#SenecaProud

Pat Perdue  00:00

Hey, I'm Pat Perdue, and I'd like to welcome you to Season Two of the Seneca Proud podcast. This is a co-production between my company Ycastr and Seneca College in Toronto. Seneca College is a really great school. And what we uncovered in season one of Seneca Proud is that there's a Seneca spirit. And that comes from the really great people that Seneca attracts. This season we'll be featuring some of those students, staff as well as faculty to not only learn what they do here, but also a little bit about who they are. So, join me on this journey of discovery, as we meet some of the people who make Seneca College, such a special place to teach, work and study. 

Welcome to Seneca Proud Season Two, where I get to introduce you to some of Seneca College's amazing family of staff, faculty and students. So, if you haven't already, subscribe, and download and let's go meet some of the super inspiring folks here at Seneca. I'm Pat Perdue, and I'm glad you're here today. 

And welcome back to Season Two of the Seneca Proud podcast. This is Season Two, Episode Six and I'm Pat Perdue. That was a lot of words. So welcome back. Season Two of the Seneca Proud podcast is about bringing forward stories not only of the faculty but of students and staff and highlighting their achievements both while at Seneca and outside of Seneca.

And welcome back to the Seneca proud Podcast. I'm Pat Perdue and this episode oh my goodness, this episode will blow you away. Our guest is Seneca Student Federation. President Charanpreet Deu. 

Let me tell you about Charanpreet Deu. Three and a half years ago, he came to Seneca College from India. He didn't speak English, was completely unfamiliar with the education system, the transportation system, even the weather. And not only does he accelerate his studies, he runs for a co-ordinator position on the Seneca Student Council and he won. So, the next year he ran for president and he won. And he did such a great job that the year after that, which is this year he was acclaimed in the role. What a great story. 

So, a little bit more about Charanpreet. While studying at Seneca your campus chair Charanpreet Deu graduated from the CNS program, Computer Networking and Technical Support and completed his Bachelor's in Computer Science back in India. Growing up in India Charanpreet was an organizing member of the Wikimedia India conference 2016 at the Chandigarh group of colleges. Our conversation today ranges from the difficulties international students face when they come to Canada and study at Seneca as well, we talk about the ways Charanpreet, your President, as well as all the great folks at the Seneca Student Federation make a difference in the lives of students and all of Seneca College every day. We begin our conversation with Charanpreet walking us through his various responsibilities as a Seneca Student Federation President. Now I present to you my conversation with Seneca Student Federation President Charanpreet Deu.

 

Charanpreet Deu  02:51s

I primarily advocate for students representing and expressing their needs at all level of student government. Prepare audit and monitor all organization financial records with our Executive Director Mario DeCarlo. And set up yearly strategic plan, implement it and reassess as required. As you know, last year, the federal government bring the student choice initiative so we had to change a whole structure. Our fees are optional. So, we went all through that in the last year of Presidentship. Also, we advise and lead the council's team across all four major campuses and negotiated with Seneca College on behalf of students on behalf of SSF to revise. So, negotiate doesn't mean that is a fight. It's just like what we need for the students and how we improve the student life. Because at the end of the day, if we improve student life, we are improving Seneca. Last one is engaging students through social media presence or presentations at several occasions, just to present all as updates.

 

Pat Perdue  03:59

Nice, nice. Wow, that's great.

 

Charanpreet Deu  04:05

And your main question is, what's the difference between for me? Programming is definitely, we look for the programming. What I learned in the first year, so I changed some of the structure in the SSF. We make some yearly events for the students, which is now happening in all four main campuses. Because we find out it's not only that we have to do the events which students need but we want students also to be aware about other communities too. These events and bring awareness. We bring a one-year calendar and it is also events and also awareness even, so it is not only SSF. Because most of us wouldn't think like we are here for free giveaways, free food and events only. But we also play a lot of different roles, you know, so we definitely set a scene and tone for all four campuses now. Moving forward the Seneca 2020 plan is working, a lot of programs are changing.  I think this will be more diverse for all the campuses now.

