AV俱乐部

By Sophie Webb

When Kanchana Mohansundaram arrived in Canada from India, she was stepping into an entirely new environment, climate and ways of learning. What began as a leap far outside of her comfort zone soon became a journey defined by research, leadership and personal growth.

Kanchana graduated last week from AV俱乐部鈥檚 Faculty of Agriculture with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Honours) in Plant Science and is already preparing for the next chapter: beginning a master鈥檚 degree this fall.

鈥淐oming to Canada as a student was very exciting and challenging as well for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 always feel proud I had an opportunity to join one of the most reputed post-secondary institutions like AV俱乐部.鈥�

Coming from a farming background in India and a student of , Kanchana arrived at the Faculty of Agriculture with a passion for agriculture, sustainability, and innovation. Adjusting to a new academic environment and its components was not always easy, particularly coming from a tropical country, but she quickly found support through the close-knit campus community.

鈥淪lowly, my worry changed because it was really easy to connect with the professors to clear up any doubts I had,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f I wasn鈥檛 sure about something, I always had the ability to ask the faculty in that department.鈥�

Being able to easily communicate with faculty members helped her excel academically. During her degree, Kanchana completed an advanced honours thesis project focused on sustainably improving crop yields. The quality of her research led to a manuscript submission to a peer-reviewed journal before graduation, an accomplishment that further solidified her interest in pursuing research.

鈥淜anchana was an excellent Honours student,鈥� said her project supervisor, Mason MacDonald. 鈥淪he displayed real passion and enthusiasm in her work and completed an advanced project helping to sustainably improve crop yields. Her work was of such high quality that Kanchana was able to write and submit a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal before even graduating with her BSc.鈥�

Outside the classroom, Kanchana embraced opportunities to gain practical experience and get involved in campus life. Through , she worked as a student intern on the vegetable and cut-flower production farm, where she gained hands-on experience from seeding to harvest while also participating in marketing, sales, Open Farm Day and community outreach initiatives.

鈥淭hese programs strengthened my understanding of the farming practices followed over here and value-added food innovation,鈥� she said.

She later joined the program, where she explored food product development and recipe formulation while continuing to build leadership and teamwork skills.

According to Jason Grant, manager of Cultiv8, Kanchana brought positivity and energy to every aspect of the program.

鈥淜anchana is a hard worker, an excellent communicator, funny, full of energy, and very community-minded,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he was a natural leader when it came to accomplishing tasks and strengthening team dynamics.

Kanchana also became deeply involved in student life at Dal AC. She served as secretary of the Global Students Community and vice-president and social media coordinator of the , helping organize events including Pongal, Diwali, Eid celebrations, campus food drives and other community initiatives.

Those experiences helped her grow personally as much as professionally.

鈥淲hen I first arrived, I was focused mainly on adjusting and finding my place,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow, I feel more confident in who I am academically and as a person.鈥�

One of the most meaningful moments of her degree came when she was invited to speak at the Community Dinner about her experience with Cultiv8, becoming the only international student selected to deliver a speech.

鈥淭his invitation gives me motivation that if we stay consistent in what we are doing, opportunities never fail to reach out,鈥� she said.

As she looks ahead to her master鈥檚 degree and a future in agricultural research, Kanchana hopes to focus on innovation, sustainability, and creating meaningful solutions within the agri-food industry.

鈥淭he Faculty of Agriculture has not only educated me but also helped shape my identity as a learner, innovator and future professional,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y journey here has shown me that growth often comes from stepping out of my comfort zone and making the most of every opportunity.鈥