Our campus is supported by our extraordinary Student Assistants – come meet them for yourself! We wanted to give them a spotlight as they are working hard behind the scenes to ensure our faculty and students are supported within the building.
This is part one of our Student Assistant spotlight series that will be brought to you throughout March! We have several types of Student Assistant positions throughout our campus such as Communications and Event Assistants, Lab Coordinator Assistants, Research Assistants, and the Mindful Campus Ambassadors.
Led by Ontario-based OCAD University in partnership with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, Mindful Campus aims to help students develop skills and techniques to flourish and adapt in a post-pandemic world. Our Mindful Campus ambassadors participate in the Mindful Campus Courses and help run mindfulness sessions and events on campus!
We asked the Mindful Campus Ambassadors the following questions:
- Why did you choose to join the Mindful Campus Initiative? What have you learnt so far in your role?
- How do you spend your free time outside of school?
- What is a quote you’d like to share with us?
- What is one of your favourite films or songs at the moment?
- Out of all the projects you have completed in your program, which one has been your favourite and why?
We hope you enjoy getting to know our team!
Anh Dang — Graphic Design for Marketing, Third-Year
Mindful Campus
Why did you choose to join the Mindful Campus Initiative? What have you learnt so far in your role?
I decided to join the Mindful Campus program because of my interest in mindfulness and mental well-being. My engagement with the Mindful Campus Initiative has been enriching and transformative. Not only did I learn more about mindfulness, but I also made incredible friends through the program. I hope to create more memorable and fun events this school year!
How do you spend your free time outside of school?
I enjoy reading, drawing, and journaling in my free time.
What is a quote you’d like to share with us?
A quote that inspires me is “Life is available only in the present moment” by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese peace activist, and Buddhist monk.
What is one of your favourite films or songs at the moment?
My current favourite song is “Cau Vinh Tuy” by Wren Evans, and a movie I recently picked up and loved is “Little Women” (2019).
Out of all the projects you have completed in your program, which one has been your favourite and why?
There are so many projects that I enjoyed, but my favourite must be coming up and making my own app for UI/UX class. The app I came up with is called Roomatch, which addresses the unique housing needs of students by providing a secure online platform exclusively tailored to their requirements. The app’s Matching feature empowers users to swiftly browse through potential roommate or room profiles with a simple swipe, offering a seamless and intuitive way to connect with compatible matches.
Avery Sims— Fashion Marketing, First-Year
Mindful Campus
Why did you choose to join the Mindful Campus Initiative? What have you learnt so far in your role?
Mindful Campus has been a fantastic way to get involved in the school community and support my peer’s well-being. The Mindfulness for Resiliency training equipped me with some useful tools to expand my creativity and manage the stress of being a student. I look forward to hosting more memorable events this semester and I hope to see many of you there!
How do you spend your free time outside of school?
Before attending the KPU, I completed my bachelor of Kinesiology at the University of Manitoba and ran a vintage studio in Winnipeg – an eclectic mix, I know. My hobbies include thrifting, styling, and making tea.
What is a quote you’d like to share with us?
My favourite quote is “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” by Oscar Wilde.
What is one of your favourite films or songs at the moment?
My favourite movies are Harry Potter (unapologetically), and my favourite song is a tie between “What Once Was” by Her’s and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears.
Out of all the projects you have completed in your program, which one has been your favourite and why?
My favourite project has been the magazine cover that we created for our Digital Software for Fashion Marketing class. This project challenged us to utilize Adobe Photoshop and InDesign and consider key elements of design to create an eye-catching magazine cover and supporting lead article. As a lover of vintage magazines, typography and editorial photoshoots, it was exciting to have the opportunity to harness my favourite influences into something new and fresh!
Claire Newstater — Fashion and Technology, Third-Year
Mindful Campus
Why did you choose to join the Mindful Campus Initiative? What have you learnt so far in your role?
