STUDENT PERSONAS
Fictional representations of real student data
CAROLINE
She/her
3rd year undergraduate domestic student
From a religious minority
Domestic student
“It would be great if I could talk to more students from religious minorities to learn if they have had similar experiences and how they have dealt with them.”
One of my earliest memories is going on those amazing hikes along Ontario’s lakes with my family. As a kid that sparked my passion for biodiversity, and it was the reason I decided to study Environmental Science at U of T. Also, belonging to a religious minority, I always felt uneasy when I stood out for being different. That is why it was so comforting to pick U of T. It’s a diverse campus where I would just be one of many culturally distinct students.
However, looking back at the last two years, I feel the word that best describes my experience is bittersweet. Despite feeling super inspired by my courses, I feel tired. Term after term, I need to ask professors for the same religious accommodations. Sometimes I just miss class, but some other times I have missed exams and presentations, which always adds another layer of nuisance. I still miss the strong sense of community I had back in high school, where I did not need to advocate for my religious needs.
A few weeks ago, I started my 3rd year, and I was surprised to hear a professor speak out against accommodation requests in one of my classes. The professor was annoyed that students keep on needing all this “special treatment” and how he felt accommodations were not important or necessary. I could sense his irritation at feeling expected to be inclusive. I remember feeling confused and guilty, because I knew that I would eventually ask for religious accommodation myself. Some weeks have passed since I asked for accommodation, but I have still not heard back from the professor. The lack of response made me question whether I should have asked at all. I hope my request won’t draw negative attention towards me or affect my grades.
It is the first time my request has been ignored, so I hope this is just an isolated incident and I won’t hear insensitive comments about accommodations from professors in the future. It would be great if I could talk to more students from religious minorities to learn if they have had similar experiences and how they have dealt with them.
