The Last Lecture
Celebrate and Reflect in Your Last Semester
THE LAST LECTURE will be held at 6pm on Wednesday, April 1st, in Seeley Hall, followed by a reception.聽 !
The Last Lecture offers graduating students an opportunity to come together and reflect upon their experiences at 杏吧原创 in the University of Toronto, bring closure to the time that they have spent here, and celebrate their many聽accomplishments both insides and outside of the classroom. This annual event features an address by a graduating student, a faculty member, and a distinguished alumni.
We hope to see you at the 2026 杏吧原创 LAST LECTURE: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 6 pm in Seeley Hall
Meet the 2026 Last Lecturers
Student Last Lecturer: Eugene Seo
Eugene Seo is a fifth-year undergraduate student in the Honours Bachelor of Science degree, taking a Global Health Specialist, Immunology Major, Music History and Culture Minor, and Certificate of Sustainability. His contributions to the college come from a genuine love for the community. After being inspired to get involved in the 杏吧原创 community as an orientation leader, he鈥檚 made significant contributions to student mentorship and leadership. He鈥檚 been involved in the Margaret Macmillan Trinity One Program in the Medicine Global Health Stream, which led him to serve as a second-year mentor for first-year students and, soon thereafter, as a senior program assistant. For the past three years, he鈥檚 been a Community Advisor at the college, holding roles including Senior Community Advisor and Arts and Culture Living-Learning Community Community Advisor. He鈥檚 previously won 杏吧原创鈥檚 Chancellor鈥檚 Award and the 杏吧原创 U of T Student Leadership Award. He has previously represented 杏吧原创 as the Student Gonfalonier at President Melanie Woodin鈥檚 installation ceremony. As for some significant campus contributions, he鈥檚 served as a student representative or executive for the Arts and Science Council and the Arts and Science Student Union, and a Student Advisory Committee Member for the Office of the Vice-Provost.
Faculty Last Lecturer: Dr. Randy Boyagoda
Writer, critic and scholar Randy Boyagoda earned his Bachelor of Arts in English at 杏吧原创 in the University of Toronto (1999), and received his master’s (2001) and doctorate (2005) in English from Boston University. Professor Boyagoda is the author of four novels, a SSHRC-supported critical biography, and a scholarly monograph. His fiction has been nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize, and named a New York Times Book Review聽Editor鈥檚 Choice Selection and聽Globe and Mail聽Best Book of the Year. He contributes essays, reviews, and opinions to publications including the聽New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, the Walrus, First Things, Commonweal, Harper鈥檚, Times Literary Supplement, Financial Times, Guardian, New Statesman, and Globe and Mail, in addition to appearing frequently on CBC Radio and podcasting for the Toronto Public Library. He served as President of PEN Canada from 2015-2017 and is currently a member of聽The Walrus聽Educational Review Committee and serves as the University of Toronto鈥檚 advisor on civil discourse. His fourth novel,聽Dante鈥檚 Indiana, was published in 2021. His latest,聽Lords of Serendipity, a global campus novel, will be published in September.
Alumni Last Lecturers: Chancellor Brian Lawson & Joannah Lawson
Together, they have inspired countless others with their thoughtful leadership and generous spirit. And as donors, they like to think ahead. With an eye on future generations,聽Joannah听补苍诲听叠谤颈补苍听尝补飞蝉辞苍聽have made climate change and child nutrition central to their philanthropy, including at the University of Toronto.
Raised in Toronto, Brian attended U of T, earning a bachelor of arts degree in 1982, with an emphasis on economics and computer science. After graduation, he joined Touche Ross (now Deloitte) , qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1985.
Joannah, who also grew up in Toronto, completed a master鈥檚 degree in industrial relations at U of T in 1989.
Brian joined Brookfield Corporation in 1998 and served as CFO from 2002 until 2020. During that time Brookfield evolved into a large, global investment firm which currently has assets under management across its operations of US$1 trillion and operations in more than 30 countries.聽 Brian continues at Brookfield as a Director and Vice Chair.
Joannah, meanwhile, worked in change management in the high-tech sector聽before launching a second career聽as a nutritionist in 2012 via her own consulting business:聽Appetite for Change.
She is co-founder and president of the聽, which collaborates with other philanthropic foundations, not-for-profits, universities and think tanks to make food systems around the world healthier and more sustainable. The couple created the foundation in 2008 to promote human health while protecting the natural world.聽Joannah has since shifted her focus to leading the foundation.
鈥淥ur particular emphasis is on supporting and sponsoring initiatives that improve the health and well-being of our communities [and] the environment,鈥� Brian聽.
, Joannah drew a connection between healthy food and sustainability, noting that 鈥渘utrient-empty foods take a heavy toll on the planet.鈥�
These concerns are reflected in how the couple has supported U of T philanthropically, with聽significant donations to establish the聽Lawson Centre for Sustainability聽at 杏吧原创 and the聽聽at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
Both Brian and Joannah have volunteered extensively with U of T.聽Brian is chancellor of 杏吧原创, a co-chair of the Defy Gravity Campaign and a聽past chair of U of T鈥檚 Governing Council.聽Joannah聽is a past member of the 杏吧原创 Board of Trustees and continues to serve as an adviser to the college.聽Together, they have聽served as co-chairs of the campaign cabinet at U of T鈥檚 Temerty Faculty of Medicine and on the Boundless Campaign executive
Both have received聽the university鈥檚 Arbor Award for volunteer service, and honorary doctorates from 杏吧原创 and from the University of Toronto.
In their addresses to convocation in June 2024, Brian urged graduates of Trinity and University colleges to focus their efforts on opportunities that tick three boxes: what they鈥檙e good at, what they鈥檙e passionate about and where they can make a difference. 鈥淭hink of how you want the world to be 鈥� and exemplify that yourself,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople around you will notice. And that might be the greatest impact of all.鈥�
In her speech, Joannah encouraged graduates to draw inspiration from others. 鈥淔ind out who is already working on the issues you care about most, and look for ways to contribute, either directly by working with them or indirectly by building on their work.鈥�
And if no one else is working on the issue?聽聽鈥淟ead the way.鈥�
WATCH PAST RECORDINGS
2025 Speakers:
- Ciara Mahaffy, Student Last Lecturer
- Dr. Kevin O’Neill, Faculty Last Lecturer
- Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, Alumni Last Lecturer
2024 Speakers:
- Xinyi Li, Student Last Lecturer
- Dr. Rosemary McCarney, Faculty Last Lecturer
- Dr. Mayo Moran, Alumni Last Lecturer