UTM student wins two awards for inspiring others

Like many university students Minal Ghayur felt scared and shy when she first came to UTM in 2016. She quickly identified a solution to overcome some of that initial apprehension and timidity: engage in extra-curricular activities.

Now the fourth-year commerce and economics student has an extensive list of UTM volunteer contributions to her credit, and in late March her participation and leadership were recognized with two honours: the Principal’s Involvement Award and the Laura Krajewski Student Mentorship Award.

“Being able to empower and inspire other students to achieve their particular level of success is so important to me,” says Ghayur. “I also felt very supported as a student, so I wanted to give back and help others.”

The LAUNCH program was Ghayur’s first step in getting involved. An initiative available through the Centre for Student Engagement, LAUNCH connects new UTM students with upper-year student mentors in the same academic discipline to foster student success. She enlisted at UTM in first year and then came back as a LAUNCH Leader in her third year.

Ghayur has also taken part in a variety of other programs, clubs and societies, including Eagle2Eagle programming and Undergraduate Commerce Society. She currently serves as chief strategy officer at the Department of Management’s LimelightUTM, which guides students through different businesses with the input of various industry professionals.

Ghayur was delighted to have been selected as this year’s Student Mentorship Award recipient named in honour of UTM staff member Laura Krajewski, who tragically passed away in 2019.

“I did not have the opportunity to meet her, but I absolutely felt inspired by Laura’s legacy while getting involved with partnering opportunities on campus and with people who knew and had worked with her,” says Ghayur.

Jackie Goodman, a manager at UTM’s Centre for Student Engagement, felt Ghayur was a prime candidate for the award.

“When I think about Laura, the words authentic, passionate, and caring immediately come to mind, and she inspired those around her to strive to be the best versions of themselves,” says Goodman, who was Ghayur’s principal nominator.

“Minal (Ghuyar) shares this same spirit and ability to inspire greatness in others. The ripple effects of both their mentorship have been felt broadly, and I count myself doubly blessed to have had the privilege to work so closely with both Laura and Minal.”

Ghayur is starting with the accounting firm MNP in Mississauga in September on her way to becoming a Chartered Professional Accountant, and despite the current situation with the pandemic significantly altering life and academia for the university community, she remains optimistic and had a few words for new and current students.

“Transitions, whether it’s your university career just starting, or any new situation, it can be difficult and discouraging, but it’s important to stay positive and push through,” she says. “When you find the resources that you need to reach your goals, or get inspired by someone, you learn as you go and you continue to grow.”