Virtual Summit for Students
A 4-day virtual summit to reduce stress and build university success
The Virtual Summit is a 4-day experience for college & university students who want feel prepared: academically, personally, and practically.
Through expert-led sessions on academic skills, well-being, career planning, and essential life skills, students will leave with greater clarity, stronger systems, and significantly less stress about the transition to university.
These sessions will help you not just survive university, but thrive in your first year and beyond!
Designed for current & future college & university students.
August 3-6, 2026
Colleen Stevenson
Academic Coach & Founder
ChooseYourUni
I organized this event to provide support to students who are in post-secondary education and just want a little more guidance.
These speakers on academic skills, career planning, and "adulting" are going to be so helpful as you begin your career through studies.
I'm an academic coach and have been working with students for most of the last 20 years. I'm also a PhD candidate studying higher education in Canada.
I'll be presenting on some of the academic skills sessions in the summit!
Hannah Schwartz
Networking Expert & Public Speaker
Start with Hannah and Connxcted
Hannah is known for turning connections into business opportunities. Just six months into her career she was already on stage with CIBC speaking about networking and business growth. Since then she has worked with global brands including RBC, TD, Uber, and more.
As the owner of Start with Hannah and Connxcted, she has built her career around one core belief: It pays to be connected. She'll be presenting on day 4: How to use connections to create opportunity.
Halyna Zalucky
Wayfinder Coach
Re-Earthing Coaching
Halyna Zalucky is a Wayfinder coach and educator. She works one-on-one with clients to support them in “re-earthing” and coming back to their true nature. Collaborating with organizations, she helps them identify their purpose and heighten their positive impact on people and the planet. As an educator in institutions of higher learning, Halyna creates space for students to explore themselves and their role in shaping a flourishing future for all.
She'll be presenting on day 1 of the summit: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs to Reach your Greatest Potential!
Katie Woodruff
Podcaster & Founder
Overthinking Always
Katie is a podcaster and journal creator.
She'll be presenting her session, Overthinking & Big Decisions: Moving Forward Without Spiraling, on day 1 of the summit.
This interactive workshop explores how fear and overthinking can quietly influence major life decisions. Through storytelling and guided journaling, students will learn how to recognize anxious spirals and approach their next chapter with more clarity and self-trust.
Eboni Morgan
Author, TEDx & Keynote Speaker, Wellness Facilitator & Founder
Black Girl Magic Collective
With nearly a decade of experience in higher education at Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Toronto, Eboni has supported well over 1,000 students through academic planning, enrolment guidance, student life programming, mentorship, and wellness initiatives. Her work focuses on fostering belonging and empowering young people to build confidence, navigate higher education, and create sustainable success.
She'll be presenting on day 3 of the summit: Choose Well - Choosing a University with Your Wellbeing in Mind.
Noha Gerges
CEO & Founder
Foodies in the Kitchen
Noha helps busy people who feel overwhelmed by cooking learn how to do it more at home quickly. With a PhD in genetics and a decade of corporate work experience, everything she does is science-backed and caters to those with a busy schedule. Having meal prepped for over 16 years, she has made ALL the mistakes so her clients don't have to.
Noha will be presenting on day 3, sharing tips for students to create an affordable and doable meal plan.
Estefanía Toledo, PhD
Educator & Researcher
My name is Dr. Estefanía Toledo (she/her/ella) and I am a scholar-practitioner whose research and practice focus on advancing educational equity and fostering belonging for historically marginalized students.
My research and practice are rooted in critical and feminist theories and frameworks and Latine epistemologies which I use to disrupt and address inequities in higher education.
Mairin Barnabe
Post-Secondary Educator and Founder
Illuminate Consulting and Investigation Services
I am a post-secondary instructor and Master of Laws student, so I truly understand what it feels like to be a student at different stages. Before teaching, I worked in academic advising, helping students choose programs and navigate university life. I teach both introductory and advanced Business courses, and I hope to help you understand and manage expectations so you can start university feeling confident, prepared, and supported.
