International Development top student 2016
Jacob chose the International Development program because he wanted to use his knowledge and training to help those who lack the resources he has. “Quietly thoughtful and reflective, Jacob’s humility and depth can command a room,” one professor comments. During his eight-month-international-placement, Jacob worked at the National Youth Council of Malawi in the Research and Evaluation department, where he monthly and quarterly reports for the Council.
Some of his other achievements include:
- Making the Dean’s Honour List all of his academic terms
- Assisting Professor Neil Craik in preparing reports, editing papers and book chapters and contributing to the ENVS 201 Environmental Law course material
- Editing several manuscripts per academic term for the Undercurrent Journal
- Volunteering at Nutrition for Learning and serving over 5,000 breakfasts to elementary schoolchildren
- Acting as the translator and volunteer for the CRASH Japan Touhoku Earthquake Disaster Relief
Entering the International Development program with an intention to help others, Jacob’s experiences throughout university helped fuel this passion even further:
“In my first year, a friend’s invitation to hang out led me downtown Kitchener for an Idle No more protest. This fuelled long conversations in residence hallways and the Environment Coffee Shop and eventually led to other opportunities: helping lead a learning trip to a shelter in Niagara to learn about poverty and homelessness, flying in an MP to talk in a panel on conflict minerals, serving weekly breakfast at a local school, and getting involved in the International Development student conference. These experiences helped me understand how my learning could be used to serve others.”