Book a Conversation Session
Reach out to the volunteer of your choosing (see list below) via the forms or the online appointment booking page, or contact MORSL for assistance.
Telephone (General Information): 514-398-4104
Telephone (Director): 514-398-1932
Email: morsl [at] mcgill.ca
We ask that you omit any confidential information from all email communication to maintain privacy. Keep in mind that all communications with Volunteers may be copied to the MORSL email address. Please use your McGill email for all correspondence related to the Conversation Partners Program.
What to Expect
These peer-to-peer conversations are 1 hour in duration. You can meet with a conversation partner regularly or just once.
All meetings take place in approved locations or via MS-Teams between 9 am and 6 pm, Monday through Friday. In-person locations include spaces such as libraries, cafes, student centres, or the MORSL office. Sessions will never take place in a private location, such as a university residence or apartment building, or when the university is closed.
Meet Our Conversation Partners
Our Conversation Partners are members of the McGill student community who are available to meet with fellow students seeking support. These volunteers are affirming peer supporters who draw on their own life experience and training in their conversations with students.
Benjamin Rudski
Year: 4
Hey! I’m Benjamin (you can also call me Ben; he/him). I’m a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Quantitative Life Sciences program at McGill. In my research, I follow in the footsteps of the Prophet Ezekiel, trying to make dry bones “live again”; my research focuses on quantifying and understanding the relationship between lifestyle and bone architecture. Before my PhD, I completed an undergraduate degree at McGill. I grew up in Montreal’s Jewish community, studying at Jewish elementary and high school, and attending an Ashkenazi Modern Orthodox synagogue for most of my life. As part of my religious practice, I keep the Sabbath and Kosher dietary laws. These observances have led to interesting experiences at conferences in different cities during my time in grad school. As a student in the sciences, I have also encountered individuals with different perspectives on religion and various religious practices. When I am not in the lab, I like to (try to) go hiking and to explore Montreal. I am also a big fan of sit-coms (especially those with some Jewish content). In my role as a Conversation Partner, I am looking forward to learning more about people from diverse backgrounds and faith traditions. I am hoping to hear how different people approach their balance between religious practice and secular education. Hoping to talk soon!
Noor Ahmed
Program: Philosophy and International Development
Year: U4
Hey there! My name is Noorunnahar. You can call me Noor. As of now, I’m a third-year student majoring in philosophy and international development, while minoring in South Asian studies. I’m born and raised in Montreal. So, I completed my DEC at Dawson College under the Law, Society and Justice program. I would describe myself as a practical yet creative person with a positive outlook. I love talking and listening to people because it broadens my perspective. Spirituality, academics, mental health, social justice, and intersectional feminism, to name a few, are topics that greatly matter to me. In my free time, I enjoy going to the gym, practicing martial arts, reading, writing, listening to music, learning different languages, and driving or going outdoors. Feel free to talk to me if you want to explore Sufism (Islamic mysticism), incorporating meditation or mindfulness in your daily routine or navigating family and university life. On a lighter note, If you want to just talk about fashion, anime, kdrama, Bollywood , UK rap or 90s sitcom and 80s pop, I would be more than happy to. I would love to listen to your point of view on any topic. I can talk about anything and everything. Feel free to reach out!
Nicholas McCorrister
Year: U3
Hello! My name is Nicholas, and I’m a U3 International Development Student. I’m half Canadian and half Colombian, but I grew up in the tiny Southeast Asian nation of Brunei, where I lived for seventeen years. Growing up in Southeast Asia exposed me to various traditions and led me to take an interest in Buddhism along with other Eastern philosophies. Meditation and mindfulness are central to my daily routine and have permanently changed my life for the better. I have undertaken over two hundred hours of Vipassana meditation training and am currently running the McGill Meditation Club. I love how we have created a community of meditators and a space where people feel free to share their experiences in a supportive atmosphere. I also have experience with plant medicines and have participated in six Ayahuasca ceremonies with Shipibo shamans in the Peruvian Amazon. Working with these sacred plants within the context of Indigenous Amazonian culture has given me a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me while strengthening my connection to nature. I would love to chat with anyone about integrating mindfulness and meditation into daily life, spirituality, healing, growing up abroad, mental health, nature, or anything else important to you.
