MEET THE 2023 IM TEAM
The IM (International Mentorship) team aims to provide support to our International students. The program recognizes that there are aspects of the international student experience that can be better understood by international student peers. We've got a fantastic team of mentors (also international students themselves), who are ready and excited to help support your transition to university life in Toronto. Don't forget to register for International Student Orientation for three days of workshops and activities, and to get to know your mentors!
International Mentor BIOs
Alessandra Castino
Senior International Mentor
Alessandra is one of Vic’s Senior International Mentor this year! She is going into her third year, and doing a double major in physics and philosophy with a minor in math! She is from Italy but has also lived in the Netherlands for four years. At Vic Alessandra has been involved in the Student Projects fund as the financial coordinator. She has also done research in the philosophy and history of science. In her first year she was part of the Vic One program, in the Schawlow stream. She likes travelling, cooking and reading.
Sophie Kim
Senior International Mentor
Sophie (she/her) is a fourth-year student, double majoring in Human Biology and Psychology and minoring in Immunology. She speaks Kazakh, Turkish, Russian and a bit of Spanish. Her favourite way to connect with people and cultures is through food. Sophie’s interests vary between classical music, ballet, good food, figure skating, k-dramas and k-pop. She will be happy to chat about any of these topics and answer your questions about the programs she’s in! As an international student, Sophie knows how challenging adjusting to an entirely new environment can be - reach out to her if you’re curious about her experience!
Zindziswa Malanca
Senior International Mentor
Zindzi (she/her) is a fourth-year student at Vic studying humanities. She likes reading, running and music. You can usually find her running around campus, playing the ukulele on the quad or in the robarts library. Zindzi is originally from Switzerland and she loves to ski and hike. She loves talking to people so if you see her wandering around make sure to say hi! Zindzi is super excited to join the team this year and she is looking forward to welcoming you all to campus!
Aayu Pandey
Senior International Mentor
Aayu (they/she) is a fourth-year student from New Delhi, India and is doing a Physics and Philosophy Joint Specialist with a Mathematics Minor. They are the Co-Chair of the Hart House Student Literary & Library Committee and do research in History and Philosophy of Science and Physics. In the past, they have been an International Mentor and the Vic One Schawlow Mentor. In their free time, they like solving math problems, contemplating existence as a hedgehog, and trying out new recipes of tea and coffee for their friends. Aayu loves education, Vic, and listening to others talk about their passions, which is why they’re very excited to welcome first-years!
Raj Parekh
Raj (he/him) is from Pune, India and is going into his third year at UofT, pursuing a specialist in Biochemistry. He loves spending time on campus, and you can find him reading on the Vic Quad or studying at one of the many libraries at UTSG. In his free time, he likes to paint landscapes and explore the many neighbourhoods and attractions of Toronto. Raj is passionate about sustainability and climate action, as well as mentorship and advocacy for students’ well-being. In his time at Victoria College, Raj has been an executive member of the VUSAC Sustainability Commission and a part of the International Mentor and E-Mentor teams. He is also the Academic Co-Chair of the Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Student Union
Dora Pal
Dora (she/her) is in her second year specialising in Management at Rotman Commerce and minoring in History. In her spare time, she loves skiing, observing and analysing urban architecture, and attending Karaoke nights at Vic. Dora is also very involved with the Hungarian community in Toronto, and has been folk dancing for over a decade. She loves meeting new people, and is super excited about welcoming everyone to the Vic community!
Nadine patricia Consunji
Nadine (she/her) is a second-year student studying Environmental Geography and Sociology. She grew up in the Philippines, moved to Qatar when she was seven, and has spent the last year in Canada - so home, for her, is any of these three places. Outside of the IM program, she’s involved at Caffiends, the Cat’s Eye, and the Filipino Students’ Association. She’s also a proud member of last year’s Vic-One Gooch stream! In her spare time, you might find her thrifting, listening to the Backseat Lovers, or rewatching New Girl for the seventh time.
Toyin Aina
Toyin (she/her) is a third-year majoring in Biochemistry and Immunology. She calls both Calgary and Nigeria her home. Outside of the IM program, she is also involved in volunteering with UofT Saturday Tutoring Program and hopes to get a research opportunity this year. In her free time she enjoys binge-watching mystery shows and trying new things. Most recently she tried Bachata dancing (with VicBachata), Jazz Dance, and Ziplining. Toyin is super excited to welcome all incoming students to Vic!
Aiden Kong
Aiden (he/him) is a second-year student from Miami, Florida specializing in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, playing badminton, and baking. Aiden loves meeting new people and learning about different cultures, so he is excited to get to know all of the new international students! If you have any questions about starting at UofT or adjusting to a new environment, don't hesitate to reach out!
Alayna Jang
Alayna (she/her) is a fourth-year student at Vic studying Cognitive Science (Thinking & Reasoning), Sociology, and Education & Society. Apart from her studies, she is involved in VicXposure (Photography Levy), CASA (Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence Students' Association), and is looking to join UofT Toastmasters (Public Speaking and Leadership Development Club) to get out of her comfort zone! Alayna enjoys the creative process, whether that be making videos, editing photos, or writing songs! Recently, she tried out crocheting, and her experience with it so far is that it is a lot more time-consuming than it looks. Alayna is very excited to meet everyone and support you the best she can!
