Leanne Prendergast is an anti-bullying advocate, author and motivational speaker who works to empower young girls and address issues of bullying, low self-esteem and other mental health issues. 

Why did you choose to study at York? 

I chose to study at York University because I liked the idea of being close to home while being able to attend classes and keep my part time job. At that time, there weren’t any trains running, however, there was one bus that went through my neighbourhood, down my street and its last stop was York. I often felt God was looking out for me because he knew it was a struggle to make it to my early classes. So, having the convenience of taking one bus helped me to be on time and focused in school. I had also visited many universities in Canada and the United States, but York just felt like home. It had a unique spark and excitement about it that ultimately made me choose to stay locally. I always saw York University as a very forward-thinking school and so I knew I wanted to be in that learning environment. 

Describe how your York experience influenced the path you’re on today. Did you have any favourite courses, professors or experiences that were particularly meaningful to you? 

I would love to say I was one of those students who soaked in the entire university experience, got As in all my classes and in the end graduated with highest honours; however, my undergraduate journey at York was the complete opposite. I switched my degree twice, was on academic probation and had a delayed graduation. Looking back now, my journey of finding myself has shown me the importance of perseverance and resilience. These are the same values I embrace today as it has reminded me to be patient with myself when I haven’t figured everything out. It has taught me that the most important thing is to get to the finish line no matter how you get there.  Overall, my York experience was exactly what I needed to be the confident, persevering, and resilient person I am today.   

You were selected in part because you are changemaker. In what ways do you hope to contribute to your community/the country/the world in a positive way? 

To be recognized as a changemaker is truly an honor. It has always been my desire to see women live to their fullest potential. However, I believe we must begin the process of empowerment long before they reach university. By working with schools and communities, I would like to see policies and strategic plans implemented to support girls’ learning and provide them opportunities for leadership and collaboration with their peers and community. Additionally, I would like my research to influence country policies by implementing practical ways to prevent mental health disorders from increasing in girls and children of colour.  It is my hope that the model I have created and the initiatives I will create in the future can be used internationally to protect, promote and provide opportunities for groups to live empowered and prosperous lives.  

How do you see your work (be it career/volunteer/philanthropic) progressing in the next five years? What are some of your future goals? 

I see my work progressing immensely in the next five years, as I believe the past decade has been preparing me for the work I am doing now. As an executive director of a grassroots non-profit organization, I am excited to collaborate with other organizations, school boards, universities and associations to create safe spaces for those who need it most. I am looking to expand the organization to reach communities by using technology and provide fun, engaging and relevant initiatives that will improve their quality of life. After my doctoral studies, I hope to open a private practice in North America which uses the model I have created and incorporates the research I have done to inform therapeutic practice. The sky is truly the limit.  

What advice would you give to students who are just beginning their university experiences? 

I would tell new students that are just beginning their journey that I wish I didn’t take myself so seriously and I embraced every victory and failure as a part of getting to the finish line. So my advice would be, embrace every opportunity you can while at York. Listen to your heart and be ok with the idea of being different or unconventional. Overall, know that although education is extremely important, your mental wellness and passion is important as well. Take in as much of the university experience as you can, be patient when you don’t get it right the first time, and know that the finish line is the goal.  

Three women with affiliations to York have been recognized in the 2024 Top 25 Women of Influence list for their impact and contributions to driving meaningful progress and to the advancement of women in their respective fields.  &�Բ�����;

The annual awards program features self-identified women and gender-diverse role models representing various sectors, career stages and contributions. This year’s recipients are recognized for their innovation, leadership and pursuit of gender equity and inclusion.  &�Բ�����;

Among the list of recipients are two York alumnae and one honourary degree recipient.  &�Բ�����;

Dr. Pamela Farrell (BEd ‘07) &�Բ�����;

By combining her expertise in special education with equity, diversity, and inclusion, Dr. Farrell plays a transformative role in guiding and inspiring the next generation of educators in being culturally competent, while ensuring that future educators are prepared to meet the needs of all students. As the founder and executive director of the GROW Community Food Literacy Centre, Canada's first community food literacy center, she has successfully secured funding to provide vulnerable Canadians with access to healthy and culturally relevant foods as well as essential food literacy skills. Her community work also involves addressing health disparities and social determinants of health and promoting health and social equity.  &�Բ�����;

