2024/25 Innis Alumni & Friends Magazine

I’m so grateful for my leadership experiences. I’ve learned invaluable skills and life lessons, and made friends with wonderful, inspiring people. Getting involved has fostered my passion for learning, student advocacy, and community building. Everyone works together to cultivate a welcoming space, so it’s no wonder that Innis has profoundly shaped my time at U of T.

Teni Awoleye (HBSc ’27 Innis) is the 2025 recipient of the Roxanne Chee Family and Friends Award at Innis. The scholarship is awarded to a returning student demonstrating leadership and community building, with preference given to a Black and/or Indigenous student. Teni’s lasting impact at Innis includes chairing the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility (EDIA) Committee, contributing to the Black Student Network, sitting on the residence council, and as a residence don. She is majoring in health & disease and physiology, and minoring in bioethics.

Photo by Shayla Anderson

INNIS ALUMNI & FRIENDS

2024-2025 Edition No. 010

Editor

Ben Weststrate (HBA ’08 Innis)

Editorial Committee

Shayla Anderson (HBA ’19 Innis), Fiona Irvine-Goulet, Charlie Keil, Megan McDonald

Art Director

Samantha Edwards, Sam I Am Creative

Contributors

Larry Afun, Ishita Aggarwal, Teniola Awoleye, Alessandro Aycan, Nurhan Aycan, David Bennett, Tzeporah Berman, Kate Bishop, Tassie Cameron, Brian Chang, Chloe Chau, Amy Chen, Benedict Cheng, Sarah Chocano, Adam Coish, Georgina De Roché, Katherine Duncan, Jana El Khatib, Zeina El Khatib, Eva Gao, Helen Garland, Roger Greenwald, Connie Guan, Sam Guevara, Leah Henrickson, Horst Herget, Vikki Huang, Nicole Jacquette, Peter Knegt, Luke Krikorian, Jake Lance, Sharon Lewis, Lisa Lightbourn, Emmanouil Liatakis, Alice Lo, Leah MacNab, Aditi Mehta, Bianca Mehrotra, Marc Michael, Alexander Mooney, Alessandro Motter, Kathleen Munroe, Chinthujan Nandakumar, Maya Nasiri, Daria Nazarkina, Wynne Neilly, Kyle Newcombe, Averyn Ngan, Kevin Nguyen, Tom Nowak, Michael Orr, John Paillé, Amisha Punja, Gheyana Purbodiningrat, Seemi Qaiser, Erich Saide, Lisa Sakulensky, Joel Schuster, Nick Shah, Bobby Sheth, Yash Singhal, Paul Smith, Damian Tarnopolsky, Polina Teif, Gustavo Toledo, Cam Tolton, Eric Tung, Liv Vanderlinden, Maya Waldman, Jesse Wente, Juliana West, Paula Wilson, Jasmine Wong, Ken Wong, Alice Xue, Jamie Yi

Printing

Avant Imaging and Integrated Media

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“The architecture of Innis—both in its walls and its community—is a constant work in progress. In my years here, I’ve come to appreciate the collective impact that numerous contributors have had in shaping our college.

“In this cover artwork, I show the layering and compounding effects of these forces over time through the form of a hodgepodged neighbourhood. This eccentric place is packed with depictions of and allusions to things I discovered and value about Innis. From the green-painted woodwork of the Victorian house to the industrial metal stairs in the library, I invite readers to discover these nods to the elements they also might love about Innis.”

—Cover artwork by Liv Vanderlinden (HBA ’27 Innis)

A message from the principal

What a difference a year makes. When I wrote my remarks for last year’s issue, the steel supports for our expansion project were just beginning to rise. Now, the entire edifice is constructed, with exterior walls and windows in place. It actually looks like a building, and your continued support is helping to make this possible. It’s gratifying to see progress, but sometimes we need the benefit of time to recognize the degree of change that has occurred. Time is one way we can measure impact, because transformation rarely happens overnight.

Our magazine is a handy and resonant reminder of the impact the Innis community exerts, over time, in ways large and small. The alumni profiled in this issue have made indelible impacts on multiple fronts: whether it be the environmental activism of Tzeporah Berman (p. 10), the fostering of vibrant Indigenous cultural production by Jesse Wente (p. 12), or the support of women’s basketball by Leah MacNab (p. 14), these thought leaders have translated intent into advocacy, improving the world in the process.

Similarly, our feature on Tassie Cameron, Sharon Lewis, and Kathleen Munroe—three women who have helped shape Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent—underscores that collaboration and fostering an open and responsive creative work environment can change how television gets made (p. 18). The

Innis College Choir serves as another example of collectivity inspiring creativity while also creating memories that, in the words of former Choir Director Juliana West, a student can “treasure forever” (p. 28).

The Arbor Awards coverage makes it even more explicit: our alumni volunteers are the very definition of “impact in action” (p. 27). Meanwhile, the calendar of events recalls the diverse array of screenings, talks, and celebrations that bring together hundreds of people in conversation and reflection (p. 4). The insights provided by the College’s recipients of the University of Toronto Student Leadership Awards (UTSLA) reveal that leadership emerges over time, and its full impact is only discerned from the vantage point of the present (p. 30). Other achievements, such as books published or awards received, signal again how time invested ultimately produces results worth saluting (p. 38).

We strive to create a college culture that produces positive outcomes for our students. At the same time, their presence affects all of the staff and faculty in beneficial ways as well. Ideally, that “impact reciprocity” will define the College for decades to come. As cover artist and current Innis student Liv Vanderlinden offers, “I’ve come to appreciate the collective impact that numerous contributors have had in shaping our college.” May it ever be so.

Celebrations

FALL 2024 AND SPRING 2025 CONVOCATIONS

Celebrating their success after years of hard work—and fun—Innis’s latest contingents of grads received their degrees in separate ceremonies on October 28, 2024, and June 16, 2025. Convocation Hall was packed with moms, dads, siblings, and proud supporters of the accomplished Innisians.

ALUMNI MENTORSHIP EVENTS

The Innis Alumni Mentorship Program is proudly sponsored by U of T affinity partners Manulife and TD Insurance, who donate a portion of proceeds from U of T affinity insurance products to support student and alumni programming. Now in its ninth year, this successful program matches alumni mentors with students hoping to pursue similar careers. 2024-25 events included a launch get-together on November 6, 2024, a speed networking night in partnership with the Innis College Student Society on February 13, 2025, and a wrap-up evening on April 3, 2025.

FALL 2024 STUDENT AWARDS CEREMONY

Surrounded by family, friends, alumni, and donors, Innis College students who demonstrated outstanding leadership and academic excellence were recognized in a Town Hall ceremony on November 21, 2024.

2025 INNIS ALUMNI REUNION AND CSI 50 TH ANNIVERSARY AND REUNION

2025 marked 50 years since the Cinema Studies Program (now CSI, the Cinema Studies Institute) was first offered as a minor at Innis College. On Saturday, May 31, 2025, in a combined reunion and anniversary celebration, CSI marked the occasion with a brunch and a panel discussion on “the Toronto New Wave,” with Atom Egoyan, John Greyson, Srinivas Krishna, Ron Mann, Bruce McDonald, Peter Mettler, Patricia Rozema, and Clement Virgo

The Cheese Boutique and alumnus Ilir Pristine (BA ’01 Cinema Studies) catered the event, which was followed by an afternoon barbecue for both CSI and Innis alumni.

2024 REFUGEE STUDENT FUND BENEFIT CONCERT

On December 5, 2024, Innis College hosted its eighth annual benefit concert in support of the Refugee Student Fund. A talented roster of Innis students, staff, alumni, and faculty delivered standout performances in this festive entertainment extravaganza. With the help of Principal Charlie Keil and his family, who matched each donation dollar for dollar, we collectively raised $20,000! This fund directly supports upper-year resettled refugee students at Innis College. To learn more and make a secure donation, please scan the QR code.

AND THE CELEBRATIONS CONTINUED...

From significant to silly, Innisians know how to mark an occasion. Here’s a sampling of celebratory events in 2024-25:

January 23, 2025, was Innis’s 61st birthday and “National Pie Day.” This epic collision of coincidences was marked by a student versus staff pie-eating contest, with (surprise!) staff winning all the dough.

