Valedictorian Biographies
Li Li, Honours Bachelor of Interaction Design
Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design
Li Li is graduating with an Honours Bachelor of Interaction Design degree. Throughout her time at Sheridan, she consistently showed an outstanding level of academic excellence along with a deep commitment to personal growth and development. She is a dedicated student whose impressive accomplishments were achieved while parenting her son and moving her family from China to Oakville in her second year. She is outgoing, driven to relentlessly improve her work and can always be found assisting and cheerleading her peers.
Maia Azevedo, Honours Bachelor of Interior Design
Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design
Maia Azevedo is graduating with an Honours Bachelor of Interior Design degree. Maia was one of Sheridan’s 2023 Work-integrated Learning (WIL) Student of the Year award recipients and an Experiential and Work-integrated Learning Ontario (EWO) Student of the Year nominee. In her work experience at St. Michael’s Hospital, she helped to serve Toronto’s diverse communities while working in the hospital planning department. Maia’s thesis project was about improving the well-being of new Canadians to help them with social isolation and to create a centre where they can develop community and make connections with new people.
Ryley Mccafferty, Mechanical Engineering Technology
Faculty of Applied Science and Technology
Ryley is graduating with a diploma in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He has been a distinguished Sheridan student since 2015, when he was enrolled in the Welding Techniques program. After working in the industry, he returned to Sheridan in 2021 to study Mechanical Engineering Technology. He is enthusiastic, hardworking and has overcome several challenges to reach his academic milestones. Ryley is cooperative with fellow students, attentive to detail in his work, and a dedicated and honest individual.
Tara Tyler, Welding and Fabrication Technician
Faculty of Applied Science and Technology
Tara is graduating from the Welding and Fabrication Technician diploma program. She was a passionate student who won her first Academic Award of Excellence as a first-year student and completed the first of three certifications at the end of her second semester. She became a welding program tutor in her second year and was able to help her fellow students. Tara has competed in two Skills Sheridan competitions, winning first place in her second year. Tara’s inspiration has led several female students to continue their studies in the program, and to join Skills Sheridan as contestants. She has supported Sheridan Open House events and played a role in welcoming new students to Sheridan.
Robby Persaud, Police Foundations
Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies
Robby is graduating with a diploma in Police Foundations. He is an exceptional and responsible individual who is committed to his academics and fitness. Robby has helped the Sheridan community through volunteering and recruitment. His extracurricular activities included being a member of the Peel Regional Police ‘Before the Badge’ internship and participating in the Ontario Provincial Police internship program. He also coordinated 50 student volunteers for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and organized the Cops for Cancer charity basketball game between Sheridan and Peel Regional Police. Robby has recently begun working with Peel Regional Police as a cadet.
Melody Geissberger, Honours Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences – Athletic Therapy
Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies
Melody is graduating with an Honours Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences – Athletic Therapy degree. She is an energetic, enthusiastic and effective leader who has excelled in both the theoretical and practical components of her program. She received the Robert Firth Memorial Scholarship, given to the graduating Athletic Therapy student with the highest GPA. She has demonstrated her passion for health and wellness and athletic therapy, and has always showcased a strong desire to learn. She is intelligent, yet remains humble, witty and thoughtful of others. She is serious when the situation calls for it, but is always ready to laugh and contribute a good story when appropriate.
Jerlin Thomas, Business Administration – Finance
Pilon School of Business
Jerlin is graduating with a diploma in Business Administration – Finance. She is a highly engaged student who began her program online. She was a peer mentor who helped many students on their postsecondary journey, helping to support events such as Dare to Care and New Student Orientation. As a student, she became a team lead and went on to guide nine other peer mentors. During her three-year program, Jerlin participated in co-op work experiences at three companies where she developed her work ethic along with her theoretical skills. She was president of the Enactus Club and represented Sheridan at regional and national competitions by presenting social entrepreneurship projects. With her team, she won two runner-up prizes at the 2024 Regionals.
Sarah Rahim, Honours Bachelor of Business Administration – Accounting
Pilon School of Business
Sarah is graduating with an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration – Accounting degree. She returned to school after a 12-year career in insurance. Her passion for accounting brought her to Sheridan to pursue her dream of getting a degree. As the first person in her family to pursue a degree, she hopes to inspire others to pursue postsecondary education, despite any obstacles. A married mother of an 11-year-old son, Sarah found coming back to school a huge transition. But she enjoyed interacting with and learning from students of all ages, and found that becoming a mentor figure and providing support and advice to younger students was a transformative experience.
Roopam Jain, Advertising – Account Management
Pilon School of Business
Roopam is graduating from his second consecutive graduate certificate program at Sheridan: Advertising – Account Management. Prior to this, he completed the Marketing Management program in April 2023. He has loved being involved at Sheridan and giving back to the community. He was president of Sheridan’s Pride Club, a student representative on the Building Positive Spaces Committee and was the emcee at Sheridan’s Pride Flag Raising in 2023. He has also contributed to numerous events, initiatives and committees within the Pilon School of Business, such as the Say Hi to the Future conference, the PSB Hall of Fame selection committee and the program review of Advertising – Account Management. His friends, professors and colleagues have made his time at Sheridan a transformative journey. Thanks to the kindness and support of faculty members, he feels confident and prepared to step into the industry as a marketing and advertising professional.
Monica Bermeo, Human Resources Management
Pilon School of Business
Monica Bermeo is graduating with a certificate in Human Resources Management, showcasing her dedication to continuous professional development. Throughout her journey, she actively engaged in lectures, contributed to group discussions and generously shared her knowledge with peers. Balancing her studies with responsibilities for her family of four, her role as a peer mentor, and extensive off-campus community volunteering, she built both professional and personal networks. In her time at Sheridan, Monica enjoyed helping others thrive academically and advocating a culture of belongingness on campus. She found meaning and purpose in achieving her personal goals while being able to give back and add value to others.
Asmaa Al Refai, Applied Creativity and Innovation
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Asmaa is graduating with a graduate certificate in Applied Creativity and Innovation. Her achievements within the program demonstrate her resilience, empathy and unwavering pursuit of innovation. Throughout her academic journey, she distinguished herself through her passion for effecting positive change. Her journey culminated in a hands-on independent project: The development of a Newcomers’ Legal Empowerment platform, inspired by her own experiences navigating a new legal system. Asmaa identified the barriers many immigrants face, including cultural and language disparities, and applied principles learned in her creativity and innovation classes to craft creative solutions. Her initiative aims to empower newcomer communities in a creative way that can have a real impact. This project exemplifies Asmaa’s commitment to social innovation and her ability to leverage creativity for meaningful change.