York University celebrates excellence at the annual Circle of Scholars reception

York University hosted the annual Circle of Scholars reception on May 5 to celebrate the academic achievements of its star undergraduate and graduate students.

The reception took place at the Underground Restaurant on the Keele campus and was attended by more than 100 people, including faculty, staff, parents, friends and senior administrators. All were gathered to recognize 50 exceptional students.

York President and Vice Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri delivered the keynote remarks at the event. Other speakers at the event were Faculty of Graduate Studies Dean and Vice-President Barbara Crow, Brendan Schulz, executive director strategy and planning in the Office of the Vice-Provost Students, and Vice-Provost Academic Alice Pitt, who took the opportunity to commend the scholars for their hard work.

In his keynote, Shoukri gave an update on the University, sharing highlights of the new developments that students will be able to take advantage of during the course of their degree. “We are a University on the move,” said Shoukri, in reference to a number of on-campus capital projects currently reaching fruition. “In the fall we will open the doors to the Lassonde School’s state-of-the-art home, the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence, and construction is being finalized on our incredible new athletic facility, where we are excited to be hosting the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games this summer.”

Shoukri also introduced the winner of the 2015 President for a Day contest, Sayjon Ariyarathnam, who was also present at the reception. Shoukri used this introduction as an example of one of the many ways to get involved at York. He encouraged students to apply for next year’s President for a Day contest. “What is the best advice I can give you for making the most out of your studies?” asked Shoukri, “Get involved in every aspect of university life. While working hard in your studies is very important, so too is taking the time to meet people who share your interests.”

Ariyarathnam, who is entering his fourth year in Criminology and the Human Rights and Equity Studies program, is an active member of the York community as the Chair of the Student Council of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies and as a student senator.

The Circle of Scholars reception provides an important opportunity for young academics to engage with those involved in the running of the University. The staff and faculty members present chatted enthusiastically with the student honorees, who represent a bright future for York University.

By Lindsay Presswell, student writer, Office of the President

Graduate Scholarships

NSERC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

• Alexandra Terrana

Ontario Trillium Scholarship Program

• Annaliese Pope
• Julie Falck
• Christy Costanian
• Suharto Chakma
• Jie Yang
• Mohammadmedhi Aghelinejad

SSHRC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

• Vanessa Fleet
• Oded Haas

Undergraduate Scholarships

Alexander David McKenzie Scholarship

• Travis Weagant

Alison J. Youngman/Stikeman Elliott Entrance Award

• Jasleen Johal

Alumni Awards of Distinction

• Natalia Ladyka-Wojcik
• Amal Naufer

Avie Bennett Award

• Harleen Narula

Award for Aboriginal Students

• Thane Higgins
• Shania Mcqueen
• Cameron Wells
• Marissa Magneson
• Joseph Milando
• Alexandria Bipatnath
• Krystal Froman

Barbados Canadian Friendship Scholarship

• Thelilan Karan

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Award

• Skye Sepp
• Yalda Shahriar Bahrami
• Emily Hives

Bogoroch & Associates Renewable Entrance Award

• Natalia Thawe

The Chancellor Bennett Entrance Award for the Westview Partnership

• Nadeen Majid
• Abdulahi Mahamed
• Howard Ly
• Nowshin Khan
• Rabab Asif
• Alia Mazhar
• Sarah Nena

Ernst & Young BBA Award

• Anjana Gananathan
• Salman Ahmad

Edith Schulich BBA/iBBA Entrance Award

• Rashik Naveed

Ethel Harris Entrance Scholarship at Glendon

• Chad Vachon
• Daniella Prandoczky
• Neha Pokharel
• Sylande Augustin
• Jenessa Johnston
• Marylise Soporan
• Sandra Roy
• Melina-Angela Dres

The Global Leader of Tomorrow Award for International Students

• Priya George
• Samir Janmohamed

Governors’ Awards of Distinction – Murray Ross Scholarship

• Lucretiu Petre

Governors’ Awards of Distinction – John Proctor Scholarship

• Jane Lewis

Harley D. Hallet Renewable Entrance Scholarship

• Patricia Joseph
• Parmbir Gill
• Shani Ocquaye-Prempeh
• Heather Wilson
• Joseph Palmieri
• Sebastian Beck-Watt
• Leisha Senko

