Welcome to the Ekta podcast, where we hear from students about how to foster unity and solidarity – or 'Ekta' – on Canadian postsecondary campuses. We take time out to listen to university students as they share their stories about what has made them feel powerful and powerless in their education journeys. We also hear their thoughts on practical steps we can take to create more inclusive, anti-racist spaces.
COMPANION GUIDES AVAILABLE HERE: https://ufv.ca/teaching-and-learning/inclusive-teaching/internationalization/multilingual-learners/student-perspectives/
Interested in discussing the topics addressed in this podcast?
Contact the host, Victoria Surtees: victoria.surtees@ufv.ca
Are you a UFV student? Are you struggling?
Get help here: https://www.ufv.ca/studentservices/student-support-centre/supportive-services-at-ufv/
The Ekta podcast is hosted by Victoria Surtees, Specialist in Internationalization at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), which is located in British Columbia on the territories of the Sto:lo people. It is produced by UFV's Teaching and Learning Centre and Sponsored by UFV International. The music is used with permission from a local artist, Saint Soldier.
Building Accountability, Creating Connections: the TASK Program
Taysen Gabrielson and William McAllister share their experiences in UFV's TASK Program, a workplace readiness program for students with diagnosed and undiagnosed disabilities. They share the classroom strategies they experienced that helped them build accountability and feel like they could truly be themselves. Transcript availalble.
COIL is an innovative teaching method where students from classes in two different countries work together virtually to complete a project. In this episode, we explore the power and impact of COIL with Suwebah Shoaib and Gabriella Wertheimer Cinque, two UFV students from different programs who participated in innovative projects with partners in Cairo and Ghana. We talk project details, sticky points, and impact. They highlight how their perspectives shifted, the importance of humility, and how the projects gave them an opportunity to understand and apply disiplinary learning in new ways. This episode will be of interest to any faculty member or student who is considering COIL for their courses.
23 Jun 2025
Empowering pedagogies: Image-theatre, meal-sharing, and care.
Students Asha Thapa, Jessica Ho, Angelina Joseph, and Niraj Joshi describe how professors Rita Dhungel and Shelley Liebembuk fostered inclusivity through shared meals and image-theatre, offering advice for building reciprocal relationships in this interview episode.
19 Jul 2024
Rydel
Rydel Cawile, a General Studies student from the Philippines, tells us what it was like to come to UFV as an older student with a wife and two young children. He likens being an international student to trying to build and maintain a house of cards: one card falls - tuition, work, family, health - and it threatens the whole structure. He urges instructors to keep in mind the mental and emotional toll that can take and to keep incorporating flexibility into their courses.
3 Apr 2024
Lovesangeet
In this special episode recorded in Chandigarh, India, we catch up with Lovesangeet Singh Aulakh. After graduating from UFV and Fraser Valley India with a Bachelor in Business Administration, Lovesangeet returned home to India in 2018 to launch a successful start-up. Lovesangeet tells us how his experiences of receiving packages from his family shaped his current business, Countryside Express. (https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcountrysidecourier.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cvictoria.surtees%40ufv.ca%7Cbef46713595d42c5e93b08dc53ddd9e6%7Ca3d10b1dc22648f9a6db976df918187e%7C1%7C0%7C638477459516081606%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=tYsAYEfdgWreVUcQocdcDCT08JT6ebxnMMO5t2aFAHQ%3D&reserved=0) He reminds us of the power of community in supporting international students who are far from their families and encourages faculty to make time and space to encourage young entrepreneurs like himself.
15 Nov 2023
Mohammed
Mohammed Bearingwala, an analyst in UFV's IT Services and a UFV graduate, talks about the differences between his experiences in College in Mumbai, India and at the University of the Fraser Valley. Touching on grading, exams, tutoring, and course schedules, Mohammed shares insights and experiences that shift our thinking around teaching and learning.
3 Oct 2023
Claudia and Nikiel
Claudia Daboin and Nikiel Lal, Kinesiology students and former executives in the Student Union Society (SUS), talk about what it means to advocate for students and the importance of mental health. From the UFV breakfast program to Kickback, they share how students are supporting students in meeting basic needs and building community. They also provide us with important advice for instructors on creating a safe space to talk about mental health and remind us of the importance of recognizing students as humans first.