Erin Anderson
Accessibility Coordinator and Learning Coach
MyLearningCoach
Erin works with post-secondary students, accessibility professionals, and learning coaches to help students with disabilities access the support they need to succeed. With extensive experience supporting learners with diverse disabilities and learning needs, Erin is passionate about helping students build confidence, develop effective learning strategies, and navigate the transition to post-secondary education.
Erin is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto whose research explores the experiences of disabled post-secondary students and ways to improve access and inclusion within higher education.
She's presenting on day 3: Access to Learning: Navigating Disability Supports in Postsecondary Education
Example Curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is this summit for?
A: The summit is designed for current & future college & university students. It focuses on reducing stress and building readiness for the year ahead with academic, professional, and personal skills.
Q: Is this summit for parents too?
A: The summit is designed for students as the attendees. Parents often purchase access and are welcome to review the schedule and information, but the sessions are student-focused.
Q: Can students attend if they are going to college or university outside Canada
A: The summit is designed primarily for students at Canadian colleges & universities, though many skills are transferable.
Q: Is this the same as orientation?
A: No. University orientation is institution-specific and often focuses on campus logistics. This summit complements orientation by focusing on the broader academic, personal, and life skills that help students transition successfully. Students are recommended to also attend their campus orientation.
Q: My student feels academically strong—will this still be useful?
A: Yes. Readiness is about more than grades. Even strong students often feel unsure about managing independence, workload, expectations, and stress. The summit helps students build systems and confidence before September.
Q: Is this summit supportive for students with ADHD or learning differences?
A: Yes. Many students with ADHD, disabilities, or different learning needs find the transition to college or university especially stressful — and readiness support can make a big difference.
While this summit is not clinical or therapeutic programming, many of our presenters have professional experience supporting students with disabilities, including ADHD, through academic coaching, student services, accessibility work, and university transition programming.
Sessions will include practical strategies related to organization, study habits, self-management, and well-being that are designed to be broadly supportive and realistic for a wide range of learners.
Q: Is this delivered on Zoom or another platform?
A: Yes—live sessions will be hosted on Zoom. After registering, students will receive access to an online course-style portal, where each session is listed by date and time. Students will use the portal to access the correct Zoom links for live sessions, and all session recordings will be posted there afterward for 12 months of replay access.
Q: How do students access the summit?
A: After registration, students will receive access to the summit through an online course-style portal. Each session is listed clearly by its date and live start time, and students can click in to attend live or return later to watch the recording.
Q: What if a student is nervous or overwhelmed about college/university?
A: That is exactly what this summit is designed for. The goal is to reduce stress by helping students understand what’s coming and develop practical strategies before the semester begins.
Q: What if I can’t attend every session live?
A: That’s completely okay. We’ve scheduled sessions to be accessible across Canadian time zones, but we know students have busy schedules. All sessions will be recorded and available for one full year, so you can watch whenever it works for you.
Q: Are the sessions interactive?
A: Yes. Many sessions are designed to be interactive, with opportunities for live Q&A, discussion, and student participation. There will also be a few panel-style sessions where students can hear directly from experienced voices and ask questions in real time. Students are welcome to attend live to participate, or watch the replay afterward if they can’t join at the scheduled time.
Q: What is the cost of the summit
Thanks to our generous sponsors, the summit is free!
Q: How long will replay access be available?
A: Students will have access to all session recordings for 12 months, so they can revisit key topics over the summer and throughout their first year of university.
Q: What time zone are the live sessions listed in?
A: All session times are listed in Eastern Time (ET). Students joining from other Canadian time zones are welcome to attend live when possible or watch the recordings later.
Q: Will this help with admissions or applications?
A: No. This summit is for students who have already been admitted. It does not cover admissions strategy, essay editing, or application support. The focus is on preparing for the transition into university.
Q: Can a parent purchase on behalf of a student?
A: Yes. Parents commonly complete registration for their student. Access and materials are intended for the student participant.
Q: Is this a one-time event or ongoing support?
A: The summit takes place live over five days in May, and students receive 12 months of replay access, making it an ongoing readiness resource through first year.