A major part of deciding where to attend university can be finding a way to combine your interests and passions with your academic studies.

Once you have a short (or long) list of schools you’re interested in, check out what extracurricular activities they offer, clubs, groups and varsity sports teams.

Odds are, you’ll find a way to combine one of your passions with your studies.

Just ask Forensic Psychology student Doraianna Filippo. She is a fourth year student whose passion for dance has led to her joining our university’s varsity dance team.

Filippo has been dancing since she was three and avidly watched the annual showcase of our university’s varsity dance team at the end of each year.

Doraianna and her team at the 2018 Dance World Cup

“One of my close friends who was four years older than me was part of the varsity team. I dedicated myself to go to every show,” said Filippo, who joined the team herself last year. “[My friend] is the coach right now and she is the best. So, I guess I wanted to be part of the school’s team for a long time because of her.”

One of the best aspects of being part of our varsity dance team is the level of support she receives. “The most notable benefit of being a part of an athletic team is having amazing support and love from the school,” she described. “Being able to share my passion with the school is rewarding all on its own.”

A highlight of Filippo’s summer will be travelling to Portugal with the World Performers Canada (WPC) National Team to compete in the Dance World Cup Finals.

From June 22 to July 12, Filippo and the WPC team will be competing against 54 other countries in the styles of hip-hop, jazz and contemporary.

Filippo also competed with the team last year in Spain and was asked to re-audition for the team this year. “They audition dancers from all over Canada, so I’m extremely thankful to be able to compete with the team again,” she said.

“To be honest I’m extremely nervous even though I competed last year with the team” said Filippo about competing in this year’s event. “I want to represent my country, my dance studio and my university to the best of my ability.”

No matter the outcome of the event, Filippo is a great example of how you can mix your passions with your academic studies. We wish her luck at the WPC in July!