First-generation university student Tara Shivafard (BA ’24) may be a brand new Brock graduate, but she is already trying to move the needle on the issues that matter most to her.

Shivafard, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science on Tuesday, June 11 during Brock’s 115th Convocation, has taken every opportunity to advocate for women and peace during her time at the University, including speaking to multiple Canadian politicians about the global issue of gender apartheid.

After learning about Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS) in her first year, Shivafard has participated in its Pipeline Fellowship program and published a policy brief in the WCAPS Pipeline Fellow Publication. She now works on developing programming focused on feminist approaches to peace and conflict as Vice Chair of the WCAPS Defence and Intelligence Working Group.

Shivafard, whose parents immigrated to Canada from Iran before she was born, also serves as a Youth Advisor to Senator Marilou McPhedran at the Canadian Council of Young Feminists, where she runs the Women’s Rights in Iran and Afghanistan Working Group.

“The senator is a huge advocate for women’s rights. I’m creating a research report to make recommendations to the Government of Canada on how to best support women’s rights in Iran and Afghanistan and on the struggle to have gender apartheid recognized in international law,” says Shivafard, who was deeply moved by the women’s movement in Iran in 2022.

She is also the Director of Programming for the Canadian Institute for Defence of Democracies, a new youth-led think tank.

“We have a sense of urgency because we really care about Canada,” she says. “We really care about our systems here and we want to preserve and protect them, so this is just our way of trying to contribute to that.”

Shivafard says her studies in Political Science at Brock have been essential to her first forays into advocacy and policy work.

“There are so many nuances with each cause, and it’s important not to cause more harm than good,” she says. “My degree gave me the history, background and political theories I needed to be successful, especially when dealing with big issues like women’s rights advocacy or the Middle East.”

Shivafard also credits the mentorship and programming she received as a Law Plus student with helping her hone her skills, define her goals and set out on a career path that is right for her — even if it isn’t what she originally planned.

“When we started in Law Plus, we were encouraged to get experience as volunteers or find job opportunities to see if this career path was right for us,” she says.

So Shivafard applied to the Federal Student Work Experience Program and landed jobs at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Infrastructure Canada. Today, she works at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario as a program coordinator focused on housing research.

She also joined Brock student groups, including the Brock Model United Nations Club and Brock Young Liberals.

These experiences led Shivafard, who was named Law Plus Student of the Year earlier this spring, to focus on future opportunities in research and policy.

“I initially planned on attending law school after graduation, but through the volunteer and professional work experiences I pursued due to Law Plus, I realized that a career in research and/or policy was what I wanted instead,” she says.

This fall, she begins work on a master’s degree in Global Affairs at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.

“In addition to Tara’s academic success, she availed herself of every opportunity the university experience presents,” says Associate Professor Paul Hamilton in the Department of Political Science. “She joined clubs, volunteered with non-governmental organizations and developed into a leader while also holding down demanding public sector jobs. Tara will make an important impact on our society and the department is very proud of her accomplishments.”

Shivafard says that getting involved is the best way for students to succeed at Brock.

“I know it can be really intimidating, but don’t wait to get involved if there’s something interesting — a poster on the bulletin board for an event, an interesting club,” she says. “Don’t underestimate what Brock has to offer you because there is a great network, great programs and a lot of resources at your disposal.”