Fueled by her passion for being an agent of global change, Rachelia Giardino ‘08 was recently recognized by the Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC) with the prestigious Global Changemaker Ambassador Award and her inspiring story began at Trent University.  

"While I was interested in social and environmental justice issues in high school, Trent University is really where I found a passion for social change,” says Ms. Giardino, a History and Women’s Studies graduate. “So much of my Trent education was grounded in social justice theories and practices. Professors encouraged a ‘critical lens’ in courses such as History and Indigenous Studies. Also, Trent is quite unique in that it offers excellent opportunities for experiential education. I was able to put feminist theories into practice through a community-based research project, while studying abroad and learning about human rights using an international framework, and taking advantage of the experiences provided through Trent clubs and groups like KWIC."

For the last three years, Ms. Giardino has worked with the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), a charitable global education and resource centre housed within the Trent School of the Environment. As the coordinator of the Seeds for Justice (SFJ) Youth Program, Ms. Giardino strives to help youth enact change through training, workshops and community outreach events.

“The Global Citizenship Youth Ambassador Award is well-deserved recognition of Rachelia’s work in our community to build youth capacity for leadership and action on social and environmental justice issues,” says Julie Cosgrove, KWIC executive director. “It’s inspiring to work with her.”