Humber Polytechnic and the University of Guelph-Humber nurture leadership and confidence in their learners while giving them an edge as they set out on their career journey.
This year's graduating class is an impressive bunch with many exceptional examples of learners who have found the person they always had inside them while here and are ready to step into the world to make their mark.
The Humber community came together for Spring Convocation 2025 to celebrate the accomplishments of the new graduates, many of whom crossed the stage in-person to receive their degree, diploma or certificate.
While everyone is deserving of celebration and recognition, several of the new graduates have been selected for Valedictorian Awards. The awards recognize graduating students who have had a significant impact on the broader Humber community through their engagement and leadership while balancing their academic workload.
It's just one of several awards Humber gives to deserving students.
Receiving the award this year are:
Nermine Abdallah (Social Service Worker) - Abdallah enrolled in the program at 61 years old. During her Field Experience at Cecil Community Centre, Abdallah took on the additional responsibilities of leading English Circles for newcomer seniors, maintained a GPA of 93 per cent while balancing academic demands with the complexities of family, cultural transition, and struggles of immigrating in a new country. Abdallah was also nominated for a President's Medal.
Sarah Baptie (Wellness Coaching) - Baptie captained the Humber Hawks women's basketball team, organized a volunteer initiative for her entire team at a local food bank, had a perfect 100 per cent GPA in semester one, was an academic peer mentor and led a sold-out campaign for Passport to PR. Baptie was also nominated for a President's Medal.
Isabella Vergara Bedoya (Bachelor of Public Relations) - Bedoya was an IGNITE Student Advocate for Lakeshore Campus, made the Dean's Honours List and was a recipient of several competitive scholarships, including the Weber Shandwick Richard Ellis Scholarship and the Edelman Canada Scholarship. Bedoya was also nominated for a President's Medal.
Isaiah Brady-Clarke (Recreation and Leisure Services) - Brady-Clarke was a member of the Humber Hawks men's basketball team and was the recipient of the 2025 OCAA Sixth Man of the Year award. He has been commended for navigating personal challenges in his life with incredible strength and compassion. Brady-Clarke was also nominated for a President's Medal.
Carmel Francis (Bachelor of Commerce - Management Studies) - Francis was an integral member of Student Life, supporting both the Orientation and First Year Experience teams for two years. She served as president of the Humber Students South Asian Association and implemented a mature student information session after recognizing the need for such an event as a mature learner herself. Francis received three President's Medal nominations.
Kaitlynn McLeod (Justice Studies) - McLeod was very active on campus and led various programs and events. In addition to this, McLeod had the opportunity to study abroad in Hawaii, represent Humber Polytechnic at an Edmonton conference and travel to Parliament to advocate to MPs about the importance of cultural exchanges, equitable opportunities and funding for study abroad programs. Recently, McLeod was awarded the Indigenous Advocacy Award and will also be graduating with distinction.
Naisha Suthaharan (Justice Studies) - Suthaharan received the Founder's Academic Merit Scholarship, joined Alpha Phi Sigma's Phi Epsilon Chapter (an honours society for future law and justice professionals) and became the organization's Vice-President of Activities, and was a First Year Experience and Student Transition and Resource Team leader. She was also a Student Advocate with IGNITE. Suthaharan will pursue a master's program in criminal justice and public policy at the University of Guelph in the fall.
Paxton Coghlin (Electromechanical Engineering Technology) - Coghlin was hugely successful with Skills, winning gold at the Humber, provincial and national levels. Coghlin travelled to France to compete against the best from around the globe at the 47th WorldSkills Competition. While there, he earned a Medallion for Excellence in the Mechatronics division.
