York University launched an institution-wide MOU with the Mississaugas of the Credit, which includes a tuition waiver for band members to promote access to education.

The LA&PS Bridging Programs for Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs) continued to play a key role in supporting newcomer and refugee professionals as they navigate the complexity of the Canadian labour market and pursue careers in their fields of expertise. Between June 2025 and March 2026, 85 participants joined the IEP Foundation Program, receiving training in professional communication, leadership, information technology, Canadian workplace practices, law and management. In addition, 37 IEP students graduated from the IEP Certificate Programs in Canadian Business and Information Technology, enhancing their professional credentials, expanding their networks and improving their employment opportunities in Canada.

Following the successful delivery of the Internationally Educated Professionals Foundation Program, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) extended its funding commitment through 2029, providing an additional year of support for newcomer and refugee professionals. This extension reflects continued confidence in the program’s impact and its role in helping internationally educated professionals respond to evolving Canadian labour market and immigration trends through targeted training, career development and employment supports.

Provided each of our three Bridging Programs – Women’s Bridging, IEP and Sanctuary Scholars – with $5,000 in funding from the ACSA-ACASA Endowment Fund to support programming. In partnership with Advancement, the Faculty also revitalized the Nixon T. Berry (Access) Bursary, awarding 17 former bridging participants now enrolled in LA&PS degree programs with $1,500 each, for a total of $25,500 total.

This past academic year the AYA Program delivered 19 youth workshops to a variety of Children’s Aid Society (CAS) and community partners including:

• Children’s Aid Society of York Region
• Children’s Aid Society of Durham Region
• Children’s Aid Society of London
• Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
• For Youth Initiative
• Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada

This year, we also expanded our services to provide intentional tailored wraparound supports for York students who have a history of society care. A total of 35 students opted into the program, including four who co-facilitated community workshops with our team. In addition to providing one-on-one support, the program creates opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, contribute through volunteerism and achieve their personal and professional goals.

Promoted scholarships, awards and bursaries to help eligible undergraduate students overcome financial barriers, while leading the Faculty’s Financial Hold Early Alert campaign in partnership with Communications. The campaign increased student engagement and helped 35 per cent of at-risk students (1,051) resolve outstanding account balances.

Department of Anthropology alumna Ana Speranza was recognized by the Royal Society of Canada for her contributions to equity, social justice and Indigenous engagement. Speranza received the Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize, which recognizes an individual with exceptional potential to advance equity and social justice in Canada or globally.

In October 2025, the Government of Canada announced four new Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) at York. The program supports research that benefits society, the economy and the environment. Aimi Hamraie, LA&PS associate professor in the Department of Social Science, was appointed Canada Research Chair in Technology, Society and Disability (Tier 1).

Alison Halsall, associate professor in the Department of Humanities, received the 2025 Honor Book Award from the Children’s Literature Association for her book Growing Up Graphic: The Comics of Children in Crisis. The award recognizes outstanding book-length contributions to children's literature scholarship and criticism. Halsall’s widely praised book is a monograph of comics that depict difficult experiences affecting young people, including the complexities of queer graphic memoirs and narratives of belonging, illness, disability and Indigenous experiences.

Two LA&PS alumni were appointed to the Order of Canada this year. Rosanna Caira (BA ’80) was recognized for her contributions to advancing women’s leadership in the hospitality and tourism sectors, while Jane Laurine Darville (BAS ’89) was honoured for her leadership in specialized health care and pediatric palliative care. Their appointments highlight the lasting contributions of LA&PS alumni to communities across Canada.

LA&PS alumnus Maurizio Bevilacqua was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws at York University’s Fall 2025 Convocation. The honour recognizes his more than 30 years of public service and his leadership as Mayor of Vaughan during a period of transformative growth and expansion for the city.

Five LA&PS alumni were named to York University's 2026 Top 30 Alumni Under 30 list in recognition of their leadership, innovation and commitment to creating positive change in their communities and professions. The honoured alumni are Muhammad Abdulhafiz, founder of Tutorizer; Wasi Syed Babar, Senior Program Manager at the City of Toronto and Chief Operating Officer of Muslim Youth Revival; Talha Aamer Chaudhry, Technology Consultant at Abacus; Adam Garisto, Speechwriter with the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada; and Esther Martinez, educator and founder of Raices. Their achievements reflect the diverse contributions of LA&PS alumni across education, public service, technology and entrepreneurship.

Department of Economics alumni Hian Siang Chan and Paulina Lau pledge $1 million to York University's Paulina Lau Scholars Program, which provides students with learning opportunities at institutions internationally, allowing them to form connections and gain new cultural insights.

Stephen Brooke, professor and Chair of the Department of History, was awarded the 2025 Wallace K. Ferguson Prize for his book London, 1984: Conflict and Change in the Radical City (Oxford University Press, 2024). The prize is awarded each year by the Canadian Historical Association to recognize an outstanding scholarly book in a field of history other than Canadian history.

Creative Writing alumna Canisia Lubrin received the 2025 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction for her debut work, CODE NOIR. The prestigious award recognizes excellence in fiction by women and non-binary writers in Canada and the United States and includes a prize of US$150,000, making it one of the most significant literary awards in North America.

Department of Economics alumnus Nikolai Cook received the Economic Sciences Prize at the 2024 John Charles Polanyi Prizes. The award recognizes exceptional early-career researchers in Ontario and honoured Cook for his work examining the economic impacts of climate change and air pollution, as well as his efforts to strengthen transparency and credibility in economics and the social sciences.