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York U Class of 2021: A pandemic can’t keep this Tamil grandma from graduating

Varathaledchumy Shanmuganathan
Varathaledchumy Shanmuganathan

Varathaledchumy Shanmuganathan, known as Varatha, is among the more than 4,000 resilient students, some young enough to be her grandchildren, who celebrated their graduation during York University’s virtual fall convocation on Nov. 2.

This story has been corrected. Shanmuganathan is in fact 87 years young!

It was a very special occasion for both York and Shanmuganathan, because she earned the distinction of becoming the oldest person to receive a master’s degree from the University. She’s also one of the oldest women to obtain a graduate degree from a Canadian university.

Born in Velanai, a small village on Velanai Island off the coast of Jaffna Peninsula in Northern Sri Lanka, Shanmuganathan has lived in and taught in four continents, though her education could have very well ended before entering the post-secondary education system. Despite passing with distinction in intermediate-level schooling, she was unable to continue higher studies in her native land because there were limited seats available for ethnic and gender-minority students at that time.

“One of my teachers advised my parents to send me abroad for college education, so they sent me to India,” said Shanmuganathan, who earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Madras in Tamil Nadu state. After returning to Sri Lanka, she taught Indian history and English at a local school and eventually received a diploma in education from Ceylon University. Her ambition to study further came to a pause when her father became ill and she had to take care of the family’s affairs. She then got married to a teacher and they moved out of Sri Lanka to seek better opportunities.

In 2004, Shanmuganathan immigrated to Canada via Ethiopia, Sierra Leon, Nigeria and the United Kingdom after her daughter sponsored her. Her quest for acquiring further knowledge was rekindled when she heard from a relative about York University’s tuition waiver incentive for seniors. Encouraged by her daughter who is an MBA graduate from York’s Schulich School of Business, Shanmuganathan applied to the master’s program in political science.

Shanmuganathan submitted a compelling statement of interest for returning to grad school as a student after nearly 40 years. The statement starts, “My interested in politics is something that I grew up with as World War II started when I was five years old in Ceylon, later named Sri Lanka. I understood the impact that war and violence involving multiple nations can have across oceans.”

At age 85, she was accepted into the program in the Fall/Winter 2019 session. “It was a great change for me to go into the campus, walking in hallways, reading at the library … and do things like youngsters. I loved it,” she said. “Every time I was on campus, it felt like I was in a temple. Very peaceful and rejuvenating.”

The resident of Vaughan, Ont., also quips about how the cab drivers and others she encountered during her commute to the campus thought she was a professor at York and were surprised when they learned she was a student. “I was very proud to tell them I was indeed a student. I believe in lifelong learning for seniors, educating themselves beyond conventional limits placed on them in society,” said Shanmuganathan.

She completed her first master’s degree in her mid-50s at the University of London’s Birkbeck College, where she taught English and economics, before finding a niche in teaching English as a second language. While her first master’s was on the attitudes of Sri Lankan Tamils in England towards language, partially driven by the community’s need to belong in new cultures and political situations, for the York degree, she chose to study non-violence for national peace building and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

“I grew up in the time when Mahatma Gandhi led India’s independence. In my teenage years, Gandhi’s ideas and teachings as to how non-violent methods could be adopted in politics, in theory and practice impressed me very much,” she remembered, adding that later in her life she was also influenced by the principles of former South African president Nelson Mandela and Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama. “I was intrigued by the philosophy behind politics as a science.”

Shanmuganathan defended her major research paper via Zoom, on the causes of the civil war, peace processes and the prospect of peace in Sri Lanka. “The war has ended but there’s no peace unless and until the grievances of Tamils are properly resolved. Power sharing and stake in the constitution will bring peace,” her paper concluded. “There is peace in the horizon, but it will take a long time to achieve.”

Though her in-person campus experience was cut short by the pandemic, Shanmuganathan says she was determined to complete what she started. The transition to online learning was a bit difficult in the beginning, especially with a four-year-old grandchild in the house and her daughter and son-in-law working from home, but she was able to quickly adjust to the new normal.

“Anything I start, I will finish. Always,” said Shanmuganathan, who plans to write a book based on her research, on post-war Sri Lanka and prospects for peace.

