By Elaine Smith

York graduate Issa Abdi Jamaa is eager to apply the valuable lessons he has learned about leadership and governance during his time at York University to the professional world. 

 

Jamaa arrived in Canada as a teenager for secondary school before attending university. After exploring various Canadian universities, he selected York University as his choice due to its academic excellence and a vibrant multicultural and diverse community at the Keele campus.

“As a Black international student, I felt that York exhibited real diversity and an authentic sense of belonging,” Jamaa said.

York University offered him the opportunity to study economics, where he excelled, earning an honours BA, graduating summa cum laude. Jamaa was also a member of the Dean’s circle of student scholars at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS).

Jamaa's talents extended beyond academics; he cultivated a diverse skill set by seeking out challenging campus employment and interesting extracurricular activities. Through these experiences, he honed his research and analytical abilities, developed sound political acuity, demonstrated strong leadership skills and polished his public speaking and relationship-building capabilities. In addition, Jamaa gained valuable knowledge in areas such as finance, event planning and project management.

“I always had a passion for economics, politics, good governance, and being involved in my community,” Jamaa said. “In terms of personal growth and development, I gained a lot, learning more about the public education sector, policies governing the university, leadership and cross-cultural understanding.”

As soon as he landed on campus, Jamaa jumped into governance activities, starting with the Economic Students’ Association. During his first semester at York, he was elected to the student government of Vanier College Council (VCC) as director of finance, then vice-president, academic & external affairs. A year later, he was elected as VCC’s president and orientation chair.

For more than four consecutive academic years, Issa served as a designated student representative on the LA&PS Faculty Council. In that role, he advocated passionately and consistently for students, focusing on the needs of racialized, first-generation and international students.

“Through careful and strategic intervention in collegial discussions in Faculty Council, for example, I challenged the tendency to treat international students as income generators on one hand, and social and cultural challenges on the other, arguing that both positions are problematic,” he said. “In turn, I encouraged faculty, staff and the dean’s offices to recognize the humanity of all students and I worked hard to make visible the unique challenges faced by our diverse student body.”

 

Dean J.J. McMurtry is appreciative of Jamaa’s contributions.

“At LA&PS, we make every student’s educational experience our priority and encourage students to use their imaginations, explore new ideas and work toward a better future,” he said. “Issa Jamaa ambitiously took advantage of all that our Faculty has to offer, from employment opportunities and extracurriculars to participation on both the Decanal and Chancellor Search Committees, the Vanier College Council and LA&PS Faculty Council. In his tireless dedication to student issues, he challenged everyone he encountered to think differently and reconsider the needs of racialized, first-generation and international students. Jamaa exhibits all the qualities we hope to see in our graduates: passion, perseverance and a commitment to social justice and advocacy. Whatever he chooses to do next, I know he will change the future for the better.”

Jamaa further extended his student advocacy as a volunteer on a number of Faculty committees, including the Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Success, and the Committee on Curriculum, Curricular Policy and Standards, where he combined his support for students with an interest in inclusive pedagogy.

"It has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with Issa over the past year on the Student Representative Roundtable, which is a consultative committee of York student leaders,” said Nona Robinson, vice-provost, students. “Witnessing Issa’s character, dedication, involvement, and student advocacy for positive change have been an inspiration. Issa is an exceptional role model for current and future students of York."

In 2019, Jamaa was elected as a senator for the York University Senate, the University’s highest academic governing body, where he also chaired the Senate’s student caucus. Through the caucus, he supported initiatives that included the University’s Anti-Black Racism Framework. His work in the Faculty Council and Senate opened the door to other opportunities, such as serving as a member of three university Search Committees: dean for the Faculty of LA&PS; vice-provost, students; and chancellor. His efforts came full circle when he had the honour of being one of the speakers at the induction ceremony for York University’s 14^th chancellor, Kathleen Taylor, in May 2023.

 

"Issa was a wonderful contributor to the university community including his membership on the chancellor selection committee. He fully embraced the requirements of the position and passionately supported how this important leadership role must align with the values of York University, which he exhibited so brilliantly in his University leadership roles," said Paul Tsaparis, chair of York University’s Board of Governors. "Through Issa's experiences at York, he honed his research and analytical abilities, By engaging in these encounters, he sharpened his research and analytical skills, cultivated astute political insight, showcased exceptional leadership abilities, and refined his proficiency in public speaking and fostering relationships."

 

He also participated as a student representative to the advisory committee that created the Division of Students’ most recent five-year strategic plan and was one of President Rhonda Lenton’s Ambassadors for three consecutive years.

“It is exciting to see students building their leadership skills here at York and bringing the commitments of our University Academic Plan to life. Issa has helped students access opportunities to realize their full potential and his work will have a lasting impact as they in turn create positive change in communities around the world,” said Lisa Philipps, provost and vice-president academic. 

“Through all of these opportunities, I learned about how the institution worked, with its complex systems and governance structure,” Jamaa said. “I also found things that needed improvement from a student-centric perspective by taking every opportunity I got to voice the concerns of students.”

For example, Jamaa successfully advocated to make work-study positions accessible and equitable to all international, as well as domestic, students, collaborating with university partners such as York International, and senior university officials.

“I believe in being the change I wish to see in the world, so I took action in my advocacy for increasing equity, diversity and inclusion,” he said.

Throughout his undergraduate career, Jamaa held various professional jobs on campus, such as lead ambassador and senior special projects assistant at the Dean’s Office (LA&PS), as well as a special projects assistant at the Office of the University Registrar. Additionally, he assumed the role of a CCTV operator on campus, joining the team in 2018 and earning a promotion to team lead in 2020. Currently, Jamaa continues working with the community safety department’s CCTV team while focusing on his future endeavors.

“I’d like to gain more work experience for a few years before I return to my academic journey in earning either an MBA, or a law degree, or even a combination of both,” Jamaa said.

In recognition of Issa’s leadership, dedication to student advocacy and service to the university community, he earned several university-wide awards, including the eighth Annual Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award, the Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership Award in Student Governance, the Outstanding Student Leadership Award, Faculty of LA&PS (twice), the Marilyn Lambert-Drache Award for Initiative in Governance, and the Alumni Golden GRADitude Award.

“Issa Jamaa exemplifies the core values of York University, showcasing the transformative potential of higher education and the immense impact of actively engaging in various aspects of university life,” said Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice-president, global engagement & partnerships. “His relentless commitment to effecting positive change and breaking down barriers, particularly for international students, serves as an inspiration to his peers and the wider community. With his unwavering determination and excellent skills, Issa is poised to make significant contributions in his future endeavors, while leaving a lasting legacy at York University.”

Regardless of his ultimate choice of career, Jamaa is poised to make a strong contribution to his community and society at large.