Get to know Politics and Governance alumna, Josel Angelica Gerardo!

We're connecting with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) alumni to see what they're up to today. This series of blogs will help you understand what life after graduating university can look like and might even give you inspiration for your future! Read their stories to see what could be waiting for you.

Josel Angelica Gerardo graduated from TMU’s Politics and Governance program in 2021. Now, she’s the chair of Pinoys on Parliament (external link, opens in new window)  and the manager of office and administration at the Office of Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik. As a former student leader, she highlighted the benefits of narrowing down your personal interests so you can set clear goals and find your place within broad industries. Take a look at how Josel’s journey as a Faculty of Arts student shaped her success within the big world of politics!

Claire: Why did you choose to study at TMU?

Josel: I chose to study at TMU because of its downtown location, the opportunities offered by my program and the values of equity, diversity and inclusion. TMU’s downtown location allowed me to see the diversity of the city of Toronto, and as someone who immigrated here during my late elementary school years, I saw TMU as a new home for me. I could interact with so many different groups of people and career pathways, and on top of that, I clearly saw that TMU really values having equitable, diverse and inclusive spaces. This is something that I continue to value within my professional and personal life.

C: What skills or experiences gained at TMU have helped you most in your career thus far?

J: I was heavily involved on campus at TMU, especially when I started to focus a little bit more on community involvement. In my second year, I saw the value of working with other students to achieve community-based initiatives, which helped us connect with each other and discover different career pathways for post-graduation.

I would say that my student leadership opportunities and on-campus jobs were my best experiences at TMU. By putting myself out there, being both comfortable and uncomfortable, and trying out all of the different opportunities that TMU offers, I was able to learn more about myself, my environment and my personal passions. It also allowed me to explore different academic and professional pathways. When I was in student leadership, I was involved with interest-based clubs such as law and creative writing. For on-campus jobs, I worked at the Career, Co-op and Student Success Centre and as a research assistant for a few different professors. I also worked within the Lincoln Alexander School of Law. These opportunities and experiences provided me with so much to add onto my resumé and helped me meet so many different types of people.

All of my TMU experiences and the skills that I’ve cultivated throughout my degree have helped me bring my passions into post-graduation, and into the wider local and national communities. I get to continue my advocacy for the Filipino/a/x and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, such as chairing the 2025 Pinoys on Parliament (external link)  conference in Ottawa. I’ve also joined the stewardship committee for the new Filipino-Canadian Civic Action Network for the upcoming elections. It’s more than the skills and experiences that TMU gave me — it’s also the opportunities to continue pursuing my personal passions.

C: What advice would you give to students who are interested in working within politics post-grad but don’t know where to start?

J: It’s a big world of politics out there, so it’s really important to figure out what interests you. Your first step should be to explore all of the different avenues of political involvement. For example, do you want to enter the world of partisan politics through different political parties because your values align with one of them? Do you want to encourage people to vote and help increase civic engagement within your community? Do you want to work with not-for-profit organizations and advocacy groups, advocating for certain types of policies to be legislated in different levels of government? Or, do you want to serve the public by working in one of the three levels of government or even internationally?

When it comes to working in politics, it all starts with curiosity and the willingness to explore this industry through your passions. And, most importantly, by talking to people! Politics is all about building relationships, so I think this is one of the most important steps that you should take.

C: You were very involved within the Faculty of Arts during your time as an undergraduate student at TMU, especially with the Society of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (SASSH). How did these leadership roles help you become a stronger leader?

J: I think my most significant experience as a student leader was when I was elected as president of SASSH (external link, opens in new window)  in 2020. It was a very interesting time because we suddenly went into lockdown due to the pandemic, so we had to learn how to navigate student leadership in a new way. At SASSH, I was really grateful to be working alongside an amazing group of student leaders on the executive team and board of directors. They were super helpful and passionate about creating a strong community within the Faculty of Arts.

This role helped shape me into the leader I am today because it showed me that leadership is not about myself — it's all about the wants and needs of the community, and how we can collectively work together to advocate for student voices. During my term, social justice was something that was very prominent and became more prominent during this time, so we prioritized advocating for the wants and needs of students. We also worked together to figure out how we could work together alongside TMU administration within the Faculty of Arts to ensure that there is a safe, equitable, diverse and inclusive space for students. Learning how to advocate and connect with other students at TMU led me to where I am today.

C: If you could go back in time to your first-year self what would you want them to know?

J: After being out of school, I can say that I definitely miss attending classes, so I would tell my first-year self to be more open to try different types of courses. There’s so many cool and unique courses at TMU that I wish I could’ve taken.

I also think, most importantly, being kind to yourself and allowing yourself to take your time is really important. A lot of people are really eager to get out of university really quickly because they want to get their career started, but I think students should really take their time and enjoy the university process. Once you enter your mid twenties, life becomes a little bit more serious, and being an undergraduate student is such a precious time in your life that you should really enjoy.

Thank you, Josel, for chatting with me! As a Faculty of Arts student myself, I always feel inspired after hearing the success stories of graduates. I’m also always reminded of how quickly time flies as an undergraduate student, which is why it’s so important to plan ahead and enjoy every moment — you’ll be in your final year before you know it!

To begin your own TMU journey, check out the how to apply page where you’ll find lots of information about the post-secondary application process.

All the best,

Claire