The GRADitude program takes place every year to honour our graduating class. It takes this time to celebrate student achievements and provide graduating students with the opportunity to connect with inspiring alumni.
This reformatted virtual GRADitude program features subjects led by alumni speakers to help new grads with next steps in their career journey. These sessions help to hone virtual networking skills, plan career steps, while bringing new grads’ authentic selves into their future.
Stay tuned for our next season. Watch previous sessions below.
2022 Series
Alumni panel: Virtual networking for career growth
Alumni panelists discuss how young alumni and students can network and build relationships virtually to support their career goals. Hosted by alumni engagement officer Joanne Huy (BES ’15), panelists include Amirarsalan Rahimian (BSc ’21), Paniz Ghazanfari (BSc ’15, JD ’20), and Kevin Cao (BHRM ’17).
Thinking about investing but not sure how to get started? In this session hosted by York University alumnus Alamgir Khandwala (BAS '17), alumnus Fahad Rana (BA '17) covers range of topics for beginners, including how to invest and what vehicle to invest in (TFSA/RRSP, etc.), and insight on where to focus your money when starting out (stocks, index funds, ETFs, etc.).
2021 Series
Introduction to money management
Interested in learning how to make the most of your money? Hear from two industry experts (and York alumni) on a range of financial literacy topics, including budgeting, credit and investing. Designed for new and recent grads, hosts Michele Da Silva (BHRM ’07) and Stefania Giorgio (BA ’04) provide a thorough foundation on personal finance topics and empower attendees to make their own financial decisions.
Thinking about grad school? It's never too late!
Thinking about grad school or simply curious about your options? Hear from York University alumni who’ve experienced grad school and how it helped them launch their careers. Alumni share their candid experiences as grad students, why they decided to enroll in a master’s program, what they wished they knew before beginning their studies, and share tips on how to prepare an effective graduate school application. With host Mark Hayward, Associate Dean Academic, Faculty of Graduate Studies, panelists include alumni Jason Robinson (BA ’17, MES ’19), Harwinder Singh (BAS ’14, BHRM ’16, MHRM ’19), Sarah Thompson (MDEM ’16), and Rana Nasrazadani (BA ’20, MPPAL candidate).
Are you thinking about buying your first home or interested in the home buying process? Watch this session to hear from industry experts and York alumni Michele Da Silva (BHRM ’07) and Stefania Giorgio (BA ’04) on a range of topics, including the differences between renting and buying, how to prepare your finances to enter the market, mortgages and down payments, and protecting your home.
How millennials and Gen Z can prepare for the post pandemic housing market
In this session, senior economist Ted Tsiakopoulos (BA ’94, MA ’96) outlines the economic challenges that young people face and shares the ways that Millennials and Gen Z can move closer to achieving their goals of renting or owning a home.
Virtual interviewing best practices: Setting yourself up for success
In this session, LA&PS alumna Darci Taylor, CHRL (BA ’97), CEO of HR Compass, illuminates how you can best prepare yourself for success as virtual interviews become the new normal. Darci’s presentation helps prepare you for the three phases of the virtual interview process.
How to effectively use LinkedIn
Wondering how using LinkedIn effectively can enhance your job search? Presenter Surina Sohal (BA ’11) provides tips to create a strong profile, shows how recruiters use the website so you can stand out, and how to use LinkedIn features to help you build your brand and professional online presence.
How to improve your money mindset in a digital era
Certified financial planner and York alumna Cindy Marques (BA ’12) explains how social media can impact your spending behaviors and what you can do to create better money habits. Viewers learn how to manage your cash flow and debt in a simple and stress-free way, and where to access financial literacy resources.
2020 Series
What Recruiters Look for in Recent Grads
Featuring recruitment specialists and hiring managers from a variety of industries, this special alumni panel discusses ways new graduates can increase their chances of success when job hunting. Panelists discuss what companies and organizations look for in new talent, resume and interview tips, like how to interview well online, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected hiring practices.
Negotiating Early in Your Career
Award-winning lawyer Tanya Walker (LLB ’05) and Associate Jordan Routliff (BFA’11, JD’18) of Walker Law demonstrate how utilizing good negotiation skills can get you a step closer to achieving success – and help you build better relationships. They discuss how to apply negotiations to personal and professional transactions, how negotiating can help you build stronger professional and personal relationships, and how to alter your negotiation approach during uncertain times.
Take ownership of your finances and your future by joining this session led by Money Matters Founder, Basia Pozin (BBA ’17). In this session, Basia helps York grads learn basic money management that will help lay the foundation for later life success. She shares tips related to budgeting and saving, how to build good credit history, and an introduction to investing.
How to Network Digitally After Graduation
York University alumni panelists discuss how students can network digitally and make themselves stand out in an online world.
Bringing your Authentic Self into the Workforce
Alumnus Tuvia Borok shares his experience with authentic leadership, multi-faceted diversity, and re-defining heteronormative stereotypes.
Then and Now: The First Step to Your Career
Our alumni panelists share their experiences about their journey from graduation to how they got where they are today.