21 Aug 2023
Dawn
Dawn Nansumba, a varsity soccer player and nursing student, shares how she learned to use her voice as a student of colour. She reflects on how powerful it was for her when instructors acknowledge racialized experiences in the classroom and encourages faculty to find ways for students to tell their stories their way.
5 Jun 2023
Shanga
Shanga Karim, a creative writing student and journalist from Kurdistan (Northern Iraq), dispels myths about Kurdistan and shares what surprised her about her university experience... everything from the role of advisors to public campuses. She reminds us that immigration is also about learning to be a new version of ourselves, and provides some advice for faculty and staff who want to support students in that process.
15 May 2023
Mehmet
Mehmet Ercan is a political science and media communications student from Istanbul. He shares how the earthquake in Turkiye impacted him and his engagement with school, encouraging us to think about how international students cope when disasters happen in their home countries. A strong advocate for study abroad, he also tells us how 9 months in the USA when he was in high school changed his life. He provides advice around using games to engage learners and teaches us a little about the Turkish language... and his love of cowboy boots!
27 Mar 2023
Mehak
Mehak Narang, a Computer Science student from Karnal, India, tells us about her work as a Supported Learning Group Facilitator - one of the first international students to be hired for the job at the University of the Fraser Valley. As a peer educator with record attendance at her sessions, she shares her strategies for adopting a growth mindset and supporting students wherever they are at in their learning.
10 Feb 2023
Mauli
Mauli Bajaj tells us about different learning styles in India, including "mugging" or cramming. She also raises important questions about how international students are treated in the community and at work and encourages students to realize that they are powerful!
12 Dec 2022
Anna
In this episode, we hear from Anna Tsoy, a biology student from Kazakhstan, about what it's like to be from a country that people know little about. She shares insights into why international students hesitate to ask questions and how experiences of racism have sometimes made her feel powerless. Anna encourages us all to keep pursuing inclusion with humility.
21 Nov 2022
Angela
We chat with Angela Chubak, a Japanese student taking a gap year from her English literature studies to experience Canadian education at UFV. She shares how expectations around her English level can leave her feeling powerless, and how singing has helped her hold on to her confidence. She shares simples strategies that instructors can use to support students' English development and understanding. For the companion guide, click here.
24 Oct 2022
Rajinder
We hear from Rajinder Singh, a 4th year student in Computer Information Systems that transferred to UFV from Fraser Valley India, located in Chandigarh, He shares what was new for him when he arrived in Abbotsford, the challenges of balancing work, classes and family, as well as the stresses of the immigration process during COVID. From time zones to drive-throughs, Rajinder teaches us about obstacles that new arrivals must navigate. To access the companion guide, click here.
26 Sept 2022
Natasha & Leanne Part 2
We continue our chat with Natasha Rainkie and Leanne Joe about their experiences as Indigenous students at UFV. In part 2, Leanne shares stories about confronting instructors when Indigenous perspectives were not represented and the positive impacts of open communication on meaningful Indigenization. The two leave us with powerful advice and with a song. For the companion guide, click here.
26 Sept 2022
Natasha & Leanne Part 1
We chat with Natasha Rainkie and Leanne Joe about their experiences as Indigenous students at UFV. In part one, they share their impressions of UFV’s Indigenization efforts and teach us about the challenges of navigating the legacy of assimilationist policies, their cultural protocols, and course requirements. Access the companion guide here.
23 Aug 2022
Bradley & Billie
Access the Companion guide: https://ufv.ca/teaching-and-learning/inclusive-teaching/internationalization/multilingual-learners/student-perspectives/ (https://ufv.ca/teaching-and-learning/inclusive-teaching/internationalization/multilingual-learners/student-perspectives/)
In this episode, we hear from Bradley Nguyen, an international student from Vietnam who came to BC in Grade 11, and his friend, Billie Brown, a domestic student. Bradley shares how microaggressions and the pressure to “whitewash” his behaviour led to social isolation and trauma. We learn why celebrating Lunar New Year with Billie and colleagues was meaningful for Bradley and hear advice on how to avoid treating minorities as cultural experts.
Who has been a guest on Ekta: Learning Differently, Together
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Asha Thapa
Jessica Ho
Angelina Joseph
Niraj Joshi
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
351,975
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 51 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
44
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
60
Contact Ekta: Learning Differently, Together
Guest appearances
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