Anna lavinia
Anna (she/her) is a third-year student at Vic, from Indonesia. She is pursuing a specialist in Psychology with a Nutritional Sciences major. Other than the IM team, she has been involved in the Indonesian Students’ Association at the University of Toronto St. George (UTISA), and Psychology Students’ Association (PSA). Anna’s interests vary between drawing, k-dramas, k-pop, crocheting and reading. She is looking forward to meeting you all!
Teresa Wijaya
Teresa (she/her), is a fourth year student specializing in Psychology, majoring in Cognitive Science, and minoring in Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health. She is involved in the Psychology Students Association (PSA), Buddhism Psychology and Mental Health Student Union (BPSU), the UofT Mental Health Association (MHA), and Victoria Environmental Fashion Show (VEFS). As for her interests, Teresa really loves exploring and trying new things. She particularly loves art galleries, exhibition, museums, extreme sports, and impromptu outings. In her downtime she listens to a variety of music or watches a series she will likely never finish.
Charlene Kamba
Charlene (she/her) is a second-year student pursuing a double major in Statistics and Economics, and a minor in Mathematics. While Charlene was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe, she also lived in Cape Town, South Africa for seven years. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, trying new restaurants, and engaging in adrenaline-pumping activities (including skydiving!). Other than the Vic IM team, Charlene volunteers for the Youth Engagement Program at UofT UNICEF, and Peace by Peace, a conflict resolution and community-building program. Charlene loves meeting new people and can’t wait to welcome incoming students to the incredible community at Vic!
Rowan Samuels
Rowan (he/him) is taking a specialisation in Biochemistry in conjunction with a minor in Statistics. Originally born in the US, then raised in New Zealand before coming to UofT, he knows how challenging a new place with new people can be! Alongside the countless lab hours spent and seminars for the Biochemistry Undergraduate Student Society attended, he enjoys playing a variety of sports such as soccer on the Vic Intramurals team, instruments such as guitar, and many sit down games such as chess. He's so excited to welcome you all to campus for 2024!
Ella Choi
Ella (she/her) is a second-year international student from South Korea, pursuing a Pharmacology and Toxicology specialist. You can usually find her at the Gerstein library or walking around the Vic quad. In her free time, Ella enjoys exploring the city, watching “Friends”, and solving jigsaw puzzles. Outside of the IM program, she was part of the Vic-One Stowe-Gullen stream last year. Ella is excited to welcome everyone to the campus and cannot wait to build valuable memories in the orientation!
Nikita Nunes
Nikita (she/her) is a second-year student double majoring in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology & English with a minor in Bioethics. In her free time, she likes going to the bookstore to read or sit in a music room on campus - singing, playing the piano and writing songs. She also enjoys skating, going on walks to explore the city and spotting cute dogs! She is an avid advocate of animal Welfare rights. Aside from being an international mentor, Nikita is the events coordinator for Vic Records while also being a copy editor with The Varsity. She loves talking to people so if you see her wandering around make sure to say hi! Nikita is super excited to join the team this year and is looking forward to welcoming you all to campus!
Ellie Arieana Binti
Ellie (she/her) is a second-year student from Malaysia. She is pursuing a double major in Neuroscience and Psychology. She is involved with the UofT Malaysia Singapore Students Association and UofT's Baking club where she get to meet new people. She is a huge animal lover and is always available to hear about and see pictures of your cats and dogs. She is excited to share her experience with everyone and would love to hear about yours!
Ananya Tandon
Ananya (she/her) is a second-year student from India and has lived most of her life in Dubai. She is pursuing a specialist in Finance & Economics in the Rotman Commerce Program. During her free time, she enjoys playing chess, running, and meeting up with friends. She is often spotted around campus at the E.J. Pratt library, which she firmly believes is the ultimate go-to spot for studying. Ananya loves meeting new people and understands the challenges that come with adjusting to a new environment as an international student. So, don't be a stranger! Feel free to reach out and connect with her. She's always excited to make new friends.
Trisha Shinde
Trisha (she/her) is a second-year student specializing in Psychology, with a minor in Digital Humanities. She’s a member of the Language Exchange Initiative at UofT and is looking to join more clubs this year. In her spare time, you can find her reading a novel, playing the piano or binge-watching Netflix. She loves planning and executing trips and is looking to travel to places every chance she gets. Trisha is big on taking photos, vlogging, editing and posting to social media! One fun fact about her is that she loves fashion and also designs and sews outfits herself! She’s super excited to meet everyone and is looking forward to showing first-years around!
Zhenling Wang
Zhenling Wang (she/her) who goes by Stephanie, is going into her final year of studies at UTSG, double majoring in International Relations and Public Policy with a minor in Economics. She is from Beijing, China and 2023 marks the 6th year that she has studied in Canada! Aside from being an International Mentor at Vic again this year, Stephanie will also be serving as Vice Chair at the university’s very own TEDxUofT. A fun fact about Stephanie is that she loves tutoring so much that she co-founded her tutoring company LearningSquare G.P 3 years ago and has been running it ever since!