Lynn Posluns (LLD ‘19) &�Բ�����;

Lynn Posluns is the founder, president and CEO of Women’s Brain Health Initiative, the only organization dedicated to protecting the brain health of women, caregivers and families. Through this Initiative, she has raised awareness on women’s cognitive brain health and the inequity in women’s brain aging research, funding and preventative health programs. &�Բ�����;

Tina Singh (BA ‘04)  &�Բ�����;

Tina Singh is an occupational therapist, digital content creator and the founder of Bold Helmets. As a mother and therapist working in the areas of head and brain injuries, Tina understood the importance of helmets but was unable to find any suitable for her children. This led her to create the first safety-certified multi-sport helmet for Sikh children.  &�Բ�����;

The York University Magazine has won eight awards – a record number for the publication – as part of the 15th annual Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs), the largest digital publishing award program in Canada. It’s only the latest success in its award-winning journey.

“This is a great recognition for what we strive to achieve in every issue of The York University Magazine – quality storytelling combined with dynamic visuals that inspire and instil pride in members of the York University community,” says the publication’s editor, Deirdre Kelly.

Going into the announcements of winners, the magazine had earned eight nominations in submitted categories. It won six of those nominations, including – for the fourth year in a row – the top prize, Best Digital Edition Publication, for .  

The magazine also won gold for Best Feel Good Story (“”) and Best Industry Feature (“”), as well as three silver awards for Best B2B Website, Best Investigative Feature (“”) and Best Company Feature (“”).

For the 2022 awards, the COPAs also introduced a Top 10 ranking that recognizes entries that received the highest scores from the judging panel. Last year, The York University Magazine earned fourth place for its Best Digital Publication win. This year, not only did it earn the first-place spot for its win in that category, but the Best Feel Good Story winner, “Hope in a Bag,” received the ninth highest rating.

“We're thrilled that our winning content has also merited the No. 1 spot on the judges’ Top 10 list of all nominees from across the country, as it validates the work we do when spotlighting excellence at York,” says Kelly.

The magazine’s success at the COPAs adds to its recent award-winning momentum. Since Kelly became editor of the magazine in 2018, following overseen by James Nixon, senior graphic designer and art director, The York University Magazine has won 22 COPAs.

In the past year alone, Kelly won a National Magazine Award for “Forward Focus,” of Kaleb Dahlgren, and the publication garnered five Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Awards.

Kelly credits the magazine’s success to the originality of its stories, as well as Nixon’s proprietary in-house design, which helps bring them to visual life.

The latest issue of The York University Magazine .

Can you take us back to the beginning of your journey at York and share how your experiences shaped your career path?

I started at York in 2003 as an accounting student. Coming out of high school, I had an idea of what I wanted to do in the future, but I wasn’t fully certain at the same time. I had always done well in accounting during high school, so taking it in university seemed like a logical step. York University was also very close to home for me, since I lived only a few minutes away. I remember being very excited to begin my journey as a postsecondary student and learning and growing over the four years I would spend at York.

As a Senior Director at CIBC, what are the most valuable lessons you've learned in the financial sector that you believe are essential to succeed in this competitive industry?

First and foremost, technical skills serve as the foundation across all industries. Employers are assuming you have the proper technical skills when you arrive on the job, so it is important to come equipped with those foundational skills. For example, if you are in accounting, understanding profit and loss, balance sheets, and income statements, are all applicable technical skills for accounting jobs. There are also important supporting skill sets. Being able to communicate effectively is essential. Whether it be writing or delivering presentations, being able to deliver your message clearly is extremely important. The ability to work within a team is also valuable, since you will be working with other people for different projects. Lastly, being able to manage projects from start to finish is critical.

Let's talk about Beam Inc. What inspired you to co-found this non-profit?

Beam Inc. found its roots during my student days at York with my friends at the Nigerian Students Club Association. As students of Nigerian descent, my friends and I would always talk about the issues back home. One key issue we discussed was education and the lack of resources that students in Nigeria had available to them. We were thinking about what we could address this issue and we decided to take action. When we went back to Nigeria to visit family, we would bring school supplies and donate them to students in neighbourhoods that needed them.