The Fall 2021 Graduation Celebration will take place online, Nov. 2

Convocation 20221 Featured image for YFile

York University’s newest graduates will be recognized during a virtual Graduation Celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

The event, which will take place online with specific times for each faculty, has been created in place of traditional convocation ceremonies due to the ongoing public health concerns resulting from COVID-19. When it is safe to do so, graduates from the Class of 2021 will be honoured at an in-person convocation.

Planning has been focused on incorporating as many elements of the traditional convocation as is possible in a virtual event. Included in the Graduation Celebration will be the Honour Song and the national anthem, along with recorded remarks from York University Chancellor Gregory Sobora, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton and Faculty deans. During the virtual event, graduands will experience the ceremonial conferral of degrees. Their names will be read along with a personal graduation slide that lists their name, degree, program, and any academic honours. These videos will be played via livestream on YouTube Premieres, and the full schedule is available on the Convocation website.

Graduands were offered the opportunity to pick up their Convocation packages (which included a special Graduation Celebration box) on campus during Grad Days, which took place during the Fall Reading Week in October. In addition to picking up their package including their diploma, graduands were also able to take photos with two guests against a special Convocation backdrop.  Graduands who were unable to attend Grad Days, will receive their special Graduation Celebration box by courier. Each personalized Graduation Celebration box was packed with care by York University staff and contains the student’s diploma, cap and tassel, a convocation program and some other special items to help them celebrate.

York University is also offering a suite of digital assets, including Zoom backgrounds, GIF stickers and Augmented Reality filters. Graduates can also listen to or submit songs for the York University Class of 2021 Spotify playlist. All of the digital assets can be found on the main Convocation website.

President Lenton offers an update on Fall 2021 convocation

YFile Featured image VARI hall

After careful consideration, York University, Ryerson University, Seneca College and the University of Toronto have each made the difficult decision not to hold in-person fall convocation ceremonies.

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear community members, 

As we begin to welcome our community members back onto our campuses today, I want to provide you with an update on our Fall 2021 convocation ceremonies.  

After careful consideration, given the ongoing public health concerns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and current public health restrictions, York University, Ryerson University, Seneca College and the University of Toronto have each made the difficult decision not to hold in-person fall convocation ceremonies.  

Although each institution will have a unique approach to celebrating their graduates this year, we know that this news will still be disappointing to many of our community members.

Here at York, we are committed to ensuring that all of our graduates have the opportunity to join us for in-person celebrations when it is safe to do so, and we look forward to acknowledging the achievements of our graduates in person at a future date. In the meantime, the University is working to create a memorable virtual graduation celebration for this fall, which will include the delivery of special graduation packages containing diplomas and other commemorative items. We are also planning to enhance our fall celebration event with a variety of in-person activities, including diploma pickup and photo opportunities, as public health guidelines allow. More information on these plans will be shared with graduating students shortly. 

While we know the fall convocation ceremonies may look different than many of us had hoped, we remain incredibly proud of our graduating students, and the determination and perseverance they have shown throughout their time at York. Earning a university degree is a remarkable achievement at any time, but it is all the more extraordinary during a global pandemic. 
 
Sincerely, 

Rhonda L. Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor 

Mise à jour sur la remise des diplômes d’automne 2021

Chers membres de la communauté, 

Alors que nous commençons à accueillir les membres de notre communauté sur nos campus aujourd’hui, je souhaite vous fournir une mise à jour sur nos cérémonies de remise de diplômes de l’automne 2021.   

Après mûre réflexion, compte tenu des préoccupations actuelles de santé publique résultant de la pandémie de la COVID-19 et des restrictions sanitaires actuelles, l’Université York, l’Université Ryerson, le Collège Seneca et l’Université de Toronto ont pris la décision difficile de ne pas organiser de remise des diplômes en personne cet automne.  

Chaque établissement aura une approche unique pour célébrer ses diplômés cette année, mais nous comprenons que cette nouvelle sera décevante pour de nombreux membres de notre communauté.
À York, nous nous engageons à faire en sorte que tous nos diplômés et diplômées aient la possibilité de se joindre à nous pour des célébrations en personne lorsque cela sera sécuritaire. Nous avons hâte de reconnaître les réalisations de nos diplômés et diplômées lors d’une célébration en personne à une date ultérieure. Entre-temps, l’Université prépare une cérémonie virtuelle de remise des diplômes mémorable cet automne, qui comprendra la livraison de trousses spéciales contenant les diplômes et d’autres articles commémoratifs. Nous prévoyons également rehausser cette célébration d’automne en organisant diverses activités en personne, notamment la collecte des diplômes et des séances photo, si les directives de santé publique le permettent. Plus d’informations à ce sujet seront communiquées prochainement aux finissants et finissantes. 

