New Student Union President unlocks her confidence and purpose at Sheridan

After a 15-year career in the automotive industry, Ganyo Soh decided it was time to make a change.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Soh spent time reflecting on what she wanted in the workplace to feel satisfied as an employee. While she was unsure of what that entailed, it was when a close friend recommended Sheridan’s Social Service Worker (SSW) – Gerontology program that it finally clicked.

In 2020, Soh took a leap of faith and enrolled in the program, marking the start of her academic journey at Sheridan.

It was during her time at Sheridan that Soh discovered her passion for student leadership and advocacy.

Soh quickly made a name for herself within the Sheridan community, graduating first from the SSW – Gerontology program (‘22), and then earning a Bachelor of Social Community Development (‘24).

Among her many roles as a student, she served as a student ambassador, moderated student conferences, and participated in Black History Month panel discussions.

Today, Soh is continuing her advocacy as the President of the Sheridan Student Union (SSU). We recently sat down with Soh to learn more about her student experience, how it helped her prepare for her role and her vision for the future.

As a graduate of the Social Service Worker — Gerontology and Honours Bachelor of Social and Community Development programs, what was it about Sheridan that made you want to pursue your education here?

Going back to school as a mature student is not easy. But I was able to find a sense of community at Sheridan, which made it easier. I was really focused on what I wanted to do and stayed with Sheridan because there were many opportunities not only for employment through the Work Study program but also for me to be a leader within the classroom.

I learned a lot about myself during my time as a student. Going back to school after 20 years taught me so many different elements of how diverse the student population is, which allowed me to embrace that and find my place within the school. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if I didn’t take the jobs that I had.

I felt that Sheridan really opened an avenue within myself that gave me the confidence to go back to school, reminding me there’s no age limit to education. That’s why I decided to continue and stay with Sheridan, because they were able to provide me with a safe space to learn and to be.

Sheridan has unlocked a lot for me. It unlocked my confidence and knowledge and has showcased that community is necessary to make change. It is my right and responsibility to be involved in order to have an impact, and to be a good steward within the Sheridan community and beyond. We need to be integrated to make a difference. So, in a way, it has also unlocked that my voice does matter.

"I felt that Sheridan really opened an avenue within myself that gave me the confidence to go back to school, reminding me there’s no age limit to education."

– Ganyo Soh, Sheridan Student Union President

How has your experience as a Sheridan student helped you to prepare for your role as SSU president?

Sometimes you’re in class and you hear the repetition of certain concepts. For my particular program, it was reflection, reflection, reflection.

Before I went into my interview, I actually read some notes from my course. It helped me to prepare and submit a resume that allowed me to be selected for the interview. Then, all the interview questions were [about] my learning and what I experienced in college. So, I was able to answer the questions with confidence.

My programs also taught me about advocacy; how we can advocate for the most vulnerable population, which in my role, is the students. It taught me to understand the various dynamics of leadership, my leadership style, the different aspects of communication and how to be an ally amongst others. I brought my lived and personal experiences here, which has allowed me to better understand myself and how I can collaborate with people from different walks of life.

To have social change, you must understand your priorities and create a strategic plan. So, understanding the workflow and the scope of the business through what I learned in my course has allowed me to apply all that knowledge. I wouldn’t be in this role if I didn’t get that foundation.  

Now that you’ve been in the role for a few months, what has surprised or inspired you the most?

There have been so many things that have inspired me; connecting with students, seeing their interests and eagerness and the way they’ve received me.

My home office is at the Davis Campus, but I travel to all three campuses. And I’ve been able to build relationships with our faculty, the executives from my organization and from the entire student community. I feel like I’m enhancing the relationships and bridging gaps that we’ve never had before, which is helping to strengthen those ties within the College.

I use an asset-based approach when it comes to collaborating with my executive team, board members and those within my organization because I feel our commonality is student community. We share so much of the same vision and mission, and I want to extend an olive branch to anyone who wants to be a part of it and then bring awareness to those who are not aware.

I’ve been in rooms where people were not aware of the SSU’s full scope of business and what we represent for students. I’m glad to be able to share that information to bridge those relationships and foster the ones we’ve already established to further strengthen them.

"I brought my lived and personal experiences here, which has allowed me to better understand myself and how I can collaborate with people from different walks of life."

– Ganyo Soh, Sheridan Student Union President

This is the first time in 13 years that an SSU President has had their office based at Sheridan’s Davis Campus. What does this mean to you and how do you hope to leverage being closer to the Brampton community in your role?

It means a lot to me as somebody who lives in Brampton, but that’s not the main reason I decided to make the Davis Campus my main hub. I want to support the students within that campus because I feel that there is opportunity there.

We have the largest population of students in Brampton and in order to hear the student voice amplified, I need to be on the ground of the most-needed campus at the moment.

As an organization that represents the student community, our presence needs to be there so we can bring back information of what students are experiencing to my team, our stakeholders, community partners and the College.

In my role, I have this opportunity to be very grassroots and on the ground to hear what students are saying. To have an impact, I need to be where the students are and let them know we are there to support their needs and that I’m here to help improve their quality of life within their campus experience.

What do you hope to accomplish in your role? Do you have a specific vision or any goals in mind?

As President of the SSU, my role is to enhance the experience of our fellow students by building community and providing a space for all students to be seen and heard. I look forward to representing the students’ interests and presenting it to all stakeholders to foster change.

My mission is to inspire students and to foster an exceptional student life by providing relevant, focused program services and advocacy for students, but I can’t do this alone. My executive team, operations team and I are committed to empowering our students and community and amplifying the student voice by focusing on the priorities that will build capacity by involving the evolving student community.

My goal is to use innovative approaches, be aware of student wellness and being an advocate for underrepresented groups. I want to have programming that is informative, educational and entertaining.

I’d like to find ways we can get non-direct students — those that don’t join us directly from high school — to our events. There are international students, domestic students, students who are working or have families and so on. Each student has a different approach in regards to building community and capacity, and I want the whole scope of the student community to be aware of the supports and services available to them.

To learn more about Ganyo's goals, student leadership and advocacy at Sheridan and how the SSU can support your #SheridanLife, visit thessu.ca