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As she prepares to graduate from the University of Toronto Mississauga, Nirmol Midha is taking time to reflect on the meaningful lessons, rich experiences and diverse connections that punctuated her journey – including a passion for supporting mental health. 

“It’s a really emotional time, because at UTM I developed so much, not only academically but as a person,” says Midha, an international student from India who completed an undergraduate degree in psychology. 

“It was a time of self-exploration, growth and discovering my resilience.”

Midha specifically chose to study at the U of T Mississauga campus because of its serene natural surroundings and the option to have two minors – in biology and political science.

She says majoring in psychology was a way for her to better understand human motivations and behaviours – and to learn how to support mental health. 

“I felt a deep calling to understand people on a deeper level and support their emotional and mental well-being,” she says.

“I think that’s really important in today’s world.” 

Midha says she was fascinated to learn about the how the mind develops, the structure and function of the brain, the evolution of cognition in children and how to conduct quantitative research.

She says her professors skillfully brought the topics to life. 

“All of the professors at UTM taught really well. They made the concepts so engaging,” she says. “They were helpful, accommodating and always trying to offer a helping hand.” 

Midha complemented her classroom learning with mental health-related extracurricular activities.

She served a term as the vice-president of the student club Mending Minds, for which she organized mental health awareness events. She also worked as the education and communication lead at, a space connected with the Health & Counselling Centre that provides wellness services to support students. There, she created an escape room game to bring awareness to the Den’s offerings. 

“The goal at the Den was to let students know that we all deal with academic and life pressures – and sometimes it’s a lot, but everything’s going to be fine,” she says. 

Like other Class of 2024 grads, Midha’s education was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic that forced U of T to hold many classes virtually for an extended period. Missing out on so much campus life was difficult, she says, but notes she was able to find her stride with online learning and maintain her circle of friends.

She says remote learning also allowed her to attend her nephew, who was unwell. 

“Everything’s going to have its positives and negatives,” she says. “You just have to look at the positive side and move on with it.” 

While Midha is considering future studies in social work and speech-language pathology, she is currently focused on research, administration and mental health roles. 

What she knows for sure is that she wants to apply what she has learned about human psychology and wellness so she can help others. That includes through her volunteer role as vice-president of marketing for , a club that supports community members with intellectual disabilities. 

“I want to use what I’ve learned at UTM to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives,” she says. “I hope to contribute to something bigger than myself in the future.”