Eylul Kara at her graduation ceremony, May 2025
This spring, Political Science graduate Eylul Kara received the Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal, one of British Columbia’s highest honours for post-secondary students.
During her time at UBC, Eylul noticed something many students experience but few know how address—a deep disconnect between how Indigenous histories and knowledge systems are taught in Canadian institutions and the ongoing realities of exclusion. Rather than waiting for someone else to fill that gap, she helped co-create: Building Bridges—a youth program rooted in land-based learning, Indigenous-led teaching, and relationships built on trust, reciprocity, and care. What started as a 12-week pilot has grown into Glocal Scholars Inc., a national initiative that has reached thousands of students, mobilized youth volunteers, and earned support and recognition across BC and beyond.
What sets Eylul’s work apart isn’t just it’s reach. She leads by listening, asking questions, and creating space for others to engage in the process. Her approach invites people to lean in, take the lead, and start reimagining the systems they move through every day—not as fixed structures, but as ones they have the power to change.
We spoke with Eylul about how the project began, what this award means to her, and what it takes to lead with care.
How did your experiences at UBC shape your approach to work?
Studying Political Science as an international student gave me a unique perspective on how systems are built, but also how often they fall short. One moment that really shaped me was the Canadian Undergraduate Policy Competition in 2022. My team’s policy brief focused on healthcare access for Indigenous communities. We placed second and were recognized by the BC Treaty Commission, but I walked away wondering: How do we move from policy papers to real change?
That question led me into a deeper process of learning, unlearning, and relearning. I started to see how important it is to balance academic research with lived experience. When we create space for both learning inside and outside the classroom, we begin to reimagine what inclusion and reconciliation can look like, not as goals on paper, but as shared responsibilities.
Can you share a moment when you really felt the impact of your work?
One moment that stands out is the First Annual Youth Exhibition in 2024, which marked the end of our second Building Bridges pilot program. It was a chance for students to share the projects they had developed in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action. The event brought together students, Indigenous mentors, parents, and educators to celebrate the work and reflect on the learning journey.
What stood out most was how much the students had grown, not just in what they knew, but how they showed up with confidence and purpose. They weren’t just sharing what they’d learned. They were active participants, asking bold questions, building relationships, and stepping into their roles as changemakers in ways that felt meaningful to them. It was a powerful reminder that this kind of learning doesn’t just inform, it transforms.
“When we create space for both learning inside and outside the classroom, we begin to reimagine what inclusion and reconciliation can look like, not as goals on paper, but as shared responsibilities.”
What does receiving the Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal mean to you?
This recognition is deeply meaningful—not just to me, but to everyone who has been part of this work. The award honours the collective: the Elders who shared their time and knowledge, the students who showed up with open hearts to learn and unlearn, our mentors, and the entire team that helped bring this work to life.
To me, it affirms that youth-led, community-based change is not only possible; it is urgently needed. It shows that care, persistence, and collaboration matter, and that the kind of work we’re doing deserves to be seen and supported. We need young minds and changemakers to help build a more inclusive and accountable future.
What advice would you give to other students who want to get involved in equity or inclusion work?
If you’re already asking that question, you’ve started. This kind of work doesn’t begin with a perfect idea or a polished plan. It begins with an open heart and a willingness to learn.
Don’t wait to feel like an expert before you act. Instead, listen, show up, build relationships, and stay accountable to the communities you want to support. Be ready to unlearn as much as you learn. The goal isn’t yours to define alone; it’s something you shape together, through dialogue and shared responsibility.
Start where you are, stay curious, and remember that sustainable change begins not with certainty, but with care.
What’s next for you?
Even though I’ve graduated, I’ll continue growing Building Bridges with our partners at UBC and UVic, with a focus on expanding access and exploring partnerships with the Government of Canada to bring the program into more schools across BC and Canada.
Alongside that, I’ll be starting my Master’s degree in Evidence-based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation at the University of Oxford, hoping to deepen my understanding of how we connect policy, practice, and community impact in more purposeful ways.
What parts of your UBC experience do you hope to carry forward with you?
My time at UBC taught me how to lead with care, how to ask hard questions, and how to stay grounded in shared values. I used to think that leadership was about offering solutions. Now I understand that real change happens through collaboration, trust, and co-creation.
I’ve learned that reconciliation and inclusion aren’t outcomes—they’re ongoing processes we build together. UBC gave me the space to slow down, to listen deeply, and to rethink what accountability really means. Those are the lessons I’ll carry with me as I continue to work toward a more inclusive future.
