The Speakers and Facilitators

Dr. Cory Searcy has been appointed vice-provost and dean of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies (YSGS).
As interim vice-provost and dean, Dr. Searcy led the creation of Ryerson’s Graduate Scholarship (RGS) Awards and helped to coordinate the efforts to meet the year’s graduate enrolment targets. In the last several months, he has also continued progress on YSGS's Indigenous framework, advanced new program development, and planned for the occupancy and animation of the new space for interdisciplinary graduate students in the Daphne Cockwell Centre.

Alexandra migrated to Toronto from Barbados in 2011 to pursue a BFA in Photography Studies. In her third year, she participated in a workshop in Paris, France and found her professional calling. She worked in arts and culture for three years before finally receiving her Canadian permanent residency, which enabled her to complete her MA in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections management without incurring any debt. She has worked part-time at the RIC for nine years, and was hired on contract as a Curatorial Assistant at the Art Gallery of Ontario. In her spare time, she is busy turning her side-hustle into a profitable business.

Jessica Sutherland is an assistant teaching-stream professor at York University. She has a BA from Ryerson University, an MA from the University of Toronto, and a PhD from Ryerson University. Her research interests are in the intersection between developmental science and the law, including youth in conflict with the law, peer influence on adolescent decision-making, and adolescent wellbeing. Outside of academia, she has worked in the public and non-profit sectors in a research capacity.

Jessica Kearney (she/her) is your National Graduate Chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students. As Chairperson, she is passionate about developing a future vision for the national graduate caucus and engaging with students on all the amazing and challenging moments that come along with graduate studies. Jessica is currently completing her Master of Social Justice and Community Engagement at Wilfrid Laurier (local 56). Her research is a critique of the climate action plans throughout post-secondary institutions. Prior to Laurier she attended Lakehead University and obtained a Bachelor of Education (local 32). Jessica has been actively involved in the student movement since 2012 and IS still learning every day from the students she interacts with.

Wesam AbdElhamid Mohamed (He/him) is currently serving as the Deputy Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). Wesam graduated his Masters of Engineering Science as an international graduate student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Western University, Canada. Wesam served two terms as the Vice-President Advocacy for the Society of Graduate Students, a graduate student-run organization representing over 6300 graduate students at Western. Wesam has pushed various projects forward at Western, including, Student-Supervisor Letters of Understanding and an Emergency Bursary Pilot Program. Moreover, he served as an elected representative of the CFS National Executive as the International Students' Commissioner and the Chairperson for the National Graduate Caucus of CFS.