蓝莓视频

Convocation marks a significant milestone for University of 蓝莓视频 graduates. This year, 14 outstanding students have been chosen to represent the graduating Class of 2025.

Their selection as valedictorians demonstrates their dedication and creativity within their faculties. Below, they share parts of their academic journeys filled with inspiring tales of overcoming challenges and embracing opportunities for growth.

Congratulations to our 2025 蓝莓视频 valedictorians and fellow graduates, who now join a powerful network of more than 255,000 alumni who are making an impact on the world.

Why did you choose to study at the university of 蓝莓视频?

Raksha Aravind鈥檚 (BSc 鈥�25) was drawn to 蓝莓视频 for its remarkable Kinesiology program.

听鈥淭he program mixes everything 鈥� biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, nutrition and even social sciences 鈥� and it gave me the full picture of human movement,鈥� Aravind says.

She completed three co-op terms as a research assistant in the Nutrition and Aging Lab, earning the . Her work focused on nutrition risk in older adults and supports the development of screening tools to improve early health assessments for underserved communities.

Aravind is preparing to write the MCAT and aspires to practice medicine in Canada as a surgeon. 鈥淔or me, medicine is not just about diagnosing or treating 鈥� it鈥檚 about understanding the humanity of each patient,鈥� she says.

Daisy Birch (BA 鈥�25) chose 蓝莓视频 for its interdisciplinary Arts and Business program, which allowed her to combine her deep interest in business with her passion for sexuality, marriage and family studies.

A standout moment in her academic journey was studying abroad in Athens, Greece 鈥� an experience she describes as transformative. On campus, Birch served as a Student Ambassador for four terms and a Residence Life Don for nine terms. Another highlight was presenting at the 2020 Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers Residence Life Conference, where she earned a Top 5 Presenters award for her work on fostering consent culture.

鈥淥ne thing you should know about me is that I always have at least five plans in the works, so don鈥檛 be shocked if you see me on Broadway or on your television someday,鈥� she says.

For Putri Cullinane (BES 鈥�25), 蓝莓视频鈥檚 renowned co-operative education program and interdisciplinary pathways made it the ideal place to combine her passions in environmental studies and economics.

A highlight of her student journey include a two-week field course in Atlantic Canada to complete her undergraduate senior thesis. Being a valedictorian has very special meaning for Cullinane.听

"With both my parents still living in Indonesia and having sacrificed a lot for me to be here, I feel incredibly honoured to have been nominated,鈥� she says.

After convocation, Cullinane will join the Canada Water听Agency as a policy analyst, a role she worked in part-time while completing her final year at 蓝莓视频.

Keeley Isinghood (BMath 鈥�25) came to 蓝莓视频 to pursue her love of numbers and problem-solving. In the Biostatistics program, she discovered a meaningful way to apply math to real-world challenges and a supportive community who deepened her passion.

鈥淚 remember one night, I finally solved a problem that I had been stuck on all week 鈥� it was a wonderful feeling to figure it out on the whiteboard with the help of my friends,鈥澨齀singhood says. 鈥淲orking on mathematics collaboratively has always been a highlight of my degree.鈥�

Isinghood was active in student life, from Women in Mathematics and MathSoc to participating in the curling club and intramural sports teams. She is especially proud of mentoring 20 first-year students as a peer leader in the Honours Math Living and Learning Community.

Isinghood will begin her Master of Mathematics in biostatistics at 蓝莓视频 this fall.

Salahuddin Said (BASc 鈥�25) vividly remembers attending a university fair in Grade 11 and asking every booth about their co-op programs. 蓝莓视频鈥檚 emphasis on real-world experience quickly made it his top choice.

鈥溊遁�视频 has a prestigious name in engineering, and co-op really helped me find what I enjoyed working on and finding my place in engineering as a whole,鈥� he says.

While at 蓝莓视频, Said supported classmates with resume critiques, job applications and mock-up interviews. He also created a technical interview question database, which more than 30 students contributed to and used for their full-time job applications.

鈥淭he achievements I feel the proudest are not so much what I have done myself, but what I have been able to do for others,鈥� Said says. 鈥淚鈥檝e been credibly lucky with my co-op experiences and opportunities across different avenues, and because of that, I鈥檝e been able to pay it forward to other students.鈥�

After attending one of 蓝莓视频鈥檚 fall open houses, Lyvia Yanover (BSc 鈥�25) knew she found the right fit. 听

During her undergraduate studies, she served as a Science Ambassador for three consecutive years and volunteered as a tutor at the Physics Tutorial Centre.

鈥淚鈥檓 proud of finishing both PHYS437A and B research courses, where I worked on researching a hypothetical model of the Big Bang with Dr. Niayesh Afshordi,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 also managed to fit a minor in Mathematics into my degree, which I鈥檓 extremely happy with.鈥�

Being named valedictorian holds both a deep and personal meaning for her. 鈥淚t means I pushed through the difficulties of my university experience, despite everything that happened in my personal life that made it harder,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I know my mom, who passed away in 2023, would be proud of.鈥�

She will be returning this fall to pursue a master鈥檚 in physics, supervised by Dr. Will Percival, a distinguished research chair in astrophysics.

Tell me about some of the achievements you are most proud of to date.

Chinemerem Chigbo (BASc 鈥�25) chose 蓝莓视频 for its strong reputation in innovation, co-operative education and academic excellence 鈥� especially in computer engineering.

He found joy in hands-on learning like building a hair-cutting robot with a friend. Through , Chigbo helped develop technical products for nonprofits and later founded his own organization, providing pro bono software maintenance to keep essential tools running effectively.

