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Thalia Criollo Guerrero is a senior Honours Music student in the Faculty of Arts at Waterloo. As an international student from Ecuador, Thalia understands how it feels adjusting to a new culture and also feelings of homesickness. 

You can connect with Thalia to chat about many things including: 

• The many resources that Waterloo has to help you succeed academically, professionally, individually, and socially. 
• Adjusting to a new culture and living in residence. 
• Making friends and getting used to study life at Waterloo.

Amanda Roth is a senior Social Development Studies student who loves getting to know new people.

Amanda's bubbly and warm personality can help you with questions about self-care and mental health wellness, how to take care of yourself while in university, and getting involved in your campus community.  

Popular things you can chat with Amanda about include: 

• Strategies to build your own mental health wellness and implement self-care strategies.
• How to make the most of life in Kitchener-Waterloo, Amanda's hometown
• Getting involved in your campus community at UWaterloo. 

Danny Kim is a senior Honours Arts and Business co-op student whose hometown is Jeonju, South Korea. As an international student, Danny has an eagerness to get to know students from all cultures and helping to make them feel comfortable in their new home at Renison.  

Danny is always happy to chat with students about: 

• Life in a co-op program and what he did for his past two co-op terms
• Tips for adjusting to Canadian life and surviving the cold Canadian winters
• Finding some of the best places in Waterloo for different foods 

Ryan Bromley is an Arts and Business student who loves making new friends and making jokes. Ryan is always happy to share a fun fact and help students explore his hometown of Waterloo. When Ryan isn't in class, you can often find him chatting with friends in the cafeteria or getting involved in Renison events!

Popular things you can chat with Ryan about include:  

• Strategies to build your own mental health wellness and implement self-care strategies.
• Ways to build your time management and organization skills for university life.
• Getting involved in your campus community at UWaterloo. 

Cherie Ng is a senior Social Development Studies student who loves helping people! Cherie is a helpful friend who can help with building effective study strategies, including time management skills, to succeed in university.

Sign up for a meet-up with Cherie to talk about: 

• Ways to build your time management and organization skills for university life
• How to make new friends and get involved in student life. 
• How to overcome homesickness and culture shock to university life. 

Wallis Zeng is a fourth-year student in the Arts and Business program at University of Waterloo. As an international student herself, she understands how stressful it can be for students to adapt to a new cultural environment to study and live. Wallis has learned many valuable lessons and accumulated many tips that she looks forward to sharing with other students to help them maximize their experience in Canada! 

• Helpful strategies to improve your conversational and professional language skills.
• Getting involved at the University of Waterloo and volunteering.
• Life in Canada and supports that Renison University College can provide.
• Tips to adjust to the university environment and how to maintain a busy workload as a Waterloo student

Karina Fu is an Economics program student and a proud graduate of the BASE program! As an international student from Panama, Karina is here to support you as you adjust to life as a university student. Karina is also knowledgeable about life on campus, having participated in many campus events -- she even won the BASE Student Engagement Award when she was a BASE student!

Some things you can discuss with Karina include: 

• Helpful strategies to improve your conversational and professional language skills.
• Getting involved at the University of Waterloo and volunteering.
• Life in Canada and supports that Renison University College can provide.
• Tips to adjust to the university environment and how to maintain a busy workload as a Waterloo student

Adam is a second-year student in the Honours Science and Business program at University of Waterloo.

Through living in residence at Renison, he has had the opportunity to meet and develop friendships with many Canadian and international students and appreciates the sharing and learning that happens in these relationships.

Adam is happy to help anybody with anything! Some popular topics you can ask Adam about include:

• Suggestions for living in Residence and having a roommate
• Getting involved at the University of Waterloo and volunteering.
• Life in Canada and supports that Renison University College can provide.
• Tips to adjust to the university environment and how to maintain a busy workload as a Waterloo student.

Daneka is a 3A Social Development Studies student who is on the University of Waterloo Women’s Golf team and will be serving as the Residence Experience Peer Leader focusing on the WALC (Warrior Academic Leadership Community) Living-Learning Community. This past term she won the Judy McCrae award for her excellence in the areas of academics, athletics, and community service. Daneka lived at Renison during her first year in 2021 and continues to be an active member on Renison Student Wellness Committee and a Renison Student Ambassador. Daneka will bring an abundance of knowledge on how to support athletes in all areas of life.

Things you can connect with Daneka about include:

• Juggling life as a varsity athlete with your academics
• Making the most of your residence experience 
• Maintaining your personal health and wellness as a student

Maya is a 4A Social Development Studies student who is serving as the Residence Experience Peer Leader for the SDS (Social Development Studies) Living-Learning Community. Maya has been immersed within the Renison community as a previous SDS peer leader, an executive member on RASC (Renison Academic Student Council), and the Renison Academic Programs Assistant. 

Maya will be a wonderful person to chat with about:

• Navigating SDS courses and learning more about options and specializations in the SDS program. 
• Studying in SDS while also doing co-op.
• Accessing supports and services on campus, including resources for health and wellness. 

