Akeem graduated from Humber College’s Computer Engineering Technology advanced diploma program.

As a competitive person, anything Akeem devotes his time and energy to, he wants to do it to the best of his abilities and be satisfied with his efforts.

The same can be said for his post-secondary education.

“After first year, I realized to succeed you have to commit. So, second year I locked in more and it was reflected in my performance. Just commit, that’s the key.”  — Akeem

Akeem has always had an interest in computers and wanted to better understand the deeper workings of computing. He wasn’t sure how to go about breaking into the industry and if he wanted to commit to a four-year university degree.

He was intrigued by Humber’s program.

“Computer engineering seemed like a nice combination of hardware, software and electrical. It gave me a feel for the options out there when it comes to a career in the field.”

Akeem learned a lot when it comes to computing and really enjoyed it.

“I loved the program and it went great. I also discovered I really like software. While I appreciated all aspects, software engineering particularly piqued my interest.”

He has plans to continue his education by studying Software Engineering.

Akeem said his time at Humber has been beneficial for him, both academically and personally. He said the College challenged his previous beliefs about what it takes to succeed academically in post-secondary.

“I learned that becoming a better student is a process that begins with subtle lifestyle changes that compound over time to produce significant results. This includes consistent study habits, effective time management, and seeking help when needed. These shifts not only enhanced my academic performance but also fostered personal growth and resilience, paving the way for lifelong learning and success.”

When Savannah decided to enrol in Humber College’s Fashion Arts and Business diploma program, she knew she would be getting a good education.

What she wasn’t expecting was how comprehensive the program turned out to be.

“It rolls the arts, fashion and business all into one. It has a mix of everything you need to know,” said Savannah. “That was really interesting because I wasn’t expecting to be taught graphic design. We also learned about colour theory, and I wasn’t expecting that either but I think it’s going to come in handy in my career.”

Savannah enjoys coming to class each day to learn something new. Ethics and sustainability are important topics in the fashion industry and the Fashion Arts and Business program explores those topics. Marketing is another area that’s covered in class.

There are also classes on the history of fashion and students also had classes where they learned how to use Photoshop.

Savannah is excited about what the future holds for her upon graduation.

“Humber sets you up for future success because they teach the business side of fashion – I wasn’t expecting to learn that at all!” — Savannah

Making the Humber experience all the more memorable for Savannah is the group of friends she has made through the program.

“I’ve made so many great friends in my program. It’s really important for me to have a good support system at school because it makes me want to do my best.”

When considering the post-secondary institutions she wanted to apply to, Helia was intrigued when she came across Humber College.

Helia, an international student from Iran who’s enrolled in Humber’s Advertising and Marketing Communications diploma program, applied to several Canadian colleges for different programs. She was accepted into each one.

After browsing the Humber website that’s filled with information on the program, speaking with friends who had graduated from the College, and gaining a better understanding of it, she decided to enroll.

“I felt that Humber had a great reputation and would be the best option for me and my education,” said Helia. “I feel that telling potential employers that I’ve graduated from Humber will be beneficial when I’m starting my career.”

Coming to a new country by yourself can be difficult, but Helia has found friends among her classmates – many of whom are also international students.

“A lot of us are international students who, for the first time, had travelled to another country for their education. Since we were all experiencing this together and having similar feelings, we started talking to each other and it was easier for us to become friends. I now have friends from many different countries, which is pretty cool.” — Helia

Helia’s program is at Lakeshore Campus, which has a different aesthetic than North Campus and its many large, modern buildings including the Learning Resource Commons and the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation.

So, when she arrived at Lakeshore Campus for her program with its beautifully restored cottages, it wasn’t quite what she expected initially. However, she’s fallen in love with Lakeshore Campus and is thrilled she goes there.

“I like Lakeshore Campus because of all the trees and green spaces and being near Lake Ontario. Many of Humber’s arts courses are there as well so there’s always something creative happening on campus.”

So, how has the experience been for her living in Toronto as compared to back home? Certainly different, but good, she said.

“I didn’t expect it to be like this – it’s really multicultural – and that makes it so unique, and it’s been exciting for me. I always wanted to live in a big city. ”

Shanell is a big believer in getting involved. When she first arrived at Humber College to enrol in the Civil Engineering Technology advanced diploma program, the international student from Jamaica knew that she was going to immerse herself in the Humber experience. Why? Well, that’s just who she is.

“I’ve always been involved while at school – I’m either playing sports or sitting on boards or serving as an executive member in clubs, you name it. It’s just a part of who I am to be assisting and advocating for others and making sure everyone is having a positive experience because school can be daunting at times.”

