NU International Student Mentorship Program annual Ben Kuyt Algonquin Experience
Last week Nipissing University’s International Student Mentorship Program (ISMP) met with the Kuyt and family to share stories from the annual Ben Kuyt Algonquin Experience. Ben Kuyt was a History student at Nipissing University who had just completed his second year of study at the North Bay campus. He was also an ISMP mentor that had been instrumental in helping international students become acquainted to Canada and Nipissing University.
Tragically, Kuyt passed away in 2013, but his legacy lives on at through the Ben Kuyt Algonquin Experience, an annual camping trip to Algonquin Park named in his honour.
As an avid outdoorsman with a contagious zest for life, Kuyt was very passionate about providing international students with a true Northern Ontario experience through the ISMP’s annual camping trip. He believed this was an integral part to truly ‘Canadianize’ their experience.
“ISMP is proud to dedicate the annual camping trip to Ben,” said Jesse Arnett, education abroad coordinator in the Office of Student Development & Services at Nipissing University. “This experience provides students the opportunity to truly integrate into the unique and stunning nature that surrounds us in Northern Ontario. The trip is always one of their fondest memories of their time here at the university.”
During the story-sharing event, Ben’s mother, Leeyan Kuyt presented ISMP with a banner that will accompany the students on the annual trip each year as a way to pay tribute and to acknowledge Ben’s influence on the ISMP program. Between trips, the banner will be hung in the International Student Pod in the Student Development and Services Office.
“ISMP and the International Student Support Services and Programs Office would like to extend our sincerest appreciation and gratitude to the Kuyt family for their continued support of the annual camping trip and for taking the time to meet with us,” said Arnett. “It was truly an afternoon to remember.”