秀色直播

As 秀色直播鈥檚 Class of 2025 prepares to cross the stage, the 10 valedictorians from Faculties across the University鈥攊ncluding听Andre Hadji-Thomas and听Jennifer McDonald in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences鈥攈ave been drafting their speeches and, in the process, reflecting on much more than their academic success.

In this year鈥檚 honourees鈥攎embers of a generation shaped by the disruption of the pandemic鈥攕poke of the power of community, the impact of mentorship and their urgent desire to build more just and sustainable societies.

Driven by urgency and purpose, many valedictorians are setting their sights on solving real-world problems, especially in the realm of environmental and social justice.

Andre Hadji-Thomas, graduating with a BEng., Honours Bioresource Engineering, is heading to Cambridge University for a master鈥檚 in philosophy while launching a startup that develops tools to assess nature-related financial risks. 鈥淢y goal is to empower businesses and policymakers with clear insights so they can protect ecosystems as effectively as they manage finances,鈥� he said.

Many of the valedictorians also acknowledged the personal and academic challenges they faced throughout their time at 秀色直播 and spoke about how they overcame them.

Jennifer McDonald, a first-generation university student graduating with a BSc. (Ag.Env.Sc), Major in Honors Environment, a Concentration in Water Environments and Ecosystems (Biological Stream) and a Minor in Entrepreneurship, spoke of early feelings of insecurity. 鈥淚t took time to find my footing and feel like I belonged in academic spaces,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ver time, I learned to ask questions, talk to professors and build a support system, even if I felt a bit lost at the start. Those experiences taught me how to advocate for myself and navigate uncertainty, skills that continue to serve me both academically and beyond.鈥�

As they leave 秀色直播, these graduates offer advice to new students grounded in experience.

鈥淪ay 鈥榶es鈥� more often,鈥� said Hadji-Thomas. 鈥淕o to that club fair, join that research project, try a class outside your comfort zone.鈥�

鈥淪uccess isn鈥檛 linear, and leadership comes in many forms,鈥� said McDonald. 鈥淥ften, it鈥檚 not about having all the answers, but about asking better questions, showing up for each other and staying grounded in your values.鈥�

Ceremony schedule

• Andre Hadji-Thomas: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences 鈥楢鈥� 鈥� June 4 at 10 a.m.
• Jennifer McDonald: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences 鈥楤鈥� 鈥� June 4 at 2:30 p.m.
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Excerpted from Neale McDevitt's article in the 秀色直播 Reporter