Alumni Digest / U of T / Ideas /
Ruqaiya Rahman passes the help along
Small acts of campus guidance helped a student from Bangladesh find her footing—and a reason to guide the next newcomer.
Ruqaiya Rahman helped other students settle into university life at U of T Mississauga.Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
The arrival
The first lesson is often logistical
Ruqaiya Rahman came to UTM from Bangladesh looking for a new chapter. The academic plan was clear; the everyday systems were not. Transit, groceries and winter clothing all had to be learned from scratch.
Roommates, residence staff and campus centres filled in the missing instructions. Their help made the university legible enough for her to start taking risks.
Belonging often starts with someone explaining the ordinary things no brochure can cover.
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The turn
Turn support into a route for others
Over four years, Rahman moved into roles with residence, the International Education Centre and Student Recruitment and Admissions. They were the same kinds of places where she had once asked beginner questions.
The work changed her confidence because it made support reciprocal. She could explain the route, but she could also tell which parts of it still assumed someone already knew the rules.
The advice
Invite people to try before they feel ready
Rahman encourages younger students to attend clubs and events early, and to change academic paths when the first plan no longer fits. Her own story makes that advice credible: a fresh start worked because a community kept making room for adjustment.
For alumni, the practical move is simple. Share the bus route, the first contact and the permission to ask a basic question. Those details can become someone else’s way into a home away from home.
Source reporting
From early struggles to supporting others: How new UTM grad Ruqaiya Rahman found success
Original summary by Alumni Digest, based on public source reporting. This independent publication is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Toronto. Source image retained for editorial review; rights clearance is still required before any broader reuse.
