SCAET building at Sheridan's Trafalgar Road Campus

Annual conference provides chance for students to grow as leaders

Feb 26, 2023

A colourful poster providing details of Sheridan's upcoming Ignite Student Leadership Conference.

Sheridan’s annual Ignite Student Leadership Conference will once again be held virtually on Thursday, March 2, offering students a unique opportunity to take the next step in developing their leadership potential.

Sponsored by RBC Future Launch and hosted by the Student Leadership Development & Engagement team, Sheridan Student Union, and Sheridan Alumni, this conference aims to inspire students on their path to career readiness by learning how industry leaders with different styles, perspectives and identities create positive and effective working environments.

Award-winning social advocate, engineer, author and broadcaster Yassmin Adbel-Magied will deliver the keynote address, using her combined expertise of personal experience and research to inform attendees on the tools of transformative leadership, the common mistakes that can be made, and how to be an empowering leader.

Students will also hear from Sheridan alumni, including 2022 Bachelor of Photography graduate Leah den Bok, who was recently named Rising Star of the Year by Ascend Canada, about how she used her photography skills to shed light on individuals experiencing homelessness. She will be joined by a series of breakout sessions hosted by alumni, including: Rahel Appiagyei-David (Project Management ’19), Leadership Development Facilitator at Toronto Metropolitan University; Mahfuz Chowdhury, Senior Brand Manager at Candybox Marketing; Daniel Pereira (Finance & Accounting ’19), experienced Realtor and former President of Sheridan’s Toastmasters Club; and Lama Jafaari (Creative Industries Management ‘21), Founder of personal leadership service AmInMotion.

Aiza Abid, a 2022 RBC Future Launch Future Leaders award recipient, will provide the closing remarks and take students on her journey of helping vulnerable youth and low-income families around the globe for the past 10 years.

This annual student conference, sponsored by RBC Future Launch since 2018, allows Sheridan students to receive real-world advice from Sheridan graduates who are leaders in their field, as well as build their network by connecting with successful Sheridan alumni and leading professionals.