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October 2024 graduand speakers

The October 2024 graduand speakers are selected by the faculties and the registrar based on student achievement and extracurricular involvement.

Ceremony A

Eden Chipperfield, BA (Hons.), Communication
Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

Eden Chipperfield graduates with a Bachelor of Arts honours, with distinction, in Communication. During her time at SFU, she developed a passion for studying communication and was named to the Dean’s and President’s Honour Rolls for outstanding academic performance. She embraced many opportunities as a student, such as peer leadership, serving on the Communication Student Union events team and writing for The Peak. She also completed two co-op terms at SFU, including a placement at Knowledge Network, where she pioneered the broadcaster’s 2SLGBTQIA+ campaign, and a placement with SFU where she conducted workshops on social media activism in secondary schools across Metro Vancouver. Eden dreams of being a news anchor and will begin a new chapter at BCIT to study online journalism and broadcasting.

Ceremony B

Dr. Reema Faris, PhD, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Dr. Reema Faris graduates with a PhD in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS). She also holds a master’s degree from SFU in Graduate Liberal Studies, a BA from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from the University of Toronto. During her time at SFU, she received a Graduate Dean’s Entrance Scholarship, a Provost Prize of Distinction and two graduate fellowships. Reema now works as a limited term lecturer and has been an SFU teaching assistant in GSWS, English and History. She served two terms on SFU’s Senate and has contributed time as a committee volunteer on numerous occasions. Looking to the future, Reema plans to enjoy watching her son’s life unfold, continue working with undergraduates and use her learning to contribute to more just futures for all.

Ceremony C

Nour Alsaleh, BSc, Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences

Nour Alsaleh graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with a concentration in Life Sciences. She has been recognized for her academic excellence with the 2023 Dean's Honour Roll and the SFSS & WUSC Undergraduate Award for Refugee Students. Committed to health equity, Nour supports newcomers to Canada as an interpreter and cultural broker and teaches Arabic and English to Syrian children in her community. Her passion for public health, cell pathology and epidemiological research is driven by a desire to address health disparities. Nour plans to pursue graduate studies in public health, focusing on developing inclusive healthcare systems for marginalized communities. Her dedication to education, community service and social justice reflect a commitment to positive change and a more equitable future.

Ceremony D

Shannon Peltier, MEd, Education
Faculty of Education

Shannon Peltier graduates with a Master of Education in Educational Leadership: Indigenous Resurgence. She is of Cree, Métis, Dene, French and British descent and is a member of Fort McMurray First Nation in Alberta. She originally came to B.C. to pursue a career in culinary arts, and after 16 years in the restaurant industry, returned to school to become an Indigenous Education Advocate within the local school district. She then moved into youth programming and outreach with the Osoyoos Indian Band. She has been learning the local nsyilxcən language and has co-taught the language to youth for several summers. She hopes to continue working for First Nation Bands and supporting the resurgence of local Indigenous education. Shannon thanks the Lower Similkameen Indian Band for welcoming her into this program.