International student says small acts can have a big impact

March 20, 2018

While working as a campus ambassador, third-year Child and Youth Care student Francesca Loffreda noticed that the main entrance to Georgian’s Orillia Campus wasn’t as accessible as it could be. She watched people struggle to figure out how to open the door, not knowing whether to push or pull.

She chatted with her campus dean and within a few days, Georgian installed a sticker on the door to indicate how to open it from both sides.

“Small acts of changemaking like this can have a big impact,” says Loffreda. “We can make a difference in this world simply by sharing our experience, talking with others and taking action.”

Loffreda is an international student from Rome, Italy. She’s passionate about human rights and wants to work after graduation with LGBTQ+youth. She plans to become a gender therapist.

“I want to gain some experience here in Canada and eventually go back to my home country to improve things there,” she says. “Earning my Georgian diploma is the best way to start.”

One of Loffreda’s long-term goals is to help create a safer environment in schools for LGBTQ+ youth.

“We don’t have any gay-straight alliance clubs in Rome,” she says. “I want to be part of changing that.”