Identity

Nasma Asfour

Representation and Inclusion Experiences of International Students in Toronto

A close-up portrait of a fair-skinned young woman with long, golden blonde wavy hair and bright blue eyes, smiling gently with glossy red lips. She wears a black crewneck top and a small turquoise stud earring is visible on her right ear, set against a softly blurred, light-grey indoor background.

Hi! I’m Nasma Asfour, a Professional Communication student at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Moving to Toronto as an international student, I expected to find connection easily in such a diverse environment. But over time, I started to notice how belonging isn’t always as natural or immediate as it’s made out to be. There were moments where I felt present, but not fully seen and that made me question what it actually means to feel included in a space.

That experience pushed me to look closer at the small, everyday interactions that shape how we feel seen, included, or invisible. This project is a reflection of those moments, and of my own experience trying to understand where I fit. It’s not just research to me, it’s something I’ve lived, and something I hope more people start paying attention to.

University is often described as a place where you find your people. But what happens when you don’t? This project started from my own experience as an international student in Toronto, where I began to notice how belonging isn’t always as natural as it seems. It explores how international students describe inclusion through everyday social interactions like group work, classroom moments, and casual conversations.

While universities promote diversity and connection, many students describe feeling invisible, excluded, or unsure of where they fit.

Through analyzing real student experiences alongside academic research, four key themes emerged: feeling invisible, social exclusion, being “in between” cultures, and internalized self-blame.

What this research shows is that belonging isn’t built through big programs, it’s shaped in the small, everyday interactions that often go unnoticed.

Lightning Talk

Browse More Identity Research

More Projects

A well-lit close-up portrait of a woman with warm skin, long dark wavy hair, and a friendly smile. She is wearing bright red lipstick, winged eyeliner, and a red textured sweater against a softly blurred light gray background.

Ra’eesa Baksh

Combatting the use of AI in Deepfake Pornography
A portrait-style close-up of a young man from the chest up, centered against a blurred light grey background. He has fair skin, light brown, somewhat disheveled hair that falls across his forehead, and light green eyes looking straight ahead. He is wearing a fitted grey turtleneck sweater, and his expression is calm and neutral with a slight hint of a smile. Soft, even lighting illuminates his face.

Sean Kapić Gomes

When Seeing Is Not Believing: AI Video and Trust on Social Media
A head-and-shoulders portrait of a young woman with dark, wavy hair parted in the middle, wearing a black leather jacket and a gold bar necklace. She smiles gently, with winged eyeliner and glossy pink lips, against a light grey background.

Clarissa Santiago

“We Used To Be Made Fun Of For That…” From Marginalization to Mainstream: The Sudden Surge of Asian Appreciation on Social Media
Scroll to Top