Experience
There were a lot of instances where what we learned as theory, also typically in our undergraduate courses, was able to be applied due to this program. Overall, the unique combination of research and leadership is what made this program really above and beyond. The most enriching of these experiences was the Leadership-in-Action, because I feel like there's no way to really walk the walk in terms of cultural understanding and immersion until we experience ourselves in a new place. Being in Japan provided a rewarding insight for teamwork, leadership, community, but also personal aspects of my life. It really informed me in how I should approach my family dynamics.
The research presented so many opportunities for conference presentations. I like how the program had events that would strengthen our CVs through the different forms of deliverables. The practicalities of the deliverables is what also made the program invaluable. It builds a portfolio of us both on a professional and personal aspect.
Team
The cohort themselves presented individuals with different interests and paths, which I found really great. Some overlapped with other experiences which was really nice such as MUN and the Jackman Scholars program, but meeting new people was just as exciting. Doing activities with them throughout the program via the leadership sessions allowed me to build long-lasting connections with the scholars, and I'm incredibly grateful I was able to cross paths with them. This, of course, also means I built really great relationships with the program coordinators. They were all so kind and loving and supportive. The program never felt like a burden to me, and I was always excited to attend the sessions throughout the year, albeit I will not lie and say that the breakfast also motivated me to come, haha. But, the Hart House retreat was so so so so sooooo cool. Like I can't stress how interesting the entire idea was and I heard we were the first cohort to experience it, so I hope the other UofT Laidlaw Scholars enjoy it just as much as I did!
I also crossed paths with those much different than mine at the conference. Seeing so many people's different passions and how they tied into Laidlaw made me appreciate the criteria of selecting applicants, because each person was very personable and easy to speak with.
During the LiA, it was the first time I had met natives from an island. It presented a really rare opportunity and environment, since island life is so much more different than those on the mainland. Tokyo in particular was similar to Toronto compared to Yoron, as expected. Still, due to the differences in culture, I met many different people. Those I met on the island were very friendly, welcoming, and were really value-driven.
Individual
In terms of aspects that I've learned, all forms of the performance section in the leadership framework have been things I've improved upon. Especially when it comes to reflection through the deliverables as well as time I spent alone, it allowed me to evaluate what went right and wrong at the end of the day and then adjust my futures so as to avoid making the same mistakes. To this end, the coaching provided gave a lot of time to self-reflect and talk through my thoughts and emotions as they related to the LiA and my future aspirations. With the fast pace of undergrad, it's hard to reflect. Areas in the process section were mostly improve upon during the first summer with research. Given a 6-week timeline to conduct research, qualities such as time management were absolutely vital.
The Oxford Character Project improved a lot upon character. One thing that I wish we learned more about was the idea of leading with love and tying that into ethical leadership. I feel like there can be so many modules on this one topic, since I personally found that to be the most important quality in order to best serve the community during the LiA. There were a lot of aspects of character that I needed to work on, but I think the qualities that I did possess to a strong degree which led me to coming into Laidlaw were the majority of traits under the change maker values. Now, however, I will say after the LiA, the idea of making a new initiative is not something foreign or terrifying to me, unlike how it was to me at the beginning. I feel like many leadership opportunities I took in the past was a result of bringing an already established idea to life, rather than creating something entirely from scratch.
Big Picture
After this entire experience, I realized that the impact I was looking to make with indigenous people can come through many different career paths. I was very dead set on doing a PhD, but actually some aspects of me pursuing my currently framed proposal would be a project I wouldn't fully believe in. And I don't think I should I have to compromise on my values and beliefs to shape an academically successful proposal. Therefore, I may take my original proposal somewhere else, even if it's far from where I currently am. Or maybe I might pursue a career that's more hands-on. I didn't think I would be uncertain in what I would want to pursue after being told by many adults around me that I'm awfully confident and know what and how I want to spend my next decade. However, as long as I'm able to do it by working directly with communities, that is all that matters. Therefore, my decade long vision is to establish a research center dedicated to applying research findings. I don't think research ends at the paper's publication, and there needs to be efforts to apply our knowledge, even at micro-levels. Therefore, I will be working towards this through my career in grad school and beyond. That, is my main goal to achieve, and it's thanks to this program that I will be able to achieve it hopefully.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to everyone who has been listed in all my acknowledgements throughout this program in helping my development in becoming a globally conscious citizen. I could not do it without the University of Toronto Laidlaw program advisors, the Laidlaw Foundation, the professors who supported me, the locals during my LiA, and of course, all my wonderful peers who were in this journey. I'm hoping we have a bright future ahead of ourselves!