York University has announced its list of Top 30 Alumni Under 30 and the list include 3 grads from the Faculty of Education.
The remarkable group of civically engaged young leaders are tackling complex societal challenges in a world facing a convergence of unprecedented trials, all before the age of 30.
“York’s Top 30 Alumni Under 30 program aims to recognize inspiring young alumni who are working to right the future in varied and significant ways,” says Julie Lafford, executive director, Alumni Engagement. “From business leaders championing equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, to social entrepreneurs, environmental advocates and community builders, alumni across all sectors are making meaningful differences in their communities and beyond.”
Representing every Faculty at the University, these alumni are applying the education, skills and experiences they received at York to meaningful careers and community service endeavours demonstrating a long-standing commitment to the public good.
Jonathan Clodman
Educator and public health advocate
BA ’19/BEd ’19, Faculty of Health/Faculty of Education
MEd ’20, Faculty of Education/Faculty of Graduate Studies
Jonathan Clodman (BA ’19 BEd ’19 MEd ’20) is an educator and active community member always looking for new opportunities to help others. Now an elementary teacher with the Toronto District School Board, he has taught students from kindergarten to grade 8, drawing on experience leading and supporting children and youth from preschool to postsecondary. While at York, Jonathan served in a variety of student leadership, recruitment, and governance positions that instilled how service to organizations and communities could spark positive change. Today, his work extends through a variety of classroom, camp, and community experiences, including the boards of two community-based children’s non-profits. Jonathan was previously a co-director of Vaccine Hunters Canada, where he developed onboarding resources, supported volunteer responders, contributed to outreach, and collaborated with a variety of educational stakeholders. Not skilled at quick goodbyes, Jonathan stays connected to York as a member of the York University Alumni Board.
Read Jonathan’s profile in the York U Magazine.
Farkhunda Muhtaj
Humanitarian and athlete
BSc ’19, Faculty of Health
BEd ’21, Faculty of Education
Farkhunda Muhtaj (BSc ’19, BEd ’21) is captain of the Afghanistan Women’s National Soccer Team and competes professionally in the Turkish Super League. She played an instrumental role in Operation Soccer Balls; the evacuation of over 300 Afghans including the Afghanistan Youth National Girls Soccer Team to Portugal in September and November of 2021. She relocated to Lisbon in September to coach the National Girls Soccer Team and ease the settlement journey of the players and families she helped evacuate. As an Afghan immigrant to Canada at the age of two, she has developed a lifelong passion for helping newcomer, refugee and marginalized communities and impacting the world through sport. She helped develop and run Scarborough Simbas, a non-profit organization that uses sport to help newcomers integrate into Canada and serves as a humanitarian ambassador for Penny Appeal Canada.
Read more about Farkhunda’s story in the York University Magazine.
Jonelle Sills
Opera singer and EDI advocate
BFA ’16/BEd ’16, School of Arts, Performance and Design/ Faculty of Education
Jonelle Sills (BFA ’16, BEd ’16) believes that her work in opera can have a social and cultural impact and is proudly a mentor with Opera InReach, a collective of multidisciplinary artists who focus to embody equity, diversity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility to the operatic art form. An active member in her local community in Markham, Jonelle has been a member of The Nubian Excellence Book Club since its inception in 2008. The York AMPD fine arts grad was one of CBC Music’s classical “30 under 30” performers for 2020. Some past roles include Mimì, Musetta (La Bohème), Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Micaëla (Carmen). She is a 2019 Dora award winner for “Outstanding performance of an Ensemble” in Vivier’s Kopernikus with Against the Grain Theatre. Jonelle originated the role of Esther in Prestini’s, Vavrek and Strassberger’s Silent Light as a resident artist at Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century Program. Jonelle is a member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program at Vancouver Opera for their 2022 season.
"It is with enormous pride and pleasure that we celebrate the distinct and deeply impressive achievements of each of our 3 Faculty of Education graduates included in York's Top 30 Alumni Under 30 list this year," said Robert Savage, dean of the Faculty of Education. "Each has found a way to use their talents and their hard work to become outstanding leaders: Jonathon, as an advocate and active member of the Education alumni board; Farkhunda, through using her sporting prowess for wider support for refugees and other newcomers; Jonelle, who has used her excellence in Opera to enable wider social inclusion. We are proud of each of you and all our alumni who are the embodiment of the very best of the positive change that we seek to engender as a faculty."
Launched in 2021, York’s Top 30 Alumni Under 30 program seeks to highlight the success and diversity of the University’s alumni community, while inspiring the next generation of young alumni leaders to make a positive difference locally and globally.
For more information on the 2022 Top 30 Alumni Under 30, visit the website.