As Angela Falco wraps up her double major in Psychology and English, receiving a Peer Mentor of the Month award was a culmination of four action-packed years as an Arts Ambassador.

“This is the fruition of all of my efforts. I just wanted to do something for myself and for those around me, and this recognition affirms the impact and value of leadership in my life.”

Meo Cui, who nominated Falco, said, “Angela embodies the essence of the Faculty of Arts. She is an integral member of the team, fostering meaningful connections between students and faculty. Her contributions include innovative ideas and logistical planning, while ensuring that activities are inclusive and impactful.”

While she’ll cross the convocation stage in June, Falco hopes this isn’t the end of her time at TRU, as she’s applied to the education program. Her aspirations include earning a master’s degree and a PhD, and eventually becoming an English professor. Falco also hopes to continue, even in an unofficial capacity, as an advisor or mentor within the ambassador program.

Falco’s proactive approach to leadership demonstrates a genuine commitment to creating opportunities for connection.

The power of peer mentorship

While the ambassador program is also open to first-year student leaders, the 25/26 team is composed of third- or fourth-year students.

“Once they start to get into the specifics of their degree, many students have developed a more fulsome skill set and have now found a place to apply those skills. Once you’ve been in the position long enough, you start to feel more confident in your own abilities, which leads to more initiative and action, which increases bravery to try new things that could potentially make a big difference to the community,” Falco said. “Just being able to voice your opinions is something significant.”

Her first breakthrough moment as a peer mentor was during a gala the ambassadors hosted in 2023 or 2024. “We had karaoke, food and refreshments. It was a retro-themed party, so partygoers were dressed up. It was an incredible turnout. I remember taking in the scene and thinking, Whoa, we made this happen. I hope that my team feels inspired by every single event they facilitate and recognizes the impact they can make.”

In addition to her ambassador role, Falco has been a student representative on the valedictorian committee for two years and a regular student speaker at the Arts event info night.

She acknowledges that the challenges of community engagement can test your social battery.

“I was very introverted when I came to university, and then I took this position. I thought, oh, I guess, I guess I’m an extrovert now,” Falco laughed. “In reality, I’m somewhere in the middle, but being able to adapt feels important to me.”

Cui noted that Falco’s intuition manifests as a deep understanding of the nuances required to enrich the student experience.

“One of her most notable contributions was her involvement in a meet and mingle career networking event the team hosted near the end of winter 2025. Angela played a key role in logistics coordination and provided valuable student perspectives to ensure the event met attendees’ needs. Her ability to anticipate student interests and advocate for their voices helped make the event a success.”

Falco credits Cui for supporting her in her own growth: “Meo’s care and guidance inspired me as a peer-mentor. She taught me skills that I’ll take with me – not only in leadership, but also in daily life.”

Liz Reimer, Associate Dean of Arts, is another important mentor in Falco’s life.

“Liz helped me a lot. She’s given me a lot of confidence in what I do. When you have somebody who supports you, offers feedback and provides thoughtful recommendations that allow us to fine-tune events.”

“Angela has been an indispensable member of the Arts Ambassadors”, Reimer said. “She brings a creative and kind-hearted energy to all our meetings and events. Angela is also incredibly hard-working, always the first to put her hand up for whatever needs doing to make our activities successful. The Faculty of Arts has been so fortunate to have her on the team!”

Season’s greetings to senior citizens

While the Arts Ambassadors are committed to building an inclusive culture on campus, they also seek leadership opportunities in the broader community. One of Falco’s favourite projects was a Christmas card campaign directed towards seniors, which generated a lot of excitement among the other ambassadors.

“There are several care homes in our community, but some of the social work students spend time at the Overlander care home as part of their practicum, so we had a connection through that facility already.

Falco’s great-grandmother, Maria, had also lived there before passing away, and memories of regular visits helped spark the initiative.

“I remember seeing her every Sunday, and I’d notice other families showing up with cards, gifts and little treats, particularly during the holiday season. I also noticed sadness and loneliness in a lot of the residents.”

Falco read through every single card before dropping them off. “Each note was beautiful, warm and endearing; you could tell how meaningful this project was to the ambassadors. They were so excited to contribute on a community level. The residents were thrilled with the offering, which meant so much to us.”

There was an innate understanding that students and seniors have more in common than you might think. They could both understand loneliness, disconnection, and isolation in a really unique way, and how harmful they can be to your overall well-being.

Education runs in the family

Coming from a long line of teachers, Falco envisions a similar pathway in her future. Part of the motivation behind Falco’s pursuit of her education degree is to support curriculum development, challenge narratives, and push back against the limitations educators face.

“Teachers have to have patience, empathy, care, and a lot of that goes unnoticed. They do a lot of service and volunteer work. They have to manage the classroom and implement behaviour control techniques. They have to understand the psychology of a child as well as the parents, and you have to talk to them. Educators are crucial, and I want to be one of those people, too.”

“The universal learning experience is not something that a certain construct can follow; it can’t be something that makes people fit into a box or push themselves into fit a mould that they don’t belong in. Being able to make modifications and be flexible in a classroom is essential. Ensuring there’s a little bit of wiggle room to allow for adjustment. You don’t want kids to feel like the learning environment is hostile; you want it to be a safe place,” Falco said.

Meeting students wherever they’re at

In a more recent event, the arts ambassadors provided little grab-and-go craft packets in an A&E hallway, which Falco initially spearheaded.

“Sometimes students feel pressured to have to sit, stay and participate in a particular way, when it’s meant to be fun and informal. Being able to look at the big picture and adapt to students’ needs is important as well. We’ve been able to understand the students’ lives better, not only living it, but also putting on events for them.”

“Everybody’s ideas are valuable and can be used, even if they’re pieces of everybody’s ideas.”

“The human experience is so complex; for all of us to be able to navigate it together is something beautiful. This role has allowed me to experience depths I hadn’t before. Now, being able to take other people with me and say, “Let’s tackle this together. The team’s goal is to create community, ease anxiety and provide support – and that’s what I think keeps us going,” Falco said.

The TRU Peer Leader of the Month award recognizes the diverse contributions made by peer leaders and rewards students who exemplify attributes such as passion, leadership, resilience, excellence, creativity, and empathy.