Lellow Sedio's confidence in her education prospects hit a low point in 2017.
Originally from Botswana, Sedio's first attempt at university in Canada hadn't gone to plan. She found herself overwhelmed by the transition to a new academic and cultural environment in Western Canada, experiencing a mental health crisis that left her in hospital. Following a hiatus from her studies, she enrolled in a college program for legal assistant training but remained unsure about her next steps.
Then she came across a Facebook ad for the University of Toronto's Transitional Year Programme (TYP) , a U of T access program that prepares students for a university education through a supportive, small-cohort learning environment .
She cobbled together an application on deadline day - a last-minute decision that changed her life.
"I got to learn about what going to university in Canada really looks like," says Sedio. "It allowed me to pace myself and really reflect and think about what I want to get out of my university career.
"It was a program that I didn't know I needed."
Now graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in book and media studies from U of T's Faculty of Arts & Science, Sedio says her TYP experience completely reshaped her academic path. That included conducting a research project on barriers to education in Botswana and securing admission to grad school at U of T's Faculty of Information.
Central to that turning point was a deeper understanding of her own mental health.
Sedio was diagnosed with bipolar disorder following her earlier hospitalization. She says the diagnosis helped her make sense of patterns and symptoms she had long been aware of but hadn't addressed.
With that clarity and the supports offered by the TYP, Sedio was able to once again tackle university studies - only this time on her own terms.
For example, her experience prompted her to pursue a minor in Buddhism, psychology and mental health. "They're such sensitive topics and all my professors from that program were just as sensitive in how they approached the issues," she says. "I always felt like I'm in the right class - that I need to learn this."
In her courses in book and media studies, Sedio was drawn to discussions that bridged theory and lived experience - from examining texts and publishing practices to thinking about accessibility and representation.
The people she met in the TYP made an impression, too.
With many coming from marginalized backgrounds, she says she learned about how different systemic barriers can impact outcomes - knowledge that later underpinned a research project that looked at how access to varied learning mediums influences academic performance.
"What I found was that sometimes when a student fails, it's not because they aren't capable - it's because of a disconnect with the learning medium they have access to," said Sedio, whose work was supported by an Undergraduate Student Research Award .
Her research also highlighted how language barriers can shape students' experiences in the classroom.
Beyond her studies, Sedio translated her research into the real world by launching a non-profit called Epic Minds, which provides free educational resources to those who can't afford them. She also worked as a program support assistant with TYP and mentored prospective students via the SEE U of T access program at Woodsworth College.
As she prepares for her graduate studies in critical information policy and, eventually, a legal career, Sedio encourages students who are setting out on their university journeys to take the time to listen and the space to explore.
"Learn who you are and find that thing in you that really cultivates your desire… and nurture those characteristics because it will make your learning so much more enjoyable," she says. "You will change, you will grow, so leave room for that as well. Leave room to be surprised and challenged - but always believe in yourself."
