MACD student testimonials
Learn all about our Master of Arts in Community Development (MACD) program.
The MACD program is introducing me to the skills and competencies I need to be successful as a community developer. It is also helping me make connections in Canada in this field, which is very important as a recent permanent resident whose previous career and goals were not in community development.
The MACD residency provided a space for not only a cohort learning opportunity but also a community space for the students with diverse personal and professional backgrounds and practices to connect, exchange, and support. The relationship cultivated over the residency has been the best experience and most valuable resource for me in the MACD program.
My research examines how municipalities are expected to lead immigrant integration without a clear mandate or dedicated funding. While there is strong political will at the local level, structural constraints limit the ability to move from commitment to meaningful implementation. The MACD program gave me the tools to critically engage with these challenges, and receiving this award is a meaningful recognition of that work.
My research examines Structured Discovery blindness rehabilitation and how blind-led training can build confidence, independence, and leadership. The MACD program allowed me to combine lived experience with academic research in a way that feels both meaningful and impactful. I am deeply honored to receive this award and grateful that disability perspectives are being recognized as an important part of diversity and inclusion.