¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

Future leader and changemaker Tallisen Smith concludes her BA journey at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV (¶¡ÏãÔ°AV) with plans to undertake the rigors of graduate studies in the humanities and anthropology. As a member of the first cohort of the FASS Dean’s Undergraduate Fellowship, which celebrates academic distinction, intellectual aptitude, and the embodiment of core humanistic qualities like compassion, creativity, and leadership, Smith is primed to tackle her proposed MA project on “architecture [as] the bones of humanity.â€�

Smith, a fifth-generation Chinese Canadian and second-generation British Canadian, began her post-secondary education in Classical Studies at Langara College with a small and close-knit community of students and professors, and later transferred to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV in 2022. Moving from a small institution to a much larger university was understandably anxiety-inducing; for a neurodivergent person living with learning disabilities, Smith was especially concerned about the looming adjustments while dealing with an unknown and sizable accessibility office. Thankfully, her initial apprehensions were for naught as ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV welcomed her with a comprehensive support system consisting of her home department, available accessibility services, and standout professors whom she credits for her growth as a writer and learner:

“My Global Humanities professors Jason Brown, Paul Crowe, and Paul Garfinkel, all gave me the space to develop my writing, reflection, and analysis, and explore all facets of the subject matter. In addition, one of my first Anthropology professors at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV, Kathleen Millar, is one of the reasons I chose to pursue a minor in Anthropology. Taking her class on the ‘Labour and the Arts of Living’ widened my critical thinking and perspective and inspired me look at the intersections between Humanities and Anthropology. The Global Humanities professors were all readily available and open to discussion about my essays, projects, and the course material. The close-knit community I was worried about losing when I transferred was constantly being proven otherwise.â€�

Having always been fascinated by ancient Greece and Rome but unsure if she wanted to pursue a full bachelor’s in Classical Studies, Smith was immediately drawn to Global Humanities’ inter- and cross-disciplinary structure when she arrived at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV. The department allowed her to explore her original passions while satisfying her curiosity for all aspects of the human condition with its diverse curriculum that critically delves into different cultures, time periods, and religions. Two courses come to mind when reflecting on her time with the department: Brown’s HUM 330 (Death, Disease, and Disaster) and Garfinkel’s HUM 321W (Shooting the Mafia). Both courses, with their unique topics, challenged her to develop her understanding and broaden her mind when analyzing history, culture, and literature. She also did some of her best writing and analysis in these classes, which strengthened her confidence in her writing, something she struggled with when starting university.

During her time with the department, Smith stepped further outside her comfort zone when she spent a semester abroad in Glasgow, Scotland. What started as a nerve-racking decision (she had never travelled beyond the continent or been away from friends and family for such an extended period) became an invaluable experience that resulted in both educational and personal growth. Not only did she become more independent and self-disciplined while advocating for her learning in a new country, her time with the University of Glasgow and travel thereafter also led her down a new academic path:

“I took three amazing courses while on exchange: Art History, History of Rome, and Female Heroes in Eastern-European Literature. Taking ‘Art History’ made me start thinking about my Master’s project on the study of ‘intentional architecture’ and the decline of the artisan class. At the end of my semester abroad, I was also able to travel throughout England, Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Italy, visiting places I had studied about for my degree, which propelled me to think about graduate studies.�

It was within these “old [European] cities, surrounded by history, art, and beautiful architecture� that she experienced “profound happiness and a sense of serenity and connection� with the world around her, inspiring her intended research for graduate school:

“My proposed project argues that architecture is the bones of humanity, sometimes the only thing left when its builders are gone. It is the canvas for culture, art, religion, history, and the unconscious, but with the boom of industrialisation, secularism, and the steady growth of the population, there is a slow decline of intentionality within public spaces that has impacted our emotional state and sense of unity. I would like to explore this theory by intersecting the study of intentional architecture from the past and current modes of industry. I would also like to pursue ethnographic research back in Europe to further understand the reasons why and if being surrounded by innately human and beautiful structures elicits emotional responses.�

Armed with the skills and knowledge attained and nurtured during her time with Global Humanities, Smith feels well-equipped to enter this new chapter of her academic career, one that draws on her love for history, the human condition, and art in a way that is “thought-provoking and contemporary.â€� She looks back at her journey at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV with fondness and gratitude—acknowledging that she could not have achieved all that she did without everyone’s support, guidance, and passion for learning—and is eager to continue her academic journey in graduate school: “I cannot stress enough how fulfilling my time at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV has been; everything about my time [here] fell into place wonderfully and I am excited for my next steps.â€