Joseph (Joey) Chase Bognar

Joseph's Experience at Humber

Please tell us about your time at Humber Polytechnic. What was the best part of it?

I enrolled in the Bachelor of Community Development Program after taking the General Arts and Science College Transfer Program in 2019. I must be honest; I was having difficulty deciding what I wanted to pursue. I met with the former General Arts and Science Coordinator, Leah Zeidler. We discussed the Bachelor of Community Development program. I found out that this program specializes in advocacy and spreading awareness towards marginalized groups. I am passionate about spreading awareness about disability and breaking technological barriers for people who have disabilities. Leah had arranged a meeting with Bachelor of Community Development coordinator, Linda Hill. When I met with her, I felt a sense of warmth and belonging. I knew that I was going to be taken care of by wonderful professors in the program.

One of the best memories I have in the Bachelor of Community Development Program was being able to take courses in anti-Black racism, gender identity and sexual orientation, Indigenous Studies, and international community Development Through each of these courses, I was able to analyze issues happening within Indigenous, LGBTQ, Black, and international communities such as inequality. These courses were taught by professors who identified in either the Indigenous, Black, and LGBTQ community. International Community Development was taught by professor, Jasteena Dillon. She travels to support people struggling in developing nations by providing them with food and aid. During our classes, Jasteena organized virtual calls with speakers from developing countries, and we had the chance to learn about how community issues such as poverty can negatively impact people in international communities. Additionally, any class I had with Greg McElligott was my favorite. I always looked forward to being in his class, and learning about social policy, housing and legislation. Each one of Greg’s lectures had rich, and meaningful discussions tied to them. Before each class, Greg would assign us quizzes on assigned readings that were due before his class. The quizzes provided students with knowledge on political issues and social welfare. Through taking Greg’s classes, I was able to see that there is not enough awareness about how housing and social policy affect those living with disabilities.  

Another fond memory I have of my experience at Humber was the wide variety of support given to students. One service that I used frequently was the Humber Math and Writing Centre. I was told to go there by one of my General Arts and Science professors, Barbara Morris, after she noticed I was struggling with a writing assignment. I met the coordinator of the Writing Centre, Franc Jamieson, followed by several writing tutors. My frequent visits gave the writing tutors an opportunity to identify my learning style and a chance for them to see my hard work ethic. For my breadth elective courses, I also used the Peer Tutoring Service or PALS. I keep in contact with the CDEV faculty through email communication. I also speak with my classmates in the program through phone, text messages, and through playing video games.

I accessed the Humber Career Centre. I worked closely with Keisha McQueen for five years. We always had great chemistry. Keisha was a big supporter in my academic journey. She helped me choose between a Master of Social Work at University of Toronto, and the MA of Applied Disability Studies Program at Brock University. After several months of waiting, I received an offer at Brock. I knew right then that Brock was the right fit for me given the walking distance, and commute time I was also introduced to the Transition to Work Committee through connecting with Keisha and Phil Legate. I am the only student alumni to sit on the committee, and I am grateful that people are recognizing the challenges that people with disabilities have when seeking employment. I am also glad to be sharing my voice as a person who has both a physical and learning disability.  I even had an opportunity to do coffee chat video with Keisha talking about my experience at Humber and the services I accessed as a student. The coffee chat gave me an opportunity to reflect on how grateful I am for the support and opportunities that Humber College gave me. During my first year of the CDEV program, I reflected on these experiences in an interview conducted by NOW Magazine. The CDEV program offers great support for students who are taking it and they will  develop a warm sense of belonging.

You can find the article here:

https://nowtoronto.com/humber/humber-college-student-is-using-his-personal-experience-to-advocate-for-people-living-with-disabilities/

Link to Coffee chat with Keisha McQueen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFBGo6aildw&list=LL&index=3

The highlight of my experience in the Bachelor of Community Development Program would be my thesis. I successfully completed a group research project at The Daily Bread Food Bank on food insecurity. I created surveys and recorded responses from food bank clients. We used the information gathered to help us analyze the services at the food bank and support staff in improving existing services for the coming years. What was also great about my thesis project at the Daily Bread Food Bank was being able to learn about the organization before we conducted our research. Our group drove down to the Daily Bread Food Bank Etobicoke location and learned about the daily operations of a food bank such as what happens when donations arrive, the shopping process, and the clientele who visit the foodbank regularly.

