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For Tavia Azad (BA, 2026), pursuing her degree at 911�Թ� (911�Թ�) was the first step towards forging her own path. Receiving the Uggla Family Scholarship empowered Azad to achieve her educational goals as a Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) major.

“What is amazing about the Uggla Family Scholarship is that it supports some bright minds who would not be able to afford to attend university,” says Azad of meeting her fellow Uggla Family Scholars. “I am so grateful because the scholarship gave me the opportunity to do something that I would have never been able to do otherwise.”

Azad believes that by earning her degree, she also has a chance to give back and make a difference in her community. “Because I had this support in my corner, I felt like I could focus my energy on pursuing my interests as a student,” she reflects. “I wanted to understand the systems that led my life to look the way it did when I was growing up. By taking courses in GSWS, I learned about some of the changes we can make that can actually work and be effective.”

Through understanding social issues and intersectionality as a GSWS major, Azad found deeper insight into herself while also seeing the bigger picture. She especially enjoyed expressing herself through the unique and engaging assignments in her GSWS courses. “One of my favourite courses was GSWS 306: Gender, Sexuality and Autobiographical Media,” she recalls. “The instructor, Reema Faris, was very supportive but also challenged me to see things from a new perspective. It was cathartic to make a creative project about my own life and begin to work through some of my feelings in the process.”

With her strong interest in women’s rights and social justice movements, Azad decided to volunteer for the Vancouver International Women's Day March while she was still a student. “I love learning about the incredible ways that women have resisted and persevered throughout history,” she explains of how her education inspired her to getting involved in the event.

Arriving at the event eager to help out, Azad was recruited for the unexpected role of face painter. Through this fun and spontaneous activity, she enjoyed interacting with new people and using her creativity to decorate marchers’ faces with feminist-themed artwork. “I am going to miss my classmates, but something that brings me comfort is that I can go volunteer and meet like-minded people again, because they will also be there helping causes like the Vancouver International Women's Day March,” she declares.

As a result of building her transferable skills and knowledge, Azad sees many career possibilities open to her as a GSWS major. Currently, Azad is building her administrative skills in her role at a real estate office and aspires to a future career as a human resources professional. She plans to use her knowledge to foster equitable workplaces, where employees from diverse backgrounds are valued and supported to succeed.

“GSWS teaches you critical thinking skills that are needed to analyze the systems around you and come to solutions,” she explains. “Those skills are valuable in any career. I believe everyone should take at least one GSWS course.”