This season, we are focusing on pedagogies that empower. We are asking students to share specific educational experiences that are inclusive and inspiring and how other instructors could incorporate them into their courses.

For our first episode, we have not just one, but four student guests: Asha Thapa, Jessica Ho, Angelina Joseph and Niraj Joshi, all international students that participated in a bi-weekly theatre-based workshops hosted by Rita Dhungel, Assistant professor in the School of Social work and Shelley Liebembuk, Associate Professor of Theatre, and Director of UFV’s School of Creative Arts. The students tell us how Rita and Shelley created an inclusive space through shared meals and theatre activities, including image-theatre, a technique for non-actors developed by Augusto Boal. The students provide powerful advice for UFV faculty and staff about how to cultivate reciprocal and caring relationships between students and instructors.

To learn more about image-theatre: https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/imagining-change-through-image-theatre

Rydel Cawile, a General Studies student from the Philippines, tells us what it was like to come to UFV as an older student with a wife and two young children. He likens being an international student to trying to build and maintain a house of cards: one card falls - tuition, work, family, health - and it threatens the whole structure. He urges instructors to keep in mind the mental and emotional toll that can take and to keep incorporating flexibility into their courses.

In this special episode recorded in Chandigarh, India, we catch up with Lovesangeet Singh Aulakh. After graduating from UFV and Fraser Valley India with a Bachelor in Business Administration, Lovesangeet returned home to India in 2018 to launch a successful start-up. Lovesangeet tells us how his experiences of receiving packages from his family shaped his current business, Countryside Express. He reminds us of the power of community in supporting international students who are far from their families and encourages faculty to make time and space to encourage young entrepreneurs like himself.

Mohammed Bearingwala, an analyst in UFV's IT Services and a UFV graduate, talks about the differences between his experiences in College in Mumbai, India and at the University of the Fraser Valley. Touching on grading, exams, tutoring, and course schedules, Mohammed shares insights and experiences that shift our thinking around teaching and learning.

Dawn Nansumba, a varsity soccer player and nursing student, shares how she learned to use her voice as a student of colour. She reflects on how powerful it was for her when instructors acknowledge racialized experiences in the classroom and encourages faculty to find ways for students to tell their stories their way.

Shanga Karim, a creative writing student and journalist from Kurdistan (Northern Iraq), dispels myths about Kurdistan and shares what surprised her about her university experience... everything from the role of advisors to public campuses. She reminds us that immigration is also about learning to be a new version of ourselves, and provides some advice for faculty and staff who want to support students in that process.

Mehmet Ercan is a political science and media communications student from Istanbul. He shares how the earthquake in Turkiye impacted him and his engagement with school, encouraging us to think about how international students cope when disasters happen in their home countries. A strong advocate for study abroad, he also tells us how 9 months in the USA when he was in high school changed his life. He provides advice around using games to engage learners and teaches us a little about the Turkish language... and his love of cowboy boots!

Mehak Narang, a Computer Science student from Karnal, India, tells us about her work as a Supported Learning Group Facilitator - one of the first international students to be hired for the job at the University of the Fraser Valley. As a peer educator with record attendance at her sessions, she shares her strategies for adopting a growth mindset and supporting students wherever they are at in their learning.

Mauli Bajaj tells us about different learning styles in India, including "mugging" or cramming. She also raises important questions about how international students are treated in the community and at work and encourages students to realize that they are powerful!