February 13, 2025, saw the presentation of the inaugural “Eager Beaver Award for Staff Over-Achievers” presented to Residence Life Coordinator Dylon McLean (shown here with Principal Charlie Keil). CSI Undergraduate Program Coordinator Denise Ing was awarded the prize in June.

June 18, 2025, marked the second consecutive year Innis won the campus-wide “Display Your Pride” prize by creating a spectacular installation of over 300 origami stars. The effort was led by Out@Innis, the College’s newly formed student-staff 2SLGBTQ+ club.

Screenings

HEY, VIKTOR!

On September 30, 2024, Innis College and CSI hosted a screening of Hey, Viktor! in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A Q&A followed, with director, writer, and lead actor Cody Lightning and producer Samuel Miller, moderated by Kelly Boutsalis

Scan the QR code to watch the full slate of 2024-25 post-screening discussions on the Innis Alumni YouTube channel.

KENSINGTON MARKET: HEART OF THE CITY

The Urban Studies Program, Innis College, and CSI screened Kensington Market: Heart of the City, on April 8, 2025, with filmmaker Stuart Clarfield talking about the pressures faced by this iconic Toronto neighborhood.

RICEBOY SLEEPS

Innis College and CSI presented a screening of Riceboy Sleeps on November 27, 2024. Actor Ethan Hwang joined for a discussion, moderated by Michelle Cho, assistant professor and associate chair of U of T’s Department of East Asian Studies.

CITIZEN JANE

On April 28, 2025, the Urban Studies Program, in partnership with Jane’s Walk Toronto, presented a special screening of the documentary Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, exploring the life and legacy of urban activist Jane Jacobs.

KANAVAL

On February 20, 2025, in recognition of Black History Month, Innis College and CSI hosted a screening of Kanaval, TIFF’s 2023 Amplify Voices Award winner. Filmmaker Henri Pardo joined a post-screening discussion, with film critic and Woodsworth College alum Sara-Tai Black (HBA ’15) moderating.

CSI CELEBRATED ITS 50 TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2025

CSI marked 50 years of excellence in film studies with a Monday night screening and discussion series of films chosen by notable CSI alumni, followed by lively discussion between alumni and CSI faculty.

Scan the QR code for a highlight reel.

CSI Assistant Professor Lauren Cramer interviews Indigenous arts advocate and cultural critic Jesse Wente (HBA ’96 Innis, Cinema Studies) after a special CSI 50-year anniversary screening on March 3, 2025 (photo courtesy of CSI). Learn more about Jesse on pp. 12-13 and Lauren on p. 38.

Talks

PEGGY

On October 10, 2024, we celebrated the life and work of Rebecca Godfrey (BA ’89 Innis),1967-2022. With the support of alumna and friend Stephanie Savage (BA ‘90 Innis, Cinema Studies), we launched Rebecca’s bestselling novel, Peggy (with Leslie Jamison), with a reading by actress Christine Horne. Writer-educator Janet Somerville moderated a panel discussion featuring writers Doretta Lau and Rosemary Sullivan, and AGO Associate Curator of Modern Art Adam Welch.

2024 HAROLD INNIS LECTURE

Canadian film industry executive Helga Stephenson delivered the annual Harold Innis Lecture, “Hopes and Dreams: Life Inside Film Festivals” on November 12, 2024. Helga spoke about her time as the director of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and her more recent involvement with Human Rights Watch as the founder of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. Awardwinning filmmaker Deepa Mehta joined to moderate the discussion and Q&A.

2025 INNIS ALUMNI LECTURE

On April 9, Professor Jeffrey Ian Ross (BA ‘85 Innis) delivered the 2025 Innis Alumni Lecture, “Can Ex-Cons Help Improve the Criminal Justice System?” in which he explored how the criminal justice system could be improved by incorporating the voices of formerly incarcerated individuals. Professor Scot Wortley from the Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies moderated the discussion and Q&A that followed the talk.

ONE MINUTE MORE

On February 27, 2025, best-selling author, lawyer, and alumnus Robert Rotenberg (BA ’75 Innis) launched his new novel, One Minute More—the actionthriller prequel to his bestselling novels, What We Buried and Downfall. Writer and communications consultant Bob Ramsay interviewed Robert in Innis Town Hall to promote the launch of the novel.

SUPPORT MARGINALIZED STUDENTS THROUGH A NEW AWARD

In 2024, Innis created the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Awards Fund to bolster existing equity-focused awards, such as the Innis Admission Award for Black Students, and the Innis Admission Scholarship for Indigenous Students. The fund will also help create new awards to break down barriers faced by marginalized students.

Support this important fund today by scanning the QR code.

Scan the QR code to watch our 2024-25 book talks and lectures on our YouTube channel.

For over thirty years I have been designing climate justice and environmental advocacy campaigns, and advising governments on fossil fuels and climate change. I’m the co-founder and international program director at Stand.earth and the founder and chair of the Fossil Fuel NonProliferation Treaty Initiative, an organization dedicated to halting the expansion of and promoting the phasing out of fossil fuels. In 2024, I was honoured to be named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders.

Canada’s Queen of Green

Tzeporah Berman (BA ’92 Innis) started by saving trees now she’s saving the planet

You graduated from Innis with a degree in environmental studies. Thirty-three years later you are one of the world’s most influential and accomplished climate activists, creating transformational initiatives to save our planet. What are the roots of your advocacy and your passion to solve what is arguably the most important global crisis we’ve ever faced?

In a geography class at U of T over thirty years ago, I saw an image of the ancient temperate rainforest on Canada’s west coast. I was enthralled. I had no idea that these old growth rainforests were being logged at more than one hectare a minute. That summer I went west and fell in love with those rainforests. I began to understand how complex and fragile life systems truly are.

I was horrified to learn the forests were being clear-cut and I joined community protests near Tofino in Clayoquot Sound, BC, and eventually coordinated some of the largest blockades in Canada’s history. That work taught me that solutions are complex—and how critical it is to respect Indigenous rights while creating pathways that remove economic barriers and build community capacity and resilience. I learned how to say “yes” and not

just “no.” My passion is not just about stopping the destruction of ecosystems but also about developing power and advocacy campaigns that can also build bridges and create long-term solutions founded on justice and equity. This work is not just about stopping destructive “extractivism”—it’s about shifting social norms to value living systems, support sustainable communities, and ensure they have a voice in decision making.

In 2005, I had my climate reckoning. I realized the forests I fought to protect were now under threat from fires and beetle infestations due to climate change. Eighty-six per cent of the emissions trapped in our atmosphere causing climate change come from oil, gas, and coal. I began focusing on how to phase out fossil fuels, which led me to my current work on a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty.

You are founder of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, with the goal of creating “a concrete, binding plan to end the expansion of new coal, oil, and gas projects and manage a global transition away from fossil fuels.” Your support is growing, but given the current global political climate—with some governments retreating from clean energy policies— how do you move forward?

Despite thirty years of international climate negotiations and domestic policies, no mechanisms exist to stop fossil fuel expansion and manage an equitable phase-out. Current agreements focus only on cutting emissions and demand—while allowing production to grow.

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty will be a companion to the Paris Agreement, helping countries to stop expansion and manage a wind-down that is fast, fair, and financed.

A small group of ambitious countries is designing the rules using a “build-itand-they-will-come” model. We believe that even if big producers don’t join, the new trade, tax, market access, and debt rules will become social norms influencing other countries. It is absurd that countries like Canada claim climate leadership while still expanding production, and growing the crisis.

Currently, 3,800 organizations and 118 countries have endorsed the global campaign. They are raising awareness, encouraging businesses and cities to sign on, and building political space and social license for more countries to join.

I’m Jesse Wente and I’m Anishinaabe Ojibwe from Toronto. I’m an off-reserve member of the Serpent River First Nation and I’m Bear Clan. A husband and a father, I was recently appointed to the role of Storyteller in Residence at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Story is my primary interest. Cinema was my first storytelling passion, but now I would say I’m interested in it in all forms, and especially the tension that informs how stories are used, both to benefit and to deny.

Theforstruggle story

Jesse Wente (HBA ’96 Innis, Cinema Studies) believes storytelling is our super power

As an award-winning writer, broadcaster, speaker, and arts administrator, how do you use your storytelling skill to make a positive impact and advocate for Indigenous communities?

