Student Spotlight: Sumyia Hashmi Winner of the 2024 University of Toronto Student Leadership Award

The Department of English & Drama is excited to recognize Sumyia Hashmi who received the 2024 University of Toronto Student Leadership Award.

Sumyia is a 5th year English Specialist and Creative Writing Minor student at UTM. She is an executive and co-founder of Literature Is ALIVE! (LIA!), run through the Department of English and Drama, and the 2023-2024 English & Drama Student Society Academic Events Director.

 "Though LIA! started as class project, I found the initiative to be beneficial to students across all disciplines at UTM, especially those who were struggling to find the value and benefit of an English Degree, like me. LIA!, a student-centered event series, has connected students, faculty and staff through workshops designed to inspire conversations about the practical career benefits, interdisciplinary applications, and real-world social and environmental impacts of studying English in university. This event series has opened spaces around UTM for students to freely express their voices through discussion-led workshops and open-mic creative writing events, providing a safer community for students. Through LIA!, I have opened myself up to new leadership roles like being a part of EDSS to create more opportunities on campus that celebrate English and the Humanities because I believe we are just as important as other disciplines. I want the impact of my contributions to be felt at UTM for many years to come."