Christine Arkilo can’t recall a single moment when she knew the civil war had come to her hometown of Aleppo, Syria. It’s something that gradually changed every day as things got worse.
“It started with maybe one bomb a week or maybe a car exploding,” says Arkilo, a third-year biochemistry student.
“You think that that’s the war, but then it becomes worse. Every time I thought, ‘OK, this is the war,’ it changed to something else.’”
By the time Arkilo reached Grade 12, she chose to study at home for safety reasons. Later, after applying to university, she completed two out of her five-year pharmaceutical program when her family decided to flee Syria.
Arkilo and her brother were able to apply for a sponsorship to Canadian universities through the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) while their family lived in Jordan. The non-profit international organization supports finding education for youth, women and refugees.
With family living in the area and a range of science courses that opened a range of career possibilities, Arkilo requested that she be placed at U of T Scarborough above other universities.
“There was hope that I would be able to continue my studies here,” she says. “Anywhere that I was able to continue my studies that I wasn’t able to in Syria was important.”
Arkilo has been a residence advisor since her first summer on campus. She says this played a big part in helping her build new relationships, as well as working at the International Student Centre –– the first spot that Arkilo went to and was welcomed in when she came to campus.
“My first memory here is going to the International Student Centre and talking to an advisor,” she says. “They walked around campus with me and introduced me to new people in residence.”
As to living in Scarborough, Arkilo says that she enjoys the surrounding nature, like the Scarborough Bluffs and the Valley as a place to “breath, walk and destress.”
“It’s a very calm place. Our campus feels like home because you see familiar faces.”
Being able to build a community is an aspect of campus life Arkilo says is special to the campus. Both of those jobs have helped her break out of her shell, but being able to guide new students through questions they have about campus life is her way of giving back to the community.
“A lot of people helped when I came here in first year, so I’ve always felt this urge that I want to help first years and these jobs were perfect to be able to help them. I feel like I’m giving back.”