Vanessa Manyika
TRC Candidate
Tell us about yourself and your involvement in the Sheridan community:
“My name is Matifadza Manyika, but I go by Vanessa but fun fact Matifadza in Shona which is a Zimbabwean language my name means “You brought us joy”. I want to be able to bring that into the community through my knowledge I have learned but also making sure to hear the students' needs because that’s what it’s about. I am a second year Social Service Worker student at Trafalgar. I am currently involved in SSW: Student Advisory Council as the Creative Director and the Lead head of the new International Student Committee. I got the wonderful opportunity to co-host the first annual Graduation Committee for second year students while being a first-year student where I got to exercise my facilitating skills, I learned being a social worker student, and how to work under a deadline and to respect group roles realistically. As the lead of the International Committee, being able to learn more about what it means to be an ally and how to be one firsthand by international students helped my growth and awareness and opened my eyes to the bigger community that is Sheridan.”
As a member of the Board of Directors, all elected members will represent the mission and values of Sheridan Student Union. and will focus our attention and efforts in three main Pillars of Success.
For MATIFADZA, the importance of these pillars is as follows:
ENHANCING THE WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS
SUPPORTING ACCESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO QUALITY EDUCATION
CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES A VIEW OF THE WHOLE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Explain why you chose “Enhancing the well-being of out students” as your highest priority?
“I ranked the enhancing the well-being of our students as number one because of my own experiences that I've had personally and with my peers. Going through the overall obstacle of COVID-19 and having lessened communication or ways to meet classmates and to gain that physical part of college, not only that but having to rely on technology more so than ever. Being able to join a club for Social Service Workers students called the Student Advisory Council where I am the Creative Director hearing firsthand from students of their own mental health and well-being struggling with the course load or not being able to feel connected it truly opened my eyes to know that it starts with us, the students we are the center of our wellbeing and mental health because when that's going down it affects us mentally but also physically where cannot perform our best or be our best. Being the role of Creative Director not only helped me be able to connect with my classmates but also listen and help for example share Sheridan resources, suggest some clubs that help you be active even while being at home so that their overall mental health improves even just being in their homes. Without that success I think it's hard for the other two pillars to work. I would like to provide a safe environment to be felt between myself and a student, having the availability of listening but also being able to relate to them where there's that feeling of less loneliness based on experience. It's overall about being there instead of saying you are but also listening and asking them how you can help not thinking you completely know what is best based on a title. Challenges impact our everyday life when they happen especially in school so helping someone based on just wanting to be there helps overall mental health and forms that safety and a bond of trust.”