The key to storytelling is its ability to humanize beyond our own personal experience. It allows us entry into worlds and lives that we might not otherwise know. For many Indigenous peoples, this is an ongoing struggle as colonialism has sought to systematically erase our stories and to keep us at a distance from our own storytelling structures and venues. Our ongoing struggle for freedom is deeply intertwined with our ability to maintain and tell our stories. My hope is to continue to influence the nature of storytelling in this place in the hopes that it will contribute to futures beyond the colonial present, and to help the next generation of storytellers find their voice.

Many of us feel that the world is in an unprecedented state of crisis. However, at the closing address of the 2023 Imagining 2080: A Forum on Canada’s Future, you offered a unique—and ultimately hopeful— perspective, founded on lessons gleaned from your Anishinaabe

heritage. Can you talk more about what that looks like?

The hope I can offer is to simply say that, while it may seem like this is an unprecedented crisis and we are in a new place, that in fact, we have been here before—if not exactly in the same circumstances, then close enough to recognize we now have an important opportunity. We can learn from what our Indigenous ancestors did when they faced the ending of their worlds. This is not to say that the world isn’t ending, but rather that humans have survived that experience.

First Nations people here are already living in a post-apocalyptic reality. Not that long ago, our worlds were completely uprooted, including languages, systems of governance, economies, spiritual and cultural practices, and ways of communication—all upended and overturned. They were replaced by what many now understand as “the world.”

Now, that world is undergoing an absolutely inevitable shift, a transformation, as the systems in place for the past few hundred years have never been sustainable. Hope comes from knowing we can still see the smoke from the fires extinguished long ago. Our communities are now

reigniting those fires. In the face of past catastrophe, our ancestors made decisions, they took actions to ensure that we would be here today. In this moment, we can also act, taking steps that will allow us to survive and to rebuild.

The ongoing question we must now answer is, what do our futures look like? Can we dream beyond the confines of current systems to imagine something different? And ultimately, can we make decisions and take steps to bring those imagined futures into existence? I will always remain hopeful that we can.

I lead international operations and strategy at the National Basketball Association (NBA), driving global growth and scaling successful initiatives. I previously led our Canadian business. My job involves frequent travel across our sixteen offices outside the US. Highlights this past year include working with the Basketball Africa League, exploring the launch of a new league in Europe, and being inducted into the Ontario Basketball Hall of Fame! As a Canada Basketball board member (the governing body for basketball in Canada, devoted to leading the growth of the sport), I’m committed to making the game safer and more accessible.

Full-court press

Leah MacNab (HBA ’02 Innis) leads the charge for the NBA’s global expansion

You entered Innis as a recipient of the Innis Kitchen Sink Award, which you’ve said helped you to travel to Hong Kong after first year, a formative experience that has shaped your career. Now you’re head of international strategy and operations at the NBA. Did you always foresee a career with a global perspective?

My exchange to Hong Kong was incredibly impactful. Coming from Almonte, Ontario, a small town, (and coincidentally the hometown of Dr. James Naismith, basketball’s inventor), Hong Kong offered a completely new experience. I was fortunate to have friends from U of T whose families lived there—and we explored their favourite spots alongside the more traditional tourist attractions.

At the time, my sights were set on a career in politics, so I had no idea my path would lead to professional basketball.

There is no better way to learn about different cultures than to travel and experience them first-hand.

You’ve been with the NBA for over twenty years now. What are the most exciting changes you’ve seen—and been a part of—during that time? What do you see as the organization’s biggest challenge for the future?

Some of the biggest changes over my twenty years in the NBA have also been the most energizing. Chief among them is the incredible rise of Canadian talent in both the NBA and WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association)—across players, coaches, and development programs, there’s so much to be proud of.

One highlight is the WNBA’s first Canadian franchise, launching in Toronto in 2026. Our NBA Canada and WNBA teams worked tirelessly to bring the WNBA’s first game north of the border, drawing a sold-out crowd. What began as a test case quickly sparked a franchise acquisition—a thrilling transformation to witness in real time.

International growth remains our biggest opportunity. While basketball is the fastest-growing sport in the world and number two sport globally, converting that massive potential—roughly 95 per cent of the world’s population—requires a deep understanding of local fandom. It’s a joy to discover how each culture engages with the game, and to reflect that distinct flavour back to fans across the globe.

Before your current position as head of international strategy and operations at the NBA, you were the first female managing director of NBA Canada. As

a trailblazer, and given that the Toronto Tempo is set to debut in 2026, what are your thoughts on the future of women’s basketball?

I have already bought my season tickets for the Tempo! To say I’m excited is an understatement. The growth of the WNBA is made possible by the incredible talent of the players who make the game so exciting to watch. As we’ve seen with the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and the Northern Super League (NSL), we’re going to see a fan base built for the Toronto Tempo. Valuations for women’s sports franchises have skyrocketed in the last five years, and the industry is seeing a lot of investment. The impact will be seen in the growth of girls’ participation in the game. In fifteen years, we’ll see WNBA players from Canada who were inspired by the Tempo’s launch. That’s a legacy we’ve seen with the Toronto Raptors. The impact of the team coming to Toronto has inspired countless Canadian players who are now stars in the NBA.

Celebrating 50 years of Cinema Studies at Innis College

A founding member reflects on the early years

BY CAM TOLTON , PROFESSOR EMERITUS

Early Cinema Studies professors

It was 1973, and Cameron Tolton was teaching in the French Department of Victoria College. He was passionate about film and was excited when invited to teach an introductory course on cinema. Surprisingly, that first course initiated a rewarding career— and led to him becoming a founding member of the Cinema Studies Program, now known as the Cinema Studies Institute (CSI) at Innis College.

We asked Professor Tolton, now a professor emeritus and the third director of the program (1994-99), to look back on

the first twenty-five years of Cinema Studies; what follows are three brief excerpts from his reflections.

FROM A PRIEST’S FRIENDSHIP WITH INGMAR BERGMAN TO JOE MEDJUCK’S PIONEERING FILM COURSE, A SNAPSHOT OF THE EARLY DAYS

The earliest [film] courses had appeared at St. Michael’s College in the late 1960s, where Fathers Robert Fink and Arthur Gibson pioneered offerings on French cinema and Ingmar Bergman, respectively. (Father Gibson knew Bergman

personally, counselling the Swedish director through his frequent religious crises.) Other notable figures soon followed: philosophy professor Francis Sparshott briefly taught film aesthetics, and novelist Josef Škvorecký offered graduate seminars on film comedy and melodrama.

Yet the heart of Cinema Studies beat at Innis College, where Joe Medjuck and Kay Armatage built an inspired program that became the foundation for future growth. In 1969, Joe offered the first introductory course in cinema at Innis, where the first principals had wisely chosen film studies as a focal point in the academic planning of their forward-looking institution. (Joe left U of T in the early 1980s at the invitation of his friend and collaborator, director Ivan Reitman, to go to Hollywood, where they produced films together. Joe felt that his departure was temporary until the success of Ghostbusters assured him that he had a definite future in the film industry.)

HOW TOWN HALL GAINED 35 MM PROJECTORS BUT LOST CAPPUCCINO BREAKS

We were sometimes embarrassed by the lack of a 35 mm projector on campus. Professor Tony Vicari insisted

U OF T ALUM NORMAN JEWISON GAVE US MOONSTRUCK—AND A LECTURE SERIES

his students could not truly grasp Italian cinema without proper 35 mm screenings. So, on Wednesday nights, he arranged to hold screenings at the St. Clair Movie Theatre. Tony encouraged students to bring all of their families, neighbours, boy/girlfriends, etc. The place overflowed with chatter, lengthy cappuccino breaks, and pizza. Wednesday at the St. Clair became a ritual in the Italian community— until the dean learned of it and questioned the academic quality of the evenings. Within weeks, Innis College Town Hall was equipped with two 35 mm projectors. And the St. Clair Movie Theatre eventually went out of business.

Towards the end of the 1970s, Norman Jewison, distinguished director and 1949 graduate of Victoria College, was inspired to gift a series of lectures. Norman would pay $2,000 per speaker to invite five Hollywood directors for a week each to speak after screenings of their films. Having found his early encounters with veteran filmmakers deeply enriching, Norman valued such exchanges. He was unconcerned that our program did not aim to produce practical filmmakers. Instead, he recognized that our students gained a crucial grounding in global content for film scripts—an essential step before tackling technical production. In his view, these elements formed a cohesive and intellectually rich approach to cinema education. The series ran from 1983 until 1989 and included lectures by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Martin Ritt, and Robert Wise.

