In the first year of the partnership between Carleton University and the Pathy Foundation Fellowship, two exceptional new graduates join a national network of leaders and changemakers as recipients of this prestigious community-development fellowship program.
In September 2023, Carleton University became the sixth official university partner of the Pathy Foundation Fellowship. Now, two Carleton students have been recognized for their leadership potential, strong ties with the community, and innovative approaches to creating change, each earning a Pathy Foundation Fellowship for 2024-2025.
The Pathy Fellowship is a self-directed opportunity for young leaders to test and develop their skills in their respective fields while benefiting from a rich support network of driven peers, skilled facilitators, and experienced practitioners. Fellows can propose a self-directed project in any field, sector, and community, allowing them to gain a competitive advantage for their future careers. Each Fellow receives a generous stipend, enabling them to dedicate a year of their early career to a cause and community they are passionate about through hands-on and practical learning.
We are pleased to introduce Carleton’s first-ever Pathy Foundation Fellows:
Ravia Dhaliwal, MA Migration and Diaspora Studies
Community: Elder Punjabi Women in Alberta
Initiative title: Centering Punjabi Grandmothers in Community Addictions Education and Support
Throughout her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Ravia undertook significant research in addiction and community building. This work has included de-colonial approaches to addressing problems with alcohol in the Punjabi community, as well as understanding opioid addiction in Punjabi-Canadian communities and barriers to mental health and addiction support for Sikh Punjabi men.
“I applied to the Pathy Foundation because it provides the opportunity for me to practice and apply my research experience in a community that I deeply care about,” says Ravia.
Ravia’s Pathy Foundation Fellowship initiative seeks to create and sustain culturally relevant social programming to promote addiction education for Punjabi women in Edmonton by bridging the gap between mental health care and community spaces.
Chidera Onyegbule, B.Sc. Neuroscience and Mental Health (Honours)
Community: Black youth in Ottawa, Anishinabe Algonquin territory, Turtle Island/Canada
Initiative title: Links to Locs: Equitable Haircare For Black Youth Through Services, Training and Accessibility
Chidera’s Pathy Foundation Fellowship initiative is inspired by her years of research and active involvement within BIPOC communities across Ontario. Compelled to address the needs of the Black youth community she belongs to, which has made Ottawa feel like home during her years at Carleton, Chidera’s initiative works to alleviate racial disparities in hair care faced by Black youth in Ottawa through services for today, training for tomorrow, and accessibility for always.
“The Pathy Foundation Fellowship deeply resonates with my aspirations for personal growth, learning, career advancement, and community engagement,” says Chidera. “The Fellowship’s focus on empowering emerging leaders feels like a natural fit for my goals, offering me a platform to develop an initiative that serves this community while fostering my personal growth. I believe this Fellowship will shape my identity and guide my future career trajectory in a direction that aligns with my values and aspirations.”
Ravia and Chidera will begin their Fellowship year in July with four weeks of training covering topics such as participatory community engagement and leadership principles, project planning and management, power and positionality, fund development, and more.
After this training period, Fellows will develop and implement their initiatives throughout a ten-month Community Phase while benefiting from dedicated program support.
To learn more about the Pathy Foundation Fellowship, visit www.pathyfellowship.com.