How donor support is helping three U of T students create a better tomorrow 

A PhD student in social work striving to improve mental health supports for Black youth, an animal-loving undergrad who wants to protect endangered species, and a computer science PhD student exploring how tech can ensure all students feel like they belong – these are just three examples of the many University of Toronto students working hard to make the world a better place.

Thanks to the generous support of donors, students like Elo Igor, Alice Lo and Naaz Sibia can focus on their studies and research without having to deal with financial stress. Read on to learn more about how donor support is helping these three scholars drive progress toward a more inclusive, innovative and sustainable world.

Elo Igor

When Elo Igor was a young girl growing up in Toronto, she didn’t like school. “In fact, I would often say I hated it,” says the PhD student in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at U of T.  

As she got older, she started to notice a concerning pattern: this dislike for school was all too common among Black students like her. “Saying ‘I hate school’ is coded language, right? I began to wonder what was happening in the system to make all these Black-identifying students feel this way,” she says. “I started to ask a lot of questions.” 

Throughout her post-secondary journey at U of T – completing a BA in 2014, a Master of Education in 2016 and a Master of Social Work in 2019 – she continued to delve into those same questions from different perspectives. Today, her PhD research is focused on exploring mental health services in the education system for young Black boys who have been impacted by community violence. 

Igor’s path to this point has been bolstered by a wide array of supports at U of T. There’s the Black Students’ Association, where she found a community of belonging; the encouraging professors and mentors who opened her eyes to what was possible; and, of course, the generous donor support that gave her the financial means to pursue her goals.  

“From the very beginning of my post-secondary journey, scholarships allowed me to be able to choose school over and over again, and I am so grateful for that,” says Igor. “Without donor support, I would not be able to do this research I’m doing now, which will hopefully lead to more equitable and inclusive policies for the future.” 

Alice Lo

Alice Lo has always loved animals – so much, in fact, that she wants to make a career out of studying and protecting them.  

“I’m interested in conservation; protecting species and preventing them from being extinct or endangered,” says the fourth-year U of T student, who is working toward her BSc with a double major in biodiversity and conservation biology and environmental science.  

She’s particularly keen on the idea of museum work: studying what animals were like in the past compared to now and using that information to figure out how to preserve different species. “I currently volunteer at the Royal Ontario Museum with the bird collection. It’s really cool,” she says with a smile.  

Beyond getting a chance to nurture her passion for birds, volunteering has given her the opportunity to work with U of T professors who are cross-affiliated at the ROM and meet other students and academics who share similar research interests. “I get to network and make connections,” she says, adding that these connections will be priceless when it comes to setting herself up for future career success. 

Lo is grateful for the donor support that allows her to pursue these sorts of enriching opportunities. “Volunteering would not be possible if I needed to have a job to finance my education,” she explains.  

Her scholarships have also made it possible to have enough time to get deeply involved with her college at U of T – she’s been part of the Innis College Student Society since her first year and is currently its sustainability representative. She also founded the Innis Garden Club, co-ordinating volunteers to water, plant and harvest the Innis Garden’s vegetables.  

“Donor support is giving me the opportunity to create change, now and in the future,” she says. 

Naaz Sibia

While working toward her BSc in computer science at U of T Mississauga, Naaz Sibia often struggled with feeling like she didn’t belong. As a quiet young woman in a male-dominated field, she felt constant pressure to prove herself to her peers. “It was very tiring,” she says.  

But thanks to some supportive, encouraging professors who convinced her that she did belong, she continued the program, excelled in her work, and is now pursuing a PhD in computer science.  

“I want to be that pillar for other students,” she says, noting that her ultimate goal is to become a professor.  “I really enjoy working with students – there’s such joy in being able to help someone who needs that kind of help, especially the quietest students in my classes.” 

Sibia’s PhD research explores online educational platforms and tools in computing, like Q&A forums and visualizations, with a focus on how to make these more inclusive. “While digital resources are excellent for expanding access to education, they may inadvertently raise barriers or perpetuate stereotypes if they’re not thoughtfully designed,” she says. “The goal of my work is to critically analyze and refine these tools to ensure equitable learning experiences.” 

Sibia says donor support has been invaluable in fuelling her progress. “It allows me to travel, collaborate with other researchers, and dedicate my time fully to my research, raising community awareness and advancing equitable education,” she explains. 

“I am proud to be part of the U of T community, where everyone’s so enthusiastic about creating change, looking at new problems and solving them together. I want donors to know they’re contributing to a better tomorrow.”