Statement of Intent
I am applying for the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Executive position because I am passionate about advocating for marginalized groups and promoting mental health. As a Chinese international student, I have personally experienced the challenges of cultural adjustment, language barriers, and social isolation — issues that many international students face today. These challenges combined with my background in psychology have motivated me to pursue a career focused on improving access to mental health and creating inclusive spaces for all students.
Having grown up in a family with personal experience of mental health issues, I have become acutely aware of the stigmas and barriers that prevent people from seeking support. This has inspired me to dedicate my academic and professional journey to understanding mental health issues and advocating for access to mental health resources for underserved populations. Through my work as a volunteer at Mental Health Mutual-aid Hub Canada (MHMH) in various departments, I have gained first-hand experience providing peer support and crisis intervention to international students, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive and inclusive mental health services.
In the position of JEDI Executive, I would like to use my experience to coordinate and update materials related to social justice and inclusion to ensure that they are relevant and accessible to all psychology students. I look forward to helping create programs that promote diversity and equity while advising the student executive board to ensure that all activities are anti-oppressive and inclusive. My passion for mental health and cultural sensitivity will guide me in my efforts to support the development of resources and events that benefit all students, especially those from marginalized groups.
Biography
I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science double majoring in Psychology and Applied Statistics at Western University. With a coop program, I am expected to graduate in 2027. Throughout my academic journey, I have actively engaged in volunteer work and reviewed various studies that address the psychological challenges faced by marginalized communities, particularly focusing on issues like cultural adaptation and mental health support. I have worked on projects analyzing the psychological impact of cultural differences and mental health challenges faced by international students, which has deepened my interest in mental health promotion and cross-cultural psychology.
My academic goal is to contribute to psychological research that focuses on improving mental health access and support for marginalized groups, particularly those from diverse cultural backgrounds. My goal is to develop culturally competent mental health programs and use my expertise in applied statistics to analyze the effectiveness of these programs in promoting the mental health of international students and other underrepresented groups. Courses such as Psychological Statistics and Statistical Programming have sharpened my ability to use data analysis to identify patterns and design interventions that can improve mental health support in multicultural settings.
As for my personal interests, I am passionate about mental health education and community outreach. I enjoy working with people from different cultural backgrounds and have been involved in several volunteer projects, such as the Youth Help Youth program, which aims to bridge the gap in communication between generations. Through my academic and volunteer work, I am committed to social justice and equality and strive to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those who feel marginalized or excluded.