UBC Psychology is a community of thriving student leaders. Meet our inspiring students who are building communities in the Faculty of Arts, at UBC, and beyond.
Learn more about the experiences of the award winners and nominees graduating with a B.A. in Psychology in 2023.
Award Winners
Moha Chaturvedi, Psychology was award the Outstanding Student Leaders in the UBC Community award.
Moha audited equity policies for several departments and programs, advocated for systems that allow co-op students to give feedback on whether they feel respected in the workplace, helped to make psychological research more inclusive, and aided the draft of an anti-racism Canvas course for faculty and staff.
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
The opportunity to work with so many amazing leaders at the Equity Students Advisory Council (ESAC) was immensely inspiring for me. Not only did I get to contribute to tangible equity, diversity, and inclusion solutions, but ESAC also provided me with a safe space to be myself and seek community. My ESAC team served as a reminder that no matter what challenges I experienced, I would always have people who would have my back.
What advice would you give to incoming UBC Arts students?
Take risks! I have sent a million cold emails, applied for jobs I felt completely underqualified for, and knocked on the office doors of professors I wanted to know better. More often than not, it did not work out. Over time, I got more confident and experienced, and eventually landed the connections and opportunities that helped pave the way for where I am today.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
I found my voice. When I first started, I could barely advocate for myself. However, with the support of many peers and mentors and some difficult experiences, I learned that you have to know how to stick up for yourself, even if it seems intimidating. You have to believe in yourself before others can believe in you.
What message do you have for your graduating peers?
I hope you do good in the world. Doing good is the greatest legacy to leave behind.
Award Nominees
Frances Berthiaume, Psychology
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
Each leadership opportunity I’ve had during my time at UBC placed me in impactful situations where I could create meaningful connections between students and the University. However, I think one of the most impactful opportunities was my position as a Peer Health Educator, where I spoke directly to students about their wellbeing needs and helped to meet those needs or aid in closing the existing gaps. As a first-generation student, I know getting help can be confusing and it meant everything to me to be able to help others in the same position.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
I learned that I am not only one thing and that the potential to change and grow is unlimited. There are so many different facets to being a person and UBC gave me the opportunity to explore all of them.
Marie Campione, Psychology
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
Being one of the fourth-year leaders of the Honors Psychology program. When I was in the program in my third year, I really looked up to the fourth-year leaders and found their guidance very helpful. I was very grateful to be able to pass on what they taught me.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
I learned that maintaining a work-life balance helps me be successful. I do better on exams when I sleep the night before instead of pulling an all nighter to get extra studying in, I feel less stressed when I take the time to go out with my friends rather than spending all my evenings in the library, and I do my best studying in little chunks over long periods rather than in 8-hour long studying sessions the day before an exam. Everyone thrives under different conditions, and I’m happy I’ve spent my time at UBC figuring out the best approaches for me.
Kaitlyn Hagihara, Psychology and Commerce
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
In my role as the Associate Vice President Administration for the Arts Undergraduate Society, I had countless illuminating experiences that taught me about my own resilience in the face of adversity. It was in this position that I became confident in my communication and organizational skills, and my overall ability to handle daunting situations with real-world implications. I have grown so much from these responsibilities and experiences, and I am truly grateful for having the opportunity to serve in such an important role.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
I learned that I am caring, considerate, thoughtful, and resilient. I learned that I love sunny days, and hate the rain, but love the quiet that comes with snow. I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was, and more capable than I could have imagined myself to be.
Nayah Schaufler, Psychology and First Nations and Indigenous Studies
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
The first opportunity that comes to mind was the Indigenous Students Leadership (ILC) Collective bake sale, earning funds towards supporting the Unist’ot’en Clan and their legal fees. I, along with other members of the ILC baked and sold baked goods on campus, collecting $1,100 for legal fees as well as raising awareness within the UBC student body on matters of Indigenous self-governance, and the infringement on the rights of the Wet’suwet’en Nation during the creation of the Coastal Gas Link Pipeline. This was impactful, as it gave back to those in need and fostered discussions with our peers who may have otherwise never engaged with such topics.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
I learned to trust in my own abilities and not be afraid to make mistakes. When imposter syndrome sets in, it became vital to trust in the ideas I had, to have no fear in asking questions, and to be willing to say the wrong thing at times. The biggest takeaway from this was to not be right all the time, but to make a significant effort to get it right.
Quinn Storey, Honours Psychology
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
One of the most impactful experiences I had in my time at UBC was working as a leader in the honours psychology cohort. In addition to orienting students to the expectations of the program and supporting them in achieving their academic goals, I organized social events to build a sense of community among incoming students. The goal of these casual gatherings was to foster a sense of belonging within what could have been a competitive and intimidating environment.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
In my time at UBC, I developed a newfound appreciation for my personal capacity. Through managing a full course load, extracurricular research, varsity athletics, and leadership roles as a captain and a senior honours student, I discovered that I am capable of more than I thought possible. This four-year period of self-discovery and growth has set the stage for the next phase of my journey and it would not have been possible without the guidance of my mentors. My capacity has been developed by my community, and I hope to return the investment to others.
Recognized Leaders within the Arts Community
The following graduating students were also recognized by their peers, advisors, mentors and professors for their extraordinary leadership within the Faculty of Arts.
- Mary Falade, Psychology & English Language and Literatures
- Bhavna Ganapathi, Psychology
- Chuyue Shan, Psychology
- Elaine Tao, Psychology
- Khushi Thadani, Psychology & Commerce
- Boyi Xu, Psychology
Join us to congratulate our Psychology graduating students for their achievements!
A version of this story was originally published on the UBC Faculty of Arts website.
