Matthew Dawkins
Double Major in English Language and Literature and SASAH, Certifcate in Practical Spanish, Scholars Electives Module
Third Year
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
Extra-Curricular Involvement:
At Western, I've been involved in both the University's Students' Council (USC) and the faculty students' council (AHSC). On the USC, I've functioned as the Communications Executive for Ethncultural Support Sevices before becoming the Coordinator in the following year. In addition, I've been a member of the USC's Adovcacy Standing Comittee. In both these roles I've worked to improve and adovcate on behalf of Western's marginalized student population through campaigns, events, policy introductions and ammendments, and other systemic methods. On AHSC, I've operated as the SASAH Department Representative and the Equity Comissioner in which I acted as the mouthpiece for my department, SASAH, in pedagogical and structural discussions and helped make the A&H community more inclusive through spearheading events and policy ammendements, respectively.
Most recently, I held a position as Contributing Editor for The Embassy Cultural House (ECH) through Western's Undergraduate Research Internship wherein I investigated ways the academy may reconfigure learning practices such as expereintial learning to advance a reletaively newer concept in education, the public humanities. In practice, my work with the ECH and it's releationship with Western functioned as a protypical model for the ways the institutions may better involve and work alongside local communities.
And currently, I'm working in the Dean's Office as a Marketing and Communications Assistant. With a pulse on the student culture and state of mind, I help the faculty reach students in new and interesting ways!
Why did you choose Arts and Humanities at Western?
I chose Arts and Humanities at Western because of the student community and all its opportunites for success. I've found that A&H has a number of awards and prizes that celebrate students in a meaningful way and the faculty is filled with great ways for students to get involved whether that be academically, creatively, or otherwise!
What is one highlight of your Western experience so far?
There have been many memories at Western that I've come to cherish deeply, but when I think of highlights I think of my experience in first year. As a SASAH student I was able to live on the SASAH living and learning community floor in the Ontario Hall Residence, wherein all my floormates were also in SASAH. It was an incredible experience being surrounded by such like-minded people who cared about the things I did and held each other accountable for our shared class.
As an international student, I was afraid that starting at Western and building a social friend group would be difficult but my fellow SASAH students proved me wrong. From working on our assigments together, to walking to class as a group, to our weekly movie nights in our floor lounge, when I think of cherished memories I can't help but remember my time in first on the SASAH floor. For all my incomming SASAH students out there, I highly recommend requesting to live on the SASAH floor; you won't regret it!
What advice would you give to incoming Arts and Humanities students?
I have a lot of advice so I think I'll use categories to divy them up! Academically, I think it's extrememly important to get to know your professors. One of the best things about A&H is our small class sizes that permits student to prof connections. Profs have so much knowledge and wisdom to share that you can benefit from and it also won't hurt that they know you when they sit down to grade your assignments. Socially, get involved! Join a club, join the students' council, do something that will allow you to meet like-minded students! Finally, when it comes to mental health, do not be afraid to say something. Use your SRA's (they exist for a reason), reach out to a professional, and prioritze yourself. There are on-campus resources and also resources that exist in the wider London community, please reach out!