1969 – First film course, “Modern Arts: The Cinema,” is offered by Joe Medjuck

1975 – Cinema Studies minor program is introduced with Gino Matteo as director

1984 – Wendy Rolph becomes second program director

1994 – Cam Tolton becomes third director

2000 – Peter Fitting becomes fourth director

2005 – Charlie Keil becomes fifth director

2007 – Cinema Studies Program becomes an institute (CSI) and first offers MA program

2013 – PhD program is launched 2014 – Corinn Columpar becomes sixth director

2019 – James Cahill becomes seventh director

2024 – Alberto Zambenedetti becomes eighth director 2025 – Cinema Studies celebrates its 50th anniversar y

On March 24, 2025, Joe Medjuck and five Cinema Studies directors, past and current, returned to Town Hall for a panel discussion on the history of the institute. CSI Professor Bliss Cua Lim moderated this 50-year anniversary celebration event. Scan the QR code to watch their conversation on YouTube.

Three alumnae, one hit TV show

A showrunner, a director, and an actor meet on the set of Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent . These are their stories.

Sharon Lewis graduated from Innis in 1989 with a BA in political science. Now she’s a multi-hyphenate directorproducer-writer-showrunneractor- storyteller-activist, who directs for Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, the hit TV show that doesn’t have to disguise its proudly Canadian locale (or “red rocket” Toronto streetcars).

Two years later in 1991, Tassie Cameron graduated with a BA in English literature, going on to earn her master’s in cinema studies at NYU. She might well be the queen of the TV police procedural: her impressive resumé includes working on Flashpoint, Rookie Blue, and Pretty Hard Cases; currently she’s the showrunner for Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.

Kathleen Munroe studied cinema at U of T until 2007. Now this ACTRA Award-winning actor is a 2025 Canadian Screen Award nominee for her portrayal of Detective Sergeant Frankie Bateman in—you guessed it—Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.

Principal Charlie Keil sat down recently with these three accomplished women to talk about their roots at Innis, and their current intersection of careers.

Sharon Lewis: When I was picking my college [at U of T], I didn’t know which one to choose. And when I saw Innis College had a cinema studies program, even though I had no intention of going into film, I just thought that was cool. Because I had worked at Cineplex Odeon and watched films my whole life, and my idea of time spent with my parents was watching films, I don’t know, there was something about [cinema studies] that I felt I could be adjacent to it, adjacent to “cool,” that is.

And then when I came [to Innis] and I saw all these film posters, and I still was taking political science—I never took a film class—but I would hover over it. I wanted to go, but then I would decide, “that’s not for me.” And also, I didn’t see anybody who looked like me. But I loved being adjacent to the cool people.

Tassie Cameron: I was at Trinity College, but I think it was in my second year. I decided to take the “Introduction to Cinema Studies” course at Innis, hoping it was going to be easy, hoping I was going to sit in a dark room and watch movies and chat about it. So I took it as a “bird” course, as a relief from all

my English literature classes, but it was twice as hard as all my English courses. But I loved it, and I kept taking classes, and so I ended up I guess with a minor in film from Innis.

Kathleen Munroe: I had taken I think a year and a half off after high school, and really wasn’t sure what I was going to do, as in maybe I’ll be a playwright, maybe I’ll write, maybe I’ll be a teacher. But I started acting, and when I found that might be a career path, I really wanted to go to school for the chance to read and learn. I decided if I was going to go, then I just wanted to do only things that I wanted to learn about, and I decided to remove the pressure on myself of trying to do really well. So I took that intro cinema course in my first year. I think I enrolled in a major in English or literature, and then at the end of the year I remember getting an email from you, Charlie. He had probably sent this to a number of people, but the message was, if you want to pursue this [cinema studies], then go for it. That changed my focus. It was such a rich course, that first course, so much cultural theory and history and an overview of a lot of things I was interested in. At that point I liked movies more than anything else, so I switched to a Cinema Studies specialist.

CK: That background that you each just talked about, how do you think it’s informed or in any way shaped what you’re doing now?

TC: For me, it was absolutely life changing. Taking cinema studies completely shaped what, where, and how I do it. I had never thought of a career in television or film before I went on and did my master’s in cinema studies at NYU, and from then I’ve been working in it ever since. I probably would have been an English prof if I hadn’t taken cinema studies and found, sort of fallen in love with, that visual language of storytelling.

KM: I feel similarly in that [Innis] had a huge impact on me, but different in how that worked out. As I said before, when I came to U of T, I was still thinking I might pursue a career in theatre, and film also just felt like something that other people got to do and engage in. I guess it was a combination of just steeping myself in movies here, and the literacy gained from that, and stoking the love of it. It just propelled me toward that industry even more. I left early and I went to LA. I really, really loved it here. But I think part of that love was that it accelerated a career path that was starting to take shape.

I write and I’m directing a little bit, and I’ve got things in development to direct. Right now, I’m shadowing a director on a film. And it’s amazing how much I feel is imprinted from that. Now when I’m approaching work, I know what I like, and I know what I want, and I also have some understanding of why things are communicated the way they are in that medium. So it’s really, really stuck.

SL: I think for me, honestly, it didn’t even occur to me to even study film until I went to UCLA. So, I moved to LA as an actor, but I couldn’t get a job to save my life. And I was making all these movies and little short films. And I was directing them. And then I went to UCLA for directing and I learned about light and form and why you choose certain things—not even the practical, technical stuff—because UCLA was all theory, but I learned about that too.

CK: Can you explain how your different paths have connected, and what you’ve learned from one another in your interactions.

SL: Well, I know for me, working with a female showrunner and a female lead is huge because the vibe and the energy and the understanding is unspoken. I definitely feel this when a scene is becoming maybe a little unbalanced.

I can look at Kathleen, and I know she knows what I’m trying to do is calibrate the scene so it’s a little bit more equal.

Then when I’m in the room with Tassie I have a freedom and an understanding, partly that just comes from Tassie—she’s open—but I think there’s a worldview that is assumed, so for me, coming in as a director, having the showrunner and the lead feel like it’s a safe place, I think my creativity expands.

CK: So how did you end up getting to work on this show, Sharon? Or who made that decision?

TC: Oh, we begged her. Sharon came and [directed] an episode in our first season [of Law & Order Toronto], which ended up being the finale, I think.

KM: I’d be curious to see the difference in it, in a differently structured set, because you [Sharon] came in with so much ease and confidence. We’d been operating for a little while, and we’d had different people with different approaches and energies coming in. And I felt like you were so deft at navigating the ecosystem, and compassionate too.

What I really remember is that first time we worked together on that episode there was a sensitive scene, and you [Sharon] came up to the green room, and you sat down with the guest stars, and just quietly read with them. I think everyone was crying at the end of that, but you were right there, very generous and present, and quiet and open.

SL: I think I do move like that, but I do because I have to, because I feel like I’m there to serve the actors in the story. But it’s nice to know that it’s appreciated here, or it’s seen as a strength.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length.

Join us in the home stretch!

Your support is needed now to take our $10-million Innis Renewal & Expansion Campaign across the fi nish line

Coming soon to a college near you: An expanded and revitalized Innis with more space for learning, gathering, creating—and leading! Our new college, with a library, commuter lounge, and a sustainably designed rooftop terrace, will welcome Innis’s over 2,200 students. This massive undertaking is projected to be completed this year, but we can’t do it without your help. Hundreds of Innisians—including our alumni volunteer cabinet and student ambassador team—have supported this transformation—please join them today.

Innis gave him a home

Alessandro Motter (BA ’90 Innis) is giving back with a bench dedicated to the college community in the revitalized Innis space

Alessandro Motter is a sustainable development specialist with over thirty years of experience in policy analysis, project management, outreach, and advocacy. He is currently an advisor on economic and social affairs at the New York office of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the world organization of national parliaments.

“The experiences that give meaning to our lives are way more important than the possessions we acquire along the away. I can think of many such experiences, but ultimately it is the experience of learning that tops my list. As my parents taught me, those lucky enough to get a good education will always be rich.

