Arts celebrates 2025 Gold Medal and Governor General Academic Silver Medal recipients

On June 20, 2025, the Faculty of Arts celebrated the class of 2025 as graduates walked the stage during the Spring convocation ceremony. Jordan Le Roux received Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) highest honour, recognizing both academic excellence and exceptional community involvement. Monica Scrocchi received the Governor General Academic Silver Medal, a prestigious distinction given to the undergraduate student with the highest academic average.

History graduate Jordan was the History Program Director for the Society of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and also served as president of the Metropolitan History Society. While she was president, she helped create the yearly research journal EndNote and its related symposium.

Jordan grew by learning to trust the process and taking to heart the most important advice she got: “If you don’t know, think.” A phrase often repeated by a professor who encouraged her to trust what she knew and think critically, even in moments of uncertainty.

One of Jordan’s most meaningful memories from TMU is meeting her partner during her first year, sharing, “We met at Balzacs on the second day of school. It’s been wonderful to be able to grow up alongside someone, and I can’t wait for what his future holds as he enters teacher’s college next year!”

Next, Jordan will start her MA in Public Policy and Administration at TMU. She hopes to work for the provincial government or a nonprofit organization while also finding a healthy balance between work and personal life.

To future students, Jordan offers this: “Be curious. Explore everything and ask questions. Make time for passion projects and throw yourself into them. And don’t forget to take real breaks—you’ll do better when you come back rested.”

Receiving the award was validating for Monica, a Psychology graduate. She shared, “This award recognizes the hard work that I have put in over the years.” Following her parents’ advice, Monica treated university like a nine-to-five job. This helped her balance school and life, take care of her health, build strong relationships, and stay on track with her studies.

Monica leaves advice for other undergraduate students: “Don’t be discouraged if your path is not linear. It is important to take detours along the way to find your passions. It is not a race to the finish line, and there is a lot you can learn about yourself if you take the time to explore.” Gaining acceptance into this program is her proudest achievement. Although she initially earned a Bachelor of Commerce, Monica discovered her true passion for Psychology.

Monica adds that students shouldn’t be scared to ask for help, “Professors are genuinely happy to help you, and not just with their own course content. I took the time to get to know some of my professors, and it truly changed my life.”

Monica will be studying for her MA in Clinical Psychology at TMU, with help from Professor Margaret Moulson, who leads the Brain and Early Experiences Lab. 

“When you love something the way I love learning about Psychology, it means so much to be rewarded for the hard work you put into it.” – Monica Scrocchi