Les cérémonies de remise des diplômes de cet automne seront différentes de nos espérances, mais nous sommes extrêmement fiers de nos diplômés et diplômées, de leur détermination et de leur persévérance tout au long de leur parcours à York. L’obtention d’un diplôme universitaire est toujours une réalisation marquante, mais elle l’est d’autant plus durant une pandémie mondiale. 

Sincères salutations, 

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière 

Like mother, like son: Introducing the first mother-son MFA screenwriting graduates in York history

Morgan Fics and Nicole Alexander featured

As many York University graduates geared up for the final hurrah of their academic careers this month, one soon-to-be grad who won’t don her cap and gown until fall breathed a big sigh of relief, having just defended her four-years-in-the-making master’s thesis. Nicole Alexander has now all but convocated with her master of fine arts (MFA) in screenwriting from York’s Department of Cinema & Media Arts. She follows rather untraditionally in the footsteps of her eldest son, Morgan Fics, who accepted the very same degree five years ago – making them the first mother-son MFA screenwriting graduates in York history. And the story of how they got here – together – is definitely one worth telling.

Morgan Fics and Nicole Alexander
Morgan Fics (left) and Nicole Alexander (right)

The son

Growing up in Winnipeg, Fics wanted to be a writer for as long as he can remember, penning short stories every chance he got and imagining his bright future as a novelist. After high school, he took some time off to travel and write before realizing that he should pursue post-secondary education to help improve his craft. He soon enrolled at the University of Winnipeg, where his interests shifted from English literature to film after a professor pointed out that his work was better suited to scripts than prose. And after completing his first screenwriting course, he knew it was a perfect fit.

Tick Tock film poster
The poster for Morgan Fics’s 2018 short film Tick Tock

Encouragement from a trusted mentor led Fics to then decide to apply for a master’s program next. York’s was the only graduate screenwriting program in the country at the time, so he applied and was thrilled to be accepted.

“I remember the day they called me,” he says. “I was at work and I basically broke down crying in the middle of this tech support call centre I was working at. It was very, very exciting.”

Fics happened to know three people from Winnipeg who were going through York’s small but mighty graduate film program at the same time, in different streams. “And because of that, I had a really strong connection between all three aspects of the department,” he explains, “so I spent a lot of time on set, I got to do a lot of producing and a lot of story editing.”

His many fond memories from York University centre around the mentorship and collaboration among his fellow students, spending a lot of time workshopping and getting to know each other really well. He is still in contact with some of them today.

Since graduating in 2016, Fics has been busy. He has made several short films, the most recent of which, Tick Tock (2018), qualified for both the Canadian Screen Awards and the Academy Awards, and won best drama at the Toronto Shorts International Film Festival and an award of excellence at Canada Shorts. Finding the Restorative Narrative (2015), which he worked on with another York MFA grad, is part of the late York University Professor Amnon Buchbinder’s interactive website Biology of Story. And a new screenplay that he cowrote and hopes to co-direct is currently being shopped around to North American production companies.

Fics has also been exploring his interest in teaching by working as a teaching assistant for the Biology of Story course at York for several years and instructing a screenwriting course in the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. “I think teaching is one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever gotten to do with my life,” he says, “and I think that’s a lot of influence from my mom, for sure.”

Looking ahead, Fics hopes to have a varied career that includes making independent Canadian feature films and teaching part-time, while doing some script-doctoring and story editing on the side. “I basically want to do a million things at once so I’m always fresh for whatever is going on,” he says with a laugh.

The mother

Alexander, who earned her bachelor of education from the University of Manitoba and graduated from Chicago’s Second City sketch comedy writing program, kept her passion for writing mostly on the back burner as she raised her young family and worked as a teacher. But once her three kids reached their teenage years, she decided to take a crack at her first film script, something she had always dreamt of doing. She submitted that debut screenplay, The Suicide Club, to the WFF Praxis Screenwriters Lab – 21 years ago now – and, to her surprise, it was selected. But with a full-time job and three kids at home, there still wasn’t much time for her to pursue writing in any significant way. However, with her interest piqued, she went on to complete two more feature scripts in her stolen moments, plus a funny book on internet dating called Cyber Love Muse.