 

Pat Perdue  05:11

Got it. Got it. Yeah. And the fact that you're an international student, has that been helpful to you in understanding the perspectives and needs of the student population? Because, you know, Seneca is blessed with a tremendous international student community. And has that been informative for your perspective?

 

Charanpreet Deu  05:31

It is definitely informative for the international students, because whenever I raise concerns, or have feedback, I have international perspective.  I bring that. Definitely it is helping a lot of international students who sit in the college committees. It's not me as a college who is working. It’s also Laurel who is the one who's bringing in academic integrity per project since 2017, before I started at Seneca. Like an apprenticeship, I just start participating with them. And we find out more international students are getting left out because the structure of teaching in their countries is totally different than Canadian culture. So that's the thing where we have to be aware and whenever there is a message going out from student to students are more influenced, and students start comparing these things. When I participate in International Orientation, I tell them I'm also an international student and tell them my story. I also came as a student only three and a half years ago, I have been at Seneca and in second year attained the Presidentship, then they ask, how?

 

Pat Perdue  06:41

How? I'm asking the same question. How do you go from first year, had you been in Canada before coming to Seneca? Did you have kids? 

 

Charanpreet Deu  06:52

No, I just started my life. Again, in the Seneca community. I love working at Seneca and especially for the SSR because I get a lot of exposure, to SSF and a lot of chances to talk with higher authority. It’s also a chance to show my leadership because it's very hard to get that chance to get talks with like David Agnew, Laura O'Meara, you know, and there is tremendous support from them in the past and even continued support they're giving to me,

 

Pat Perdue  07:27

Your family back home must be so proud of you. 

 

Charanpreet Deu  07:33

Yes, but the thing is that when I'm first time running for the election, they are so scared. Because in India, the politics is totally different. It's just like a fight. It just depends on whose people want to bring in a lot of money, that’s how things work. So, for them is like a fight. But I got that opportunity. And when I run first time as a co-ordinator in 2017, that time, I don't even think that I will win that election. Because I don't know any students. And the first time I get exposed that time, and also that my English is not too good. It's very hard to speak and to break your comfort zone. And when even I get the position the first four months, I faced a lot of problems. I am not an outgoing guy.

 

Pat Perdue  08:17

You strike me as a pretty outgoing guy. 

 

Charanpreet Deu  08:21

Now, but not at that time that I was a co-ordinator. That is a small part of SSF. Samira Abdi in the York Campus, he's the one who pushed me. He put me into social media promotions, and also made in person visits to campus, then I have to talk with everybody. But in the start, it was easy because I was just connecting to my own committee. But when you start interacting with other people, or the community is hard, but if you don't do the effort, you don't learn. So, he gave me that opportunity. And I tried my best. And that's why I'm President because I start talking with a lot of students. My English is not too good. Even yet. I'm still learning. But I get that confidence. I can speak with anyone.

 

Pat Perdue  09:07

Here you are on a podcast. It's pretty impressive. I'm going back to the time when you were running for co-ordinator. Why did you do it? What made you think yeah, I really want to try this. 

 

Charanpreet Deu  09:18

When I came as a student here, I faced a lot of problems too. And I feel that when international students come, they have a mindset, we are going to Canada because they just dream to go to Canada. In my country, especially I'm talking about this, they think that the money is on the trees, they're like they will go and they have money. They forget about their academics, you know, so I want to tell them guys if you want to make a bright future in Canada, first you have to complete your education. A lot of students face that problem. They get their mindset converted from study because they start making money. They start making $100 in a day, they forget they have to study too even if they are making that $100. If they don't pass that course, they have to give $1,300 back to the school. So there are things students have to obey. Tell them studies is also important. If you don't complete your studies, you never get a work permit. Whatever you're making, I know you are making good money, which you never made before. But you also know that that money is not worth it for you right now. Because all that money is going in the face. So better, do less work, and do focus on your studies. Most of us have faced these problems because their mindset gets converted because they are coming here for studies. But they see the exposure here. Nobody is saying no to them for anything. And they are staying out from their family. Nobody has restrictions or anything. Because in our country, there's a lot of restrictions on us because we don't earn anything; we don't do jobs and we are dependent on our family. So, we have to listen them. But here you're making your own money. So that makes their mindset change.