At York, we started on campus, by raising funds, gathering materials and taking them back home. We believed that if we gave school supplies to kids in the most impoverished neighbourhoods, it would remove one of the barriers to good education, which is having the necessary supplies.

Fundraising began during our first year and we were able to raise $3,000. We continued to do this every year afterwards, for eight years. As we grew, we were able to raise $10,000 – $20,000 by increasing our network and sources of raising funds.

Beam Inc. has made a significant impact on the lives of over 3,000 children. Can you share a particular story or moment that stands out to you?

One moment that stands out was during a visit to a school in Lagos, Nigeria. During the visit, while we were talking to a few of the local children, all of them spontaneously started to pray for us. This moment was incredibly heart-warming and was a testament to the impact our simple act of providing school supplies had on the children. They would tell us, “You are the guys from Canada. Thanks for thinking about us and making a difference in the community.”

It was that feeling of gratitude expressed by the children and the local community that showed the significance of our efforts. We realized that this our actions were not just about the supplies we distributed, but much more than that.

Beam Inc. has now wrapped up its operations. Can you share more about the decision to transition and how the commitment to the well-being and education of the children persisted?

At the time of concluding Beam Inc., members of our team were moving to different places and we had less time to devote to Beam. In the eight years of operating, we started to learn that we should supply all these resources locally. We wanted to equip the locals to continue what we started there on their own.

We helped the locals in the community by helping set up their own businesses and giving them the supplies. We also started with re-building schools, and we would hire locals in the area ensuring that this was a school built for the people, by the people. These decisions were made to ensure that the impact of our work doesn’t end with our operation but is lasting and the well-being of the locals keeps improving.

What advice would you give to current York students and recent graduates about leveraging their education to make a positive impact in their communities?

When you graduate, there can be anxiety about landing the right job; everyone wants to start on the right foot. I graduated 17 years ago, and my first job after graduation was not my first choice. It is important to think of yourself as a person who is constantly learning and growing. Once you graduate, the learning opportunities that you identify yourself and the types of people who you associate with will make the biggest difference in who you will be in five years' time. It is very helpful to find a group of people that you're growing with where you can encourage each other.

Another piece of advice I have to offer is volunteering. While you are giving to others, you are also building skill sets that you may not normally build in your day-to-day job.

Lastly, when you are deciding on a job, and you have the privilege of having multiple options, always prioritize the place where you are going to learn the most, even if it's going to be the hardest job, or pay a little less. The first four to five years after graduating are extremely important and it would benefit you in the long run if you were able to prioritize learning in those years.

York alumna Ohemaa Boateng (BA ’17) has lived in the Jane and Finch community since she was a child. But it wasn’t until she started her role as a youth intern at Black Creek Community Farm that she would learn about food sovereignty and the challenges faced by marginalized people in her community.

As a youth intern, Ohemaa used her background in early childhood education to help steward the Farm School program, where she coordinated family and children activities and led the weekly farmers’ markets in front of Jane and Finch Mall and at Driftwood Community Centre. Currently, the program has evolved to educate various age groups on food preservation, food waste, growing native species and environmental stewardship.

“I think it's really beneficial for schools to teach and expand that section around food and growing and for kids to be more connected to their natural environment,” says Ohemaa. “I always think about what my experience was growing up in the community, and I didn't have access to these resources.”

Since her start at the farm, Ohemaa has advocated for fair access to fresh locally grown and affordable food and raised awareness to the food injustices experienced in the community by racialized residents. Today, Ohemaa is the executive director of Black Creek Community Farm where she leads the planning and oversees the operations of the farm.

“Being a Black woman and a single mom in the community, when it comes to food sovereignty or food justice, we are one of the most impacted groups,” says Ohemaa. “To be able to have a seat at the table to decide how to give back to my community with the food we grow and where we grow it, is really great, because we normally don’t have that control.”

But Ohemaa’s dedication to community work is not just limited to food sovereignty. As a single mother herself, she recognized the barrier to community involvement due to the lack of childcare available to parents. With support from Black Creek Community Farm, Ohemaa provided parents who wanted to get involved in their community with mobile childcare services through her initiative Baby Steps.