Natalie is a 4B Public Health and Social Development Studies student. Natalie has been an active member within the University of Waterloo while participating in MATES, MEDLIFE, UW Cultural Language Exchange club and being an off-campus don. With her well-rounded volunteer experiences, Natalie is great to chat with you:

• The many different resources and ways to get involved on main campus.
• Life studying in both SDS and another program at Waterloo
• How to thrive as a first-year student.

Deanna is studying in Social Development Studies after having studied in the Social Service Worker program at Conestoga College. As a mature student, Deanna is a great resource for other students who have previously studied in college or university before, as well students navigating it for the first time. 

Deanna loves to chat with students about: 

• How to navigate online studies in the SDS program.
• Tips for making the adjustment from college to university.
• How to thrive (and sometimes survive!) as a mature student.

For Online, Mature, and Transfer SDS Students

English Language Institute Student Advisor

Office: REN 1930 (English Language Institute Hub)

A.J. completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria with bachelor's degrees in Education and Arts. As a Student Advisor, A.J. is here to support students in our English language programs during their academic journey. A.J. can help you with:

• Effective learning strategies and study habits for Canadian university life
• Time management strategies so you can keep track of tests, assignments, and appointments
• Effective note-taking skills and getting the most out of your courses
• Preparing for tests and quizzes and reducing test anxiety
• Conversation practice and sharing what he knows about Canadian history and culture

Assistant Director, Student Experience & Housing

Office: REN 1108 (Renison Ministry Centre)

Ryan is a proud graduate from the Social Development Studies program at the University of Waterloo. As your Assistant Director, Student Experience & Housing, Ryan is very knowledgeable about all of the campus services and resources available to University of Waterloo students. Ryan grew up in a small town called Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario, and he is addicted to iced cappuccinos from Tim Horton's. Some of Ryan's most popular things to talk about include:

• All of the campus services available to you as a Waterloo student and what you are able to access to support your academic and personal success
• Mental health wellness and strategies to improve your well-being as a university student 
• Advice for studying in an online environment. Fun fact: Ryan completed his UWaterloo degree, two college certificates, and a Masters degree completely online
• Tips for adjusting to Canadian culture and building your language skills outside of the classroom

Administrative Assistant

Office: REN 0208 (Student Experience & Housing Hallway)

Laura is a graduate of the Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies program at the University of Waterloo and St. Jerome’s University. Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Laura completed her Master of Education in Social Justice Education at OISE at the University of Toronto. Laura can assist you with questions related to Renison residence, as well as Student Experience events and activities. Some things you can discuss with Laura include:

• Questions related to living in Renison Residence, as well as off-campus in our local community, including Homestay
• Support with living on your own for your first time and how to navigate the transition
• Suggestions for effectively living with a roommate and having a fun experience in Residence 
• How to get involved in your Renison community

Student Experience Coordinator

Office: REN 0209 (Student Experience & Housing Hallway)

Allison Marlowe loves learning about new cultures. While she studied Social Development Studies at Renison, she also participated in a study abroad experience to Denmark. Allison has also studied in the ACE-TESOL program at Renison to teach English. She is now currently studying her Master of Education while supporting students at Renison. Allison lived in Renison Residence during her first year of university and participated on Renisix student council. 

Popular things that Allison helps students with include: 

• Navigating culture shock and adjusting to new environments, including homesickness
• How to thrive as a university student by learning about the student services and resources available to you 
• How to get involved and make the most of your student experience at Renison 
• Conversation practice and chatting about pop culture, including Taylor Swift

Hometown: Markham, Ontario

Program: Sociology

Fun fact: I have a pet schnoodle named Schnooky and a weiner dog named Maisy. I love dogs but especially dachshunds!!

First-year tip: Don't skip class!! It is so easy to get into that habit that will snowball and you will regret it!

Favourite memory: Feeding the nice ducks (not geese) around campus. 

Hometown: China!

Program: Earth science, hydrogeology speciation

Fun Fact: I like collecting minerals or beautiful rocks, and I know how to play several traditional Chinese instruments (but none of them have an official English name).

First-year tip: Manage your time wisely because you won’t have another first-year.

Favourite UWaterloo Memory: In Earth 231, we went to Bancroft with my Mineralogy team and studied Carbonatite with my team. Although it's just a two-day trip, we had a lot of fun (including drinking with our instructor, observing radioactive mineral and being trapped in a mountain with no signal).

Hometown: Beijing, China

Program: Economics

Fun fact: I am participating in many activities and engaging to learn new skills.

First-year tip:

• Gain knowledge of how to utilise various UWaterloo websites
• Speak with an advisor about academic life
• Recognize the academic procedures in university
• Establish friendships
• Participate in clubs or activities at school

Favourite Renison/UWaterloo memory: My first academic experience at the University of Waterloo was with the Rension BASE program. I became familiar with several Waterloo websites for academic research and leisure activities during that four-month time. Meanwhile, I received my first friendships and have kept up the bond until now because all of the students are in the same classes together. It was one of the most priceless experiences I had while in Rension.