By Joeperry Goode, Geography Major (SCHPA Senior Advisor, GCSA 4th Year Representative)
Benjamin Potruff is the Program Advisor for Geography and City Studies at UTSC. He is the go-to person for student needs such as deciding on course selection and successful program completion. He can explain course prerequisites, help follow university rules and regulations, advise on petitions, and talk to students about postgraduate opportunities. Benamin handles essential departmental administration work such as scheduling courses and hiring course instructors. Benjamin is not only an experienced program advisor, but also a PhD candidate in the Department of History at the University of Toronto where he teaches a D-level seminar in American History on the St. George Campus.
In our conversation, Benjamin emphasized the importance of self-leadership, and encouraged students to pursue an academic path based on their own interests and free will. He is glad to advise students on a variety of academic program issues, so if anyone has trouble navigating their way around requirements and schedules, Benjamin is the man. His office is in MW200, on the second floor of the MW Building. For Winter 2014 term, his office hours are 8:45am - 1:00pm and 1:30pm - 5:30pm from Monday to Thursday, and 8:45am - 12:00pm on Friday.