By Elaine Smith
Coming from a country where most international exchange students study technical subjects such as engineering, the sciences or computer science, Saanvi Bhattacharya, a psychology major, might be considered an anomaly. But it is this determination to pursue her interest that led Bhattacharya, winner of one of two annual Global Leaders of Tomorrow scholarships, to become a leader.
Based on a group project in high school, Bhattacharya and her friends brought arts and communications opportunities to underprivileged children so they could develop those interests. Their Initiative, called “SAAYA,” works to uplift underprivileged students by teaching them arts and commerce as gateways to prospective future careers. The students are taught skills and how to pursue them gainfully. These children were empowered by participation in workshops and donation drives and by event stalls they held.
Their program was so popular, the students turned it into a non-governmental organization that works with schools and orphanages to deliver workshops on the arts and public speaking.
“In India, there is far more emphasis on science and peer pressure to focus on technical topics, but I’m into communications and the arts,” said Bhattacharya, who also loves dance. “I wanted to help underprivileged children follow those interests. We held fairs and donation drives to raise funds, but we never expected it to become so big. Now, we’ve had to choose successors to keep the programs going.”
Bhattacharya has always been interested in helping people, so her interest in studying psychology is natural.
“You should do something you love to do,” she says. “I’m inclined to pursue clinical or counselling psychology, but if I find an aspect that I like better, I’ll explore that.”
She planned to study abroad after high school and researched universities in Canada and the United States looking for good psychology programs. She found that York fit the profile, and, since she had an uncle living in Toronto, decided it might work well. She accepted her admissions offer before she found out that she’d won the Global Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship.
“It wasn’t expected at all, especially given the scale of the [four-years, $20,000 annually] scholarship and realizing only two people in the whole university get one,” Bhattacharya said. “It’s definitely an added bonus and my parents were very happy.”
Bhattacharya is living on campus as a member of Bethune Residence and “I’m loving it, honestly.”
“It’s a very friendly campus. There’s never a time I’m walking around without people saying, ‘Hi.’ They’re very interactive and open and all the first-years want to find their own tribes.”
She has met a lot of people, has applied for jobs with the psychology department and is researching clubs to join. She’s a trained dancer as well, has learned Kathak for a few months, took classes to learn Bollywood and hip-hop dance and continues her four-year study of Latin dance. She also does bachata, salsa and kizomba, and attend socials occasionally.
Bhattacharya is also getting to know the York campus and the larger City of Toronto.
“I’ve been to the Glendon campus and have gone downtown with friends,” Bhattacharya said. “I’m finding my way around.”
It’s very different from India, she says, but, apparently, York is on its way to becoming a home-away-from-home.
York offers a number of scholarships to incoming international students. Visit the future students page for more information
