William Howling

Taking opportunities

As William Howling prepares to spend a semester in Indonesia on an exchange, he can't help but express his excitement."This is a tremendous opportunity," he explains, "and it would never have been possible for me without the support of donors."

William will be attending Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia for his final semester at the University of Victoria. "I am looking forward to truly immersing myself in a new place, and learning from the culture and people," says William.

Transformative experience

William grew up in Ontario and, after taking some time off of school to work, he decided to enroll in the Gustavson School of Business for its international focus. "My motivation for returning to school was to better myself and make a positive impact on the world," says William.

In 2017, William participated in a six-month internship placement with an NGO in New Delhi, India through a program organized and supported by the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI) and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program. "It was the most transformative, challenging learning experience I have ever had," William recalls. "Relearning how to do seemingly simple everyday tasks like catching a bus or finding a meal, to living with a joint family in a rural community, taught me a lot about myself and how I fit into the world."

While in New Delhi, William worked with the organization to help facilitate educational workshops broadly related to gender issues in India. He also conducted research related to the aspirations of youth living in the rural communities of Haryana state. "It was so rewarding to work with the youth and learn about their views, aspirations, and challenges," Williams says, "and why I jumped at the chance to return to Asia this fall."

Making an impact at home

William received the Knowledge First Foundation Scholarship which is awarded to a student who is not only performing well academically but has made significant contributions to their communities. "I am so humbled and thankful for the opportunity to receive this scholarship," says William. "Scholarships have allowed me to concentrate my studies and engage with my community on a volunteer basis instead of working endlessly to pay for tuition."

To pay forward the generosity he's received through scholarships and opportunities to study abroad, William is heavily involved with community and campus programs. He is one of the student leaders in UVic's chapter of World University Services of Canada (WUSC) which coordinates the Student Refugee Program (SRP) on campus, a program that sponsors young people from UNHCR refugee camps to immigrate to Canada and study at UVic. William also remains connected to the CAPI internship program as a program assistant.

"I want to make sure students coming here to UVic have the same positive experience I have had while living abroad," William says.