Atticus Yus and Ashley Samsone have each received the 2023 Outstanding Leader in the Faculty of Arts Award for their considerable dedication and achievements within the Faculty.
Atticus Yus, English Language & Literatures and Geographical Sciences
Through the English Student Association, Atticus spearheaded a short story competition, hosted a creative conference for student poets, and helped organize a student-led musical.
Atticus also started a “take what you need, give what you can” community table in Buchanan Tower and volunteered with UBC Sprouts.
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
Serving as the English Student Association’s president gave me the immense privilege of creating events and resources that met the needs of my peers. From providing more opportunities for creative publications, to hosting pizza and movie nights, and providing free school supplies, the work I did as president truly impacted me because I saw a community gradually form in the otherwise large and expansive English department.
What advice would you give to incoming UBC Arts students?
Try to take a diverse array of courses in several different departments—you may end up falling in love with an entirely new field you never heard about. Similarly, if something catches your attention in a lecture, talk to your professor about it afterward! They can give you invaluable guidance on how to further explore and develop on your academic interests.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
I could never pick between the sciences and arts and ended up pursuing a dual degree program. I discovered through my own stubbornness that I prefer fluidity in my studies, which has come to reflect my own identity. I now know that my authentic self does belong in the prestigious spaces of academia and there is no need to conform to an expected criteria of normalcy that has for too long excluded neurodivergent, queer, racialized, and other marginalized groups of people.
What message do you have for your graduating peers?
Tell your friends you are proud of them and keep supporting your classmates even after graduation. Attend their shows, read their works, visit their businesses; the community we have established as undergraduates should carry on as the need for support never disappears.
Ashley Samsone, Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies and Scandinavian Studies
Ashley co-created the Accessibility in Academia initiative to build students’ confidence and skills in academic writing and research, created the Scanner journal to highlight academic talent, helped to build and host alumni events, and organized a food drive to highlight food insecurity on campus.
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
Belonging to the Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Student Association, as well as the Scandinavian and Nordic Student Association, held me together during my time at UBC and especially through the pandemic. I got to engage with students and professors in a genuine way, and I appreciate the relationships that I have made. With these two clubs, I have had the support to run academic and social events from Myth Night, to Alumni Career events, accessibility in education events, and events for causes like equity in fields like Classics.
What advice would you give to incoming UBC Arts students?
Don’t be afraid to participate and ask for support where needed. Professors are there to support your academic journey, and your peers and student clubs can help you along the way! Engaging with professors not only opened up opportunities for myself, but I got to experience a whole other side of academia. Being in Arts can feel like a drop in the ocean, but if you participate as much as you can in this vibrant community, you are sure to find people that will help you roadmap your next 4-5 years at UBC.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
While academia might feel like a solitary endeavour, I would not have been able to get through my degree without the help and support of my peers and professors. As students, sometimes we feel pressure to be independent and do everything on our own, but it does not always need to be that way. Support was the key to my success here at UBC.
What message do you have for your graduating peers?
Seeing each other grow and participate in the most creative ways has been an honour. As an Arts student, we had to find our place not just within the UBC community, but within our faculty. We showed up to be the best that we could be.
