Child and Youth Care graduate Sean Guptill awarded 2026 Gold Medal
At the Fall 2026 convocation, Sean Guptill graduated with a 4.11 GPA, earning a Master of Arts (MA) in Child and Youth Care and a TMU Gold Medal. The award recognizes the university’s top graduating students who combine exceptional academic achievement with leadership and community contributions.
"For someone who left school in Grade 10, I never imagined receiving an honour like this. It celebrates how far I've come, the people who helped me get here, and everything still ahead.”
Growing up, Guptill survived sexual abuse, kidnapping, violence, substance abuse, group homes and homelessness. In Grade 10, he quit school. A youth shelter in north Toronto became his home. He eventually lost his fiancée, whom he’d met there, to death, followed by his daughter a few years later.
Motivated to help others, Guptill wanted to gain the knowledge and vocabulary to sit at the tables where decisions involving vulnerable youth are made.
Years later, he returned to the shelter — first as an intern, and later as a child and youth care (CYC) practitioner on staff. He then opened Got Your Back, a day program for young adults with developmental disabilities. He went on to become a board member of the Ontario Association of Child and Youth Care.
During his time at TMU, Guptill worked hard in academic, extracurricular, community and professional spheres. He made pivotal contributions as a Research Assistant on the Indigenous Youth Justice Project. He supervised child and youth care undergraduate interns. He earned the Dean’s Graduate Essay Award for his paper on trauma and youth empowerment. In the end, he uplifts and inspires peers, community partners, and the youth he serves through his humility, authentic connection, and dedication to the child and youth care field.
What does receiving the Gold Medal mean to you?
“When I first learned I was receiving the Gold Medal, my first thought was, ‘Wow, that's the cherry on top of the cake!’ But then I thought, wait a minute. That would mean the cake is finished, and I'm nowhere near finished! This isn't the cherry on top. It's another layer of cake with some amazing frosting. The cake isn't finished, and neither am I.”
What’s next in your future plans?
“I want to keep teaching, researching, and advocating for Child and Youth Care. My dream is to become a professor who challenges future practitioners not just what to think, but how. I'm developing Relational Crossroads, an emerging CYC practice framework rooted in everyday relational decisions. A PhD? It's on the menu. This cake's still rising, and I haven't tasted the best layers yet!”
”I didn't return to school to erase my past; I came to build on it. Learning happens in different places, at different paces.”
Best memories of TMU?
“The people! Drs. Julie James and Judy Finlay believed in me and challenged me to grow. My peers brought experiences and perspectives that pushed me to question what I thought I knew. We learned from each other, and those relationships will stay with me. And defending my master's research was a moment I'll never forget.”
Tips for fellow or future grad students?
“Don't compare your journey to anyone else's. Mine certainly wasn't a straight line! Ask questions, build relationships, and challenge what you think you know. Don't underestimate what you've learned outside the classroom. And becoming? That doesn't come with an expiry date.”
"My name's engraved on the medal, but their love is written all over it."
"Having my family at convocation meant everything. My mom raised my sister and me alone, returned to university, and became a teacher. She's my role model, best friend, and biggest fan. My sister Debbie cheered me on every step of the way.
My son Jailin is my heartbeat, my breath of fresh air, my everything. He reminds me every day that no matter how much I've accomplished, the greatest part of my life isn't something I've earned. It's someone I get to call my son.”