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Career X

Career X: Explore. Connect. Exchange.

Join a three-day, cohort-based experiential learning program that blends the best of our Job Shadowing and In the Field programs, with a special thematic twist.

In collaboration with U of T’s Hart House Hip Hop Education program, this year we will be exploring careers and organizations which embody their work through a Hip Hop lens. This means careers buoyed by creativity, self-expression, community, equity and even social justice.

Experience a career exploration journey with a tight cohort of fellow participants which involves elements of fashion, music, design and more, as we connect with the working professionals that embody the Hip Hop spirit.

Who can join

  • Students from all programs at U of T
  • Graduate students, including Masters and PhDs
  • Recent alumni (up to 2 years post-graduation)

Registration is free and first-come, first-served.

Schedule & Locations

Fall 2025 Reading Week
Monday, October 27 – Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Monday, October 27

10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Hart House, Music Room (7 Hart House Circle)

1:30 – 4 p.m.
Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor St W)

Tuesday, October 28

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Makeway (91 Walnut Ave)

1 PM to 2:30 PM
Stackt Market (28 Bathurst St) – Optional Session

Wednesday, October 29

10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Universal Music Canada (80 Atlantic Ave)

12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Left Field Restaurant & Brewery (40 Hanna Ave, Suite G1)

If there are any updates or additions to the Career X schedule, all registrants will be directly contacted via email to communicate the changes.

In addition to the session taking place on campus at Hart House, we will also be traveling to several off-campus locations within the downtown core. 

Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the off-campus sites.  All locations will be easily accessible via public transit.

What to expect from Career X

Experience careers up close

Visit diverse workplaces, meet professionals, and discover a range of industries and career pathways.

Connect and exchange ideas

Make new connections and build career-minded relationships with our featured employers, guest speakers, U of T staff and your fellow participants. Ask questions, share insights, and learn how identity and career journeys intersect in real-work settings.

Gain real-world perspective

See workplace cultures and teams in action. Observe different roles, hear stories from professionals and reflect on your own path with support from the group.

Register for Career X

Register on CLNx before Monday, October 20 at 12 p.m.

Hosts & Speakers

Abby smiling and sitting on a couch.

Abby Albino

Co-Founder, Makeway
Makeway website

Throughout her career, Abby has led PR & Marketing strategies for many sports & entertainment brands including Nike Toronto, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Foot Locker & many more. Currently, she is the Head of Brand and Business Strategy at Canada Basketball.

As a proud child of immigrant parents, Abby also co-founded Rise Tribe, a non-profit aimed to power the next generation of Filipino-Canadian leaders. Her love of sneakers, streetwear culture & building community led her to launch Makeway as a way to give women a much-needed space to feel celebrated & to cultivate a community that has been, for so long, underserved.

Elizabeth smiling and looking off to the side in front of The Bata Shoe Museum sign.

Elizabeth Semmelhack

Director and Senior Curator, Bata Shoe Museum
Bata Show Museum website

Elizabeth Semmelhack is the Director and Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum. Her work focuses on the intersections of fashion, culture, and economics with a particular interest in the history of footwear. She is widely quoted in the media from the New York Times to Vogue and since starting in 2000, she has curated over 30 exhibitions, written 14 books and catalogues and over 30 chapters and articles.

Her most recent exhibitions are Rough and Ready: A History of Cowboy Boots (2025), Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists (2024), Exhibit A: Investigating Crime and Footwear co-curated with Dr. Alison Matthews Davids (2024), Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks (2022), All Dolled Up: Fashioning Cultural Expectations (2021), The Great Divide: Footwear and the Age of Enlightenment (2020).

Her most recent publications include Rough and Ready: A History of Cowboy Boots (Rizzoli, 2026), Roger Vivier (Rizzoli, 2026), Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks (Rizzoli: 2022), The World at Your Feet: The Bata Shoe Museum Collection (Rizzoli: 2020), Collab: Sneakers x Culture (Rizzoli: 2019), Dior by Roger Vivier (Rizzoli: 2019), Shoes: The Meaning of Style (Reaktion: 2017).

Jess Sanchez portrait

Jess Sanchez

Santa Isla
Santa Isla website

Jess Sanchez is an artist, jewelry designer and founder of Santa Isla. Santa Isla makes jewelry in partnership with Embera Chami artisans of Colombia. Chami means “mountain,” and Embera means “people”; they are an indigenous group who practice the power of the spirits who they trust to regulate life, health, livelihood and nature. The Embera Chami believe they weave spiritual intentions as a way to connect back to nature.   

Established in 2013 by Jess Sanchez, Santa Isla is a love letter to Colombia. Santa Isla celebrates the Embera’s weaving practice and respects its cultural significance, to create playful and intentional pieces that bring joy. 

