Global Community Challenge YYC
Maven Media
What is the Challenge?
Now more than ever, our world is facing new challenges. Organizations must demonstrate the ability to pivot and respond to issues as they arise in order to continue serving their target communities. The University of Calgary has engaged students and provided them with the opportunity to identify potential solutions to challenges faced by local organizations in the Calgary community that have an impact globally.
Fall 2023 Challenge Winners
In 2023, we had 72 students from 12 universities in 18 countries work to solve 9 challenges set by community organizations.
All of the teams came up with great solutions to their community partner's challenges but we had 3 that stood out as our winners.
- Bhavika Gupta (University of Calgary, Canada)
Mentors: Benjamin Zuluaga and Flavia Vieira de Castro
- Jasveen Bring (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Victoria Jarvie (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Joshua Cook (Durham University, United Kingdom)
- Elena Morgan (Durham University, United Kingdom)
- Rebecca Gladstone (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Mentors: Jessica O'Connell and Mostafa Farrokhabadi
- Keerthana Chockalingam (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Siraj Shah (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Theo Van der Westhuizen (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Tolulope Okuselu (Universidad del Pais Vasco, Spain)
- Georgia Shah (Durham University, United Kingdom)
- Sri Keshav Rajesh (Durham University, United Kingdom)
- Oliver James (Durham University, United Kingdom)
- Su April Kyaw (Newcastle University, United Kingdom)
Mentors: Chris Enns and Maha Ibrahim
Past winners
54 students from 17 universities in 14 countries worked to solve 9 challenges set by 6 community partners.
All of the teams came up with great solutions to their community partner's challenges but we had 3 that stood out as our winners.
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First Place: Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth (Group #1)
Mentor: Aishwarya Khanduja (Researcher, Cumming School of Medicine)
- Celia Sorrentino (Aix-Marseille Université, France)
- Chloé Balix (University College Groningen, the Netherlands)
- Emily Tetrault (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Jessica Revington (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Rhi McQuone (University of Sheffield, UK)
- Samuel López (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico)
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Second Place: The Immigrant Education Society (Group#2)
Mentor: Nancy Olson (Agreements and Contracts Specialist, University of Calgary International)
- Daniel Castillo (University San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador)
- Deborah Ola (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Ethan Holden (Oxford Brookes University, UK)
- Melissa Thiessen (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Paula Ramirez (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
- Rafael Martin Del Campo De La Mora (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico)
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Third Place: Centre for Newcomers Society of Calgary
Mentors: Buffy St-Amand (Director, Strategic Projects and Global Initiatives, University of Calgary International) & Garrett Beatty (International Student Advisor, International Student Services)
- Dariia Korotka (Graz University of Technology, Austria)
- Deena Gohar (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Ieesha Lagos Roberts (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Katherine May (University of Sheffield, UK)
- Lotte Kallio (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
- Sofía Soria (University San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador)
136 students from 23 universities in 13 countries worked to solve 24 challenges set by 17 community organizations.
All of the teams came up with great solutions to their community partner's challenges but we had 3 that stood out as our winners.
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First Place: Loft 112 (Team 19)
- Harsimronjoot Sidhu (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Isis Harvey (University of Kent, United Kingdom)
- Karina Khan (University of Sheffield, United Kingdom)
- Navreet Dhillon (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Alexa Fernanda Cruz Gómez (University of Guadalajara, Mexico)
Mentor: Moonkyung Min (PhD Student, Werklund School of Education)
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Second Place: Immigrant Services Calgary (Team 15)
- Faith Moghaddami (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Madelyn Beahan (University of Wollongong, Australia)
- Luke Edgar (University of Sheffield, United Kingdom)
- Dionisios Bournias (Flinders University, Australia)
- Anna Bragato (University of Trento, Italy)
- Mayra Uribe (University of Guadalajara, Mexico)
Mentors: Sarath Kumar Jayaraman (PhD Student, Mathematics and Statistics) & Jacob C. Thundathil (Associate Dean, Office of Graduate Education and Internationalization, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine)
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Third Place: Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (Team 9)
- Lauren Baal (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
- Chantal Vogel (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Maria Gabriela Scarano Pereira (Complutense University of Madrid, Spain)
Mentors: Camille Antioquia (Student Recruitment Assistant, Enrolment Services) & Anayancy Solis (Senior Intl Projects Team Lead, Academic and Global Development, University of Calgary International)
101 students from 14 universities in 21 countries work to solve 14 challenges set by 13 community organizations.
All of the teams came up with great solutions to their community partner's challenges but we had 3 that stood out as our winners.
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First Place: Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (Team 5)
- Viknesh Prakash (Flinders University, Australia)
- Hibiki Nagano (Kansai Gaidai University, Japan)
- Reham Suleiman (Macquarie University, Australia)
- Muhumuza Johnson (Mbarara University Of Science And Technology, Uganda)
- Guramrit (Amrit) Thandi (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Jenna Salem (University of Calgary, Canada)
Mentors: Buffy St. Amand (Director, Strategic Projects and Global Initiatives, University of Calgary International)
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Second Place: Making Changes Employment Association of Alberta (Team 11)
- Rebeca Guevara (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Mexico)
- Hagumi Suzuki (Kansai Gaidai University, Japan)
- Matthew Appleby (Newcastle University, United Kingdom)
- Harveen Saini (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Kyara Reynoso (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Emma Di Liberto (University of Trento, Italy)
- Sapphire Truong (Western Sydney University, Australia)
Mentors: Jose Beleno (PhD Student, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary) & Anayancy Solis (Senior Intl Projects Team Lead, Academic and Global Development, University of Calgary International)
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Third Place: Immigrant Services Calgary (Team 9)
- Bongisile Nophakela (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)
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Sarah Kedwell (University of Newcastle, Australia)
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Rebecca Livia Veneziano (University of Trento, Italy)
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Yogesh Naik (University of Waikato, New Zealand)
Mentors: Razieh Eshraghi Samani (PhD Student, Infection Biology and Vaccinology, University of Calgary)
Last year, we had 96 students from 21 universities in 21 countries work to solve 11 challenges set by 9 community organizations.
All of the teams came up with great solutions to their community partner's challenges but we had 3 that stood out as our winners.
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First place: Alinea International Challenge #2
- Rachel Taylor (Newcastle University, UK)
- Inga Strelnikova (Technische Universität Berlin, Germany)
- Diantha Beckford (The University of the West Indies, Trinidad & Tobago)
- Olga Mariana Medina Gallardo (Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico)
Mentors: Heba Abdelmoaty and Jose Beleno
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Second place: Centre for Newcomers
- Isabel Zhao (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Kayla Nguyen (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Mirza Beg (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Alicia Peacock (University of Manchester, United Kingdom)
- Ginevra Denei (University of Trento, Italy)
- Sara Ljekocaj (University of Trento, Italy)
Mentors: Bree Carney & Joseph Fernando
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Third Place: Alliance Francaise
- Harsanjit Bhullar (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Kevin De Lara (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Rakshit Narayanan Devaraj Baskar (University of Calgary, Canada)
- Familusi Oluwatosin Adekunle (Universidad del Pais Vasco, Spain)
- Isabelle Parker (Durham University, United Kingdom)
- Mauricio Eudave (Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico)
- Albana Hoxha (University of Trento, Italy)
- Alessandra Giulia Gherardi (University of Trento, Italy)
Mentors: Apoorva Babbar & Shahin Parvar