When all three of Alexander’s adult children left Winnipeg for graduate programs, she decided to head overseas to teach. She spent two years in Thailand and a year in South Korea, and it was then, when she was really missing her family and not knowing where to settle next, that Fics encouraged her to apply for the MFA in screenwriting at York. She hadn’t previously considered it, but she liked the idea.

“I think I needed a break from teaching and I’ve always wanted to become a better writer. I still do,” she says. “And I was shocked they let me in but they did.”

She lived on campus for two years and loved every minute of it. “Because I had my kids so young, living on campus was just so much fun,” she says. “I was really quiet and I had a cat, so I wasn’t like a usual college student, but I really appreciated the experience. Just having the time to explore the writing was such a privilege.”

The most memorable part of the program for Alexander was the short film she created, as it was her first time experimenting with other aspects of filmmaking outside of writing. “I got to write, direct and shoot, and that was an absolutely amazing experience,” she recalls.

After a difficult final year spent finishing her thesis, returning to teaching and moving back to Winnipeg to take care of her elderly father, who recently passed, Alexander is now beginning to feel like she can start to enjoy the fruits of her labour. “Now I can say that I have my MFA from York in screenwriting,” she says excitedly. “I’m relieved. There’s a real jubilance underneath that is starting to come out.”

She will be moving back to Ontario this summer, and although she’ll still be teaching, Alexander hopes to spend the next year finishing up the two scripts she has on the go and trying to do something with her thesis script, which she has already submitted to some competitions. “My goal is to segue from teaching to writing full-time, if that’s possible,” says Alexander. “I’m aiming for a new career – why not, right?”

Nicole Alexander (left) and Morgan Fics (right)
Nicole Alexander (left) and Morgan Fics (right)

A family affair

Top of mind for both mother and son is to work on a project together now that Alexander is finished her MFA and finally able to dedicate her attention to something other than her thesis. “We’ve still got some time before the school year kicks off and I have a feeling that we’ll probably pound out a script ASAP,” says Fics assuredly.

But this won’t be the first time this mother-son duo collaborates on work. The pair has a long history of working together – while Fics completed his MFA studies, and while Alexander went through hers.

“When I would write a script, I would send it to my mom and she would read it and help with the editing,” explains Fics. “It was back and forth like this, with her stuff too. I actually edited her short film, the one that she shot at York. We’ve been working together for 15 years.”

Their tight-knit bond became especially important as they both navigated through some very heavy and interconnected material for their master’s theses. “We got really lucky to have each other during both of our journeys,” says Fics, “especially because we both did very personal thesis topics that centred around one particular individual from our lives, my father and my mom’s ex,” who passed away during the first year of Alexander’s MFA.

“It was very healing, writing that script,” Fics says. “I honestly don’t think I could have done it without my mom. It was a long process of, I guess I would call it grieving, of trying to move through the story of my relationship with my father and how that ended up playing out within the script. And something I always wished is that he could have read it.”

“It was quite the journey,” Alexander agrees. “I call it my personal therapy.”

By Lindsay MacAdam, communications officer, Communications & Public Affairs, York University

President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton congratulates York’s Class of 2021

Convocation 20221 Featured image for YFile

The following is a message from President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton to York University’s newest alumni:

On behalf of the entire York University community, I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations on your graduation, and to welcome you to the York alumni family.

York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton
York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton

Although the circumstances you are graduating into today are truly extraordinary, I am confident that your education at York has prepared you to succeed, whether you choose to pursue a career, further education or another endeavour. While the pandemic has had profound effects on the ways we live and work, many of the changes we have experienced over the past year were underway long before the first lockdown – the pandemic has simply exposed them or increased the speed at which we felt their effects.

Trends in automation and artificial intelligence, for example, were already changing the ways we looked at work, and the types of roles we were preparing our students to take on. The abilities you have developed during your time at York – like problem-solving, critical thinking and language skills – are broad and transferable, and will serve you well no matter your path through life.

Similarly, York’s commitment to excellence, access, connectedness and impact has ensured that you are graduating as a globally minded citizen with a strong appreciation for serving the public good. Throughout your time at York, you have also demonstrated courage, perseverance and resilience in myriad ways, never more so than over the past year. I hope you will maintain these values throughout your lives and careers, and that you will continue to draw on them to help address the complex global challenges we face today, from homelessness to inequality to climate change, and of course the pandemic.

