As McGill’s Class of 2025 prepares to cross the stage, the 10 valedictorians from Faculties across the University – including Jasmine Leung and Evelyn Poole from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – have been drafting their speeches and, in the process, reflecting on much more than their academic success.
In interviews with the Reporter, this year’s honourees – members of a generation shaped by the disruption of the pandemic – spoke of the power of community, the impact of mentorship and their urgent desire to build more just and sustainable societies.
Committed to a better world
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’s in philosophy while launching a startup that develops tools to assess nature-related financial risks. “My goal is to empower businesses and policymakers with clear insights so they can protect ecosystems as effectively as they manage finances,” he said.
Arwen Low, receiving her BA, Joint Honours Political Science and Environment, will join the OECD’s Young Associate program in Paris to gain experience in global policy before pursuing a law degree. “I am particularly interested in developing restorative justice policies that hold transnational corporate actors accountable for environmental crimes committed abroad,” she said.
Grace Singer, graduating with a BCom, Major in Marketing and Concentration in International Business, said she hopes to make a difference by advocating for decarbonization from within the business world. “In the long-term I hope to work directly with the adoption and acceleration of sustainable solutions, such as what I did within the cleantech company I interned at during my degree,” she said.
Jasmine Leung, who is receiving her Medicinæ Doctorem et Chirurgiæ Magistrum (MDCM), has a similar perspective. “[This generation] has been dealt a bad hand and is now living with the consequences of poor decisions made by previous generations,” she said. “Thankfully, many of us resist apathy and choose instead to push our sphere of influence in a positive direction.”
Overcoming adversity
Many of the valedictorians acknowledged the personal and academic challenges they faced throughout their time at McGill 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. “It took time to find my footing and feel like I belonged in academic spaces,” she said. “Over 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.”
Similarly, Matthew Boulden, receiving his Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Civil Law degrees, said he felt isolated at many points. Boulden began his studies under pandemic restrictions. But through virtual hangouts and outdoor meetups, his cohort built a strong support network that grew even tighter as restrictions eased. That network, he said, “helped me not just get through this degree, but I came out feeling deeply integrated and part of a larger community.” This feeling also extends to how his generation approaches global issues, he added.
The power of support networks
Students’ support networks extend beyond peers to also include family, friends and professors.
Annika Pavlin-Jamal, graduating with a BA, Honours International Development with a Minor in Cognitive Science, expressed gratitude to her professors, roommates and, especially, her parents, whose “love has been the foundation beneath every step I’ve taken. My father patiently walked me through logic problems I didn’t think I could solve; my mother listened without complaint as I vented about them again and again. Everything I’ve done, and everything I hope to do, is an attempt to give back what they’ve given me.”
Evelyn Poole, recipient of a Master of Science (Applied) in Occupational Therapy, said her professors helped motivate her. “My professors passed on their passion for the profession of occupational therapy to us students,” she said. “Seeing seasoned occupational therapists still have a spark in their eye while teaching us was incredibly inspiring.”
Helena Silen, a member of the inaugural BA (Education): Education in Global Contexts cohort, also spoke of the influence of the people she met at McGill: “I’ve found lifelong friends and mentors who have shaped me and my work,” she said, noting how “justice and care” became central values in her studies.
Uma Le Daca Jolicoeur, receiving BA, Joint Honours Student in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Anthropology, found support from a fellow student: her mother, who had enrolled at McGill’s Max Bell School of Public Policy. “Suddenly, we were stressing over midterms together and proofreading each other’s papers,” she said. “It was a plot twist worthy of a sitcom.”
Words of wisdom
As they leave McGill, these graduates offer advice to new students grounded in experience.
“Go to office hours. Always,” said Pavlin-Jamal. “Start your assignments earlier than you think you need to.”
“Say ‘yes’ more often,” added Hadji-Thomas. “Go to that club fair, join that research project, try a class outside your comfort zone.”
Poole encouraged students to “never stop thinking critically,” while Leung advised them to be “both curious and skeptical.”
“Success isn’t linear, and leadership comes in many forms,” said McDonald. “Often, it’s not about having all the answers, but about asking better questions, showing up for each other and staying grounded in your values.”
Le Daca Jolicoeur perhaps captured the spirit of the Class of 2025 best: “Study what you love. When you commit fully to what moves you, extraordinary opportunities emerge.”
McGill 2025 valedictorians and the ceremony they will be addressing:
- Jasmine Leung: Health Sciences ‘A’ – May 27 at 10 a.m.
- Evelyn Poole: Health Sciences ‘B’ – May 27 at 3 p.m.
- Grace Singer: Management – May 28 at 10 a.m.
- Matthew Boulden: Law / Music – May 28 at 3 p.m.
- Helena Silen: Matthew Boulden: Law / Music – May 28 at 3 p.m.
- Uma Le Daca Jolicoeur: Arts ‘A’ – June 2 at 10 a.m.
- Arwen Low: Arts ‘B’ – June 2 at 3 pm
- Annika Pavlin-Jamal: Arts ‘C’ – June 3 at 10 a.m.
- Andre Hadji-Thomas: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences ‘A’ – June 4 at 10 a.m.
- Jennifer McDonald: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences ‘B’ – June 4 at 2:30 p.m.