The power of education

By Suelan Toye

For as long as Keiralea Dominelli can remember, she always knew that she wanted to help people. That passion to assist others was firmly cemented in her Grade nine geography class when her teacher, Sarah Leaney, read The Starfish Story (external link, opens in new window)  to her students.

Written in 1969 by American educator and anthropologist Loren Eisley, the story is of a man who encountered a boy picking up starfish and gently tossing them back into the sea. When the man told him there were hundreds of starfish on the beach, the boy replied that he is making a difference to each one he returns to the ocean.

“This story really resonated with me and made me realize how I can help people,” said the first-year student who is enrolled in the Politics and Governance (opens in new window)  degree program. “You don’t have to change everyone in the world; you just try your best to do a little part of it.”

Dominelli’s passion for helping people, combined with her interest in environmentalism and effecting change through public policy and law propelled her to choose Ryerson. And she has her mentors at Pickering High School to thank for that.

“My teacher had a tattoo of a starfish on her wrist, so when I graduated, I did the same,” said Dominelli, lifting up her ankle to show a delicate blue sea star inked on her ankle.

Dominelli is one of two Arts students who have received a prestigious President’s Entrance Scholarship (opens in new window) . In total, 10 students across Ryerson are this year’s recipients of the scholarship, which provides them $40,000 over four years to help with their education costs.

“This scholarship was a gift not only to me, but to my whole family,” recalled the student when asked about its impact. Her family had to draw on their savings after her father stopped working due to his cancer diagnosis during her high school years. Dominelli added that the funds would mean that she did not need to find a job to supplement her income to finance her education.

The high costs of attending university were a huge financial barrier that fellow scholarship recipient Isabella Evanoff faced as well. Her mother raised the student on her own, along with her three older siblings and nephew in Etobicoke. Despite her high marks in elementary school, she resigned herself to head into the workforce right after her high school graduation – that is until Mr. Dennis Caron, her Grade 8 teacher, intervened.

“He was such a good teacher and encouraged me to go to university,” said Evanoff. She remembered how he always had books in his class for his students to read, which meant a great deal to her. He also taught all of her brothers and sister, so has a close relationship with her and her family.

Like Dominelli, the scholarship will go a long way in helping Evanoff offset the costs of attending university.

“This scholarship means a lot to my family because there was no money for me to go to a post-secondary institution. It also means that I am the first one in my family to attend university,” said Evanoff proudly, who is in her first year of sociology (opens in new window) .

Dominelli looks forward to the wealth of learning opportunities that her political science degree program that will offer to further her interest in public policy and social justice issues. She is also keen to develop the leadership skills she honed during high school by getting involved with the Ryerson Leadership Lab (external link, opens in new window) .

For Evanoff, she hopes that her sociology degree will help her understand and provide counselling to people who are experiencing difficulties. “Growing up, my friends struggled a lot with themselves. It always had an impact on me,” recalled the student.

Indeed, both degree programs provide students like Evanoff and Dominelli hands-on experience and career-relevant knowledge that will help prepare them for the workplace after graduation. Students in the politics and governance program, for instance, will have the opportunity to participate in class simulations, experiential learning projects and international exchanges among other activities while sociology students will acquire specialized knowledge and critical-thinking skills in how we shape society and how it structures our lives.

Choosing Ryerson to study was a natural fit for Evanoff because the campus felt very “inclusive” to her. “You feel welcome; it is a very welcoming place.”