I look forward to seeing the many ways you will continue to drive positive change in the future, and remain confident that you possess the skills and experience necessary to navigate any challenges you might encounter along the way.

As our university motto reminds us, Tentanda Via: the way must be tried.

Congratulations once again to all of our Class of 2021 graduates, and all my best for a healthy and prosperous future.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor

Three York graduate students awarded Governor General’s Gold Medals

GG Gold Medal winners featured

Three York University graduates are the recipients of this year’s Governor General’s Gold Medals, which recognize the outstanding scholastic achievements of graduate students in Canada. This year’s recipients are Gehrig Carlse, Junjie Kang and Jordana Waxman.

About the recipients

Gehrig Carlse earned a BSc (Honours) in biophysics from York University before continuing on to earn his MSc in physics and astronomy. His master’s thesis investigated the kinematics of airborne microparticles on timescales at which diffusive motion transitions to ballistic motion. By confining these tiny particles with free-space optical tweezers – essentially holding particles at the centre of a focused laser beam – he developed a new technique to rapidly characterize and measure their masses with high levels of precision.

“I am very grateful to be receiving the Governor General’s Gold Medal,” says Carlse. “I know the award is an individual honour, but in my case, I think the recognition really reflects the contributions of my family, friends and colleagues, who have all helped put me in a great position to succeed.”

Interestingly, the microparticle measurement technique that Carlse created was made possible due to a new class of high-power diode laser systems that he also had a hand in developing in conjunction with an industrial project that he worked on during the summers of his undergraduate studies. But despite his direct role in these scientific breakthroughs, Carlse insists on sharing the credit.

“There are so many exceptional graduates at York who likely all deserve this distinction just as much as I do,” he says. “It is really the efforts of the people supporting me who have helped me stand out in any way that I have.”

After finishing his master’s degree, Carlse decided to continue his education at York, this time to pursue a PhD in physics and astronomy with his supervisor, Professor Anantharaman Kumarakrishnan. He is continuing to work with high-power lasers, but now he is trying to perform precise measurements of the Earth’s gravitational acceleration using ultracold atoms.

Junjie Kang earned a PhD in earth and space science and engineering from York University under the supervision of Professor Zheng Hong (George) Zhu, Tier I York Research Chair in Space Technology and academic director of the Research Commons. Kang’s research focused on tethered space systems and their application in space debris removal.

“I am really honoured to receive the Governor General’s Gold Medal,” says Kang. “This medal is a recognition of my research in the journey toward my PhD. I will take this medal as encouragement to continue my research about dynamics and control of tethered space systems.”

In 2018, during his studies at York, Kang received the highly prestigious Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Outstanding Paper Award for Young Scientists for a paper he co-wrote with Professor Zhu and published in COSPAR’s flagship journal, Advances in Space Research. The winning paper, titled “Fractional order sliding mode control for tethered satellite deployment with disturbances,” which sought a fast and stable way to deliver a satellite into lower Earth orbits using a tether, was also deemed one of the “Most Cited Advances in Space Research Articles” since 2017. In 2021, Kang received the Faculty of Graduate Studies Dissertation Prize.

Kang credits the mentorship from his supervisor, the valuable advice from supervisory committee members Professor Dan Zhang and Professor Franz Newland, and the support from the Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering for getting him to this point.

“I am also grateful for the opportunities I have had within the York University community,” he says.

Speaking of opportunities, during his PhD studies Kang participated in a CubeSat mission called DESCENT, led by his supervisor and sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency. With Kang as one of the primary researchers, together with his supervisor they successfully conducted the tether deployment in a microgravity environment by the parabolic flight campaign in Ottawa in 2018. The satellite was successfully deployed from the International Space Station on Nov. 5, 2020.

After graduation, Kang went on to share his wisdom with fellow space enthusiasts as an associate professor at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in China.

Jordana Waxman earned her PhD in clinical developmental psychology and a specialized graduate diploma in health psychology from York University in October 2020. Her dissertation research, supported by institutional, provincial, and national granting bodies, focused on better understanding how behavioural and physiological pain-related distress regulation develops across the second year of life.