“As a campaign contributor, I am filled with joy at the thought that this place that long ago welcomed me as an immigrant and as a mature student, and where I had the most formative time of my life, will continue to provide a nurturing environment for U of T students to learn and grow.” —Alessandro Motter

A PLACE TO REFLECT

Through his donation to the Innis Renewal & Expansion Campaign, Alessandro welcomed a naming opportunity with “Sandro’s Bench,” a built-in bench tucked into the renewed west atrium. The bench will be inscribed with the following message:

SANDRO’S BENCH: Dedicated to the writing instructors, guidance counselors, and administrative staff at Innis College. When I arrived as a new immigrant and mature student beginning my undergraduate degree in political science, I was lost and afraid. The Innis community was there for me, offering the support I needed at every step to succeed. If you find yourself sitting here, I invite you to take a moment to reflect with gratitude on those who stood by you at the pivotal moments of your life journey.

Bring us home!

Please scan here to make a secure donation to the Innis Renewal & Expansion Campaign, or visit innis.utoronto.ca/ support-our-expansion We’re Innis together!

Join me in creating a brighter future for students

As an educator, Jasmine Wong (HBSc ’04, BEd ’06) believes in the power of giving back to an Innis that embodies lasting learning and community

Jasmine Wong is an associate program director with Facing History & Ourselves, where she has spent over fifteen years leading professional development and organizational growth across Canada. Previously a classroom teacher, Jasmine earned an MA in education leadership at Stanford University, and a BEd from OISE. She and her future husband, Eric Tung (BASc ’03), both lived at Innis Residence as students. They are now the parents of two fantastic children and live in Toronto.

“Public spaces, and in particular, public universities that sustain and support diverse thought, lifelong learning, and interpersonal connection, are crucial. For many Innis alumni, and me, our college embodies exactly that.

“It was at Innis where I met lifelong friends; it was through the College that I found support to grow as a student through its Writing Centre; it was at Innis Residence where I developed as a leader as a member of a house council; and as an alumna, Innis is where I continue as a lifelong learner through film screenings and public lectures, and where I meet with inspiring students as a volunteer mentor.

“Today, our college seeks to ensure that the kind of home I had as a student is available to its diverse and large commuter and public communities. This is why I joined the Innis College Campaign Cabinet. I invite my fellow alumni to join me to create a brighter future for Innis College.” —Jasmine Wong

STUDENT AMBASSADORS ARE KEY PART OF THE INNIS RENEWAL & EXPANSION CAMPAIGN

Innis ambassador Emmanouil Liatakis stands in the relocated and expanded Innis College Library, which will also house the Writing Centre and on-location studentsuccess staff. Emmanouil is part of a busy team of volunteer student ambassadors, who support the Renewal & Expansion Campaign through valuable feedback on the design and layout of the new spaces, and hosting information sessions and site tours for fellow students (photo by Shayla Anderson).

For Nurhan and Alessandro Aycan , the law—and life— mean honouring diversity and strengthening community

Like father, like son

Nurhan Aycan

(BA ’87 INNIS), FATHER

After you graduated from Innis with a BA in political science, you went to law school and are now enjoying a distinguished career as an international business lawyer. What was it about international law that drew you to that specialty? Is that something you envisioned while studying at Innis?

My thirty-year legal career has definitely not been linear, with stops at five national/international law firms and stints as in-house counsel and at a private equity fund along the way. At each point, my focus was to bring my cultural acumen to bear on international business transactions, which I found fascinating because each jurisdiction brought a new way of thinking about issues that arose.

My affinity towards international business transactions likely stems from having parents from two distinct cultural groups, one Turkish and the other Finnish, and then marrying a Sicilian. This required me to be culturally astute when interacting with each community.

Amongst the many benefits of attending Innis College, the one that attracted me most was the close-knit, artistic, and inclusive environment that the College fosters. I still have very fond memories attending Italian cinema screenings with friends, including my Sicilian wife (then girlfriend), and trying to dissect what we saw afterwards in the Innis common areas. These spaces encourage people to meet and share ideas with others from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds who share similar values. I still have life-long friendships with the like-minded peers I met at Innis College. It is that camaraderie and openness to new ideas—founded on inclusivity and the celebration of diversity-- that drew me to international business.

You’re involved with a number of not-for-profit organizations, including the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF), and Licensed 2 Learn (L2L), the educational and youth leadership/mentorship affiliate of IDRF. Why are you enthusiastic about these causes, and what advice would you give to other alumni looking to give back in some way?

I was raised by parents who were exemplars of the Turkish community, with my father founding the first Canadian Turkish mosque in Canada. Giving back to our communities was ingrained in me as a responsibility, and I have tried to instill the same in my children, and with those whom I mentor. Not only does giving back provide a sense of purpose while empowering a collective good, but it enables the development of community connections and new skills.

I have also had some success in developing business relationships that grow from collaborating with likeminded people who enjoy working towards a common community-focused goal. It is important to choose endeavours that resonate with your interests—in my case, helping disadvantaged communities reach their potential.

Alessandro Aycan

(HBA ’25 INNIS), SON

Like your dad almost forty years ago, you’ve just graduated with a degree in political science. Do you plan to follow him and go into law, or do you see a different career path for yourself? And how do you think your future will be both similar and different to that of your father?

Yes, my intention is to pursue a career as a lawyer, like my father, in corporate law. Though I am unsure if becoming a lawyer will be the end point of my ambitions. I grew up seeing how my father’s work opened doors in both business and community leadership, so I see the law not only as a career but also as a gateway to wider opportunities.

At the same time, the world I am entering now is different from the one my father faced when he graduated. Technologies like artificial intelligence are likely to alter the kinds of professional opportunities that will exist in the future, and so pursuing a career with many possible paths seems wise to me.

You’re a new graduate facing both a wealth of opportunities—and challenges—in today’s world. What has helped prepare you for whatever is coming next? Family? Friends? Experiences? Education?

I believe that my time at Innis and U of T has been the greatest preparation for what comes next. Building connections with peers from all walks of life has given me valuable insight and perspective that I will carry forward. Likewise, my time at U of T required me to develop a strong work ethic, which I think is inherently valuable. Another important source of support has been my family. With their guidance and encouragement, I am confident that I will be able to face whatever challenges appear in my future.

Wise women

Helen Garland and Georgina De Roché

Meet a mom and daughter, and two sisters, who share a unique Innis family legacy

“Whether it’s the 1990s or the 2010s, Innis was/is a small, young, unpretentious college, where we could easily connect with great resources and academic staff. Plus, it’s right next door to a big library!”

Helen Garland (BA ’93 Innis, MScPl ’95, BEd ’04), mother

“Mum fully influenced my decision to go to Innis, and then Kate Johnson (college librarian) fully influenced my entire career path! The Writing & Rhetoric Program was the highlight of my undergrad.”

Georgina De Roché (HBA ’18 Innis, Writing & Rhetoric; MI ’20), daughter

Georgina De Roché (left) and Helen Garland (photo courtesy of Georgina De Roché)

Jana and Zeina El Khatib

“Zeina is always copying me, but choosing Innis was the only time I actually encouraged it.”

Jana El Khatib (HBA ’24 Innis), sister

“I came to Innis because my sister did it first. I figured, if she could go from here to law school, something was definitely right.”

Zeina El Khatib (HBSc ’29 Innis), sister Jana (left) and Zeina El Khatib (photo by Shayla Anderson)

Impact in action

JAMES AN

(HBSc ’18 Innis)

James An has been a dedicated Innis student mentor for four years, offering vital guidance on academics and career navigation, both in person and online. As an active alumnus, James is committed to paying it forward by supporting the next generation of Innisians.

“I had the pleasure of attending Innis with James, witnessing his leadership skills and resilience. As an alum, he translated those skills time and again into student mentorship with a positive impact. I hope all students have a mentor as kind and supportive as James.”

Shayla Anderson (HBA ’19 Innis), Innis mentorship coordinator

Honouring the 2024 Arbor Award-winning volunteers

SHARON LEWIS (BA ’89 Innis)

Alumna Sharon Lewis has enriched Innis through her mentorship to Innis and Cinema Studies students, and inspiring speeches to graduating classes. She generously shared her artistic processes through free presentations of her feature films, Brown Girl Begins (2019) and With Wonder (2023).

“Sharon has infused the College with her charisma and positive energy, shared on multiple occasions, including a convocation address and film screenings. All colleges should be so lucky to have a Sharon in their corner.”

