This spring, more than 15,000 students will cross the stage at the University of Toronto's Convocation Hall.
Representing more than 127 countries and all corners of Canada, the Class of 2026 are as diverse as the paths that brought them here.
U of T News spoke with five graduands about how their time at U of T shaped them and the mark they want to leave on the world.
Felipe Sarmiento Gómez: Conservation goes high-tech
Felipe Sarmiento Gómez's love for biology began when a science teacher at his school in Colombia encouraged him to ask his questions about the natural world.
He was seven.
"I went to the gardens of our school," he says. "I noticed that some gardens had bees and others didn't. And I was like, 'I want to know why that happens.'"
On June 8, Sarmiento Gómez will receive a bachelor of science degree from U of T Scarborough - which he praised for its welcoming, tight-knit community - with a specialization in conservation and biodiversity and a minor in geographic information systems.
His research took him back to Colombia for field work and to Costa Rica, where he worked with a sustainable cacao startup, applying drone and AI monitoring tools to support local communities.
"Doing it in my country and doing it in something that would have an impact there was really, really meaningful," he says.
A Laidlaw Scholar , Sarmiento Gómez is currently working as a lab manager with his former supervisor Scott MacIvor, associate professor in the department of biological sciences at U of T Scarborough.
He quickly found community at U of T, meeting some of his closest friends at an international student barbecue and, later, working as an outdoor rec leader for the athletics and recreation department organizing ski trips, winter hikes and outdoor adventures.
"A really cool memory in first year was my first snowball fight after a really big snowstorm," he recalls. "It was a moment of embracing winter and bonding with friends."
Catherine Wang: Paddling towards the next chapter
During her time at U of T, Catherine Wang learned that there's no rush to figure out your life - and no need to compare yourself to others.
She also learned the path to making a difference often means following your heart.
"When you pursue what you genuinely care about, impact happens naturally," says Wang, who will graduate on June 15 from the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Temerty Faculty of Medicine with a major in nutritional sciences and specialization in laboratory medicine and pathobiology.
For Wang, that passion turned out to be nutrition, which can have a huge influence on health outcomes. Now, she's off to complete a master's degree in human nutrition at Columbia University.
Beyond her studies, Wang fully embraced campus life. She joined New College's student council, served as a residence don and competed with the synchronized swimming team for two years, among other roles.
Her decision to sign up for the University College Dragon Boat Club was a particular highlight.
"I'm sure that we'll come to each other's weddings," she said of her teammates, who she will join for one last time at the World Championships in Taiwan this summer.
Her advice to incoming students? Try things even when you're scared and stick with something long enough to give it a real chance.
Isaiah Gardner: Running for something greater
Isaiah Gardner was recruited to U of T in 2021 as a track and field varsity sprinter from his school in Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ont., having first taken up the discipline in Grade 9 to honour a boy named Dante, a local track legend who was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
Over time, his motivation to run evolved into a purpose driven journey. Before every race, he tucks a cross into his shirt, taps his chest, points to the sky and puts his hand together in prayer.
"When you're actually sprinting, going full throttle, you feel not only feel free - you feel very powerful in a way," says Gardner, who will graduate June 10 with a bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education. "I do this to represent God and to run for those who don't have the opportunity to run."
It was his personal experience with injury that inspired his academic focus: rehabilitating athletes - not just physically but mentally, too. In short, he wants to be an advocate for proper rehab for overall mental and physical well-being.
Gardner, who hopes to also pursue at master's degree at the university, says he wouldn't be where he is today without the support of his family, coaches, teammates and professors. He also praises the dining hall and administrative staff at St. Michael's College, where he forged deep friendships.
"It takes a village," he says. "Some of my favourite memories have been made here with the people here."
Ruqaiya Rahman: Growing up on campus
Ruqaiya Rahman arrived at U of T Mississauga from Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2022, feeling shy and a little nervous.
But it didn't take long for her to get connected to a close-knit campus community, sharing experiences with other students from around the world.
"At some point, I didn't even realize that the fear kind of dissipated," says Rahman, who will graduate on June 4 with a bachelor of commerce degree with a major in economics and a specialization in accounting. "I just became more comfortable."
She says the university became her support system and second family. Her roommates taught her how to use the local transit system while her don and other first-year students supported her and became lasting connections.
Rahman also got deeply involved in campus life. She mentored incoming international and out-of-province students at the International Education Centre, served as a residence education facilitator and worked as a student ambassador for admissions.
As for her studies, she says accounting is more than just numbers - it's an interpretation of data to tell the story of how a business operates and to help people make informed decisions - and hopes to earn her Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation one day.
She's also grateful to her parents, who plan to attend her convocation, for their unwavering support.
"I wouldn't have gotten this far without them."
Diego Arreola Fernández: Giving a voice to the environment
Diego Arreola Fernández arrived at U of T in the fall of 2021 as an international student from Mexico City and is graduating five years later as a budding "Eco-preneur."
He credits the teachings of his grandmother and mother - as well as family holidays in nature-rich Oaxaca - for his keen interest in environment and community.
"I really wanted to do something pro-environment, pro-sustainability," says Arreola Fernández, who will graduate on June 12 with a double major in international relations and economics from the Faculty of Arts & Science. "I realized, there's so many ways I can contribute to positive environmental programs, decisions and policies."
A Lester B. Pearson Scholar and a member of St. Michael's College, he co-founded Green Speaking , a youth-focused non-profit that bridges the gap between environmental knowledge and public advocacy. He also worked with U of T's Trash Team to help reduce single-use plastic produce bags , contributed to the U of T Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability (CECCS) and worked on an international plastics treaty-related research project at Climate Positive Energy , a U of T institutional strategic initiative .
He's currently helping to bring the Captain Planet Foundation's environmental education programs to Canada.
"I really want to work in something meaningful for me, something where I feel like I'm having a positive impact."
