If you follow Ooks Life on Instagram, you probably know who Tanroop Mahal is. The third-year Bachelor of Business Administration student is featured in countless social media videos promoting campus events — his student engagement efforts seem effortless.
When he started studying human resources at NAIT at 18 years old, he felt a sense of determination.
“That spark turned on immediately when I walked into the doors at NAIT,” he says. “You feel like an adult when you’re walking into a polytechnic, and you feel like you have a responsibility.”
It was the beginning of a cultural campus movement for the Ooks Life Promotions Coordinator, who has now been in the role with NAITSA for three years. Mahal wanted other students to feel welcomed on campus and knew his on-camera representation as a Sikh man was important.
“When you’re a visible minority, sometimes you feel that doesn’t feel right or you shouldn’t be in those spaces, but I feel like if you are a visible minority you should definitely take up those spaces and encourage others to do so,” says Mahal.
Students liked the content he was making for Ooks Life. In his first year with the Ooks Life team, Mahal won the Engagement Champion Award at the 2024 NAITSA Awards Night.
“It felt such an honour,” says Mahal. “To be able to be a first-year and to make such a big impact, like I’m walking around the hallways and people are like, ‘Hey, that’s Tanroop from the video!’”
NAITSA took note of Mahal’s ability to naturally interact with students, and a colleague encouraged to switch from human resources to a marketing concentration. It was the right decision.
Last summer, Mahal scored a social media intern gig with Edmonton Heritage Festival, using his experience with Ooks Life to cater to a younger, cross-cultural demographic for the iconic festival. He’s also the social media lead at Apna Hockey, a non-profit that connects South Asian hockey talent in Canada.
His knack for engagement has been a game-changer on campus, too — specifically for other South Asian students. Mahal wanted to keep growing in his role, so he started dipping his toes into event planning for demographics he knew wanted more event representation on campus.
“Seeing struggles of these international students … that demographic is sometimes not touched on a lot,” he explains. “They’re supported, but they don’t know how to get that support.”
Though Mahal is a domestic student, he can relate to some of the experiences of international students. “It came from experience where I didn’t have it and I wanted to bring it,” he says.
His event planning started with working with NAIT’s International and Intercultural Community Centre to bring back Heritage Fest in 2023, then planning and hosting Desi Night in 2024. Mahal says “Desi” means fun or a “nightlife type of vibe” in Punjabi terms, but the recurring event’s name has since changed to South Asian Fusion Night to be more inclusive to students from across South Asia.
“Seeing people come in their cultural clothes, which I haven’t told them to … that was so beautiful to see,” he says.
The bar nights have packed the Nest with attendees, and the award-winning campus bar has risen to the challenge with adjusted Indian-style menu items.
“It’s little things that make a small difference or a big difference at the end. So we want to make sure that students feel welcomed and safe every time they come into an event,” says Mahal.
“When you’re a visible minority, sometimes you feel that doesn’t feel right or you shouldn’t be in those spaces, but I feel like if you are a visible minority you should definitely take up those spaces and encourage others to do so.”
That representation matters. Karen Velasco, an international student experience supervisor at NAIT’s International and Intercultural Community Centre (IICC), says students celebrating their culture “plays a vital role” in campus life. These in-person experiences were lost over COVID, and now the campus is “rebuilding that community” with students leading the charge through events and clubs.
“International students or students in general that come to NAIT or come to Canada, they sometimes think that they’ve kind of lost their sense of identity because of the cultural adaptation,” she says. “It’s just a reminder that they don’t have to leave their identity at the door.”
It also helps build understanding and connection within the NAIT community, says Velasco. “It’s enriching,” she adds.
These events have piqued the curiosity of students, helping them connect with campus services and facilities — just like Mahal wanted.
“We’re seeing a bigger impact than just a simple, small event trying to sell tickets. You’re seeing students being involved, you’re seeing them come to campus more,” he says. “They’re getting more involved as they see events like these happen.”
Velasco says she’s seen more cultural clubs form over the years. Some of these clubs, like Punjab at NAIT, are highly visible with almost 4,000 followers on Instagram. Like Mahal, they paved the way for more cultural clubs and events on campus.
“This isn’t just a story for the South Asian community, I think this is a story for anyone trying to bring their culture into NAITSA.”
“They find the connection in their own community, and it trickles down to like, ‘Oh, I want to create or join a cultural club,’” says Velasco.
Velasco emphasizes that involved students create a “ripple effect” within their communities.
“Being that representation for their community is such a big deal. And it’s a lot of work. You can’t just do that in one day,” she says.
When students see their peers leading cultural efforts, Velasco says it makes them think they can do that as well. And she says communities like the IICC will have their backs. “I am confident that this campus strives to be an inclusive campus where everyone is celebrated,” she says.
As for Mahal, he’s accomplished a lot, like planning campus events with out of province guests and being a student representative on NAIT’s Board of Governors. He wants to ensure his impact on campus sticks after his planned graduation in 2027, but he feels excited about the direction campus culture is heading.
“This isn’t just a story for the South Asian community, I think this is a story for anyone trying to bring their culture into NAITSA.”
Feature image by Ana Kostyrko / The Nugget
