Rudyard Pejo

“Having a community is very important, especially when you first start university.”

Being involved at Concordia with student groups and on-campus jobs allowed Rudyard Pejo to build community in a meaningful way.

What are you involved with on campus?

I joined FOCUS, which is the Filipino Organization of Concordia University Students. It was my first time being part of a club and gave me a sense of belonging outside of my home. I met people who empowered me and helped me grow, which I appreciated a lot. Having a community is very important, especially when you first start university.

As co-president of FOCUS, I helped organize a fashion show fundraiser. We listened to stories from Filipinos in Montreal and thought about how the things we wear also tell our stories. We repurposed certain clothes to narrate their migration stories and made it part of the fashion show. CityNews reached out to us for an interview, and I was one of the people who spoke. I was really proud of myself and my team for doing meaningful work for the community and trying something new.

What is your program like?

Human Relations is unique because it takes an experiential approach, so you learn by doing rather than just reading a textbook. I can see the value of what we’re doing and how to apply it in real life. In my first-ever class in Human Relations, we all sat in a circle and shared about different topics. It was intimate, and since it’s a small class, we’re able to build community and genuine relationships outside of courses.

How is studying at Loyola Campus?

Loyola Campus is very green and has fresh air. I like how much less crowded it is than the downtown Sir George Williams Campus. Loyola has free food at the Hive Free Lunch. I also like the Buzz Dining Hall, which is an all-you-can-eat buffet. The food has a lot of variety, with lots of greens and culturally specific dishes. Sometimes I see Filipino dishes, or Indian dishes, which is interesting. I like the effort they make, and the food is great, especially if you don’t have time to cook at home and want something healthy.

How have you built community on campus?

Finding mentors on campus was important for me to build community. I went to a LinkedIn workshop and the presenter made a reference to Filipino culture. I connected with her afterwards, and she became my mentor and pointed me towards a lot of opportunities.

Now I’m a program assistant with FutureBound, working on outreach to promote our skill development services to students. The goal is to help undergrads gain professional and in-demand skills important for entering the workplace. We host workshops on things like financial literacy, how to be a better public speaker, and more. I was able to build community with various people, and now I want to pass that on to other students.

What have you gained from working on campus?

I’ve gained good public speaking skills from my involvement on campus. In my job, sometimes I speak in front of crowds of 200 people. When I first started university, I was more introverted. I didn’t want that to stop me from speaking on stage and talking to people. My supervisors have a lot of trust in me and give me good feedback, so I felt confident to grow these skills. I had opportunities to practice on stage and learn from my mistakes.

What will you miss after graduating about Concordia?

I’m going to miss going to classes because of my friends. We usually take classes together, which motivates me. Now that I’m graduating, that routine will be gone and I won’t see them as often. I’ll miss the routine of being a student at Concordia.

Want to complement your studies with working on campus? Check out our opportunities for student employment!