“I am thrilled and honoured to receive the Governor General’s Gold Medal,” says Dr. Waxman, “given the number of talented and hard-working doctoral students at York University.”

Dr. Waxman credits her research supervisor, Professor Rebecca Pillai Riddell, as well as the many graduate and undergraduate students in the Opportunities to Understand Childhood Hurt (OUCH) Laboratory for supporting her academic journey.

“Without their support and collaboration, my doctoral research would not have been possible,” she says.

Currently a pediatric health psychology Fellow at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, Dr. Waxman is working in the areas of oncology, pediatric obesity and eating disorders, as well as conducting clinical research in neonatal neurology.

About the awards

For more than 140 years, the Governor General’s Academic Medals have recognized the outstanding scholastic achievements of students in Canada. They are awarded to the student graduating with the highest average from a high school, as well as from approved college or university programs. Pierre Trudeau, Tommy Douglas, Kim Campbell, Robert Bourassa, Robert Stanfield and Gabrielle Roy are just some of the more than 50,000 people who have received the Governor General’s Academic Medal as the start of a life of accomplishment.

Today, the Governor General’s Academic Medals are awarded at four distinct levels: Bronze, at the secondary school level; Collegiate Bronze, at the post-secondary, diploma level; Silver, at the undergraduate level; and Gold, at the graduate level. Medals are presented on behalf of the Governor General by participating educational institutions, along with personalized certificates signed by the Governor General. There is no monetary award associated with the medal.

Health Studies graduate Hanaa Ameer recognized with Murray G. Ross Award

Hanaa Ameer at the Harvard World Model UN
Hanaa Ameer at the Harvard World Model UN

Hanaa Ameer
Hanaa Ameer

Hanaa Ameer has accomplished a lot during her academic career at York University. The first in her family to graduate from university, Ameer has earned a bachelor of health studies, graduating summa cum laude, and is the recipient of the Murray G. Ross Award.

The award, which is typically presented during spring convocation, recognizes one student for outstanding academic excellence and significant contributions to the University and campus life. It is considered one of York University’s highest honours for a graduating student.

Ameer, who specialized in health-care management, says she feels honoured to win the award and “be part of an extraordinary group of students who previously won.” And though it was her own dedication to academia and university life that earned her the recognition, she credits her mentors – Lynda Van Dreumel (undergraduate program director, School of Health Policy and Management); Professor Ellen Schraa (School of Health Policy and Management); and York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton – for their guidance throughout her undergraduate journey.

She describes her academic experience at York as one rich with hands-on learning and experiential education (EE) opportunities. During her years of study within the School of Health Policy and Management, she contributed to the development of course designs and potential placements for a practicum course. She also provided advice on ways to increase EE initiatives and suggested opportunities that would enrich the Health Studies program.

Her academic performance is notable, and in her first year Ameer was admitted to the Golden Key International Honours Society for ranking among the top 15 per cent of students in the Faculty of Health. She has earned a place on the Dean’s Honour Roll every year, and in her final year was named the top graduating student in the Health Studies program based on her academic achievements and contributions made to improving undergraduate student life on campus.

Ameer is a recipient of the Canadian International Model United Nations (UN) Organization Award for the best health policy recommendations in the World Health Organization committee, and the Outstanding Delegate Award for her debate performance at the Ryerson Model United Nations Conference in 2018. York has recognized her with the York University Continuing Student Scholarship for academic achievements, as well as the Calumet and Stong College Leadership Award for contributions to the Faculty of Health.

“My passion for social impact and helping others inspired me to pursue a degree in health studies,” she says, adding that combined with her interest in business leadership, health-care management felt like the right fit. In her fourth year, she completed a practicum at the Toronto Grace Hospital in downtown Toronto, where she worked on a research project to improve family and patient experience.

Hanaa Ameer at the Harvard World Model UN
Hanaa Ameer at the Harvard World Model UN

Also heavily involved in extracurricular and leadership opportunities on campus, Ameer contributed to campus life through several student clubs and organizations. In her second year, she served as president of Doctors without Borders and as vice-president of York’s Model United Nations team. During the past two years, she worked closely with the University, serving as a president’s ambassador, student-alumni ambassador and student representative on York’s Marketing Committee. She was also selected to represent Canada at the United Nations Youth Assembly taking place at the UN headquarters in New York City.

