Students at Derrydown Public School inToronto jump in the air while wearing yellow University of Windsor t-shirts.Students at Derrydown Public School in Toronto received stickers and t-shirts after their classmate Narren Sivasegaram wrote a letter to the University of Windsor with questions about its programs, campus and student experience.

Pupil gets personal presidential response to penned letter

More than 2,400 letters flow through the University of Windsor’s distribution services facility on an average day.

But it was a letter from Narren Sivasegaran that caught the attention of interim president Douglas Kneale.

“To whom it may concern,” the Grade 5 student carefully scribed in pencil. “I am writing to you to get information about your school because I may want to come to your school as a student when I am ready.”

The letter was part of a class assignment at Derrydown Public School in Toronto where each student wrote to the university they were interested in attending.

In his letter, Narren said he’d like to study law, neuroscience, or nursing and would like to know more about UWindsor’s clubs, scholarships, and its diversity.

Along with sending Narren literature about the University of Windsor, Dr. Kneale recorded a video answering each one of his questions and sent T-shirts and stickers for the entire class.

“Here, you’re not a number. You’re part of a community of teaching and learning,” Kneale said in the video, which also featured a message from Lancer mascot Winston.

“We pride ourselves on strong and effective teaching.”

The video resonated with the enthusiastic student.

“Your package has helped me think more about my future,” Narren said in a video. “Your package is a really great reminder that I can do anything I want.”

Kofi Osei-Bonsu, Narren’s teacher, said his students were “thrilled” to receive the video, T-shirts, and stickers sent by the University of Windsor.

“This is something the students won’t soon forget,” Osei-Bonsu said. “The seed for my students to begin thinking about their educational future has been planted.”


— Dylan Kristy