When Ginny An was a French immersion student in high school, she recalls “all my teachers raved about the Glendon Campus at York.” Once she realized that she had a passion for education, she knew that the close-knit, multilingual campus, global exchange opportunities and access to a French teaching placement made Glendon the right choice. “If you want to become a teacher, Glendon is the spot to be,” she says. 

Today, having recently graduated with an Honours International Bachelor of Arts in French Studies and History, Ginny is completing her Bachelor of Education and making impact as a community leader and educator. 

In her Winter and Summer 2025 terms, Ginny had the chance to work in a unique practicum placement role as an Outdoor Program Specialist at the Toronto French School (TFS). The opportunity excited her, while also presenting a new challenge - as it meant taking on a leadership role in a new subject area.Ginny found herself leading curriculum-aligned outdoor lessons on topics such as mapping, stream studies, and life cycles, while also developing lesson plans and instructional materials for students in grades 2 through 5. 

“In the beginning, I felt so much imposter syndrome as a non-STEM student,” she recalls. She drew upon her experience as a research assistant in natural history with a Natural History professor, and elective courses she took about Health and Environment. This unique choice gave Ginny information about the Don River, which the Toronto French School backs onto. She embedded her knowledge about the river and watershed into her position. 

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"Working as an Outdoor Program Specialist taught me a variety of skills that I would not have learned from a traditional academic lecture."

Beyond her formal responsibilities, Ginny continually sought opportunities to support the school community, volunteering for recess duty, contributing to after-school care, and assisting with the school’s weekly Plant Club. This is where one of her most transformative projects took shape: she initiated a collaborative garden revitalization project between TFS and the Lunik Cooperative at Glendon College, where Ginny had previously served as General Environment Coordinator.

Working alongside grade 3 students, she helped plan which fruits and vegetables to grow, with the shared goal of providing healthy snacks for university students at Glendon. Ginny describes it as a defining moment in her experiential learning journey. “Through this project, I demonstrated my ability to think critically, problem-solve, and lead a team to implement a tangible, sustainable initiative. I hope that next year’s General Environment Coordinator will take on this initiative as well.”

Ginny has embraced her role supporting new Glendon students and promotes Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) through campus events and media. Her commitment to community involvement is also reflected in her role as the Senior Academic Coordinator for Glendon’s World University Service of Canada (WUSC) chapter, where she supports Student Refugee Program participants.

Reflecting on her professional growth, Ginny notes, “Working as an Outdoor Program Specialist taught me a variety of skills that I would not have learned from a traditional academic lecture. I am also very grateful for my supervisors at TFS, and I would not be where I am today without them.” 

Across all her initiatives, Ginny has demonstrated a deep commitment to experiential education, environmental stewardship, and community building - qualities that continue to shape her path as an emerging educator. 

This summer, Ginny will be going on an exchange semester to Freiburg, Germany. She is one of the six students that have been selected from the Faculty of Education at York University to participate in this cultural experience. In addition, she has been awarded the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM, a prestigious scholarship by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung that supports university students and young professionals.