We are pleased to welcome Meng Xiao, our new Undergraduate and Graduate Assistant.
Meng comes to CrimSL from a temporary position at U of T's Department of Anthropology where colleagues flagged the opening for her and encouraged her to apply. Meng has over eight years of experience working in student advising and program coordination.
She earned a Doctor of Education in Social Justice Education (Collaborative Specializing in Comparative, International & Development Education) in June 2020 from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Her thesis was "Student Engagement: Chinese International Student Experiences in Canadian Graduate Schools."
Meng describes herself as a passionate educator in student service and social equity. She is keenly motivated to question inequitable power relations in and beyond education based on social equity.
She says she was drawn to apply to work at CrimSL and thinks it will be a good fit for her. She says, "I define myself as a social equity researcher and practitioner. I am looking forward to working with a team that values social equity."
When not at work, Meng says, "I love to play basketball. My mother was actually a professional basketball player in my hometown, Chongqing, in the southwest part of China. I also enjoy watching basketball. The Raptors are my favourite team. I was in the Toronto parade in 2019 when the Raptors won the NBA Championship."
Meng's 10-year-old daughter is also athletically gifted. "She is a competitive golfer. She plays all over the world and ranked 19th place in the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship in 2023. This year she will compete again in Pinehurst, North Carolina for the title," says Meng.
How does she balance family life with all the demands of competitive sports? Meng says, "The good thing is, Daddy is her caddy, not me. I mostly watch and enjoy!"
Please join us in welcoming Meng to the CrimSL community! She can be reached via email at meng.xiao@utoronto.ca.