 

Pat Perdue  11:14

Is that part of, and I want to stick your story because it's so interesting, when you cast your mind back to the Charan who first came into Seneca College, I don't know what you might have been think: this is so big; this is so interesting; so different, at the very least. What are some of the culture shocks, things that come to mind that somebody who's listening, who's thinking of making the same consideration will want to be aware of? I think you talked about one is the ability to work and to have some financial independence, what might be something else?

 

Charanpreet Deu  11:52

The first thing is change in the classroom. When I'm the student, we have a big control by the professor. The teachers, here are so open minded, like this country is very open to everything. We call the professor with their names. In my country we can't call them with their names. Even if I am in the class of mathematics, I have to call him Mathematics Sir, or Math Sir. We never call with their names When I see the professor, we are calling with the name it is very hard for me. 

 

Pat Perdue  12:34

And you're so polite, but, you know, people call me Pat.

 

Charanpreet Deu  12:39

Oh, yeah, yeah, I understand that. But for us to change things, it takes time. And we are always expecting from the students that they will learn these things quickly. But you know, we also have to understand from the student perspective, they live 19, 20 years in one country, that they have that culture, they can't change in one month, it will take a time. But every student in the college, for the first four months or three, it is a transition time. And the second thing in the classroom, like we have so much respect for the professors. And we are scared from our professor, we can't eat in the classes. We can't go to washrooms. Here students just leave the class and professors won't say anything, most of our professors are so nice, they never said anything to us. And they are very helpful. So, the students are eating in the classes; students are like leaving the classes and I'm shocked nobody's saying anything. For us in India, we never went even if we have to go when the lecture is over, we have to inform the teacher we are going to washroom, or we are coming in five minutes, or we are going for drinking water. And here is totally changed.

 

Pat Perdue  13:51

And there’s so many things to learn in such a short period of time, even outside of the subjects. Some of the things that you've described; getting an apartment or you're getting in your residence and just so many things for the new international student to juggle in addition to the course material.

 

Charanpreet Deu  14:11

Yes, yeah. Because a lot and the student when they come feel that we are going to care we will change a life within one or two years. But that's not happening. And as an international student, when I say that things are hard it’s because I also have the same struggle. I have worked in factories, I done the deliveries, I done security, like club security. I've done all that same work. But it's always you have a strong mindset that when you have exams, when you have to focus on your studies, you have to leave everything. You have to just stick with the studies. Then you will get good grades. Another shock for me was the academics when I came. Every week there are assignments. In our country we have exams once a year, or after six months. We have midterms worth 400 marks and then is the final exam. That's two exams for one year.

 

Pat Perdue  15:05

Isn't that crazy stressful, though, because there's so much on the line for those two tests.

 

Charanpreet Deu  15:10

It is and understand, if you're doing your work on the proper time, doing the things then here is one assignment and that work is done. You don't have to stress about that. When you have one a year, we have one big book of 600-700 pages exam in the finals.  At the end of the day, if we are coming to this country so we have to change ourselves, according to them. They are not the one who is forcing us to come to this country. So definitely, if you're going to go somewhere, you have to change according to that culture. But definitely take the time. 

 

Pat Perdue  15:49

There might be somebody listening to this podcast right now, who may be just starting. And maybe they're experiencing some of the some of the surprises, some of the culture shock that you're describing? What's some advice that you would give to them? What can they do?