Shanell decided to sign up as a mentor in First Year Experience, a peer mentoring program for Humber first-year students that pairs them with a Humber Peer Mentor. She enjoyed that opportunity and made sure her mentees knew they could come to her anytime for support and advice.

“I absolutely loved the students I was working with and assisted in the First Year Experience program. Despite our varied nationalities, we found common grounds to relate and share our experiences which fostered a strong sense of community at Humber.” — Shanell

She also joined BSSE (Black Student Support and Engagement) and IGNITE, the student union for Humber and the University of Guelph-Humber. Getting involved led to Shanell finding a supportive and inspirational mentor – her manager at BSSE.

“I’ve really been grateful for all the services and support that are available on campus, and I think students should take advantage of their time at Humber because there are many opportunities for growth and development and forging a sense of belonging. Words cannot adequately express how important it is to get involved and connect with your professors and peers. It can lead to some phenomenal outcomes you never imagined possible.”

Shanell was drawn to Humber for a variety of reasons but said the College’s emphasis on technology and the strength of the polytechnic model with opportunities for real-world experience and work placements made her want to apply. The quality of instruction she has received has been exceptional, said Shanell.

“I’ve met some of the best professors ever through my program at Humber College. I find it very captivating that our professors work in the industry, and they expose us to real-life scenarios we may experience when we’re in our careers. I can’t stress enough how much I love Humber and I am fond of the professors in my program. They really do look out for their students and I’m appreciative of that.”

“In many ways, it doesn’t feel like I chose Humber, but that Humber chose me,” she continued. “Humber is an exceptional school and I’ve enjoyed my time here very much.”

Shanell is in her third and final year of her program.

Just like it did to many people around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into Kathryn’s plans.

Kathryn had graduated from university and was working towards becoming an actuary. She started the in-person actuarial exams, successfully completing the first, and put in the months of studying needed to take her second, but it kept getting cancelled due to the pandemic.

Becoming an actuary is a lengthy process with 10 exams total and it can take as long as eight years. Considering the delays and that the pandemic had no obvious end in sight at the time, Kathryn decided to consider other career options and came across the Business Insights and Analytics Ontario Graduate Certificate program at Humber College.

“It was a very last-minute decision to apply but now, two years later, I’m about to finish the program and I’ve really, really enjoyed everything I’ve learned and I’m excited for the career opportunities ahead.”

The co-op placement has proven to be quite helpful to Kathryn. She’s at a marketing analytics agency where she uses data to look back at the performance of previous campaigns or predict how upcoming ones will do.

“It’s funny because I’m working in marketing analytics and I studied marketing during my undergraduate degree and didn’t love it, but over the last two years I have surprisingly realized it is something I have a lot of interest in,” she said. “This career path is a happy medium that allows me to be creative while also using my analytical skills. Without this program I don’t think I would have known I had a creative side and it has opened my eyes to new interests. I’m very appreciative that we had the opportunity to do the co-op because it let me realize this is something I like and want to do.”

Kathryn feels Humber College, the program and its instructors have set her up for success in her future career. Her professors are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach and instruct their students about what’s happening in the industry, including the latest trends and relevant tools.

“You get into the actual work world and realize just how useful everything you learned is. We did quite a bit of group work and learning how to communicate and actively listen to other people’s ideas are skills I developed while at Humber. Finding ways to work with different personalities and incorporate different ideas has helped me gain perspective and reach better conclusions.” — Kathryn

Humber offers work-integrated learning opportunities to prepare students for their future careers that have them applying what they’ve learned in their programs. These work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities may include field placements, practicums, clinical placements, co-operative education work terms, internships, applied research projects, or service learning.

Khaezel was excited to attend a Pride celebration for the first time.

Khaezel is a part-time social media specialist at Humber who’s also an Advertising and Marketing Communications diploma program student and identifies as a gay man. In his home country of the Philippines, he said Pride was never really celebrated or even acknowledged until recently.

“I attended my first-ever Pride event, not just at Humber, but as a gay person. I had never been part of any Pride march or Pride activity in the past but had always wanted to. I feel accepted for who I am at Humber.” — Khaezel

He circled the Toronto Pride Parade on his calendar and couldn’t wait to attend. Even in his home country of the Philippines, Khaezel had heard of the parade and how it brings in people from all around the world to celebrate.

Making friends and connections with others from the 2SLGBTQ+ community was a big part of the Pride experience for Khaezel. As a newcomer, he has found it somewhat challenging to grow his network at times and was excited about making connections among those with shared experiences and backgrounds.