By the students, for the students in more ways than one. From fun to support, IGNITE stands by you.
This semester was a rollercoaster that we were all tall enough to ride but weren’t ready for. From the full-time support staff strike to stressful assignments, all the way to the payoff of fun IGNITE events.
However hectic a semester you’ve had, IGNITE has had its part to play in improving every aspect of students’ lives.
All for you
IGNITE has been advocating for 25 years. That’s a quarter of a century of connecting with Humber Polytechnic, University of Guelph-Humber and even the provincial government to ensure every student’s voice is heard.
The IGNITE Student Advocates were there for you. The advocates streamlined communication about the support staff strike with Humber to guarantee students were in the know.
When you had inquiries about navigating academic challenges or needed someone to speak with in general, the advocates responded with helpful pointers.
Humber Student Advocate Selena Ferreira has been working long and hard with Chartwells to promote value meals across campus. Her goal is to raise awareness and enhance visibility by using large symbols, helping students get the most value for their hard-earned dollar when purchasing food.
Ferreira attended food forums throughout the semester to “listen to what resident students [students living in Humber residence] had to say about pricing, availability, options and catering to diverse culinary needs or desires.”
She’s actively working with Chartwells on a future collaboration to increase student feedback as well.
“That can include any feedback, good, bad, whatever. It’s just [an] increase in how much we get,” she said.
Ferreira also has some upcoming meetings with Chartwells to discuss pricing decreases.
“I know that’s a big thing for students,” she said.
Fellow Student Advocate for the UofGH, Emily Edwards, has focused on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB). Both Edwards and Ferreira learned about other students’ perspectives to better assist and consider them in their advocacy priorities.
The Advocacy Summit
The two advocates, along with the IGNITE Board of Directors, took to Queen’s Park in November with Bill 33 and Time is Money on the agenda.
They spoke with MPPs and brought all the student perspectives from the Time is Money campaign’s online petition and data collected from the College Student Alliance (CSA) over the summer to the province’s attention.
“We explained our Time is Money research to them and told them how many students this is impacting and how we collected so many student stories,” Edwards said. “The feedback was great.”
According to Edwards, the Advocacy Summit went well. A lot of the MPPs were receptive to paid internships, “which goes to show how important it is to have those student perspectives in those meetings,” she said.
Bill 33 was also a hot topic over the past semester. IGNITE wants to protect “clubs, menstrual kits, all of any extracurriculars that happen at these institutions. We want to make sure that those are not impacted by Bill 33,” Ferreira said.
“We’ve heard from students who are club executives and are concerned about how Bill 33 will impact them,” Edwards said.
Even though what Bill 33 means is still up for discussion, rest assured that your Student Advocates have your back.
IGNITE 25
For 25 years, IGNITE has had one modus operandi: improve your student life. That’s 25 years of fun, games, giveaways, entertainment, giving students helpful tips and supporting everything post-secondary education has in its repertoire.
Over the past semester, we’ve made sure your stomachs were full with hearty soup, given you a bed to sleep on between classes and assisted in your financial and health needs.
On the 25th anniversary of your student union, we’ve gone all out with 25 giveaways.
IGNITE gave away two $1000 Air Canada gift cards, a pair of Raptors tickets, a $150 Inspired dining experience, $1000 Ticketmaster gift cards, among others, on our Instagram page — and there’s more to come!
That isn’t including the IGNITE contest, which featured a grand prize of $5000.
IGNITE’s pride in serving the student body for 25 years has culminated this fall semester.
We’re looking forward to what IGNITE can do for you in our next 25!
Events
What would IGNITE be without its tremendous bashes?
IGNITE created new friendships by bringing students together for Speed Friending.
Ivory Towers, Guy Anabella and Manny Dingo put on lavish performances in our drag show.
“Everybody was just having a great time. It made the environment, seeing everybody so happy in the audience and enjoying it, it made hosting it so much easier to be up there.”
Emily Edwards
Edwards and Humber’s Vice President of Inclusion and Belonging, Jason Seright, gave memorable, heartwarming speeches at a rainy Walk for Reconciliation.
IGNITE heard your voices loud and clear with the Special Meeting of the Members, where students had the opportunity to have their voices heard.
Clubs opened and prospered. Communities grew at the Clubs Fair, all with the support and funding of IGNITE.
Creativity flourished with our Paint by Numbers sessions, and building a bear is cute, but painting a bear is colourfully exhilarating.
For some, the semester felt long, for some short, but one thing is universal: the semester was fueled by IGNITE’s mission to bring a smiling face to each and every student.
The mission does not end here. Our services will reopen in the winter semester, our social media accounts are producing the most entertaining content imaginable, and there is another semester of events to look forward to.
During the holiday break, take one last tip from IGNITE. Enjoy the refreshment of a digital detox and appreciate the break in its entirety!
Follow us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for all things student life.
