STEP Forward program boosts confidence for Concordia student employees

Student employees help keep Concordia running. From solving tech issues at the IITS Service Desk, to keeping score at Stingers games, to helping their peers navigate the university, student staff support nearly every aspect of campus life.

On-campus jobs offer flexible opportunities for students to gain valuable experience while focusing on their studies. But because many roles are part-time and short-term, they sometimes miss the opportunity to reflect on how their work aligns with their long-term career goals.

The STEP Forward Student Staff Leadership Program helps bridge that gap. Supported by the McCall MacBain Foundation, it is designed to strengthen student employees’ networks and professional growth in their on-campus roles.

After a successful pilot in winter 2025, the program is now recruiting its second cohort. Undergraduate student employees and former Beat the Odds interns are welcome to apply. 

STEP Forward participants receive approximately 40 hours of leadership training, as well as the chance to join mentorship activities and cohort-based learning. An honorarium recognizes their time and engagement.

A Concordia vision of leadership

The first STEP Forward cohort included 29 students from 14 campus teams, spanning all four faculties and reflecting a wide range of identities and backgrounds.

“At Concordia, we’ve always welcomed students who work while they study,” says Arwen Fleming, program lead. “Because of that history, we have a really diverse student population — economically, culturally and linguistically.”

Fleming designed the curriculum with diversity in mind. The program supports students who may be underrepresented in traditional leadership spaces — including those balancing work, academics and family responsibilities, as well as those who rarely see themselves reflected in leadership roles.

“Many students had questions about what it means to lead in a way that feels true to their values," Fleming says. “We wanted them to experience inclusive, community-minded leadership that isn’t just people in suits.”

Mentorship that clarifies interests, values — and shared histories

Sociology student Eva Mayté Menjivar joined STEP Forward while working as a communications assistant at the Centre pour étudiant·es francophones, where she supports outreach efforts. She was also juggling a second job in retail.

A highlight of her STEP Forward experience was interviewing CBC Radio host and producer Nantali Indongo. The interview was part of a mentorship initiative organized by Fleming.  Each participant was paired with a community mentor, researched their background, then led an informational interview to learn about their mentor’s career journey.

“In our one-on-one, Eva talked about her passion for social justice and storytelling,” Fleming explains. “I thought Eva would find it cool to see how Nantali had taken her experiences as an artist and community worker and built that into her career.”

As part of her preparation, Mayté Menjivar watched Ninth Floor, a documentary in which Indongo speaks about the difficult legacy of the 1969 Sir George Williams University student protest. Indongo’s father was one of the original complainants who reported racist treatment by a professor. When those concerns went unaddressed, he joined the ranks of the student protest leaders — and was one of the 97 arrested.

After watching the documentary, Mayté Menjivar called her grandfather, who had attended Sir George Williams in the ’60s, to ask what he knew about this history. Through this conversation, Mayté Menjivar learned that her grandfather and Indongo’s father were friends at the time.

This discovery led to a powerful conversation between Mayté Menjivar and Indongo about their shared family histories, Black identities and activism. They also spoke about Indongo’s career in media and their mutual passion for music.

For Mayté Menjivar, the conversation helped clarify how her interests and values could guide her leadership and career path.

“After, I felt very knowledgeable,” Mayté Menjivar says. “These conversations are what interest me. I was like, ‘I know I’m in the right field.’”

In the fall, Mayté Menjivar will continue working at the Centre pour étudiant·es francophones, where she’ll help mentor new student staff. In the winter, she’s planning to study abroad in Glasgow.

“Speaking to all these people from different cultures, with different languages and different ideas... that is sociology. I feel like it’s what I’m meant to do.”

A ripple effect

After finishing the program, every student in the STEP Forward pilot cohort reported increased confidence in their leadership abilities. Fleming notes that supervisors of student staff also reported growth among participants, including increased critical reflection and engagement in their on-campus jobs.

Beyond the individual success stories, STEP Forward recognizes the role student staff already play in shaping student services, supporting their peers and building community at Concordia.

“When students feel seen, valued and encouraged, they become capable of inspiring and empowering others,” Fleming says. “To me, that is real leadership — and foundational to building a resilient, inclusive community.”

Undergraduate student employees can apply to take part in STEP Forward until August 28.

Supervisors are invited to encourage their student staff to apply! Join an info session on August 7 to learn more about the program.