Sim Purba, GBDA '20 Selected as Valedictorian, Faculty of Arts

Convocation is a time to celebrate a significant milestone. This year’s convocation celebrations may look a little different, but the role of the valedictorian remains the same — to represent the graduating class and address the students, families and supporters who will come together to recognize this important day. 

Valedictorians have been selected by their peers in recognition of their social and academic contributions to the Waterloo community. We are excited that Sim Purba, BGBDA '20 was selected for the Faculty of Arts.

Meet Sim Purba:

When it was time for Sim Purba to decide on a program, Waterloo’s Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) seemed like a natural choice. He really enjoyed exploring design in high school and was excited to find a program that consolidated his interests in different forms of art, user experience design, and business in one degree. 

All of those interests were put to work when Purba and his friends launched GBDA Creators, a mini-documentary series that showcases the work of their peers. Three years later, he credits the project with pushing him, both personally and professionally. 

“Not only have my technical skills improved a lot, but I've also learned how to be more authentic and comfortable with who I am from some of the incredible people I've had the pleasure of meeting," he says.  

Purba also put his skills to work around campus, co-creating a documentary as part of the Fashion for Change team and joining the UW Hip Hop club (@uwhiphop) as a performer and videographer.

For now, the new graduate is feeling lucky to have found a career in user-experience design that he genuinely enjoys, figuring out what makes people tick and how to solve problems for them. And he’s grateful to Waterloo for checking every box on his university experience wish list. 

“I made friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. I experienced high-highs and low-lows that helped me grow as an individual. I learned both tangible and transferable skills that have set me up for success. I got work experience in a field of my choice before I graduated. And most importantly, I can look back on the entire experience with no regrets!”

We invite Faculty of Arts to join us for a live virtual celebration on October 24 at 11:00 a.m

This article was originally published in the Waterloo Stories and has been adapted for the Stratford School.