“My extracurricular activities allowed me to create a connection between what I was learning in the classroom and real-world events,” says Ameer. “In my second year, I took a health policy course, while at the same time volunteering with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to persuade legislators to implement a value-added tax on all vaping products in Ontario. My extracurriculars helped shape my academic success, as I developed a new way of thinking about course material. I understood how my coursework directly impacted everyday decisions in health care and solutions that could be created to address challenges.”

Ameer says her most valuable learning experience at York didn’t take place in lecture hall, but instead at a place that represents the future of the University: the grounds for the Markham Centre Campus. In October 2020, she was invited as the student representative for the campus groundbreaking ceremony, where she was asked to speak.

“I was given the opportunity to present what the Markham Campus means to the student body and the future of York University,” she says. “I was truly humbled to share the platform with the President of York University, Rhonda Lenton, along with several cabinet ministers from the federal and provincial governments. Throughout my undergraduate degree I developed an interest in law and politics, so being able to share the platform with politicians made me realize that one day I could become a politician myself.”

The experience had a great impact on Ameer, and she plans to attend law school and run for public office in the future, as well as contribute time as a volunteer to non-profit organizations and community groups to further her interest in social justice.

“York University is a second home for me and holds a special place in my heart,” she says. “The community is so tightly knit, where everyone wants to help one another and become changemakers in their field. We are a close family who have each other’s backs and are willing to step up when it is time for action.”

Virtual convocation celebration for the Class of 2021 planned for June 29

Convocation sign on Aviva Centre

York University will pay tribute to its newest alumni with a virtual Graduation Celebration on Tuesday, June 29. The virtual event has been created in place of traditional convocation ceremonies and is necessary due to the ongoing public health concerns resulting from COVID-19 and the restrictions on public gatherings. Once it is again safe to do so, graduates from the Class of 2021 will be honoured at an in-person convocation.

Convocation sign on Aviva CentreThe 2021 Graduation Celebration will have many elements of a traditional convocation ceremony, including an Honour Song and the national anthem, along with recorded remarks from York University Chancellor Gregory Sobora, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton and Faculty deans. During the virtual event, graduands will experience the ceremonial conferral of degrees. There will also be a special surprise convocation message from a previous honorary degree recipient. The event is pre-recorded and will premiere live at the times on a schedule that has been compiled for the different Faculty and program times. The full schedule is available on the Convocation website.

“Each graduate will be recognized during the Graduation Celebration with a personal slide that will list their name and degree and their name will be announced. Graduands were also given the opportunity to upload a photo of themselves to be shown as part of the virtual event,” says Liz McMahan, manager of convocation and ceremonials.

Faculty and staff can join the event by finding the links to the celebrations on the Convocation website, says McMahan. The celebrations will also be available for on-demand viewing following the livestream. “Since the Faculties of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and Health have so many graduates, they will have multiple virtual celebrations,” adds McMahan. “Faculty, staff and graduates from LA&PS and Health will want to make sure they refer to the schedule of specific programs being recognized at each celebration.”

Clare Pellerin
Clare Pellerin

Earlier this month, York community members were asked to share short videos of themselves congratulating the grads. These will be shown along with music from violinist and alumna Clare Pellerin (MA ’17) during the preshow, which begins 15 minutes before each virtual ceremony. Family and friends can also follow the Convocation Celebration hashtag at #YorkUConvo.

Graduates have been invited to place themselves virtually on York’s campuses through a virtual photo booth. All York community members are welcome to check out the photo booth. As an added element, York University is offering a suite of digital assets, including Zoom backgrounds, GIF stickers and Augmented Reality filters. Graduates can also listen to or submit songs for the York University Class of 2021 Spotify playlist. All of the digital assets can be found on the main Convocation website.

The University also delivered special Graduation Celebration boxes to all graduands. Each personalized package was packed with care by York University staff and contains the student’s diploma, cap and tassel, a convocation program and some other special items to help them celebrate.

To learn more, visit the York University Convocation website.

Justice Michael Tulloch to deliver keynote address at McLaughlin College’s year-end student event

The Campus Walk at York University's Keele location

For the last several years, McLaughlin College has held a Year-End Student Dinner for all of its affiliated students, and, most especially, its graduating students. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory “lockdown” of the University, this year the event will be delivered remotely via Zoom on March 25. Delivering the keynote address will be one of McLaughlin College’s most distinguished College Fellows, Justice Michael H. Tulloch, who is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and the Economics and Business degree program at York University.

