Ajay Minhas Receives 2024 Warren Gill Award

Learn more about Ajay in the Q & A below:

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you go to high school/college? What program are you in at SFU and what led to your interest in this program?

I was a student at Delview Secondary School in North Delta. After high school I spent my first two years of university at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey before transferring to SFU; at KPU, I started studying towards a BA in Human Geography and I continue to do so at SFU. Concurrently I am completing a Minor in Sustainable Development. I chose Human Geography because of my interest in the city and urban spaces – particularly, how the city is connected, and how people connect with the city.

2. Are you involved in any extra-curricular and/or volunteer activities and how do these contribute to your experience as a student?

At SFU, I am the secretary for the Geography Student Union. Being part of the GSU has done wonders for my academic success and mental wellbeing and I have nothing but thanks to give to everyone there. The GSU are a group of people I know I can rely on, and I hope to return the favour. Outside of SFU, I sometimes engage in seva, or service, at the Gurdwara. Typically, I help with the distribution of food in the Langar hall. This experience continues to teach me what it means to be dependable and instills in me the importance of working well. But more often than not, I spend my time at home helping to take care of my grandparents.

3. What have you enjoyed most about your SFU experience so far?

I have found everyone at SFU to be wonderful and welcoming. There are many people I have to thank who’s impact on my life I could never fully articulate, from those in the geography program, to the faculty, and more. Without making the transition to SFU I would not have met any of these kind people I call my friends.

I have also found that I just really enjoy the process of learning, maybe more than the actual act of learning itself. There’s something exciting about walking into a topic knowing nothing about it, walking out of that topic with some sense of understanding, and all the questions that come with it. Those questions spark the cycle all over again. It’s a positive feedback loop.

4. What have you found most challenging about the transition to university studies and how have you worked to overcome this?

My greatest struggle in transitioning to university was time management. Coming into university during the COVID19 pandemic meant I learned many time-management skills which became less applicable when schools reopened, and I had  to factor in both time spent at work and commuting time. I had to really get acquainted with my cycle of focus and block time for study accordingly. Furthermore, I had to teach myself to enjoy the morning and set my days off right.

5. What have you learned and/or what skills/knowledge have you developed through your program at SFU?

Studying SFU has given me the skills to be able to properly articulate my thoughts on both global and local issues, while also inspiring me to actively be a part of the change for a better future. This is particularly important to me because I would like to work in fields with impact in urban spaces. The world is vast, and we have much to learn from each other – both in places of great distance, and spaces of proximate connection.

Furthermore, more technically, I have strengthened my writing skills in Geography, both academically and in more casual settings, & have learned how to utilize tools to create effective, visually appealing maps with GIS. Given the qualitative nature of map-making, these two skills tend to work in tandem with each other.

6. What advice do you have for future students in this program?

My advice would be to get involved with clubs or departmental unions and start early. No doubt, it will be intimidating at first – it's like walking into a room where everyone already knows what to do except you. But you will be surprised at just how quickly you can learn and grow in the right environment. One day, people you looked up to will rely on you, just as you rely on them. There’s no greater pleasure in life than being trusted and be able to trust others.