Charlie Keil, Innis principal

TAPFUMA MUSEWE

(HBSc ’06 Innis)

Since its inception in 2021, Tapfuma Musewe has been a valued mentor in the Black Alumni Mentorship Program. He and his mentee discussed the program’s success in the 2021/22 edition of this magazine, and Tapfuma shared further insights as a speaker during the 2021 graduation celebration.

“Tapfuma taught me the ‘Big Hairy Audacious Goals’ technique, using steps broken into actionable chunks, that I still use. More importantly, as a mentor, his professional success was proof, in part, that success can look like me.”

Larry Afun (HBSc ’25 Innis), Tapfuma’s former mentee

KATHY

CATHY VINE

NOLAN-GARNER

2024-25 LLL president

Since 2017, Kathy Nolan Garner has indelibly impacted Innis through varying leadership roles in Later Life Learning (LLL). Under her guidance, LLL-supported scholarship programs have bloomed, and the longstanding relationship with the College has strengthened.

“Kathy served the LLL Board with distinction for seven years, holding virtually all executive positions. Her exemplary leadership and cheerful commitment supported every major initiative, significantly enhancing the program’s success.”

— Michael Orr, previous LLL president

(Dip.CS ’87 Institute of Child Study, MSW ‘89)

Since 2016, Cathy Vine has generously given her expertise, positive energy, and time, mentoring students pursuing social work and related careers. She also champions the Innis community, contributing to donor meetings and events, actively supporting the College’s development and priorities.

“Cathy opened up my world in social work so I could fly. She is caring, supportive, and deeply committed to helping mentees grow.”

Vikki Huang (HBA ’21 Innis), Cathy’s former mentee

More than music

Innis College Choir just one of the College’s many clubs fostering fun and community

BY BRIAN CHANG (HBA ’09 INNIS)

Iwas a band and choir kid in high school, always in the practice rooms, and even going to band camp. Yet, in 2005, I started first year without knowing what music, if any, was available at U of T. When I looked around, there were no concert bands and a handful of choirs. It was daunting singing with folks who were in upper-year and master’s music programs. My skill set—and more so, my comfort level—just weren’t there. So I stopped doing music.

I soon realized, however, that some other students felt the same way. I spoke with Calvin Lo, an upper-year student, about the lack of musical opportunities, specifically choirs, and we connected with other musically minded friends. We decided to create a space for students, not just Innisians, to come together and sing. That same year, we started using a brand-new baby grand piano, housed in the residence music room.

The Innis College Choir was founded as a non-audition choir to give people an opportunity to not only share music, but to learn it, welcoming all skill levels. I spent hours in the music library and

the Toronto Reference Library gathering whatever free music I could find. Week after week we rehearsed and sang.

Public-school music-education programs have been eroded so dramatically that they are a shell of what they once were. Many elementary school programs begin only in grade six or later, down to one hour of instruction a week, while private lessons remain out of reach for most. We are diminished without a rich and vibrant arts and cultural education.

The Innis College Choir has become one way to bridge that gap, giving students a place to sing and create community. Twenty years after Calvin and I first created the choir it continues to warm my heart. We’ll always need music in our lives, and I hope generations of students keep on singing.

“Innis College Choir feels not just like a club, but a community. People come to sing but also to step back from their studies and enjoy being together. I’ve watched friendships form that have lasted well beyond the choir. Singing, when you’re in harmony and matching your neighbour’s tone, is magical, and that feeling keeps you coming back. The choir became a safe space for me to do what I love and escape academic stress. Helping to bring music and community to Innis students has been one of the best experiences I have ever had, and I will treasure it forever.” —Juliana West (HBSc ’25 Innis), 2024-25 choir director

2024-25 student groups at Innis, by the numbers

500+ memberships across all Innis clubs

12 intramural sports teams

7 clubs and committees: Art Club, Black Student Network, Garden Club, Choir, INNtro to Salsa, Out@Innis, Student Ambassadors

4 councils and unions: Innis College Student Society, Innis Residence Council, Innis College Council, Cinema Studies Student Union

3 publications: The Innis Herald, The Spectatorial, Caméra Stylo

1 podcast: The Innis Herald Podcast

Congratulations 2025 student leaders!

UTSLA winners talk about the legacy impact of leadership at Innis

Larry Afun

(HBSC ’25 INNIS)

“My leadership experience at Innis taught me ambitious goals require a strong, coordinated team. While I have developed skills through my own roles, observing dedicated staff, from front desk to student life coordinators, I learned how wellorganized systems and defined roles ensure success. Effective leadership is like an optimization problem, and good teams’ coordination is crucial. My team and I at my foundation, the Bayes Institute, apply all of these lessons learned from my sweet time at Innis.” (Photo by Chinthujan Nandakumar)

Chloe Chau

(BCOM ’25)

“U of T leadership was a highlight of my undergraduate experience. Organizing initiatives and mentoring students taught me how rewarding it is to create opportunities for others. Witnessing my efforts positively impact the community continues to inspire me! This journey has profoundly shaped my personal development, and provides a lesson I will carry wherever my career takes me.” (Photo courtesy of Chloe Chau)

Sam Guevara

(HBA ’25 INNIS, CINEMA STUDIES)

“Entering Innis, I decided I would get out what I put in. Immediately welcomed, and feeling at home, I dedicated my undergrad to various leadership roles— from editor-in-chief of The Innis Herald to orientation coordinator, all to support my communal home. This gave me a passion for community building, teaching me that leadership means positively impacting my life outlook, as well as the lives and livelihood of others. I will carry this lesson into my future.” (Photo courtesy of Sam Guevara)

Jake Lance

(HBSC ’26 INNIS)

“My leadership at Innis provided tremendous insight into the nature of community: a dynamic process thriving when people celebrate both what unites and sets them apart. It also means shared understanding, acceptance, and personal growth. Serving as student chair for the inaugural year of Out@Innis showed me community can be intentionally built. This has continuously shaped my research interests, as I seek to support my community and develop machine-learning solutions for social good.”

(Photo by Luke Krikorian)

Alice Lo

(HBSC ’25 INNIS)

“Innis was a crucial starting point for my leadership abilities and ambitious life view. Experiences with the Innis College Student Society and The INsider mentorship program sparked my enjoyment in community building, giving me confidence to create positive change. This has made cold emailing and creating new projects, like the community garden, possible. Thanks to the supportive Innis community, I increased my potential, and will continue this changemaking mindset as I begin my career journey.” (Photo courtesy of Alice Lo)

Daria Nazarkina

(HBSC ’25 INNIS)

“Founding the Undergraduate Research Students’ Association taught me leadership means articulating a shared vision, not just taking charge. It was rewarding seeing the team unite behind my idea and establish the club. Being part of the research community broadened my perspective, leading me to the Lambe Lab. There, I contributed to a publication, presented at conferences, and discovered a passion for computational analysis I will pursue beyond my degree.”

(Photo courtesy of Daria Nazarkina)

Kyle Newcombe

(BCOM ’25 INNIS)

“Extracurricular involvement at Innis fostered my growth as a leader within a close-knit community, sharpening collaboration and communication skills that have carried over into the workplace. These experiences boosted my grad school applications, and proved invaluable during job interview

questions. My roles at Innis also highlighted the value of community service, inspiring me to continue participating in voluntary, collaborative initiatives alongside my future career and academic pursuits.”

(Photo courtesy of Kyle Newcombe)

Yash Singhal

(HBSC ‘25 INNIS)

“Leading The Innis Herald and working on Orientation are some of my fondest Innis memories, giving me a true sense of community. Solving urgent problems during event planning taught me the power of collaboration and the importance of both offering and accepting support during any big endeavour. This built a confidence in myself and my community that has ultimately made me a more curious and effective researcher.” (Photo courtesy of Yash Singhal)

Jamie Yi

(HBSC ‘25 INNIS)

“Innis leadership increased my confidence in professional spaces, making me more comfortable voicing opinions around colleagues. The soft skills I gained demonstrate that my marketable skills extend far beyond my degree or classroom learning. I feel self-assured knowing I bring a holistic set of hard and soft skills to any job, ensuring my contributions are impactful as I navigate my current and future career path.”

(Photo courtesy of Jamie Yi)

University of Toronto Student Leadership Awards (UTSLA) recognize graduating student leaders who demonstrate exemplary service and commitments to their communities within the University.

