Why a Degree in CENES?
A Conversation with Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies Alumni
On October 5, 2022, the Department of Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies (CENES) invites you to explore the variety of pathways for CENES students and graduates. Current students, and those interested in a CENES major or minor, will get first-hand knowledge on how the CENES community fits into the UBC student experience, and how our degrees can provide tools to either find or create opportunities in assorted careers.
The evening will begin with a social where students are invited to mingle with CENES faculty and alumni. This portion will be promptly followed by a student-moderated panel, featuring a graduate from each of the CENES programs talking about their careers. This panel will conclude with a Q&A portion for the audience.
Please RSVP by October 4 at noon. Student walk-ins will be welcomed the day of.
Light appetizers and refreshments will be served from Salishan Catering, an Indigenous catering company located in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver. Learn more about the owner Denise Sparrow, a citizen of the Musqueam First Nation, and her business here: https://salishancatering.com/about-us/
Alumni Panelists
Cicely Belle Blain
Cicely Belle BlainBA’16, Modern European Studies / Russian Minor
Current Job: CEO & Principal Consultant, Bakau Consulting
Bio: Cicely Belle Blain is a Black/mixed, queer femme from London, UK now living on the lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people. Their ancestry is a mix of Gambian (Wolof), Jamaican and English. At the heart of all their work, Cicely Belle harnesses their passion for justice, liberation and meaningful change via transformative education. They are noted for founding Black Lives Matter Vancouver and being listed as one Vancouver’s 50 most powerful people by Vancouver Magazine in 2018 and 2020, BC Business‘s 30 under 30 and one of Refinery29’s Powerhouses. Cicely Belle is an instructor in Executive Leadership at SFU, the Editorial Director of Ripple of Change Magazine and the author of Burning Sugar (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2020).
Gabrielle Bonifacio
BMS’22, Media Studies / German Minor
Current Job: Currently exploring internship opportunities in Vancouver and Germany
Bio: Gabrielle graduated in 2022 with a major in Media Studies and a minor in German Studies. She is a queer Filipino writer with experience in communications, graphic and web design. Having grown up bilingual, she is interested in stories that explore language and culture, both in the diaspora and the homeland.
Jordan Kantypowicz
BA’22, International Relations / Russian Minor
Current Job: Policy Analyst, Health Canada
Bio: Originally from Victoria, BC, Jordan graduated from UBC in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts (International Relations Major, Russian Minor). Prior to attending UBC, he was a deckhand in the Canadian Coast Guard and volunteered as an English Teacher in Canada and abroad.
Minori Kato-Hopkins
BA‘19, English / Scandinavian Minor
Current Job: Web Resource & Event Designer, Public Humanities Hub – UBC / MA Student – Children’s Literature
Bio: Minori is an international student originally from Japan, who completed her undergraduate degree in English Language and Literatures and Scandinavian Studies in 2019. Currently working with the Public Humanities Hub, she connects Arts researchers to relevant resources, software, and experts to help their projects flourish. Her passion lies in stories and their social influence, and she is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Children’s Literature with a focus on digital storytelling and making scholarship accessible to the general public.