I decided to join the Mindful Campus Initiative due to my own mental health journey which has led me to understand firsthand the transformative impact of mindfulness practices. Through workshops and unique events, the Mindful Campus program facilitates a safe space to learn mindfulness tools and build community. I value the friends I have made from other design programs as well as the language, tools, and techniques I gained to communicate with more compassion and empathy towards myself and others. I feel so blessed to be a part of this initiative and for the opportunity to support student wellness in the community.
How do you spend your free time outside of school?
In my spare time, my hobbies include quilting, reading, and journaling.
What is a quote you’d like to share with us?
A quote that speaks to my heart comes from the book, The Beauty of Everday Things by Soetsu Yanagi, a Japanese philosopher and folk-craft pioneer. He writes, “Beauty that can be described in words is not beauty that has been deeply felt.”
What is one of your favourite films or songs at the moment?
Currently, my favourite song is Young by Zane Christopher, and my favourite film is Jurassic Park.
Out of all the projects you have completed in your program, which one has been your favourite and why?
My favourite project was the emotions project from 1st year. I loved the intentionality and thoughtfulness that was required for that assignment. I enjoyed exploring my own process as a designer and bringing my concept to life through an exploration of symbolism in regard to the materials, colors, and function of the garment. The emotion I chose to explore was compassion as a result of overcoming adversity. The concept behind the design is that we can only meet others as deeply as we have met ourselves.
Lexie Ransom — Fashion and Technology, First-Year
Mindful Campus
Why did you choose to join the Mindful Campus Initiative? What have you learnt so far in your role?
Being a part of the Mindful Campus initiative so far has not only helped me get to know other people at school but also has made me realize a lot about myself. I have met some amazing people so far and I am looking forward to meeting more as the initiative continues. Helping host these events has made me realize how grateful I am to be a part of such a great school community. Hope to see lots of you at the many events we have this Spring semester!
How do you spend your free time outside of school?
In my free time I love going to the gym to take care of my physical health, and of course thrifting and shopping for all kinds of new clothes. I also enjoy reading, drawing and listening to music.
What is a quote you’d like to share with us?
My favourite quote is “Live every day like it’s your last” by Marcus Aurelius.
What is one of your favourite films or songs at the moment?
My favourite movies would have to be the entire Harry Potter series and Little Women. My favourite songs are “Island In The Sun” by Weezer and “Reflections” by the Neighbourhood.
Out of all the projects you have completed in your program, which one has been your favourite and why?
Although I have more than one favourite project that I have done so far while in the Fashion & Technology program, I would have to say the “Design by Emotion” project I completed would have to be my favourite. I was challenged by the criteria and it forced me to get out of my comfort zone and make something in a way I have never made a garment before.
I decided to make a vest based on the emotion ‘Fury’. The rips and raw edges represent the rawness of the emotion and the rage that can stem from it, while the stitches fixing the rips represent the remorse that comes after the infuriation. I loved this project because it allowed me to think creatively behind why I was ‘destroying’ a garment I had made. I really enjoyed allowing myself to put a lot of emotion into a garment.
Sophie MacFarlane — Fashion and Technology, Second-Year
Mindful Campus
Why did you choose to join the Mindful Campus Initiative? What have you learnt so far in your role?
I have enjoyed being a part of the Mindful Campus initiative. I value the opportunities I have had to expand my knowledge of mindfulness and nurture my creativity all while meeting new people along the way. I hope to see you all at future events and feel free to say hi if you see me on campus!
How do you spend your free time outside of school?
When I’m not at school, I enjoy doing yoga, cooking new recipes, thrifting, trying new cafes and reading.
What is a quote you’d like to share with us?
A quote I love from one of my favourite movies is “Life is short, the world is wide, I wanna make some memories” -Mamma Mia
What is one of your favourite films or songs at the moment?
Currently in my song rotation is “C Carter” by Cordae and “Worth It” by Raye.
Out of all the projects you have completed in your program, which one has been your favourite and why?
My favourite project I have done so far would have to be the shirt I created in the spring of my first year. This project brought together the sewing and drafting skills we had previously learned and offered a lot of creative freedom, which I loved. Find more of my projects on @ameliarobinapparel
Learn more about Mindful Campus at www.kpu.ca/design/mindful-campus