 

Charanpreet Deu  16:02

I will advise, first of all, if you're coming to Seneca, I don't think they have to worry about that, because we have a big supporting services team, including the staff is there for you, Students Services is there for you counseling, conduct, and the learning center and international services. And don't forget to attend International Orientation if you're coming to Seneca because then you will get to know about all the departments, all the facilities provided by Seneca. And also you get to know how you can keep in touch with other students because in that room, you will meet a lot of international students too. There's a lot of opportunities, but you have to come forward. And as an international student it is always hard, because English is not your first language, because English is not your mother tongue, but trust me true feelings need no language, and honest expression, face no barriers. I always say to the students, if you don't break your limits, or don't close your limits to learn, you never learn. It's better to come out from your comfort zone, try to talk and to someone every day, everybody says to me. And I face that problem when I am spending more time with the different community. At the end of the day, your community stands with you. And definitely they have to stand with us. But if you want to learn, you want to explore you want to know about the other cultures, you have to spend time with them. And I always say that every community, every culture, have some good values, and you have to learn and it's on you. You want to take good values from them or bad values. So, it depends on the person. We can't change anyone's perspective. But what do you want to learn? It's on you.

 

Pat Perdue  17:54

I'm casting my mind back to the chatter and who was first running for co-ordinator and when you mentioned that you won, you were surprised, you didn't expect to win.

 

Charanpreet Deu  18:05

Yeah, because if you were an international student, we came to this country four months ago, and if you talk about the population, it is a 4-5,000 population. You will get those votes but it's very hard. At that time, I didn't know a lot about the SSF at Seneca College so when I started working with them, I learned more about the services they are providing. Then when I came, I felt so tense. I had classes, I had to pick my schedules, I'll have to meet my advisor because at that time the biggest challenge for me is a linguistic change. Language change. And it's not like I don't understand what they're saying. It just you know, an accent problem. Because now if we are talking, I'm much more fluent than when I came in 2016. At that time, I fumbled a lot and professors at that time they speak very quickly because for them it is the same thing they are teaching again and again. But they don't know what students think in their time. Like, for DSP, they know English every student knows English. The problem is the accent and the fluency, you know, so that's weird to face most of the problems in the start. And then second is transportation, accommodation, and then the cultural, likeweather change. 

 

Pat Perdue  19:42

It's good to ask, what about the weather? 

 

Charanpreet Deu  19:45

Yeah, like weather changes for them. And whenever you feel sick first of all students don't want to go to doctors, they bring their own medicines. You know, okay, I will cover up. I don't want to get sick. But these students have to come. I'm telling them this again and again, because I know and I faced this problem. And my friends too, when we are in the same class, there's always one or two guys sitting at my back because they are 17, 18. I'm much mature than them. And then I'm like, guys, I have to listen first and then I can tell you after the lecture. When they miss one or two lines from the professor they can't understand. And that's a big problem with the first semester students. But after one semester, you will get used to it and you will also understand before you go home, you have to reach out. And the good thing is that now we have advisors. So other changes, I will say, is working with the students, because most of the students, as soon as they come to this country, we need to work. And they try to make the schedules according to their work. Because it's hard. Like when you're in your country, you're dependent on your family. Now you're working, you have to study; you have the transportation which always take one to two, or wherever you are coming from, you know. It's always big hurdles for the students. And on top of that, they don't understand a lot of things because for them it is totally new. And they don't want to try because they don't know. 

 

Pat Perdue  21:17

Speaking of wanting to try and not being sure of things, if somebody's listening and they want your job. They're like maybe I can be president. What advice would you give them?

 

Charanpreet Deu  21:29

Stay tuned with SSF. And stay tuned in the Senate, there's a lot of opportunities, you know, so I never think when I'm the co-ordinator, I will be your next president. Because I have seen better leaders than me. But the thing is that as soon as you become a president, you will look like you are in the fame, you know, but that fame will stay for a little bit. If you don't want to work, you don't want to try this, like do good for the community. Stay in your mindset and you want to do something better. That fame is for people who will say good about you in your face. But when you leave, nobody will respect you. Or if they are talking about you, they will shake hands with me. But for that to stay consistent, you have to work, you know. How I can give you an example? You can reach at any peak but to stay on that peak, you have to continuously work for that. Because you can go to any position but to hold that position is always hard.

 

Pat Perdue  22:38

It's sometimes almost harder than getting there in the first place.

