Waseem Kazzah, BA’18

Coming from a different culture, leaving your family behind and being forced to abandon your home is not easy for anyone – and it definitely wasn’t easy for me. But, these were my life circumstances before arriving at Huron University College. At the beginning, adjusting to my new environment at Huron wasn’t easy. School was difficult for me and I was unhappy: I felt homesick and depressed. I was sadly questioning my presence in Canada, asking myself, “What I am doing here?” After accepting my new reality, I started to do better in school – as a result, my life improved. Following this time of transition, I began to recognize the important role Huron would play in shaping my life and experiences in Canada.

Huron became my second home. Now, I feel I truly belong to this great institution.

I am confident my journey would not be the same if I was not at Huron. Huron provides me with a secure environment that enables me to excel in my courses, and the welcoming environment paved the way for me to get involved in every aspect of Huron life. I will always remember when my family watched as Huron awarded me the Eddy Smet Mathematics Prize. It was an unforgettable moment that made me proud of what I’ve accomplished and reaffirmed I made the right decision to come to Huron.

In my second year, I had the opportunity to work in Huron’s library as a student assistant. This experience helped me to water my roots more thoroughly at Huron because it gave me the chance to get to know so many Huron students, staff and faculty.

Huron’s student support staff has also had a great impact on shaping my success and confidence level in Canada. Addressing my needs and worries are the core foundations of their service that helped me reach the level of success I have now: From my academic counsellors and the team members who help me with financial aid through to the chairs of Management and Organizational Studies and Political Science, these individuals have been the pillars that enhance my education at Huron.

Getting involved in the school’s clubs was a medicine I would recommend to every student, so they too can be a part of this community. Starting from a member in the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) chapter at Huron to gradually becoming a president of this club rewarded me with great experiences and increased my confidence.

This year, Huron proudly celebrates the 20th anniversary of its partnership with WUSC. My WUSC team and its executives worked on the campaign to raise awareness of the WUSC Student Refugee Program referendum. The main purpose for this campaign was to increase the annual HUCSC WUSC fee by $5 annually to adequately support refugee students’ educational pursuits at Huron and their resettlement in Canada. I was so glad these efforts bore fruit and got the results we hoped for.

Now, we can support even more student refugees to find their second home at Huron University College.