Harry Arthurs Alumni Families Entrance Scholarship

• Erica Shligold
• Maya-Natalie Prager
• Julia Pennella

Hennick Scholars Program

• Keton Motta Freeman

The Honourable William G.C. Howland Award of Excellence

• Beatrice Allison
• Zosia Hortsing

HSBC Scholarship

• Alexandria Ferguson
• Shahin Mahdinejadsari
• Katrin Chapkis
• Christopher Hon
• Whitney Van
• Karine Chan
• Niki Tran
• Masami Olson
• Natasha Walton
• Do Kim
• Batoul Al-Waadh
• Anita Sepasi-Ahouei

HSBC Environmental Studies Award

• Nicole Manteiga
• William Alachiotis
• Taylor Graves
• Pamela Martinez
• Mihal Hopen Golan
• Aditi Gupta
• Jeremy Bonham
• Valeriya Botova

HSBC Women in Business Leadership Scholarships

• Selena How

The Ignat Kaneff Scholarship

• Colin Lyon

International Entrance Scholarship of Distinction

• Sigifredo Ochoa Herrera
• Urgen Lama
• Muaawia Bin Arshad

International Circle of Scholars Scholarship

• Marmara El Masr

Lassonde Scholarship

• Nudrat Ashraf Chaudhry
• Matthew Levi Andrew Chin
• Linar Ismagilov
• Ansh Kansara
• Akhil Khurana
• Matthew John Edward Klincans
• Abhinav Mathur
• Joshua George Miller
• Tetiana Sitiugina

Marshall Cohen Leadership Award for First Generation Students

• Elisabeth Farmer

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP Award

• Zachary Levine

Ogram Scholarship

• Rabia Zahoor
• Akash Chauhan

Phillip Silver Scholarship

• Betty Zhang

Qian Liu Scholarship

• Jie Chen

Quebec Entrance Scholarship

• Sylande Augustin
• Gabrielle Sanfacon

Dr. Robert Lundell Achievement Award

• Michael Elfassy

Hon. Ronald E. Sobier Entrance Award

• Iqra Rafique

Russell Nelles Starr, Q.C. Memorial Award

• Roselyn Kelada-Sedra
• Christopher Grisdale

Schulich Leader Scholarship

• Sherry Wong
• Betty Seifu

Seymour Schulich BBA/iBBA Entrance Scholarship

• Nubair Shahkar
• Shibani Rajeev
• Swagat Soni
• Simran Saroya
• Omer Nur

Sir Leonard C. Outerbridge ’14 Entrance Scholarship

• Patrick Power

Sterling Voice Award

• Alison Campbell

Steven K. Hudson BBA/iBBA Entrance Award

• Arshdeep Sidhu

Tanna H. Schulich BBA/iBBA Entrance Scholarship

• Vasiliki Belegrinis
• Senpei Wang
• Tetyana Mykhaylova
• Michael McDonald
• Phan Bui

The William & Nona Heaslip Scholarship

• Anisha Akhtar

Yamana Gold First Generation Award

• Navjot Kaur

York University Academic Excellence Scholarship for International Students

• Humam Seddik
• Mashruf Chowdhury
• Oluwadamilare Sobowale
• Kelly Edwards
• You Seo
• Sabbia Hossain
• Jnanadeva Gobin
• Apostolos Vasileiou
• Alexandra Lopez
• Firoz Dhanani

York University Awards of Achievement

• Shuo Gu
• Rida Ikram
• Li Lai
• Maya Taishidler
• Joo-Young Lee
• Maseh Hadaf
• Lindsey Thompson
• Maryam Pesaran Sharif

York University President’s Scholarship

• Ansh Kansara
• Erran Lee
• Marette Abdelmaseh
• Cassandra Jesik
• Chantal Lim
• Danielle Clarke
• Thuong Bui
• Sabrina Mazzucco
• Osama Ahsan
• Joseph Carenza
• Roshni Khemraj
• Joel George
• Rohina Hashimi
• Sasha Horgan
• Harmen Puri
• Harpaul Randhawa
• Jessica Abernethy
• Maleeha Khan

York University United World College Scholarship

• Kathryn Geertsema

Yorke Towne Supplies Ltd. Visionary Leadership Scholarship

• Chanhee Seo