For Varsity Blues men's soccer goalkeeper Alex Lin, identity provides the drive forward. From his current community outreach to future professional career goals, the human biology and nutritional science double major wants to ensure the communities he is a member of receive fair treatment and representation. 

"As a multi-racial individual who has and identifies with their Black ancestry, I am currently applying to medical schools with the goal of serving the community with which I identify better than they are currently treated," explained Lin. "I have watched the Black community with which I self-identify be disproportionately affected by health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, and kidney disease, all of which have affected one or more of my Black family members. Growing up, I have often seen the differential treatment my mother receives compared to my father, from store clerks, law enforcement, or even healthcare professionals. This has shaped my career goals toward ensuring better treatment for marginalized communities, mainly when trying to access healthcare services." 

The eye on the future does not look beyond the present though as Lin has been an active advocate on campus, serving as a member of the BIPOC Varsity Association (BVA), including as Chair over the last two years. The BVA is a community for BIPOC-identifying (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) Varsity Blues student-athletes across all three U of T campuses. The group partakes in community work alongside U of T's EDI office including such initiatives as Black Applicant Day, Indigenous Education Week, Asian Heritage Month, and Black History Month. His contributions with the BVA garnered Lin recognition, receiving this fall the 2025 OUA Men's Soccer Champion of EDI Award. 

"I had the privilege of joining the BVA as a general member right from my first year. It provided me with a group of like-minded athletes who, while all coming from different backgrounds, all shared similar experiences as people of colour often under-represented in their sport. The BVA made me feel welcome, and to this day it remains my primary objective as Chair to continue to provide young student-athletes that same safe space that made my transition to university life so much more comfortable." 

A three-time U SPORTS academic all-Canadian, Lin is using his studies to build a foundation. This is what he will use for his ultimate goal of continuing to help his communities even beyond graduation. 

"With the intentions of applying to Medical school, I wanted to ensure I was equipped with an undergraduate background that would best prepare me for the ever-evolving study of Medicine. My Human Biology major gave me a strong understanding of the human body and its physiological processes & functions, and courses related to genetics & ethical scientific practices furthered my appreciation of the complexity of healthcare provider-patient interactions. The Nutritional Sciences major taught me to better question the process behind the scientific results, and develop an ability to critically analyze published scientific works."