How applying to the Global Undergraduate Awards changed my life
TMU graduate Arianna Guaragna in Dublin, Ireland, with four fellow TMU participants of the Global Undergraduate Awards program. Back row from left: Abhishek Menon, Daniel Velyvis, Sara Sadeghi. Front row: Nicole Agyenim Boateng (left) and Arianna Guaragna (right).
The following is an in-person submission by TMU grad and Global Undergraduate Award winner Arianna Guaragna.
Newly graduated from the Bachelor of Arts in English program at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), my mind was set on the next chapter of my life: grad school.
I had crossed the stage at convocation—my time at TMU had come to an end. That all changed when I received an email from my department administrator.
Opening the email, it was the first time I had read anything about the Global Undergraduate Awards (external link) (GUA). All I remember is the alluring potential of winning a trip to Dublin, Ireland—something that sounded too good to be true.
I quickly learned that the GUA was a prestigious international award program which provided young scholars with networking opportunities and the chance to share their undergraduate work with a global audience.
I thought the prospect of winning was far out of my reach, but something inside me wanted to take a chance. The decision to apply, I would later find out, would change my life.
Top left: GUA conference. Top Right: Trinity College. Bottom left: Me presenting my paper at the poster series (explaining Foucault and the Panopticon to non-arts and humanities students proved challenging but was incredibly rewarding). Bottom right: Gaia (the giant globe at the heart of the Old Library at Trinity College).
Taking the chance to apply
The GUA has 25 categories of various disciplines, and students can submit up to a maximum of three unique entries to any combination of the categories.
It only made sense to apply to the literature category, and I had the perfect paper for the submission: an essay I wrote in a fourth-year class that I used as my writing sample on my Master of Arts applications.
After I submitted the essay, I remembered another paper I had written for a different class. It was quite unlike others I had written. It was experimental. Right before the deadline closed, I decided to submit that one too, and thankfully, I did – since that was the winning entry – earning me the Highly Commended designation in 2023.
I’ll never forget opening the email that read “Congratulations!” In two months' time, I had my bags packed and was ready to visit Dublin for the first time.
Samuel (Sam) Osorio Marino and I together at the conference. While our academic worlds of literature and engineering couldn’t be more different, during the trip, we discovered we both had a passion for music ministry, and now sing together weekly with a group of friends.
The beginning of new friendships
Although all of the TMU winners were introduced on a call before the trip, meeting for the first time in person was truly memorable.
The first face I saw – sitting in the seat that had been assigned to me – was Samuel Osorio Marino’s, or as we call him, Sam.
Despite the seating mix-up, Sam, an aerospace engineering graduate, was the ideal person to be next to on a plane.
He calmed my anxieties about turbulence and even gave me a miniature model of the drone he designed as part of his capstone project—the submission that won him the Regional Winner designation for engineering. From that moment on, we were inseparable.
Arriving in Dublin, I’ll never forget rolling my suitcase on the cobblestone streets and taking in my surroundings. It was remarkable. That first evening, I would meet the rest of the amazing TMU winners and recipients from all over the world.
Conferences, museums, galas and whisky
Top: A group of us from Canada and the UK at the hostel where we spent lots of time talking over the occasional game of billiards or ping pong. Bottom left: TMU students Nicole Agyenim Boateng, Abhishek Menon, Daniel Velyvis and Sara Sadeghi. Bottom right: the gals enjoying complimentary drinks after our Teelings Whiskey tour.
As a GUA winner, I had the opportunity to attend the Global Summit—a four-day conference where students interacted with experts, professionals and judges and presented their research projects.
The most rewarding experience was learning from my peers, who travelled from Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand and all over the globe to share their winning papers.
I had the opportunity to discuss my paper at the posters series and have others genuinely interact with and learn from my writing.
Interspersed in our busy itinerary were trips to historic buildings across the city. Some memorable places I visited included the Dublinia Viking Museum, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Temple Bar district, Trinity College Library and The Brazen Head (Dublin’s proclaimed “oldest” pub).
Our conference locations were beyond anything I could imagine. We were hosted at the headquarters of the Law Society of Ireland, located at Blackhall Place, and received our awards at Teeling's Whiskey Factory, complete with a tour and generous samples.
The most spectacular experience was attending the gala dinner at the breathtaking Honorable Society of King’s Inns.
Staying connected
Reconnecting with fellow TMU grads from GUA at Toronto’s Harbourfront in the summer of 2024. We continue to plan gatherings to catch up every few months.
Front row: Nicole Agyenim Boateng (Faculty of Community Services) is now a Master’s in Child and Youth Care at TMU. Sara Sadeghi (Faculty of Science) is now a medical student at Western University. Back row: Samuel Osorio Marino (Faculty of Engineering) is now a Master’s of Applied Science student at TMU. Daniel Velyvis (Faculty of Engineering) is now a Master’s of Electrical Engineering student at the University of Waterloo.
The relationships I developed during my trip were invaluable. I am proud to be part of such a vibrant community at TMU, where so many innovative thinkers are in the beginning stages of their promising careers.
Two years after attending the summit, the friends I have made continue to be a part of my life and inspire me with their achievements.
It was this life-changing experience that inspired me to stay connected with the GUA and volunteer as a Category Panel judge (external link) in 2024, lending my skills and knowledge to recognize and uplift undergraduate scholars.
Being on the other side, I truly appreciate how intensive the judging process is and the diversity of perspectives from students around the world.
After attending the summit and completing my master’s, I found myself working for TMU’s Faculty of Arts—the same place I began, with the same people who encouraged me to take a chance and apply.
I now have the opportunity to write success stories about other winning students, whose lives were undoubtedly changed by one simple decision.
For more information about the Global Undergraduate Awards and to apply, please visit The Global Undergraduate Awards website (external link) . The deadline this year is June 7, 2025.
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