Abbas Somji Joint Journalism Program Graduate

A graduate of Milliken Mills High School in Markham, Ontario, Abbas Somji is a Centennial College / UTSC Journalism Joint program alumnus from 2008.

While an undergraduate, Somji worked a summer as a bilingual tour guide on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, free-lanced for local newspapers in Markham, edited Toronto-based AMÖI Magazine and dabbled in events photography for the South Asian publication, Anokhi Magazine. In addition to English, he is fluent in French and Gujarati.

He has also held internships at MTV Canada, OMNI Television, and CBC Radio.

After graduating with a B.A., he moved to Moncton, New Brunswick, to work as a reporter-newsreader with CBC Radio News, covering everything from crime to concerts. During the October 2008 federal election, Somji got a chance to interview Liberal leader Stéphane Dion and tailed the Prime Minister's campaign bus as it passed through the province.

Somji is currently pursuing his MA in Communication & Culture from York University (joint with Ryerson University). His research involves studying the representation of visible minority journalists in mainstream Canadian media .

Somji's classes at Centennial College helped spark his interest in broadcast journalism. He practiced interviewing, editing and delivering radio newscasts live to air on Observer Radio News. Somji also appeared on Centennial's television news program, CCTV News.