Community and mentorship gave Lauren Daunt the courage to navigate her first year and be open to trying new experiences by getting involved. This coming fall she’ll return the favour in her roles of St. Mike’s Orientation leader and mentor.
In a year of firsts, her favourite memory was at the end of Orientation Week as the first-year St. Mike’s students had painted themselves blue in preparation to march along St. George Street. “We were cheering our St. Mike’s cheer, the Hoikety Choik, as loud as possible, and cars would honk for us and cheer us on, too. I felt this was my initiation into St. Mike’s because everyone who was walking with us in that space had so much energy and I could feel how happy everyone was to be at St. Mike’s,” she said.
She wants to recreate this memory for the incoming class. As an Orientation leader she’ll be facilitating activities for a group of first-year students during Orientation Week. As a mentor she will be matched up with a first-year student who she will meet with once a month over the course of the year.
“St. Mike’s was always such a welcoming environment and I want to give the incoming students the same St. Michael’s experience. I think that when you’re in a new space you need that positive energy and encouragement to kickstart your experience. It sets the bar for how you’re going to feel during your four years of undergrad,” she said.
Lauren’s involvement with mentorship began as a high school student at St. Augustine Catholic High School in Markham, when she joined a mentorship program run by the University of Toronto’s Human Biology Student Union. The program matches high school students with a mentor in university who helps with the university application process. Lauren gained valuable insight into the many programs under U of T’s human biology umbrella, which helped her choose her major. She just completed her first year with a major in human biology and a double minor in physiology and immunology. “It has surprised me that upper-year students are so kind and eager to offer guidance. They have a great understanding of where you are because they were there just a couple of years ago,” said Lauren.
When it came time to choose her college there were many factors she considered. As a Catholic, Lauren was looking for ways to incorporate her faith into her new university life and knew that St. Mike’s is affiliated with St. Basil’s Parish, which would give her a place to worship near campus.
During orientation week she attended Mass at St. Basil’s Parish and right away she was welcomed into the community. “As the priest specifically welcomed the new students I remember sitting there and thinking to myself that I was so lucky that I was able to have a place to practise my faith downtown,” she said. Afterwards, the priest invited the students to introduce themselves to him and right away she knew she belonged.
At U of T, she was keen to continue her connection with the Human Biology Student Union. In her first year she was a HeadStart Mentor, and she has been elected Outreach Director for the coming year. She’s looking forward to getting involved with the many events hosted by the student union including academic symposiums that will bring UofT’s human biology community together.
She was also the first-year representative for LOVE146, which raises awareness and funds to prevent human trafficking in Toronto. As a volunteer for the Stem Cell Club, she helped at stem cell donation drives. Her involvement allowed her to meet many of her peers in the life sciences programs who share similar interests, which she had found difficult to do due to the large class sizes. “Being able to join a community that was dedicated to a specific goal was something that I was very grateful for,” she said.
This summer she worked as a research assistant under Dr. Stephen Lewis in the orthopedic surgery department at Toronto Western Hospital, a placement she secured by following the advice she received from upper-year students. Through her involvement in the Human Biology Student Union and other STEM related-extracurriculars, she has met senior students who are more than willing to share their knowledge.
She was told that although many research opportunities are reserved for more senior students who had more research experience, she could try cold-emailing doctors with specialties that interested her, so she reached out to doctors affiliated with the U of T. Among them was Dr. Lewis, whose research into adult spinal deformities was of interest to Lauren because she had two grandparents who were treated for spinal stenosis.
As she heads into Orientation Week, she reflects on what words of wisdom she would share with incoming students. “University can be an overwhelming experience, as it marks the start of a new chapter in our lives. If you’re able to stay true to yourself, you will be able to thrive in any environment that you find yourself in.”
These words will continue to serve her well as she continues to take advantage of all that St. Mike’s has to offer.