The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch
Justice Michael H. Tulloch

Tulloch is an award-winning and highly regarded jurist and the first Black judge to serve on the Ontario Court of Appeal. He has received the Harry Jerome President’s Award (2012); the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers Achievement Award (2012); the Osgoode Hall Law School Lincoln Alexander Award (2013); the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012); Canadian Lawyer’s Top 25 Most Influential in the justice system and legal profession (2017); and the Ontario Bar Association Distinguished Service Award (2018). In addition, he has honourary doctors of laws from both Ryerson and Guelph Universities and an honourary doctor of divinity degree from Tyndale University and Seminary. Tulloch has been involved with judicial education with the National Judicial Institute and with international justice reform through the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada.

In 2016, the Ontario Government appointed Tulloch to conduct an independent review of the Special Investigations Unit, Office of the Independent Police Review Director, and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission. In 2017, he was appointed by the Ontario Government to conduct an independent review of Ontario’s regulation on police street checks or what is often called “carding.” Both of these reviews led to much needed legislative reforms.

In addition, Tulloch has an outstanding record of community service that includes being the founding member and patron of the Second Chance Scholarship Foundation that provides young people who have had conflict with the law or who have at-risk backgrounds with scholarships to be able to attend post-secondary institutions.

“We are delighted that Justice Tulloch will be this year’s keynote speaker for our Year-End Student Special Event,” said James C. Simeon, Head of McLaughlin College, who will host the event. “The title of his address is ‘Be an Agent of Change.’ Justice Tulloch is a wonderful role model for all our students at McLaughlin College, many of whom aspire to go to law school and/or pursue a public service career. I know that Justice Tulloch will deliver an inspirational address, especially for our graduating students.”

Simeon said that it was important to recognize students’ efforts over this past academic year. He noted that first-year students were disappointed because they were not able to attend their first-year university classes in person on York’s campuses. Likewise, graduating students will have to have a virtual convocation service because of pandemic restrictions.

“Our students have had to endure the challenges of staying at home and maintaining their social distance, while also adjusting to having their courses delivered online, whether synchronously or asynchronously,” he said, adding that he hoped this virtual special event will help to inspire students while, at the same time, acknowledging their hard work and dedication over this challenging and difficult academic year.

York University President Rhonda Lenton and Dean JJ McMurtry, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, will also be in attendance. More information and registration details for the Year-End Student Special Event at McLaughlin College are available on the college’s website.

Dionne Brand to deliver Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture, March 11

Dionne Brand

Renowned poet, novelist and essayist Dionne Brand will deliver the 2021 Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture with a message of hope.

Dionne Brand
Dionne Brand

Known for her formal experimentation and the beauty and urgency of her work, Brand will deliver a talk entitled “What we saw. What we made. When we emerge” on March 11 at 6 p.m. through a webinar and livestream on YouTube.

Brand is a major and singular voice in Canadian writing whose work is notable for the beauty of its language and for its intense engagement with issues of social justice. Brand is a poet engagé, whose work is insistently political, formally beautiful and precise.

Brand’s award-winning poetry books include Land to Light On (the Governor General’s Literary Award and Trillium Book Award); thirsty (The Pat Lowther Award); Ossuaries (the prestigious Griffin Poetry Prize). Her latest, The Blue Clerk, an essay poem, won the Trillium Book Award. Theory, her latest of five novels, won the Toronto Book Award. She is the author of the influential non-fiction work, A Map to the Door of No Return. Her most recent non-fiction work is An Autobiography of the Autobiography of Reading. Brand is a professor in the School of English and Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph.

She was recognized with an honorary doctor of letters during York’s Fall 2019 Convocation.

Once the registration has reached capacity, this event will be streamed live on YouTube.

The annual Kitty Lundy Memorial Lecture honours the late Kitty Lundy, an admired educator of sociology who was associated with York University’s former Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies from 1986-89. Lundy was known for her commitment to students, her deep connection to social justice issues and passion for teaching.

To honour her memory, the Lundy family established the Kitty Lundy Memorial Fund, which supports the annual lecture. Each year, the memorial lecture features an individual whose scholarship and creativity address principles to which Kitty Lundy exhibited commitment: engaged learning, equity, and the dissemination and exchange of ideas and knowledge with communities residing within and outside of York University.