ORAL HISTORY
“The identity of places is very much bound up with the histories which are told of them, how those histories are told, and which history turns out to be dominant.”
Massey, Doreen. “Places and Their Pasts.” History Workshop Journal, no. 39 (1995): 182–92.
Often the story of an organization is told in the service of commemoration or celebration of the goals and achievements of that organization. Beginning with the Stories of UTSC: 1964-2014 Legacy project, faculty and student researchers began collecting the “untold” stories of our campus. Our goal with this project, in addition to extensive archival research, is to build on that earlier collection and continue to capture the lived experience of the members of our campus community – faculty, students, and staff at all levels – through the collection and preservation of oral histories. The oral histories will, with permission from participants, be digitally archived as part of the Scarborough Oral History Collection administered by the UTSC Library Digital Scholarship Unit. Many thanks to those who have agreed to participate. Below are a few examples that have been preserved. Clicking on the image will take you directly to the audio and transcript files in the digital archive. There are many more to come so stay tuned….
If you are interested in participating and contributing your story to the collection, please contact Amelia Ainsworth, Project Coordinator at amelia.ainsworth@mail.utoronto.ca
To browse our oral history digital collection visit: https://sohp.digital.utsc.utoronto.ca/stories-of-UTSC
A member of the very first graduating class in 1968, Shirley Criscione shares her student life experiences
A student in the second graduating class of Scarborough College in 1969, Elliot Schwartz discusses the social, academic and administrative culture of the campus.
Professor Leslie Chan discusses his history at UTSC beginning in the 1970s as an undergraduate student, teaching assistant, and later professor.
Professor William Dick describes his years of experience as an original member of the History faculty appointed in 1967 and the ways in which the UTSC culture evolved prior to his retirement in 1999.
As residents of the local community and leaders of the Scarborough Historical Society and Archives, Meredyth and Rick (a former UTSC student) reflect on UTSC and its place within the Scarborough community since the 1970s.
Professor Barry Freeman, a faculty member and chair of the Arts, Culture and Media department, discusses his experiences as a student at UTSC in the 1990s and reflects on the ways in which his perceptions of the campus, higher education, and the overall community of Scarborough have evolved since then.
Dr. Gudrun Curri joined the Scarborough campus in the early 1970s as an administrator of records. Curri soon became the first non-academic at UTSC to become the campus Registrar — a position she held until the late 1980s. Curri reflects on the changes in campus administration and the campus community.
Dr. Joe Jagdeo talks about his experience as one of the first international students of Scarborough College and as a student of its first graduating class in 1968.
Amorell Saunders N’Daw describes her work in administration at UTSC and living in Scarborough. She discusses her life journey, growing up with fewer advantages, overcoming challenges while also trying to be a good parent to her kids. She speaks about the relationship between UTSC and the surrounding community, how she envisions that UTSC will continue to grow and change.
Tony McWatt immigrated to Canada from the Carribbean during the 1980s to attend Scarborough College as an undergraduate student. Tony became a true campus leader; taking on the role of student council president, active in student clubs, and involved in campus building projects that would improve student life (i.e. the student centre). Tony reflects on his both exciting and painful experiences as an international student.