鈥淏eing chosen as valedictorian is deeply humbling,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t reflects not only my own efforts, but also the support of my peers, professors and family. It鈥檚 a privilege to represent our shared journey, struggles and successes.鈥�

After convocation, he will volunteer in Nigeria teaching technical skills to youth.

鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about creating opportunities through education,鈥� Chigbo says. 鈥淎ccess to technical skills can empower young people to shape their own futures.鈥�

One of Viren Pandya鈥檚 (BA 鈥�25) proudest achievements is co-founding the , which grew from a simple idea into a vibrant community that fostered cultural connection and belonging.

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 just about creating a cultural club,鈥� Pandya says. 鈥淚t was about creating a space where students could connect, celebrate their culture and find support.鈥�

Pandya sees his selection as valedictorian as a testament to the support he received from friends, family and professors. Representing his class and all they have overcome is a memory he will cherish forever.

鈥淚t isn鈥檛 just a title, but a reflection of my university journey 鈥� how much I鈥檝e grown, how many times I have struggled and how every setback was just a steppingstone to something bigger,鈥� he says.

Pandya will be starting a full-time position at Ernst and听Young听in Toronto.

Mankirat Singh Sains (BASc 鈥�25) describes being named valedictorian at one of the world鈥檚 leading universities as deeply meaningful, especially coming from a small school in Uganda.

鈥淚t鈥檚 more than a personal milestone 鈥� it鈥檚 a tribute to the sacrifice and unwavering support of my family, to whom I owe everything. Their belief has carried me here, and this moment is for them,鈥� he says.

At 蓝莓视频, Sains was nominated for Co-op Student of the Year by five employers and won an intramural championship. But it was the friendships and memories 鈥� like Engineering Day, with purple ring toss, laughter and professors in the dunk tank 鈥� that he cherishes most.

Before coming to 蓝莓视频, Nina Tan (BCS 鈥�25) carefully planned her ideal university experience, aiming to complete each co-op term in a different city. She succeeded by living and working in Vancouver, Boston, Mountain View and Munich.

鈥淚鈥檝e always loved adventures and exploring new places, so the co-op program really appealed to me,鈥� Tan says. 鈥淚 still look back fondly on the memories and friendships I made in each one.鈥�

Tan will be returning to Google, one of her former co-op employers, as a software engineer. In the long term, she hopes to build solutions in sustainability, education and women鈥檚 health, while reacquainting herself with old hobbies like singing and arts and crafts.

What is one of your fondest memories as a 蓝莓视频 student?听听听听听

Like many 蓝莓视频 students, Matthew Jones (BAFM 鈥�25) used the co-op program to explore different industries and roles, learning more about himself with each experience. Jones was actively involved in the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF), supporting first-year students and leading peer initiatives.

鈥淢entorship played a pivotal role in my own development early on, so it鈥檚 been incredibly meaningful to contribute to that same supportive SAF community,鈥� he says.

One of his most cherished memories is playing on , where he eventually became team captain.

鈥淏eing part of the [team] allowed me to connect with an incredible group of people from across different programs. It was a highlight of my university experience,鈥� he says.

He will be starting a full-time position at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto.

Michael Hanley (BASc 鈥�25) remained deeply engaged in campus life throughout his time at 蓝莓视频. His fondest memories are the friendships he built 鈥� late-night study lounge talks, game nights, snowball fights, parties and countless shared moments that reminded him there鈥檚 more to university life than academics.

鈥淚鈥檓 very lucky to have met people that I can call life-long friends during my time here at the University,鈥� he says.

Hanley placed second at the Nanotechnology Engineering Capstone symposium and led team in building a solar-powered car from scratch for three years.

鈥淏eing able to make something so complicated from nothing, while doing it with a great group of people was amazing,鈥� Hanley says. 鈥淚 was even able to drive the car during the competition at听the Formula Sun Grand Prix 鈥� one of the most rewarding things I have done.鈥�

Hanley will be moving to California to join Tesla as an associate manufacturing engineer.

Karen Abdel Sater (BMath 鈥�25) began her degree during a global pandemic as an international student, facing culture shock, language barriers and homesickness. She turned these challenges into motivation, becoming deeply involved on campus 鈥� joining student clubs, serving as a residence life don and leading the .

鈥淏uilding connections and creating spaces where people felt at home added a whole new dimension to my university experience,鈥� Abdel Sater says. 鈥淚t made me stay grounded in my own culture while encouraging others to embrace both our similarities and differences.鈥�

For Abdel Sater, being named valedictorian is about representation. As a Lebanese woman in mathematics, she hopes her story inspires others to pursue unconventional paths.

Abdel Sater will join the Royal Bank of Canada, where she previously worked as a co-op student, to work full-time as a data engineer.

Meera Thavarajah (BSc 鈥�25) reflects on her many different roles during her time at 蓝莓视频. She held executive positions in student clubs like , , , and the Science Society. Thavarajah also worked with Campus Housing, research labs and shared her student experience as a TikTok creator.

鈥淎s the daughter of immigrants who did not have the opportunity to attend post-secondary, I鈥檓 proud to dedicate my degree to them in recognition of all their efforts and sacrifices that paved my way for success,鈥� she says.

Thavarajah will be attending the University of Toronto this fall to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in Kinesiology. In the future, Thavarajah plans to pursue medical school and advocate for inclusive, compassionate health care 鈥� especially for children.

鈥淚 want to make people feel seen, heard and cared for, regardless of their background or circumstances,鈥� Thavarajah says. 鈥淎s a person of colour myself and second-generation immigrant, I am passionate about bridging communication gaps in the medical field to create more inclusive care for all.鈥