Seneca Alumni

Jayant Gondhalekar paves the way for future students

Jayant Gondhalekar recently wrote a note that was tucked inside a care package sponsored by Seneca Alumni.

"I hope Seneca does for you what it did for me,” the note read.

Delivered as a part of Seneca’s Feed to Succeed campaign, Mr. Gondhalekar’s note and the snack bundle from the care package were photographed and posted on Twitter by a grateful student.

The idea of a surprise care package for students is only the beginning of Mr. Gondhalekar’s pursuit to give back to the Seneca community. In 2020, he established the Gondhalekar Family Award in support of students in the School of Accounting & Financial Services who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement and extracurricular involvement.

"I made up my mind that I would give something back to Seneca whenever I had the means to do so," he said.

Born in Uganda and the youngest of three brothers, Mr. Gondhalekar started working after high school to help support his family. Not long after that, he fled Uganda due to political unrest. At 18, he arrived in Canada, separated from his family, who ended up in Holland and England.

In Canada, Mr. Gondhalekar worked in a number of industries. He met his wife who is an accountant on a trip to India. She works for a chartered accountant firm in Markham.

In pursuit of a Certified General Accountant (CGA) certification, Mr. Gondhalekar worked during the day and attended evening classes at Seneca in the Accounting & Information Technology graduate certificate program.

While at Seneca, he was an eager student who flourished among a diverse group of peers and instructors.

"I was always in the front row," Mr. Gondhalekar said. "The students and professors came from different places, backgrounds, ages and experiences. Some, like me, worked full time in their fields."

Upon completion of his studies at Seneca, Mr. Gondhalekar received advanced standing toward a bachelor's degree at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. He went on to earn both his CGA and Chartered Professional Accountant certifications.

Today, Mr. Gondhalekar oversees the financial department of a land developer in Vaughan, Ont. He credits Seneca's hands-on program for helping his career grow.

"Many students who come to Seneca are immigrants just like I am," Mr. Gondhalekar said. "I hope they can use my award as a stepping stone in their careers."

Writer: Kailyn McLeod