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On October 29 we gathered to mark the achievements of our graduating doctoral, master's and bachelor's class and to celebrate awards to graduate students. Family and friends joined in this most festive of occasions, which was filled with pride and happiness from everyone present. We were once again reminded of the dedication and creativity of those who come to the DSR to pursue their inquiries into religion as a phenomenon that brings together existential, political, and personal questions.
The Class of Fall 2025
MA
- Emily Amos-Wood — "Mother’s Womb, Not Mother’s Tomb:” Mediating Mourning Through Catholic Pro-Life Memorials and Monuments for Aborted Children" (Supervisor: Simon Coleman)
- Tetiana Podobailo — "Ukrainian Way of Remembering: The Role of Sacred Imagery in Shaping National Identity" (Supervisors: Pamela Klassen and Kyle Smith)
- Aly Rattansi — "Making sacred stones: Muslim grave markers in Toronto as material religion and spatial practice" (Supervisor: Shafique Virani)
PhD
- Omer Hacker — "Devoted: Religious Workers in the Tech Industry" (Supervisor: Simon Coleman)
- Allison Murphy — "Thinking as a Mere Citizen of the World: Kantian Morality in a Pluralist Frame" (Supervisor: James DiCenso)
- Jeizelle Solitario — "Good Servants are Good Citizens: The Formation of the Filipino Servant Subject" (Supervisor: Simon Coleman)
- Parnia Vafaeikia — "Faces of the Mahdi: Everyday Messianism among Iranian Shi‘i Immigrants in Canada" (Supervisor: Anver Emon)
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L-R: Tetiana Podobailo, MA, with Professors Pamela Klassen and Kyle Smith
L-R: Dr. Omer Hacker with Professor Simon Coleman
L-R: Dr. Jeizelle Solitario with Professor Simon Coleman
Dr. Parnia Vafaeikia responds to Professor Anver Emon's video message
L-R: Dr. Parnia Vafaeikia watches a message from Professor Anver Emon, who was unable to be presentView event photo gallery
Bachelor's Degrees
We are also delighted to congratulate the undergraduate contingent of the Fall 2025 convocation.
Specialist in Religion
- Rebecca Lior Cabessa
Major in Religion
- Diana Ioana Cotosman
- Tanisha Hussain Lalani
- Tina Ruysseveldt
- Devansh Samir Wadhwani
- Christian Elija Wraxall
Celebrating Graduate Awards
At this gathering, we celebrated the award of a prestigious fellowship to one of our PhD candidates, as well as admissions awards to several incoming doctoral students made on the basis of their academic excellence and promise.
Details of the awards follow the recipients' listing below.
- Mohannad Abusarah
- Vivienne Poy Chancellor's Fellowship in the Humanities and Social Sciences
- Jear Nenohai
- Faculty of Arts & Science Doctoral Recruitment Award
- Connaught International Scholarship
- Asian Studies Award
- Ariela Rosenzweig
- Faculty of Arts & Science Doctoral Recruitment Award
- Faculty of Arts & Science Top Doctoral Fellowship
- Timothée Sivager
- Faculty of Arts & Science Doctoral Recruitment Award
- Dakota Urban
- Faculty of Arts & Science Doctoral Recruitment Award
- Faculty of Arts & Science Top Doctoral Fellowship
About the Graduate Awards
Vivienne Poy Chancellor's Fellowship in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Established in honour of the former U of T chancellor the award is made on the basis of academic merit and financial considerations
Asian Studies Award
Awarded by the Asian Institute to incoming student undertaking cross-regional, interdisciplinary research on Asia.
Connaught International Scholarship
A prestigious award for incoming international PhD students that is renewable for five years and funded by the Connaught Fund.
Faculty of Arts & Science Doctoral Recruitment Award
Created to support the recruitment of excellent and highly-ranked doctoral applicants.
Faculty of Arts & Science Top (FAST) Doctoral Fellowship
Designed to support the recruitment of the very best domestic students to PhD programs in the Faculty of Arts & Science.