Sarah Morra vividly remembers the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the spirited discussions and debates it sparked among her classmates.
She was nine years old - and in Grade 4.
"I was so invested in that election for some reason. My entire class was, actually - it was kind of weird," says Morra, who grew up in Richmond Hill, Ont. "There were all these rumours going around about what would happen if a certain person got elected, and that went for both candidates."
Among the more distressing rumours circulating in her classroom: a border wall could be erected to prevent people from leaving Canada. Determined to find more accurate information sources, Morra says she began "obsessively" watching the news, absorbing election coverage and researching political and social issues.
That early spark ignited a lasting passion for civic engagement and a desire to better understand the world. It eventually led her to join efforts to lower Canada's voting age to 16 - a change she supports because youth are directly affected by decisions made by elected officials on issues ranging from accessibility to public transit.
Now, Morra is bringing her curiosity and activist spirt to the University of Toronto, where she is beginning her first year studying social sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science as a Woodsworth College student. She plans to double major in international relations and public policy, with a minor in economics, and is eager to grow both academically and personally.
"I see university as a time when you get a combination of experiencing the first few years of adulthood while having the cushion of being a student and having your peers close by," says Morra. "It seems like there's a very strong sense of community at U of T, and I'm really looking forward to that."
Growing up, Morra says she always had an "extreme sense of purpose and direction," coupled with an "argumentative" streak. "I remember being very young and being told I would make a very good lawyer when I'm older," she says.
If the 2016 presidential election sparked her interest in politics and social issues, the COVID-19 pandemic intensified it. As public health lockdowns and personal uncertainty collided with global geopolitical strife and social justice movements, Morra found herself fixated with news and current affairs.
But she soon grew frustrated at the dearth of young voices in public life.
"A lot of the time, young people were discredited for not having proper sources of information or not having the experience to know right from wrong," she says.
Motivated by a growing passion for youth representation, Morra became involved in Vote16 Canada, a national campaign advocating for voting rights for 16- and 17-year-olds.
She served as a co-spokesperson for Toronto City Council motion DM23.1 , which aimed to lower the voting age in neighbourhood polls. The motion was passed in November 2024, and in April 2025, City Council adopted the city clerk's recommendations to amend the municipal code.
For Morra, it was a powerful affirmation of her ability to foster change.
"It really moved me to want to get involved on a larger scale," says Morra, who went on to lead Vote16 campaigns in Port Hope, Ont., and in British Columbia.
She also immersed herself in other opportunities to learn about politics and policy, including the Toronto Youth Cabinet, Youth Leaders in Law Ontario and model parliament at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
Morra is eager to continue her advocacy work at U of T. A keen writer, she also hopes to contribute to The Varsity student newspaper and academic publications, as well join student clubs aligned to her interests.
She's also looking forward to her courses - particularly "Hitler and Stalin Today," a winter semester course taught by Timothy Snyder , professor and inaugural chair in modern European history at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.
"My Grade 12 history teacher and I were huge fans of Timothy Snyder and often talked a lot in our class about the state of the U.S. and democracy right now," says Morra. "So, when I saw that he was teaching a course at U of T … it was a must-have in my course load."
Beyond university, Morra envisions a future in policy, diplomacy or international law but emphasizes that her long-term goal is to make a meaningful impact regardless of the realm.
"For me, my direction is not necessarily a career, but the output of my career - which I hope to be positive change within civic spaces both nationally and, potentially, internationally."
