Students Share International Student Experiences in Canada

By: Greg Long, Centennial College

Classroom, work, campus life and cultural experiences are all part of the journey of an International Student. Centennial College students share their experiences to give you an inside look at the life of an international student in Canada.

Classroom Experiences

"In college we do lots of practical learning. For example, in one assignment our class was separated in two parts and we were given a case. It was like a real court. Our teacher acted as a judge, and we chose who would be a representative, witness, and we created all the legal documents. It was awesome! I will never forget that experience. On my first day at court I will remember that day in school and because of that experience, I won't feel like it's my first time doing this.” says Victoria Dovgun, Paralegal Program.

“One of the projects that I really enjoyed working on was to design and draft a mechanical part,then go into the CNC lab and actually manufacture it. I enjoy studying at Centennial because you get a good idea of how your industry works with the support of the teachers who have knowledge in the field.” says Manuel AlejandroHernandez Mata, Mechanical Engineering Technician – Design.

Work Experience

“As part of my program, I am currently doing a one year co-op term working on two different projects related to renewable energy. I am working with Celestica to validate data collected from their Solar modules and do data analysis for the reliability of their panels. My second project is with Clear Blue Technologies, where we design and test their charge controller for different applications.” says HocineBoudhar, Energy Systems Engineering Technology co-op.

Campus Life – Connecting with your new Canadian Family

“At the international Centre, we want to make sure you feellike this is your second home. We plan orientation activitiesfor you, we call you to check in and see how you’re doing, we help you make new friends and plan all sorts of events and trips. We also offer workshops and information sessions to make sure you’re getting the information you need in terms of immigration, working in Canada, and job search. Our team is here to help international students be successful while theyare studying in Canada”says Nadia D’Lima , Manager of International Student Services at Centennial College.

“If I chose a word to describe Centennial College I would say: Support. If you are Latin, or like us you like dancing; Centennial College is like your dance partner, because it follows you step by step,” says Javier Garcia Palacios, Hospitality Management - Hotel and Resort Program.

Multicultural Toronto – Exploring your second home

“Toronto is such a multicultural city! There are cultural events from different communities happening almost every day. Everyone is welcome to these events no matter what their background is. People from different communities are living happily with each other in this city, and there is always something new that you can learn from other communities,” explains Chuck Yachun Li, Business Student and Representative of the Chinese Alliance of Students at Centennial College.

To learn more about student life at Centennial College, we welcome you to join the Centennial College International Student Community on Facebook.