Working on a thesis did not only teach me how to network with community development organizations, but also that thesis writing is a long process. It took a lot of effort from my group members and the staff at the Daily Bread Food Bank to ensure our research project was completed by specific deadlines. My group also had to meet regularly with our thesis professor, Robert Pozeg. He gave us meaningful feedback on how to enhance our proposal and was very hands-on with us. Through my thesis experience, I learned that writing a thesis is a long process.

Please tell us about your experience since graduating.

Throughout my time in the Bachelor of Community Development Program, I realized that there were few courses that focused on people with disabilities. I remember touching on disability in my classes with Greg McElligott. After completing my Bachelor of Community Development degree, I decided to pursue a master’s degree so that I could open more doors and have more career options for my future. Keisha McQueen, my career advisor, helped me choose an MA program. I enrolled in the Applied Disability Studies Program at Brock University specializing in a field called Leadership, Diversity, Community and Culture. The program specialization intertwined with the information I learned in the Bachelor of Community Development Degree program. I had an interview with Brock University on February 2, 2023. I felt a sense of belonging as many of the applicants and some professors had disabilities themselves. I also was able to develop relationships with professors in the MA of Applied Disability Studies Program. Looking back, I believe that the career paths I have chosen at both Humber and Brock were no accident. Both schools gave me an opportunity to identify my sense of self-worth and purpose. There were times when I thought I had no purpose in life given that I had many physical limitations. I am on my way to becoming a researcher specializing in disability, inclusion and gaming. I keep in touch with professors and students from the CDEV program by email and text. I send them messages often. I enjoy hearing about the different pathways my classmates are on, and hearing about the future of the Bachelor of Community Development program. During a CDEV reunion, I met with Linda Hill, and Christine McKenzie. They told me that the CDEV program is fully online in the hope of attracting a wider audience.

Upon entering the Masters of Applied Disability Studies Program at Brock University, I found that many of the courses I took in the CDEV program apply to my master’s degree. During year one of my MA degree, I took a Foundations of Applied Disability Studies course. It is important to go into context when reading about a field of study. I took a foundations of community development course with Linda Hill and learned key concepts of community development such as mass based organization, networking, and advocacy.

A major lesson I learned throughout my time at Humber was that it takes a village. I am grateful for the support of my friends, family, as well as the professors in the CDEV program. At the Humber Math and Writing Centre, various tutors supported me in ensuring that my written assignments and essays were in proper APA format. I am extremely grateful for the support I received as I was able to learn proper APA structure. I apply what I have learned to my master’s degree written assignments, and my thesis paper.

What do you find most satisfying about your career choice?

Through pursuing the MA of Applied Disability Studies at Brock University, I was able to combine two passions that I care deeply about, video games and disability. For my MA thesis, I am measuring the quality of interaction when able and disabled people play video games. I want to create a similar level playing field for other people who have disabilities. Growing up, I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and non-verbal learning disability. I had many limitations such as not being able to play with remote control cars, or puzzles. Video games were my introduction to an inclusive society. I made many friends while playing video games and talked with them about my favorite characters to use in Super Smash Bros, or about whether I played the latest video game release. Level playing fields are key in ensuring that both able and disabled people establish lifelong friendships with each other, encouraging leadership, diversity, community, and culture. I hope one day I will be able to make a positive impact and break technological barriers for disabled people through completing my research.

Another aspect that I find the most satisfying about my career choice is meeting classmates who have disabilities. During my program at Brock, I met classmates who have spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, to name a few. Meeting my classmates was an eye opener for me as I was exposed to different types of disabilities. I learned to be more aware of disabilities instead of just my own. I also met some mature students that have a background in special education resource teaching. Meeting my new classmates helped me realize that we are members of the disability community striving for change, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Bachelor of Community Development Program helped me to organize my career goals and supported me in choosing the area of study I am passionate about most, disability. The program can do the same for other students who are struggling to find a passion they care about. Thank you to the amazing professors and faculty that make the Bachelor of Community Development program worthwhile. I hope that new students will consider taking this spectacular program.