
Since 2001, Student Open Circles has been working with students to support them in their life and spiritual journeys and to make a difference in the community.
Founders, Marybeth Leis and Jeff Druery, have been providing guidance for students since 1995. As they listened to students, they recognized the need for welcoming and respectful spaces for students from a diversity of backgrounds to explore meaning, values, spirituality, and social justice.
We are a Canadian registered charity based in Hamilton, Ontario (registration number 891444309 RR0001).
Our Vision
Students who care about self and others, and create better communities wherever they go
Our Mission
Student Open Circles mentors and empowers students from diverse backgrounds in personal and spiritual reflection, community service, and leadership development
Our Values
- Care and Compassion
- Safety and Respect
- Dignity and Worth of all Individuals
- Spiritual Reflection and Growth
- Community Engagement and Service
- Authenticity and Integrity
Our Major Sponsors
Student Open Circles is supported by the generosity of donors, local community partners, and grants. Every contribution makes a difference. Become a Donor

Funding for our Community Volunteer Circles program is provided by the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund.

Funding for our Community Volunteer Circles program is provided by The Edith H. Turner Foundation Fund and the Pandemic Response Fund of the Hamilton Community Foundation.

Recognizing the need for inclusive, non-sectarian spaces for students to engage in spiritual exploration and service, Hamilton Mennonite Church has financially supported Student Open Circles from our inception.

Funding for our online student wellness workshops and reflection circles during the COVID-19 pandemic is provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Many other individual donors help to make Student Open Circles possible. Become a Donor
Our Board Members
Ana Campos

Ana Campos, a Brazilian by birth, started her career at McMaster as an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department in 1992 after carrying out her training in the US. Since accepting the position Director of the School of Interdisciplinary Science in 2017 Ana has been a member of the SOC board, consistent with her commitment to provide a holistic support to all students.
Andrea Cole (she/her)

I work at McMaster University supporting graduate students to thrive. I value community-engaged research, program design and evaluation, and initiatives that support mental health and wellbeing through a lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Prior to my career in higher ed, I studied anthropology and worked for many years in non-profit agencies in Hamilton. Alongside community connections, being in nature, meditation practice, and playing with clay are things that sustain me.
Carla Arbelaez

As a Political Science Major and JD/BCL candidate at the McGill Faculty of Law, Carla is passionate about migration and mobility rights, environmentalism, and issues of poverty. She seeks a career in which she can represent those who may not have the platform or resources to effectively represent themselves. For fun, Carla enjoys painting, outdoor exercise, video games, listening to rap music and reading.
David Wilkinson

I am a professor of materials engineering at McMaster. I previously served as dean of engineering and as university provost. My research and teaching are in the area of the strength and ductility of materials, with a particular focus on the development of lightweight automotive structures for improved fuel efficiency.
Nicole Szabo (she/her)

Nicole Szabo attended McMaster University as an undergraduate student where she volunteered for SOC's Community Volunteer Circles for 3 years. She recently completed her master’s in biology and is pursuing a career in scientific communications. As an alumni, Nicole is excited to connect with the McMaster and Hamilton community again through SOC.
Sarah Sullivan

Sarah Sullivan has been a member of the Student Open Circles (SOC) Board of Directors since 2019. She began her journey with Student Open Circles in 2010 as a student volunteer, and continued to volunteer until completing her undergraduate degree in 2014. Sarah is a current McMaster staff member and enjoys continuing to work with students as the 'Team Lead, Academic Programs' in the W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology.
Sonika Kainth (Chair)

Sonika Kainth is a family physician at a community health centre serving marginalized individuals. When she was at McMaster as a student, she attended Student Open Circle’s reflection and mindfulness groups, as well as volunteered with the heterogeneous groups of marginalized populations in Hamilton. Volunteering with Student Open Circles ignited her passion and brought her to where she is working today.
Sylvia Botchway, MD

Sylvia is a medical resident at the University of Connecticut Internal medicine program. Her academic journey has taken her to many places including Ghana, Canada, Sint Maarten and the United States. She is passionate about serving the underserved and has made it a point to give back to the many places she has called home. She has spent the last decade working closely with vulnerable populations and hopes to dedicate her career to improving access to healthcare and the quality of healthcare for the vulnerable in society.
Wil Prakash Fujarczuk (he/him), MA, OCT

Wil is an enthusiastic educator guided by critical pedagogy, intersectional feminism, and anti-oppression, committed to facilitating transformative learning opportunities for participants. He is the manager of the sexual violence prevention education program at McMaster University's Equity and Inclusion Office (EIO), and acts as the resource person for the gender and sexuality working group of the President's Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC). He is also a member of the City of Hamilton's LGBTQ Advisory Committee, a qualified safeTALK (suicide alertness) trainer with LivingWorks, a certified hike leader through Hike Ontario, and a board member with Student Open Circle. Wil holds a BSc in biology from McMaster University, a BEd from the University of Western Ontario, and a MA in peace education from the UN-mandated University for Peace.