Valedictorians & Award Winners

Sebastian Davila Escobar

As Sebastian Davila Escobar prepares to graduate, he reflects on the whirlwind experience of leaving his home in Colombia to embark on the journey that has guided him to some of his greatest successes. Having lost his mother at the age of six, the Business — Marketing graduate strived for academic excellence from day one, each milestone a tribute to her. Raised by his father — his cheerleader supporting him from Colombia — Sebastian attests that his determination was fueled by a deep appreciation and gratitude to the person who consistently provided him every opportunity to fulfill his dreams. Sebastian achieved many accomplishments throughout his postsecondary career, most notably helping Seneca win the coveted first-place title in the 2023 Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition. It was Seneca’s second consecutive win, marking a historic milestone. He forged strong relationships with his peers, faculty and the broader community along the way. Earning an exceptional 4.0 GPA, Sebastian is now setting his roots in Canada alongside his spouse, grateful for the strong sense of community, kindness and support that has encompassed his Seneca experience.

Arif Karedia

When Arif Karedia reflects on his life now, the Early Childhood Education (Accelerated) graduate happily recounts his dedication to nurturing young minds from a young age. Arif’s passion traces back to childhood memories in Pakistan, helping his sister care for and educate young children — a role she embraced to help support their family after losing their father at a young age. Through witnessing the transformative power of education on young minds, Arif’s love for the field was born. When at Seneca, he was consistently encouraged by faculty and classmates to follow his passion. He thrived academically by embracing storytelling, movement, sound and play-based learning in the classroom, while engaging inclusive, diverse practices for families with children of all abilities. Arif’s profound aspiration to share his knowledge and skills widely has led him to establish the ECED Network, an online professional development platform dedicated to enhancing the early years of development. Through this initiative, he offers free skills and training workshops to parents and childcare providers — a pursuit he views as a modest yet impactful contribution toward fostering safe and thriving communities.

Carol Lorenzana

When Carol Lorenzana looks back at the beginning of her academic career at Seneca less than two years ago, she recalls feeling lost and unsure about the future. Having arrived in Canada as an international student from the Philippines accompanied by her husband and young daughter, the Supply Chain Management — Global Logistics graduate knew her family’s well-being depended on her ability to balance her academic pursuits with the challenges of establishing a life in a new country. Despite facing initial challenges with language barriers, Carol thrived at Seneca. She embraced every opportunity for personal and professional development, significantly boosting her confidence and achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA. With a strong focus on advocacy, inclusivity and creating safe, welcoming spaces for students, Carol volunteered as a peer mentor at Seneca. She shared her experiences and provided guidance to first semester international students, building lifelong friendships along the way. And her journey has come full-circle; Carol has earned a full-time role in the supply chain field and works as a part-time professor at Seneca, committed to giving back to the community that helped her establish roots in her new home.

Nicholas Miranda

Nicholas Miranda has always had a passion for unraveling the mysteries of technology and an innate fascination with how things work. Born and raised in Toronto, the Computer Engineering Technology graduate wanted to disassemble gadgets and explore their inner workings, yet he kept his curiosity in check. Little did he know that his educational path would provide him the opportunity to fulfill this desire and transform his passion into a career. The self-proclaimed introvert found his voice and confidence throughout his time at Seneca, and excelled academically, professionally and socially, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA while balancing the demands of work and mentoring his classmates. He attributes his success to the extensive support system provided by his professors at Seneca and his supportive family, who have nurtured his passions endlessly. Nicholas serves as a role model to those in his circle, particularly feeling honoured to inspire his younger brother, now embarking on his first year of the Computer Engineering Technology program, making their shared journey at Seneca an exceptionally meaningful experience.

Nikki Pu

The growing emphasis on humanity and empathy in health care was a motivating force for Nikki Pu when she moved to Canada from China and was deciding on a career path. With previous experience in other academic disciplines before coming to Seneca, the Honours Bachelor of Science — Nursing (Bridge) program graduate found her path after her grandfather — a renowned doctor — was faced with health issues and became a patient himself. Through this experience, Nikki was inspired to do whatever possible to make a difference in the lives of others and vowed to act as an advocate for forging strong relationships and lines of communication with patients and their families. While maintaining exceptional academic standing and through the highest degree of professionalism both as a student and a nurse, Nikki remains a caring and conscientious leader to her colleagues. She credits her success to support received by those she’s graduating alongside, as well as the professors who supported her achievements in the most unexpected ways. Nikki’s selflessness transcends beyond the clinic; when she isn’t caring for her pediatric patients, she expresses her artistic side by painting rocks with inspirational messages, hoping to spread positivity and encouragement throughout the community.

Staysail Shedd

Staysail Shedd has had the privilege of experiencing life in diverse corners of the world. Once calling Costa Rica and Spain home, the Saint John, New Brunswick, native made her way to Seneca where she is graduating from the Honours Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program. By enrolling in courses in the natural and social sciences, Staysail broadened her previous education in horticultural landscape therapy — a field that resonated deeply with her as she regained lost abilities following a sudden health setback. Through the breadth and depth of her studies at Seneca, Staysail developed into an exceptionally engaged researcher as she explored the relief offered by gardening as a form of therapy. Her capstone project was an autoethnographic exploration of the positive effects of ecotherapy and nature therapies, demonstrating a firm balance between academic and community involvement that earned her an exceptional 4.0 GPA. Driven by a deep dedication to lifelong education, Staysail is inspired to share her knowledge by providing horticultural therapies to those who may not have access to them, and intends to expand her research pursuits through graduate studies.

Mehak Chawla, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering Technology
April 2023 graduate

Mehak Chawla, an international student from India, is the Seneca Cup Award recipient for her academic success and contributions to improving student life. The Electronics Engineering Technician (EEN) graduate was on the President’s Honour List and is known for her enthusiasm, being well organized and having a positive attitude. Mehak was a key player on the varsity badminton team. She organized extra training sessions and contributed to the annual varsity food drive. On top of that, she won gold and bronze medals at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Badminton Championships. Mehak was also a Recreation Leader, participated in Seneca’s Sustainability Hackathon and volunteered with gardening during her studies. In addition, Mehak received the Linda Stapleton Sting 360 Award in recognition of her character, leadership and excellence.

Minh Duy Le, Seneca Business
April 2023 graduate

Minh Duy Le is the Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal award winner for achieving the highest academic standing in a bachelor’s degree program at Seneca. The Honours Bachelor of Commerce – Business Management graduate was a peer mentor, worked as a marketing and strategy co-ordinator and a Functional Support Analyst. Before moving to Canada from Vietnam, Minh won a technology startup and entrepreneurship competition and co-founded a charity to help provide children in orphanages with life skills.