Accomplished award winners / High-impact leaders

We checked in with 10 alumni, all recipients of past Innis awards, to see where they are now

DR. ISHITA AGGARWAL

(HBSC ’15 INNIS)

THEN: Recipient of 2015 Mary Ann Duff y Graduating Student Award

NOW: While earning her MPH and MD, Ishita founded Mom’s the Word, a community organization focusing on sexual and maternal health for marginalized and low-income women. She is currently a general surgery resident at the University of Ottawa.

Photo courtesy of Ishita Aggarwal

Scan the QR Code to learn more.

DAVID BENNETT

(HBA ’03 INNIS, MA ’04)

THEN: Recipient of 2000 Taddle Creek Residence Life Award

NOW: After completing his MA in classical Japanese literature, David attended Gakushuin University as a Japan National (MEXT) Scholar and taught there. He then found success in the tech sector and is now CEO of ai&, an AI data centre company, and an independent board director at Sanrio (the Hello Kitty company).

Photo courtesy of David Bennett

Innis award winners are doing great things

YOU CAN TOO WITH A GIFT TO THE INNIS COLLEGE PRIORITY FUND

Innis leadership awards recognize our students’ outstanding potential and represent a high-yield investment in their future—and the future of Innis College. A donation to the Innis College Priority Fund means you bolster existing funds and awards—and help establish new scholarships in areas of greatest need.

AMY CHEN

(BCOM ’11 INNIS)

THEN: Winner of inaugural 2010 M. “Fuzz” Friend Memorial Award

NOW: Upon graduation, Amy began a 15-year career with the global professional services firm Ernst & Young, earning her CPA, and eventually moving to Boston. She is now a partner with the firm, and also volunteers with Ascend, an organization dedicated to mentoring future business leaders.

Photo courtesy of Amy Chen

KATHERINE DUNCAN

(HBSC ’06 INNIS)

THEN: Recipient of inaugural 2001 John W. Browne Admission Award

NOW: Katherine went on to earn her PhD in psychology, before eventually returning to U of T as associate chair of the Department of Psychology. She is a recipient of a prestigious Connaught Mid-Career Researcher Award, examining the neurochemical systems affected in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Photo by Lisa Lightbourn

MARC MICHAEL

(HBSC ’03 INNIS)

THEN: Recipient of 2002 Innis College Classes of 2000 and 2002 GRADitude Award

NOW: In 2006, Marc joined Bain & Company, a leading global management consulting firm, where he is now a partner in the Toronto office. Marc works with clients in the industrial goods and services field, focusing on strategy and performance improvement.

Photo courtesy of Marc Michael

AMISHA PUNJA

(HBA ’22 INNIS)

THEN: Recipient of 2022 Robert Patrick Student Initiative Award

NOW: In her current role as North American university recruitment manager for Kraft Heinz, Amisha is dedicated to “searching for and nurturing the future leaders of Kraft Heinz.” Based in Chicago, Amisha has a background in employee engagement and human resources.

Photo courtesy of Amisha Punja

SEEMI QAISER

(HBSC ’17 INNIS)

THEN: Recipient of 2014 Innis College GRADitude Award

NOW: After completing her MSc in global health and population from Harvard, Seemi has enjoyed a career focused on developing technical products in the public and private sectors. She is now a product manager with the Toronto nonprofit, community-based healthcare organization, Kensington Health.

Photo courtesy of Seemi Qaiser

JOEL SCHUSTER

(HBA ’98 INNIS, JD ’01)

THEN: Recipient of 1997 Innis College Alumni Scholarship

NOW: Joel is currently general counsel for Optigo Networks, a private poststartup technology company operating in the USA and Canada. After graduating, Joel worked for a law firm in Boston, then returned to Canada and has been based out of Vancouver ever since.

Photo courtesy of Joel Schuster

NICK SHAH

(HBSC ’01 INNIS, PHD ’08)

THEN: Recipient of 2000 Wasser Leadership Scholarship

NOW: After completing his PhD in medical biophysics, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship, Nick has become an accomplished scientific leader in drug discovery, helping develop six innovative drug therapies. He has led teams at multiple biotechnology companies, most recently as a CEO and CSO.

Photo courtesy of Nick Shah

BOBBY SHETH

(BCOM ’00 INNIS)

THEN: Recipient of 1996 Innis College “Kitchen Sink” Award

NOW: As senior managing director –head of new investments at Salt Creek Capital in Boston, Bobby is a prolific and talented deal maker, having honed his skills through a series of leadership positions at top-tier private equity firms. He received his MBA from Harvard.

Photo courtesy of Bobby Sheth

Portrait of an artist

Kate Bishop had it all. With a lucrative job at the investment firm Wood Gundy, she was building a career in the global financial hub of New York. She wore power suits, spoke the language of stock prices and interest rates, and progressed in the company, becoming a vicepresident. But it all felt like a role she was playing. Kate knew she wasn’t happy. She was reading the arts section of the paper when she was meant to be reading the business pages, and she realized she had entered this world without first asking herself if she was even interested in finance and business.

Less than a decade earlier, Kate had been a geography and drama student at Innis College, where she divided her time between student leadership activities and campus theatre. She sat on the Innis College Council, represented Innis in what is now the University of Toronto Students’ Union, and organized events as women’s

commissioner. She acted in plays, painted sets, created costumes, and DJed at Innis parties.

But when Kate graduated in 1979, she wanted financial security and a stable career, so she immediately enrolled in an MBA program. This led her to New York, where, after six years in the investment business, she decided to leave her job. New York was, she says, a “mecca for the arts,” making it an extraordinary place for her to figure herself out. For the next four years, she did just that, diving into an array of creative pursuits, taking theatre courses, starting an MFA in set design, and working as an assistant production manager on off-Broadway shows and in arts administration. She also took art classes, which kindled a passion for drawing and painting. All of that eventually stuck.

Today, Kate lives in Toronto as an artist, a member of the West Toronto Artists collective, spending her time painting and preparing for exhibitions. These days, what she enjoys most is hearing audience interpretations of her art—how people find different meanings in the same image. For example, she says, in one of her paintings, which features glowing lights, some viewers see fireflies, while others see alien fires.

Similarly, the arc of Kate’s career tells a story about perspective. She recognizes that others might not have made the same career choices as her, but she’s made her peace with leaving behind conventional success. She knows what she walked away from. All she wants is to keep painting, as long as she can.

Kate’s advice for creatively minded new grads is emphatic: “Find a way to keep your passion for the arts in your life. Make room for what’s important to you and keep it a priority. If the job that supports you financially does not allow time for the things you love, find a job that does.”

Annual Summer Reunion

Innis College’s annual summer reunion is on Saturday, June 20, 2026. All alumni and families are welcome to join us at the Innis Residence quad for a barbecue as we honour graduating class years ending in 1 and 6. (For example, the classes of 1971,1976, 1981, 1986 … 2021 will receive special recognition.)

Reconnect and remINNIS with us! Visit innis.utoronto.ca/reunion-2026 to register.

The Innis reunion is part of U of T’s larger Alumni Reunion weekend event. Visit alumni.utoronto.ca/events/alumni-reunion to discover even more activities happening across the U of T campus.

Innis was the launch pad for these grads working internationally

Global impact

SARAH CHOCANO

(HBA ’20 INNIS)

I am a doctoral student at U of T’s Department of Geography & Planning, conducting fieldwork in Chile. I collaborate with two daycares to sustain intercultural pedagogies that preserve Indigenous cultures, and the natural environment. Although this research is fun, and mostly involves playing with children, it also requires bravery, as you get sneezed on quite frequently!

I started this project as an undergrad at Innis, after a summer exchange in Chile. There I was inspired by people who created unconventional educational spaces. This experience led me to pursue my master’s degree at UCL (University College London), later returning to U of T to develop collaborative research that gives back to these communities. I also host and produce el CafeciTO, a podcast from the University’s Latin American Studies Program, celebrating Latin American projects locally and regionally.

Since childhood, I have always wanted to pursue a career that allowed me to travel and learn from different cultures, which led me to studying socio-cultural anthropology and collaborative research with Indigenous communities in Chile. Perhaps this wanderlust comes from my seventh house falling in Sagittarius—an astrological sign that seeks freedom and travel—but it has been an experience that has nurtured both my career and personal growth. Photo courtesy of Sarah Chocano

BENEDICT CHENG

(BCOM ’91 INNIS)

As a chief risk officer, my professional life has evolved, from investment banking to consulting, and then onto the fast-moving world of telecoms, media, and technology—essentially, I have spent years helping organizations navigate risk so they can focus on growing their businesses.

