Convocation is one of our favourite times of year! We're so proud of our 1,529 undergrad, master's, and PhD graduates as we join their friends and family in celebrating their achievements. Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
Meet some of our remarkable graduands and honourees who share the convocation stage on June 12.
Celebrating student success
Sehaj Raj: Creating belonging, opportunity and momentum
From fostering student engagement on campus through the Arts Student Union to winning an interdisciplinary Velocity pitch competition, Sehaj Raj Singh has spent five years at Waterloo driven by a passion for connection and a desire to improve himself and the world around him. He’s excited to graduate this spring with an Honours degree in Economics and Business and a minor in Entrepreneurship.
“I’m excited to be in a place where I’m adding value, learning fast and living up to the Waterloo reputation of pushing boundaries.”
Naimah Venezia: Shaping the financial future for the next generation
As Venezia grew up, she realized that her peers did not have the same understanding of finances that she did. This insight, paired with her entrepreneurial drive, led her to begin building CoinWa – a gamified financial literacy app for teens. When choosing a program, Venezia saw the Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) combined business, technology and design into one degree, and thought it was the right mix for her.
“I feel the program is made perfectly for anyone who wants to start a brand or startup – whether it’s in tech, or fashion or anything”.
Eloise Fan: Merging theatre and environmentalism
For Eloise Fan, studying at Waterloo was never about choosing a single path — it was about creating one that merged her passions for theatre and climate change. Fan came to Waterloo as an international student, drawn by the rare opportunity to study both her passions at a high level, and to test those interests in the real world through co-op.
“If I’ve learned one thing, it’s this: working across disciplinary boundaries is one of the greatest strengths we can develop ... You can teach hard skills, but how we solve problems together, how we relate to each other, that’s what the world needs more of.”
Meet the Arts Valedictorians
Daisy Birch (BA ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Arts and Business in Honours Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies, and a minor in Human Resource Management, and certificates in Global Experience and Community Leadership.
Viren Pandya (BA ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
Matthew Jones (BAFM ’25) graduates with a Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management with a specialization in Financial Markets.
Celebrating our newest PhDs
Dr. Tasneem Alsayyed Ahmad, PhD in Philosophy
My doctoral research critically examined hijab debates and veiling practices with a focus on how these discourses are manipulated to marginalize Muslims. Specifically, I explored how both Western imperialist narratives and Islamic right-wing politics exploit hijab-related discourse, reinforcing colonial ideologies while obstructing solidarity among Muslim women.
I chose the University of Waterloo to work specifically with my supervisor Dr. Jennifer Saul and was happy to find a department supportive of my focus on Islamophobia and gender. Having taken up a position as assistant professor at the University of Canada West, my goal is to grow as an educator, to challenge colonial knowledge and to continue my research on the social and epistemic oppression of marginalized groups.
Awards and medals
Alumni Gold Medal
Julia Nicolaisen, Honours History, Spanish Minor
Governor General Gold Medal finalists
- Master’s: Aparajita Bhattacharya, Public Issues Anthropology. (Supervisor: Dr. Alexis Dolphin)
- Doctoral: Dr. Megan Olivia Kelly, Psychology. (Supervisor: Dr. Evan Risko)
President’s Award of Excellence
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Calla Mueller, Honours Psychology – Research Intensive Specialization
Department awards for Distinguished Academic Achievement
- Sarah Bakker, Accounting and Financial Management
- Caitlyn A. Evely, Anthropology
- Bel Cairns, Classical Studies
- Stephanie Muresan, Communication Arts and Design Practice
- Sarah Fung, Communication Studies
- William Gao, Computing and Financial Management
- Lingyu Li, Economics
- Raquel Paredes, English Language and Literature
- Isabelle Trask, Fine Arts
- Grace Mercer, French Studies
- Harry Xu, Global Business and Digital Arts
- Gemma Turner, History
- Julianna Caietta, Legal Studies
- Sarah Cameron, Liberal Studies
- Chloe Shantz, Music
- Anna Mahler, Peace and Conflict Studies
- Kota Kitagawa, Philosophy
- Adithi Venkateswaran, Political Science
- Caroline Simpson, Psychology
- Shannon Milligan, Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies
- Sol Qiu, Social Development Studies
- Maddie Cranston, Sociology
- Hanna Freitas, Theatre and Performance
Our Spring 2025 honorary doctorates
We're thrilled to welcome back two distinguished Arts alumni to address convocation.
John English (BA ’67)
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Dr. John English is one of Canada’s most acclaimed, best-selling historians and experts in international relations. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and has the Order of Merit of Germany. English was the member of Parliament for the federal riding of Kitchener from 1993 to 1997, serving with distinction as the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo, and was for four decades an outstanding member of Waterloo’s history department and founding executive director of the Centre for International Governance Innovation. He is now a Senior Fellow at Trinity College at the University of Toronto and chairs the Canadian International Council.
Tim Jackson (BA '92)
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Tim Jackson is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, not-for-profit leader, and community builder. He is the president and chief executive officer of Shad, Canada’s premier high school student summer program. He co-founded Tech Capital Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm and led the Accelerator Centre, an incubator for technology startups. He was executive president at the MaRS Discovery District, one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. As a University of Waterloo Accounting graduate, Jackson has a long history of service at Waterloo. He held the position of vice-president, University Relations in addition to five years on the Board of Governors and seven years as chair of the Student Venture Fund investment committee. Tim was recognized with the prestigious title of Fellow Chartered Public Accountant for his exceptional service to the profession and his community.