Santa Isla has been featured as part of the AGO exhibition Faith and Fortune: Art Across the Global Spanish Empire. It is committed to representing the Embera Chami and keeping their cultural legacy alive. Santa Isla helps Embera culture breathe and expand. They work with a small group of Embera artisans, providing them with a source of income and an opportunity to showcase their art to the world. 

Headshot of Nadine smiling and sitting on a stool with her arms and legs crossed in front.

Nadine Brown-Stoddart

Owner, Her Collective Agency
Her Collective Agency on Instagram

Nadine Brown-Stoddart, owner of Her Collective Agency, dedicated seven years to one of the leading footwear retailers, Foot Locker. During her five-year tenure in community engagement, she served as a connector fostering relationships, creating opportunities, and building events that resonated with the vibrant and diverse city of Toronto.

With over 20 years of experience in marketing, Nadine has held various roles at major retail companies such as Danier Leather, Club Monaco, Foot Locker, and Loblaws.

Nadine is passionate about curating experiences that connect with enthusiasts of sneakers, art, sports, and fashion, with a strong focus on women-led events. She is committed to celebrating vibrant cultures and the diverse communities they inspire, bringing together like-minded industry movers and shakers to craft unforgettable gatherings that leave a lasting impact and create space for those seeking opportunity.

Shanelle McKenzie in a studio portrait shot looking to the right

Shanelle McKenzie

The Villij
The Villij website

Shanelle McKenzie is the co-founder of The Villij, a wellness studio for women of colour where “movement meets community.” Founded in 2017 by Shanelle and her business partner, Kimberley Knight, The Villij began as a pop-up yoga experience and has since evolved into a thriving movement and wellness studio in Toronto’s East End.


Rooted in community care and meaningful connection, The Villij reflects Shanelle’s vision to transform the way women of colour nurture their well-being. Under her leadership, the studio continues to grow as a space that supports clients through every stage of their fitness and self-care journey. The Villij will celebrate the second anniversary of its brick-and-mortar location next month, marking another milestone in Shanelle’s ongoing commitment to building inclusive wellness spaces.

Shelby Weaver

Co-Founder, Makeway
Makeway website

Shelby is the owner & founder of Mack House, North America’s first self-service sneaker customization studio, as well as the Director of Basketball Advancement for the Toronto Raptors. Playing Basketball is what ignited her love for sneakers & she hasn’t looked back since.

She founded Makeway because she was tired of putting up with an industry & retail experience that was unwelcoming & made for men, but more importantly, to build a safe place for women to come together in the name of sneakers. Shelby also works with underserved youth as a basketball coach and mentor for her athlete’s off-court development.

Sydney Reyes

Sydney Reyes

Makeway / Hoopqueens
Makeway website
Hoopqueens website

Sydney Rey is a multidisciplinary creator and storyteller blending journalism, fashion, and culture through an authentic, visually driven lens. With roots in journalism and a love for travel, she’s built a creative career that spans writing, modeling, and digital storytelling, all grounded in exploration and self-expression.

Currently, Sydney works as a Digital Manager for Makeway and Hoopqueens, where she combines creative direction and digital strategy to elevate brand stories and community engagement. Through her content creation and modeling, she’s partnered with global brands including Nike, Adidas Canada, CIROC, Captain Morgan’s, WNBA x Peace Collective, Toronto Raptors, BMW Canada, Footlocker, UGG, AMEX, Coors Light, and the Bahamas Tourism Board, creating campaigns that connect culture, creativity, and community.

Her storytelling thrives at the intersection of sports, fashion, and lifestyle, with a special focus on sneakers and streetwear culture. Beyond her brand work, Sydney is also a published writer with bylines in Sportsnet, Complex Canada, MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, and ByBlacks, where she explores the worlds of sports, entertainment, and business.

Whether she’s behind the camera, in front of it, or leading digital strategy, Sydney brings a collaborative spirit and a distinct cultural voice to everything she creates.

Tee Fergus kneeling with a paintbrush pointed to the ground, outside on concrete.

Tee Fergus

The Quantum Garden
The Quantum Garden on Instagram

Thomarya ‘Tee’ Fergus is a visionary artist whose work transcends boundaries and explores the depths of human, universal, and spiritual connections and imaginations. With a passion for creativity that has burned brightly since childhood, Tee has honed her craft over the years to become a recognized force in the art world. 

Born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and now based in Toronto, ON, Tee draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of life experiences, cultural influences and the ever-changing world around her. Her art is a fusion of various mediums, from bold acrylic paintings that burst with color and energy, to photography, illustration, and textiles that invite viewers to delve into intricate worlds of imagination. As an artist, Thomarya believes in the transformative power of art to inspire, heal, and connect.  

The Quantum Garden represents a place where potential is tangible, and possibilities are endless. Venture with Tee through an imagination oasis, an offering of sanctuary for peoples’ healing, a place to shed and renew, a hub to reconnect or disconnect. The collection is housed in Makeway’s flagship store. 

Program partner

Program Sponsor

adidas Canada
https://www.adidas.ca/en