“I think it’s a privilege to be able to do something you love and see the impact that you have directly in your neighbourhood,” says Ohemaa. “There’s a lot of learning, when you’re directly involved with the people you impact.”

Ohemaa credits the development of her community engagement initiatives to the Criminology program she took at York University.

“A lot of the conversations coming out of Criminology were reflective of my community. I was able to see first-hand all the barriers and challenges that were captured in my learning,” says Ohemaa. “Learning the statistics and theories allowed me to identify these barriers in my neighbourhood and recognize where to focus my knowledge and expertise.”

Using this knowledge, Ohemaa developed her Turn the Page program, helping mothers who were incarcerated or living in transitional homes write their first children’s book.

“I found that the literacy rate among young parents in this demographic was low,” says Ohemaa. “This program is a way to bring attention to this demographic and support them with a writing mentor and illustrator to flush out their ideas.”

For Ohemaa, the most fulfilling part of her role is the ability to work and play in her neigbourhood. As a long-time resident of the Jane and Finch community, Ohemaa and her neighbours have established their own gardens where they plant, share seeds, and exchange the food they’re growing.

Ohemaa is also aiming to increase community representation on the farm’s steering committee by creating a space for young people to gain experience serving on a board.

“This is an opportunity to build youth leadership and have more young people engaged and be part of the decision,” says Ohemaa. “Make tables that they otherwise may not have access to.”

The Master of Financial Accountability (MFAc) program has been recognized by the York University Alumni Board (YUAB) as Alumni Network of the Year. This award represents the network's commitment to York during the past year due to its engagement, impact and alignment to the York University Academic Plan 2020-25. 

"This accolade is a promise of the continued impact that visionary leadership, dedicated professors, and each member of the MFAc Alumni Network will bring to our community. Together, they have set a standard for excellence that will guide future endeavors and inspire current and future networks,” says Ali Badruddin (BBA '09), Chair of the Alumni Networks Committee on the YUAB. 

Among the network's impactful initiatives, MFAc offered networking opportunities and provided hands-on training for students and alumni. The possibility of a case competition is being pursued.  The establishment of a Career Mentorship Program connected students with experienced alumni, offering personalized guidance and complementing it with career skills workshops. Additionally, the network curated job opportunities showcasing a forward-thinking approach to fostering a dynamic and supportive community beyond graduation.  

Dennis Garces (BA '92), vice-chair of the Alumni Networks Committee on the YUAB also acknowledged that, "In the spirit of collaboration and dedication, the MFAc Alumni Network has not just achieved recognition; they've proven that when vision meets action, transformative impact follows. Their commitment to fostering meaningful connections, driving innovation, and advancing the mission of our university stands as a testament to what can be achieved through collective effort and unwavering dedication."  

The York University Alumni Board congratulates the entire MFAc 2022-23 alumni network and its stakeholders:

• Mike Mokhtar (MA ‘13), Eshna Bhurtun (MA ‘20), co-chair 
• Sean Cheung (MA ‘18), Tong (Sean) Shen (MA ‘21), Vincent Jia (MA ‘19), Ray Lei (MA ‘16), alumni Board members 
• Joseph Kurukulasuriya (MA ‘16), Ocean Chen (MA candidate ‘24), MFAc Internship Advisory Board alumni representatives 
• Hanan Saber Ali (MA ‘20), alumni volunteer coordinator 
• Jiadi Zhang (MA ‘23), Yifan Song (MA ‘23), Ke (Kira) Ren (MA ‘23), Han Xu (MA ‘23), Jingwen (Lydia) Hu (MA ‘23), Mark Gyamfi (MA candidate ‘24), student volunteer alumni and mentoring coordinators 
• Yide Li (MA ‘20), Jiahui (Kellen) Lou (MA candidate ‘24), Ruize Sun (MA, ‘23), student coordinator volunteer participants 
• Professor K Paul Evans, Professor Tony Stanco, Taslima Nasreen, Stella Peng, Romi-Lee Sevel, faculty liaison 
• Yasmine Mensah (BA ‘20), alumni engagement officer 

For more information about this award and the Alumni Networks program, visit the Alumni & Friends website or contact Yasmine Mensah, alumni engagement officer at mensahy@yorku.ca.   

