trips, and the summer soccer league. He was involved with the renovations of the GSC and Koerner’s Pub, and also forged links between the GSS and IH. During his tenure as an AMS councillor, he was selected to attend a Student Leadership Conference in Cuba. Suresh has been involved with Science 101 as both an instructor and tutor; it has been his most rewarding experience to date. As an avid follower of all things international, whether it is the World Cup or the UN, Suresh is excited to be involved with GCP. He is always eager to debate current issues over a pint of ale.
Nabeela Ijaz Khan
Aim for the stars: for even if you fall short, you can still reach the mountain top (Unknown).
Photo credit: Dawn Waswick
Nabeela Ijaz Khan is a second year Cell Biology and Genetics student with a minor in Anthropology. She was the first elected President of the International Students Association 2003/2004 and has been re-elected for the second term. She is also a Student Ambassador in the Student Recruitment office and has volunteered within International House in the Conversation Club and Festiva. She was selected as one of the group leaders for the Student Leadership Conference 2003 and was a representative of UBC for the high school leaders who attended the 2004 Student Leadership Conference. Nabeela has been awarded the International Leader for Tomorrow Award by UBC and is also the recipient of the Award for International Understanding by the European Council of International Schools. Aside from her volunteer work to increase awareness of international issues in the Vancouver community, Nabeela has also volunteered in Brunei in the Cross Age Tutoring Program.
We would also like to recognize the following GCP group leaders whose paragraphs do not appear above:
- Joshua Caulkins – VP External and Academic Affairs (GSS), Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences
- Grant Wong – alumni, Political Science
- Sergey Radyakin – Department of Economics
- Laura Best – past VP Academic and University Affairs (AMS), Political Science
- Holly Foxcroft – VP External (AMS), Political Science
- Tejas Ewing – Totem Park, Residence Manager, Geography
- Daniel Sun – past VP Academic (CSSA), Graduate Studies
- Krista Peterson – School of Community and Regional Planning
- Tim Louman-Gardiner – Imagine leader, Arts