November 26, 2025
Raiyana, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Student
When I set foot on campus at the University of Calgary, I knew I had entered a world that blended design, social entrepreneurship and meaningful service, but I didn’t yet know exactly how I would bring all of those elements together. Today, as a student in the inaugural Bachelor of Design in City Innovation program and an active leader in campus and community initiatives, I see how the pieces are falling into place, and how every project, committee and connection has brought me closer to a vision of inclusive and impactful change.
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Community Service Across Sectors
My journey has taken many shapes, but one constant has been a commitment to underserved communities. Through my work with Sinneave Family Foundation, I developed and facilitated a neuro-inclusive entrepreneurship workshop series for neurodivergent individuals. With sessions titled THINK (focused on executive functioning and problem-solving), PROVE (business planning and strategy) and SPEAK (pitching and value-proposition) using the PIVOTS framework, I had the privilege of helping people explore entrepreneurship on their own terms.
Raiyana, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Student
Meet Raiyana: My Best Experiences being a UCalgary Student
When I set foot on campus at the University of Calgary, I knew I had entered a world that blended design, social entrepreneurship and meaningful service, but I didn’t yet know exactly how I would bring all of those elements together. Today, as a student in the inaugural Bachelor of Design in City Innovation program and an active leader in campus and community initiatives, I see how the pieces are falling into place, and how every project, committee and connection has brought me closer to a vision of inclusive and impactful change.
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Community Service Across Sectors
My journey has taken many shapes, but one constant has been a commitment to underserved communities. Through my work with Sinneave Family Foundation, I developed and facilitated a neuro-inclusive entrepreneurship workshop series for neurodivergent individuals. With sessions titled THINK (focused on executive functioning and problem-solving), PROVE (business planning and strategy) and SPEAK (pitching and value-proposition) using the PIVOTS framework, I had the privilege of helping people explore entrepreneurship on their own terms.
On campus, I’m proud to be part of the Scholars Academy’s Social & Wellness Committee where I’ve organized various events to focus on Scholars’ wellbeing. I handle everything from the food and activities to creating a relaxed space for Scholars to connect and feel celebrated. We’re often way too occupied in our own thoughts and academics and professional lives, so I’m grateful to be able to provide a safe space where everyone feels a sense of belonging and calm.
Within the Women in Business club, I serve as Director of Inclusivity & Accessibility Enhancement (a role created just for me!). I’m working to ensure that every event, every program, every connection we make holds space for diverse lived experience: physical access, neurodiversity, cultural representation, and beyond. This role has helped me bridge design thinking with advocacy: turning accessibility from a checklist into a culture.
As the VP Communications for Project90, I lead storytelling, branding, and outreach for one of the University of Calgary’s most impactful engineering design clubs. My role centers on transforming complex technical projects into accessible, inspiring narratives that showcase how engineering can create real-world change. I manage the club’s social media presence, guide a team of communications commissioners, and collaborate across portfolios to highlight our partnerships and innovations. Above all, I’m passionate about using creative communication to connect people with purpose — bridging engineering, community, and human impact.
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Designing for Real Life Context
In my design studio and community work, I consistently bring empathy, systems-thinking and the human scale into focus. Rather than treating problems as isolated, I’ve come to see them as interwoven: access, design, economy, belonging. Whether it was building a volunteer-delivery program for the Lethbridge Food Bank to help people with mobility or transportation barriers, or creating outreach templates for employer-supported volunteering in downtown Lethbridge, the goal has always been the same: enable access, partner with others, and create frameworks that last beyond a single event.
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I’m proud to have participated in the inaugural BDCI Emerging Voices Fellowship research stream, looking into how Indigenous perspectives in urban design can reshape our thinking about land, space and community in Calgary. The project made me ask: what does “home” really mean? Who gets to help design it? And how can we build in ways that respect place, people and heritage?
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If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that innovation starts at the intersection of empathy and action. Real change doesn’t wait for the “perfect moment”; it often happens when you reach out, partner up, try the uncomfortable thing, and iterate. At UCalgary I’ve found mentors, platforms and community partners that allow me to turn ideas into action, and I’m excited for what comes next.
As I look toward graduation and beyond, my hope is this: that the work I do leaves behind more than memories. That it leaves infrastructure, relationships and invitation for others who will build further. That design thinking, social purpose and inclusive leadership don’t exist in isolation, but become part of how a campus, a city, and a community grow together.