A full-circle moment: How TMU shaped this grad on and off the field
Elizabeth Farsang stands proudly at the NFL Canada head office after winning her case competition.
“It was nothing short of amazing,” says Elizabeth Farsang of her time at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). The graduating student is preparing to cross the stage at Spring Convocation and complete her Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management.
Farsang still remembers the moment she chose to study at TMU. Like many Grade 12 students, she felt nervous and excited at the same time. But she was eager for what was coming next.
Originally from Aurora, Ont., Farsang was drawn to TMU’s downtown Toronto location. “I was so excited to start a new chapter, especially in the city,” she says. “I've never felt more prepared to take on the world than after graduating from TMU.”
Getting involved in everything
During her time at TMU, Farsang truly immersed herself in all aspects of university life. She played on the women’s varsity soccer team, held leadership roles, pitched in front of major companies and gained career skills through the Top 200 Program. She learned how to manage her time while balancing her studies and sports.
As someone who stayed active, Farsang encourages other students to do the same. “That's just how you learn best, putting yourself in those situations where you're kind of uncomfortable,” she says.
Making an impact with sports and marketing
Elizabeth Farsang (front left) and the athletics and recreation team after the 2025 Bold, Beautiful and Brilliant Black History Month event with Dr. John Carlos. (photo credit: Emily Simonetta)
Farsang gave her all on and off the field. So, it made sense that she was a finalist for The G.L. Dobson TMU Bold Award (external link) in 2024. This award recognizes a student-athlete who shows leadership and takes part in community or campus activities.
In her final semester, Farsang took on the role of student-athlete development and engagement assistant with TMU Athletics & Recreation.
One of her proudest moments was coordinating the Bold, Beautiful and Brilliant Black History Month event featuring Olympian Dr. John Carlos. Farsang calls it an iconic moment. She even got to escort Dr. Carlos from the airport.
“I played a huge role in coordinating that with Athletics & Recreation and it was an insane moment to hear from this iconic athlete,” she exclaims.
Farsang found meaningful ways to combine her love of sports with her marketing knowledge at TMU.
Her sports marketing professor, Marla Spergel left a lasting impression with her interactive learning opportunities and case competitions. Students worked as mini consultants for real companies and got to pitch at the company’s head office.
Farsang competed in and won two case competitions, pitching to the Canadian Soccer Business and NFL Canada.
“These moments reinforced my desire to build a career at the intersection of sport, marketing, and community,” she shares.
Elizabeth Farsang presenting her winning pitch at NFL Canada’s head office for Professor Marla Spergel's Sport Marketing Concepts and Strategy course.
Overcoming unique challenges
Farsang's time at TMU had its challenges. Her university experience took many forms, completely online, hybrid and then in-person. One struggle with online learning was trying to make friends.
“To begin with, you don't really have many friends going into university and then on top of that, how am I supposed to make friends when we're just logging into a Zoom call and listening in?” she says.
Farsang didn’t let online learning spoil her chance to make friends. Being on the varsity soccer team helped her quickly build lifelong friendships and a support system with her teammates.
Elizabeth Farsang in action with her TMU Bold teammates during varsity soccer game.
Another unique moment during Farsang’s studies was the university’s name change. Farsang played a role in growing the team spirit around the new name, The Bold. In her role as student-athlete development and engagement assistant, she managed the bookings for TMU’s mascot, Frankie, the Falcon.
“It makes me speechless, because everyone loves Frankie. Seeing how well the community responded to the new face and the new name was amazing,” she says.
What’s next
Farsang continues to pursue her passion for sports and marketing. After completing two meaningful summer internships, she began a full-time role at CIBC Mellon. This fall, Farsang is excited to be considered as a candidate to return to TMU as a member of the coaching staff for the women’s soccer team.
“I poured my heart and soul into this program, so to do anything to give back to the athletes that are incoming and on the team right now is going to be just such a huge way to continue to build the program and the university,” she says.
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