“Everyone who grew up playing sports competitively wants to be an athlete – everyone wants to be a professional – but not everyone will be,” says Stephanie. “It’s all about finding ways to get into the industry, but from a different angle.”  

At this one-year fellowship, she will gain a grassroots understanding of all the details in running a sports organization across various levels.  

“Every day is a little different,” says Stephanie. “My rotation is currently in business operations, but I interact with people across all departments and will have different responsibilities as the fellowship progresses. What’s great about this fellowship is that it offers so much exposure to so many different people. You can pick their brains and learn about other sides of the organization.” 

Stephanie attributes much of her success to the Tourism Sport and Leisure Marketing course she took while at York. The industry-centric approach in this class, deployed by Marketing Instructor, Vijay Setlur, gave her valuable experience that led her towards her current career path. 

“Throughout the course, I was able to observe different projects, activations and ways in which fans could be engaged,” says Stephanie. “For one of the projects, we had the opportunity to work with a client, and my client was Impact! Wrestling. I didn’t have a strong background in professional wrestling, but I was able to give a compelling marketing pitch to them and I received very positive feedback. That experience was a motivating factor for me to work in the sports management industry and realize that this was the career I wanted.” 

While a student at York, Stephanie participated in an exchange program during the last semester of her fourth year that allowed her to study abroad in Paris, France. Stephanie recalls the valuable experiences she gained while studying abroad that she has applied in her new role. 

“I had the opportunity to do an internship with Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) in Paris – the organization that manages the French professional leagues,” says Stephanie. “My sports marketing professor forwarded me a connection that happened to be in the field I was looking for, and in the city I was in, then things began to fall into place. The internship gave me a glimpse into what life could look like with a career in sports.” 

Stephanie will look to build on her experience and is looking forward to new and exciting opportunities within the fellowship.  

“I started out with an interest in global partnerships, but with this fellowship, many more doors have opened into other departments,” says Stephanie. “Here at TFC, we like to promote the ‘All for One’ mentality, and you can really see that through the team culture around here and across all levels. Going forward, I am excited to learn about the processes behind departments such as, game presentation, media communications, team operations and getting in on a lot of different conversations.

Seven members of the York University community are among the recently-announced Order of Canada and Order of Ontario recipients. The announcements were made on Dec. 28 and Jan. 1, respectively, by the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada and the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario. 

The Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario recognize the exceptional achievements and contributions of individuals that have left a lasting legacy in the province and country. These individuals come from all walks of life and have played an important role in shaping our country.

Order of Canada appointees 

OFFICER

Wenona Giles, faculty/professor emerita 

Wenona Giles, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, was appointed for her significant contributions to refugee and migration studies and for her efforts to increase access to higher education among those living in refugee camps. 

MEMBERS

Patricia Sybil Pritchard Fraser, (BA ‘75, MA ’12), alumna

Patricia Sybil Pritchard Fraser, a retired artistic director of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre (now the Dance Arts Institute) was appointed for her lasting contributions to Canadian contemporary dance as an artist, dancer, educator and artistic director. 

Flavio Volpe (MBA ‘99), alumnus

Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association was appointed for advancing Canada’s automotive and technology industries on an international scale as a leading policy expert in national trade and industry competition. 

Sara Joy Angel, affiliated faculty 

Sara Joy Angel, a former journalist and now executive director and publisher at the Art Canada Institute, was appointed for her significant contributions to Canadian art history as a visual arts journalist and founder of the Art Canada Institute, which makes Canadian art history accessible online. 

Order of Ontario Appointees &�Բ�����;

The Honourable David Collenette (BA ‘69, MA ‘04), alumnus, faculty, donor  

The Honourable David Collenette is the current Chair of the NATO Association of Canada. He has served as a Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under three prime ministers. Among his many achievements, he helped bring former Warsaw Pact nations into NATO, changed federal policy toward racial equality and diversity and led Canada’s security response to 9/11. He has also contributed countless hours to numerous not-for-profit projects, including the arts and as chair of the NATO Association of Canada. Collenette has also served on several Glendon Campus committees and has been a York University Alumni Award recipient. 

