John Yool鈥檚 path to AV俱乐部 was marked by challenges that few of his fellow students could imagine. Now in the process of earning his second degree at the Faculty of Agriculture, John鈥檚 future seems limited only by the bounds of his own imagination.
Born in South Sudan, John fled his home country at the age of eight.
鈥淭he war in Sudan had been going on for a long time,鈥� John explains. 鈥淢y parents had me go to Kenya to escape military recruitment and to escape with my life. But I had to leave them behind.鈥�
Throughout the rest of his childhood, John lived under the care of the United Nations. 鈥淭he UN was my foster parent, you could say.鈥�
Despite these difficult conditions, John excelled academically and, when he finished high school, applied to the Student Refugee Program at World University Service Canada (WUSC). The program sponsors refugee students who qualify for and wish to attend university in Canada, matching students with appropriate schools and helping them obtain permanent residency status.
John was matched with Dal and has already earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Agricultural Economics. He chose his program based on his desire to tackle global food challenges.
鈥淢ost of the world鈥檚 problems will be solved when we have the capability to solve food crises around the world,鈥� he says.
Getting engaged
John believes his background in agriculture will complement his current studies. He is in the first year of Dal鈥檚 Bachelor of Engineering program and will study at the Agricultural Campus for two years before moving to Halifax to complete his degree.
As much as he鈥檚 enjoyed the academic side of his university experience, John has found just as much value in being part of the Dal community.
聽鈥淚鈥檝e really been blessed to be a Dal student,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ot only do the professors engage you, but the students and the whole Dal community is committed to helping students succeed. I would say that my experience at Dal has been enriched with so many interactions with friends and people from around the world and Canada.
鈥淚t is a blast.鈥�
Stories like John鈥檚 are among the inspirations behind the AV俱乐部 Student Refugee Fund (DalSFRF), which launched on November 10. The campaign has already raised $14,000 鈥� with Dal matching every dollar donated 鈥� to create two additional placements at the university for refugee students, in collaboration with WUSC.
More information about DalSRF can be found .