After graduating from Innis College, I packed my bags for Hong Kong and never really looked back, apart from a three-year adventure in Singapore with Deutsche Bank. Over the years, my work has ranged from building risk frameworks, and leading teams, to guiding organizations through turbulent times, and if the right opportunity comes along, a return to banking is definitely not off the table.

My “go global” impulse was part curiosity, part “why not?” and Asia offered no shortage of drama: the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, the 2000 dot-com bust, the SARS outbreak, the 2008 subprime global financial crisis, and, most recently, COVID-19. Living through these events has shaped how I think about resilience, responsibility, and ethical leadership.

Innis, then one of the smallest and newest colleges, had a cozy, close-knit feel that made it easy to connect with people. That environment, together with the academic and life lessons provided, gave me exactly the grounding I needed for an unpredictable global journey.

courtesy of Benedict Cheng

TOM NOWAK

(HBA ’09 INNIS, CINEMA STUDIES)

I’m a writer who’s been credited on blockbuster video games like Watch Dogs: Legion and Dying Light: The Beast, the latter being the culmination of my four years at Techland in Warsaw, Poland.

Moving to Warsaw in 2021 wasn’t my first time living outside of Canada. In 2009, I went to Los Angeles to pursue an MFA in screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University. This opportunity was the direct result of my experience at Innis College as a Cinema Studies major, particularly my mentorship with Norman Snider, then screenwriter-in-residence, who wrote one of my recommendation letters. And it was made financially possible thanks to a Norman Jewison Fellowship. While living in LA, I worked in film and television, most notably on Craig Ferguson’s show. I returned to Toronto in 2013 and eventually joined Ubisoft, my first foray in the game industry.

I’ve always had a global mindset. My parents were Polish immigrants. Moreover, when I was seven years old, we moved to Germany, where I attended international schools. Although I had many options for university, I decided to come home to Canada and enter Innis College, which proved to be a crucial turning point for me in my journey.

Photo courtesy of Tom Nowak

LEAH HENRICKSON

(HBA ’14 INNIS, WRITING & RHETORIC)

I’m a lecturer in media and digital cultures at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia. In my job, I teach, supervise, and research all things digital media, artificial intelligence, and digital storytelling—and my latest book (Digital Storytelling, Polity, 2025) covers all of these things.

While I was at the University of Toronto, I majored in book and media studies, where I fell in love with book history. But only a few places in the world offer a master’s degree in the subject, hence my move to the UK. Once I was there, I accepted various opportunities that came up, first landing a fully funded PhD studentship (Loughborough University) and then landing an academic job (University of Leeds). After nearly ten years in the UK, though, I was ready for something different, and applied for my current gig at UQ, where I’ve been for the last two and a half years.

As an academic, I do a lot of international travel to attend conferences, work with collaborators, and conduct research. My job gives me so much access to international places and perspectives—I get paid to explore!

Photo by Paul Smith

Achievers

Alumni, faculty, and staff making an impact

Shauna Brail (BA ’92 Urban Studies, PhD ’98), who is also a former director and professor in the Urban Studies Program, and Betsy Donald (MScPl ’94, PhD ’99) co-edited Urban Mobility: How the iPhone, COVID, and Climate Changed Everything (October 2024).

Stephen Broomer, CSI sessional lecturer, published Secret Museums: The Films of Arthur Lipsett (July 2025).

Jessi Cruickshank (HBA ’04 Innis) took her stand-up comedy act, “Now That’s What I Call Live,” on tour across Canada in the spring/ summer of 2025. Her first comedy tour was filmed as a special: Minivan Money streams on VEEPS.

Roger Greenwald, Writing & Rhetoric Program founding member and professor emeritus, published two books of poetry, An Opening in the Vertical World (October 2024), and Keener Sounds: A Suite (May 2025).

by Wynne Neilly

Peter Knegt (HBA ’06 Innis, Cinema Studies) and his team won a 2025 Canadian Screen Award in the Best Web Program or Series, Non-Fiction category, for his interview series, Here and Queer. Peter was also nominated in the Best Host, Web Program or Series category.

Sandra Laronde (BA ’88 Innis) received a 2025 Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (Dance) as part of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA).

Jack McGrath, assistant registrar at Innis, was awarded a 2025 Dean’s Student Life Award from U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science in June 2025.

Kenneth Oppel (BA ’89 Cinema Studies) was nominated for the 2025 Governor General’s Award—Young People’s Literature for Best of All Worlds (June 2025).

Terese Mason Pierre (HBA ’17 Innis) published her debut poetry collection, Myth (April 2025).

Aditi Mehta, Urban Studies assistant professor, received a 2024-25 Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award in April 2025.

Robert Rotenberg (BA ’75 Innis) published his latest thriller, One Minute More (February 2025).

Lauren McLeod Cramer, CSI assistant professor, received a 2024-25 Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award from U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science in April 2025.

Alexander Mooney (HBA ’24 Innis, Cinema Studies) received the 2024 Telefilm Canada Emerging Critic award in February 2025 as part of the 26th annual Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.

Brett Story (PhD ’15), CSI associate professor, and Stephen Maing were nominated for a 2025 American Film Institute Grand Jury Prize in the Documentary Short Film category for Local One, a follow-up to Union, their acclaimed 2024 documentary.

Damian Tarnopolsky (HBA ’98 Innis, PhD ’12) published Every Night I Dream I’m a Monk, Every Night I Dream I’m a Monster (September 2024), a collection of short fiction.

Jack Wang (BSc ’94 Innis) published The Riveter, his acclaimed debut novel, in February 2025.

Ken Wong (BSc ’97 Innis) published Industry 5.0: A Strategic Guide for Leaders in the Age of Human-Centric Innovation in August 2025.

Our contributors

Meet the alumni, staff , and students behind these pages

BRIAN CHANG (HBA ’09 INNIS)

Brian (he/him) graduated from Innis in 2009 in the Environmental Policy & Practice Program, going on to earn his master’s in environmental studies at York University. A music lover, Brian was involved in several musical activities at Innis and U of T, founding Ruckus: The UTSC Alumni and Community Choir. He received a 2014 Arbor Award recognizing his efforts, and in his final year, a Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award for both his contributions to music and student politics. Brian is currently a negotiator with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, and a former political candidate for Canada’s NDP.

“More than music” pp. 28-29

Photo courtesy of Brian Chang

AVERYN

NGAN (HBSC ’27 INNIS)

Averyn is a fourth-year Innis student double majoring in environmental science and women & gender studies. She is an active photovideographer in the college community, holding media roles on the Innis orientation executive team and the Innis College Student Society. Averyn was also the Innis registrar’s Askastudent project coordinator. As both a creative and a scientist, she is passionate about how impactful stories can inspire change.

“Portrait of an artist” pp. 34-35

Photo by Bianca Mehrotra

CAM TOLTON (BA ’58)

With a BA in classics and French from U of T, followed by an AM and PhD in romance languages and literatures from Harvard University, Professor Emeritus Cam Tolton began his teaching career in 1964 in the French Department of Victoria College. A few years later, he channeled his passion for film into teaching a film history and theory course, later becoming one of the founding members of the Cinema Studies Program at Innis College. During his time with the program (including five years as director), he coordinated the legendary Norman Jewison Lectures, and received a Faculty of Arts & Science Award for Outstanding Teaching. Now retired, he researches and lectures most winters in Paris.

LIV

VANDERLINDEN (HBA ’27 INNIS)

Liv is a third-year Innis student majoring in criminology and political science. For the past two years, Liv has contributed to Innis initiatives for incoming students, including The INsider mentorship program and commuter orientation. Outside of university, Liv enjoys hiking and working in artistic mediums such as acrylic paint, pen and paper, and digital illustration.

Cover artwork

Photo by Gheyana Purbodiningrat

“Celebrating 50 years of Cinema Studies at Innis College” pp. 16-17

Photo by Alice Xue

You can become a contributor too!

Lend your creative talents—which may include interviewing, writing, illustrating, or photography—to the eleventh edition of Innis Alumni & Friends by writing to editor Ben Weststrate (HBA ’08 Innis) at ben.weststrate@utoronto.ca.

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