Michael Latner (BA ‘76), alumnus  

Michael Latner is the CEO of Shiplake Properties, one of the province’s most successful family-owned companies. He is recognized for his significant contributions to Ontario’s social and economic prosperity through business and philanthropy. As CEO, he has made transformational investments in local business, innovation and job creation.  

Dwayne Morgan (BA ‘97), alumnus 

Dwayne Morgan is a poet, spoken word artist, motivational speaker and founder of production company Up From The Roots which creates opportunities for other racialized artists. He lobbied the League of Canadian Poets to include performance poets, produced North America’s two largest spoken-word events and has performed globally. 

Gervan Fearon, former faculty, donor 

Gervan Fearon is currently president of George Brown College and previously served as the president and vice-chancellor at Brock University and Brandon University. He is a veteran educator who has a vision for equity, inclusion and community empowerment.  

For more information about the Order of Canada and Order of Ontario program, visit  and .

After graduating from York University, Samir landed a successful government position, got married, enjoyed free time during the weekends and traveled the world. However, when daily routines and distractions were paused during the 2020 global pandemic, Samir found that he, along with other men he spoke to, started to struggle mentally.

“Many of the men I spoke to started facing their demons and realized that they were unhappy,” says Samir. “A lot of them found out that they were in unhappy relationships and were unhappy physically and emotionally.”

Upon this realization, Samir came up with the idea to start having deeper conversations regarding mental health with other men that may be facing the same issues. In August 2022, Samir launched his first-ever podcast, Gent’s Talk, where he invites celebrities and influencers to have deep conversations beyond the periphery, discussing important issues that men face that they may be uncomfortable talking about. Guests at Gent's Talk have included: comedian, Russell Peters, singer/songwriter, James Blunt and professional soccer player for Toronto FC, Jonathan Osorio. Discussions on the podcast are open and unscripted where guests discuss their careers and successes, while also delving into topics such as: depression, self-doubt, personal tragedy and trauma.

“The goal is to pull back the curtain and engage in meaningful discussions with our guests to talk not only about their accomplishments, but also how they overcame challenges and hurdles along the way,” says Samir. “There’s an ongoing stigma amongst men when it comes to opening up about their mental health, so this podcast seeks to change the narrative by de-stigmatizing those conversations.”

A self-described "podcast junkie", Samir started Gent's Talk as a hobby. While listening to other podcasts and interviews, he noticed that many conversations strayed away from personal issues that guests may have been facing.

"I was watching an interview with a popular celebrity, where the interviewer asked the guest about how he had handled the pandemic and the guest shared that he had actually struggled mentally, because he could not see his son during the pandemic," says Samir. "Instead of asking follow-up questions about the guest's mental health, the interviewer moved on to something else."

It was this observation that inspired Samir to shed light on personal challenges that his guests face on his podcast, knowing that these stories may resonate with the audience.

Despite being relatively new to the world of podcasting, Samir recalls key life-learning opportunities he experienced as a student at York that helped craft his approach as an interviewer.

“York really opened my eyes to see how many different people there are in the world. There are so many students from so many places,” says Samir. “When I was a student taking political science classes at York, I would participate in class debates and I was able to observe a number of important conversations that helped me develop the foundation of how to have authentic conversations with others, regardless of whether or not you agree with them.”

Samir hopes that the conversations he has in the podcast positively influence other men to openly discuss their mental health.

“If it means one less man takes his life or one less man loses a relationship because they are equipped with the right tools to have those hard conversations, then that’s all I could ask for.”

You can find new episodes of the Gent's Talk podcast every Monday, everywhere podcasts are streamed and on the .

Samir is the editor of , a premier men's lifestyle publication that covers men's fashion, grooming, travel, entertainment and more. Samir is also a mental wellness speaker and advocate.

Recently, Samir hosted a session of Mid-Career Conversations, a virtual series where alumni share their stories and experiences with other mid-career professionals. In his session, Samir addresses happiness in the workplace and following your passion. .