 

Charanpreet Deu  22:41

Yes. And when I ran for President, I didn’t have that. I was involved so much with the college and so much with that stuff. And we can bring changes. I'm really happy. Whatever I want to achieve, I achieve more than that and get more respect than what I expected.

 

Pat Perdue  22:59

It doesn't surprise me having talked to you and having had this conversation. That doesn't surprise me at all. Share with me some of the accomplishments that you're proud of.

 

Charanpreet Deu  23:09

As a president, we did a lot of the work to promote awareness of the students’ rights, strengthened relationships with the Seneca community, advocate and fight for student rights, enhance student life through clubs and associations, organize inclusive and diverse events. And most important, always be there for you. And some of the things we ensure SSM members work as a team, student advocacy, participating in the College committee giving students a voice to the Senate administration, working with the Senate on updating the academic integrity policy also worked well at the time well. All new changes happen with fees like student choice initiative, updating new policies, according to a new student choice initiative and change policies according to students’ needs like clubs and associations. That's the feedback we got from the students and that it takes too long. We changed the policy to follow this process quickly. Like the Student Development grant, students don't know about this grant, this is the service. If you want to attend any workshops, training, and conference outside Seneca, which is related to your studies, you just have to go through a website, you need a reference from a professor. Last year we helped more than 122 students.

 

Pat Perdue  24:31

What did you do? What did you do to increase the awareness of that particular grant?

 

Charanpreet Deu  24:36

Before when I started, I got the feedback that every year we use only $6-$7,000. How much was available? $20,000. Before that, they helped only like 30 to 40 students. As soon as I became President, in one year, we had more than 120 students. When we are giving, we helped the student who went to Ottawa, a student went to Jamaica for elementary projects. And we all funded that.

 

Pat Perdue  25:06

I want to go to Jamaica, definitely.

 

Charanpreet Deu  25:09

Please apply through website. There are things we upgraded and we also made a new volunteer plan like they used to be credits. These two work programs and also an awareness campaign on mental health week, a sustainable campaign with the College and academic integrity campaign, and many more. And we started CPR trainings across all four campuses at $70 only. Students will get the benefits of that. And also, the participation with the College on the red dot project for the hygienic products. And also, we studied a breakfast program and lunch program. Students have a cheaper price, because every student need food and food is survival for everybody. We want to support them. All these changes we bring to the team and are trying to do consistent work for the College and the students because end of the day, even SSF are doing a good job and is helping Seneca to do more growth and improve.

 

Pat Perdue  26:16

Got it!  It's no wonder you're such a popular President because look at all that you and your team is doing.

 

Charanpreet Deu  26:21

Thank you it is just due to the students who are aware of that and trying to contact the students. Also, it only happened because students have so much belief in me and my team. That's why there are things that are happening. 

 

Pat Perdue  26:38

Well, on that note, Charanpreet Deu clearly, you're a man of focus and integrity and gratitude. And it looks like the Seneca Student Federation is in really good hands with you. 

 

Charanpreet Deu  26:53

My best to do is to help them and support them. And that word I can say is I'm still learning every day. I learned something, as I told you when starting this conversation. Every time I'm winning, I feel whenever I have to pass messages it doesn't mean for me, I feel for me that is a learning first and untapped learning. So that same focus I have and every day I analyze myself to understand what I'm doing wrong. And I mentorship and understand my other counterparts.

 

Pat Perdue  27:31

Awesome. Well Charan thank you so much for being on the show today. 

And that was my conversation with Seneca Student Federation President Charanpreet Deu. As I mentioned to Charanpreet, it's no wonder he's a president two terms in a row. And the fact that just a few years ago, he didn't speak English. And now he's on a podcast. That alone blows me away. And I was also really impressed with his long list of accomplishments and his genuine desire to make things better. And plus, he's a genuinely nice guy. 

Hey, if you're a student at Seneca College, check out the Seneca Student Federation office and see if you can get involved, what a great way to get connected and to help make a difference. 

And that's our show for this week. Thanks to my guest Seneca Student Federation President Charanpreet Deu. And thank you for listening. Until next time, stay proud Seneca.