Macdonald Campus valedictorians Andre Hadji-Thomas and Jennifer McDonald reflect on their journeys

As McGill’s Class of 2025 prepares to cross the stage, the 10 valedictorians from Faculties across the University—including Andre Hadji-Thomas and Jennifer McDonald in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—have been drafting their speeches and, in the process, reflecting on much more than their academic success.

In interviews with the McGill Reporter, this year’s honourees—members of a generation shaped by the disruption of the pandemic—spoke of the power of community, the impact of mentorship and their urgent desire to build more just and sustainable societies.

Driven by urgency and purpose, many valedictorians are setting their sights on solving real-world problems, especially in the realm of environmental and social justice.

Andre Hadji-Thomas, graduating with a BEng., Honours Bioresource Engineering, is heading to Cambridge University for a master’s in philosophy while launching a startup that develops tools to assess nature-related financial risks. “My goal is to empower businesses and policymakers with clear insights so they can protect ecosystems as effectively as they manage finances,” he said.

Many of the valedictorians also acknowledged the personal and academic challenges they faced throughout their time at McGill and spoke about how they overcame them.

Jennifer McDonald, a first-generation university student graduating with a BSc. (Ag.Env.Sc), Major in Honors Environment, a Concentration in Water Environments and Ecosystems (Biological Stream) and a Minor in Entrepreneurship, spoke of early feelings of insecurity. “It took time to find my footing and feel like I belonged in academic spaces,” she said. “Over time, I learned to ask questions, talk to professors and build a support system, even if I felt a bit lost at the start. Those experiences taught me how to advocate for myself and navigate uncertainty, skills that continue to serve me both academically and beyond.”

As they leave McGill, these graduates offer advice to new students grounded in experience.

“Say ‘yes’ more often,” said Hadji-Thomas. “Go to that club fair, join that research project, try a class outside your comfort zone.”

“Success isn’t linear, and leadership comes in many forms,” said McDonald. “Often, it’s not about having all the answers, but about asking better questions, showing up for each other and staying grounded in your values.”

Ceremony schedule

• Andre Hadji-Thomas: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences ‘A’ – June 4 at 10 a.m.
• Jennifer McDonald: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences ‘B’ – June 4 at 2:30 p.m.
   

Excerpted from Neale McDevitt's article in the McGill Reporter