Applications are now open for the Urbanist-in-Residence program at the School of Cities!
Urbanists-in-Residence are prominent influencers practicing in civil society, the arts, business, media or the public service. They are committed to community engagement and have a clear project focus aligned with the School of Cities.
Submit your application and supporting documents by January 25, 2025.
Application process
Please complete and submit the application form. All applications must be submitted electronically with uploads in the requested format (.pdf).
Supporting documentation needed to apply
Please ensure you have all of the requisite documentation available in digital format prior to beginning the application process. Please note we only accept documents in .PDF form. Once you have compiled the required documentation, please fill out the Urbanist-in-Residence application form including:
- A personal statement (maximum 500 words) describing what makes you an ideal candidate for Urbanist-in-Residence and a brief outline of proposed project focus and/or interest aligned with the School of Cities’ mission
- A curriculum vitae, no more than 3 pages, including:
- Record of experience and practice in civil society, the arts, business, media or the public service
- Portfolio with significant urban focus
- Experience and commitment to community engagement
- Demonstration of influence and prominence on a national or global scale
FAQs
Following the application process, eligible candidates are reviewed by the Appointments Committee, comprised of members of the School of Cities Leadership Team, Advisory Council, former Canadian Urban Leader(s) and chaired by the Director.
All appointments will be for a one-year term.
Applications are due January 25, 2025 at 5 PM ET
Please ensure you have all of the requisite documentation available in digital format prior to beginning the nomination process. Please note we only accept documents in .PDF form.
Please submit:
- A personal statement (maximum 500 words) describing what makes you an ideal candidate for Urbanist-in-Residence and a brief outline of proposed project focus and/or interest aligned with the School of Cities’ mission
- A curriculum vitae, no more than 3 pages, including:
- Record of experience and practice in civil society, the arts, business, media or the public service
- Portfolio with significant urban focus
- Experience and commitment to community engagement
- Demonstration of influence and prominence on a national or global scale
Candidates for Urbanist-in-Residence must have:
- Experience practicing in civil society, the arts, business, media or the public service
- Experience and commitment to community engagement
- A clear project focus and/or interest aligned with the School of Cities mission
- Influence and/or prominence on a national or global scale
Applicants should consider the eligibility criteria for Canadian Urban Leader and decide which designation best suits their skills and experience. Applicants should submit in the category that best fits the experience and proposed project focus.
Funding of up to $15,000 CAD is available to cover expenses. Funding must be used for research, speaking-engagement and conference travel or travel to engage in activities at the University of Toronto.
Yes. We encourage applications from all who meet the eligibility criteria.
All appointments will be for a one-year term with the possibility for renewal.
All applications will be considered based on the eligibility requirements and articulation of clear project focus aligned with the School of Cities.
The School of Cities at the University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized pesons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous/Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, and others who may contribute to further diversification of ideas.
Please email outreach.sofc@utoronto.ca with any questions or requests.
Current Urbanists-in-Residence
Lanrick Bennett Jr.
Executive Director of Charlie’s FreeWheels
Nation Cheong
Vice President of Community Impact and Mobilization
The co-Founders of Monumental, Zahra Ebrahim and Kofi Hope, remain on board as continuing Urbanists-in-Residence.
Zahra Ebrahim is a public interest designer, a strategist and an established bridge-builder across grassroots and institutional spaces. Before founding Monumental with Kofi Hope, Zahra built and led Doblin Canada, Deloitte’s Human Centred-Design practice, focusing on engaging diverse stakeholders to use design-led approaches to address complex organizational and industry challenges. Zahra led one of Canada’s first social design studios in her early career, working with communities to co-design toward better social outcomes, leading some of Canada’s most ambitious participatory infrastructure and policy programs. Zahra has taught at OCADU, MoMA, and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto. She is the Vice-Chair of the Canadian Urban Institute and the Board Chair for Park People. She has been recognized as a Next City’s Vanguard, Ascend Canada’s Mentor of the Year, one of “Tomorrow’s Titans” in Toronto Life, and one of WXN’s Top 100 Women in Canadian Business.
Kofi Hope is a Rhodes Scholar and has a Doctorate in Politics from Oxford University. He writes a monthly opinion column for the Toronto Star newspaper and is an emeritus Bousfield Scholar and adjunct professor at U of T’s School of Geography and Planning. He serves as a Senior Fellow at the Wellesley Institute and is a board member at the Atkinson Foundation. In 2017 he was the winner of the Jane Jacobs Prize and, in 2018 a Rising Star on Toronto Life’s Power List. Kofi was the co-founder and former Executive Director of the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals. In 2005 he established the Black Youth Coalition Against Violence, advocating for real solutions to gun violence and being named one of the Top 10 People to Watch in Toronto in 2006 by the Toronto Star.
Monumental is committed to building more fair and just cities where social power is increasingly redistributed among local communities and neighbourhoods. They’re working towards this goal that resonates with the School of Cities’ strategic priorities through research, public engagement, policy development and civic education to craft pragmatic solutions for critical urban issues. They believe that design, leveraged responsibly, has the potential to create significant and lasting change across sectors only when it is done together with those most affected by its outcomes. They leverage the most impactful components of human-centred design, co-design, and community action research to transform services, policies, and infrastructure. They resist siloed work that focuses on short-term outcomes. They are passionate about spearheading bold, change-making initiatives that are collaborative in their design, flexible and responsive in their implementation, and grounded in equitable and sustainable relationships.