New grad Arib Hassam: Leaving his mark at St. Michael’s College and beyond

U of T grad Arib Hassam received a U of T Student Leadership Award for promoting 2SLGBTQ+ visibility through his leadership in Pride SMC and fostering an inclusive, supportive culture at St. Michael’s.

Arib Hassam (BSc 2025) has become a fixture at St. Michael’s College over the last four years, completing an honours bachelor of science with a specialist in psychology and a minor in Buddhism, psychology, and mental health (BPMH). His studies have instilled a lasting interest in mental health, and he plans to pursue a master of social work degree.

Outside the classroom, Hassam was involved heavily in college life. He spent three years as an elected councillor on the St. Michael’s College Student Union and is the current president of Pride SMC. But if you’d told Hassam when he was applying to U of T that he’d become a community leader, he would have been shocked.

How did your experience at St. Michael's College – particularly in terms of 2SLGBTQ+ community support – evolve into such a strong connection with the college?

A lot of things made me feel comfortable here at St Mike’s. My first-year residence don, Sukh, made a big difference, and so did the presence of Pride SMC – which was called SMC Inclusive back then. Just knowing a club like that existed, that there was visibility on campus, made me feel like I had a place here.

How has your involvement in Pride SMC shaped your time at U of T?

It’s been very rewarding to see how the club has grown over the past four years. As a queer individual, being a part of that growth has been incredibly meaningful.

Obviously, the journey wasn’t easy. My experiences with the club in first year helped me feel welcomed in the college, but they also highlighted there’s still work to do in terms of advocacy and making 2SLGBTQ+ students feel included and seen. I’ve always been vocal about these issues, and I saw an opportunity to be part of the group that makes incoming first-years feel welcomed in the way I felt welcomed. My involvement in the club has truly been a highlight of my degree.

One of the things that I’m most proud of is that, as a culmination of all my advocacy through Pride SMC and SMCSU, St. Mike’s is now working on establishing a pride crosswalk on campus, which will be a permanent fixture of queer visibility on campus.

Why did you choose to specialize in psychology and minor in BPMH?

I always knew I wanted to work with people in some capacity, and psychology felt like the best route to do this. It's an entire discipline dedicated to understanding human behaviour, emotions and experiences.

I added the BPMH minor because it brought something unique you don’t see in a lot of traditional academic contexts. It bridges traditional Buddhist teachings – especially mindfulness – with modern psychology. A lot of contemporary therapies draw on mindfulness practices, but often without acknowledging their origins. This program helped connect the dots in a meaningful way.

What advice would you go back and give to yourself, or to another first-year?

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. In my first SMCSU election, I won by a singular vote. I’m very thankful I ran because over the years, SMCSU has become an integral part of my journey here at U of T. It’s allowed me to meet people and make an impact on the community in a unique way. I’ve grown a lot as a person and I’m grateful for the privilege of having been able to serve on the council over the past four years. Funny enough, the person I won against in that first election later ended up joining me on SMCSU, and now we are very good friends.

As many of my friends know, I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan, and in one of her poems she says, ‘Without your past, you could have never arrived…here’ In other words, if everything in your life didn’t happen the way it did, you probably wouldn’t be the person you are today. My experiences in student leadership reflect this, so it’s kind of become my philosophy in life.

What was your most memorable experience at U of T?

There are so many highlights that it would be impossible to pick just one. I think little things like the late-night boba runs with friends or all-nighters at Robarts are the memories I will hold on to.

But one moment that did really stand out was hosting the annual St. Mike's formal earlier this year. At the end of the night, I gave a farewell speech, and the whole crowd started chanting my name. It was completely surreal. I didn’t know what to do – I just stood there and soaked it in. You don’t expect 400 people to know your name, let alone chant it. That was the moment I knew I’d left my mark. It felt like the perfect way to close this chapter.

Originally published by Faculty of Arts & Science