"You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don't take.” — Wayne Gretzky
Naisha Suthaharan (Class of 2025) is a firm believer that life is too short not to take risks – and she lives by that mantra. And over her four years at the University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH), she learned the value of believing in herself.
As an upcoming graduate of the Justice Studies program, Naisha’s departure from Guelph-Humber feels bittersweet. While she’s thrilled to pursue a master’s program in criminal justice and public policy at the University of Guelph in Fall 2025 (a program she received sizeable scholarships for), Naisha is emotional about leaving a place she described as a second home.
“Guelph-Humber really took a building and turned it into a community for me,” she said, misty-eyed.
Finding joy through making a difference
Naisha explored her “pure passion” for helping others through the Justice Studies program, especially marginalized communities and immigrants, inspired by her immigrant parents. Her parents came to Canada from Sri Lanka for a better life in the mid-1990s, not knowing any other language but Tamil and not having a lot of money, but they had big dreams of ensuring a brighter future for their family. They learned English, went to college, and received diplomas.
“I owe a lot to my parents because they came here during a difficult time and put their lives on the line, sacrificing their personal goals to provide a better future for me and my sister,” she said.
She dreams of becoming a lawyer one day so she can give back through pro bono work, assisting underserved communities. Naisha is also interested in conducting research within the sector and becoming a professor. Armed with a strong education and determination, she knows she can achieve anything she sets her mind to.
“Justice doesn't only mean going to court and fighting for people, but it also means helping others and providing them with resources,” she explained of her motivation to pursue the justice field.
While Naisha’s mission has always been to help others, she wasn’t always sure what her path in life was going to be. As a high school student who was finding herself, she applied to Guelph-Humber’s Psychology program as well as Justice Studies. She knew she wanted to study at U of GH because she would graduate with a diploma from Humber Polytechnic and a degree from the University of Guelph. Plus, the low student-to-instructor ratio appealed to her so she could truly connect with her peers and professors. She initially accepted her offer to the Psychology program since it arrived first. But when the offer for Justice Studies came through, something clicked for Naisha; this was where she was truly meant to be. As the adage goes, the rest was history.
Naisha entered U of GH with the Founder’s Academic Merit Scholarship, valued at $36,000 over four full-time years of study. Not only did she complete high school with stellar grades, but she demonstrated community involvement and leadership excellence through founding an association for South Asian students at her school to share their vibrant culture and bond over a shared identity. Naisha embodies that spirit of community and leadership, which are traits she brought to U of GH right from her first year.
Getting involved at Guelph-Humber
The four years of an undergraduate program can feel like they go by quickly, so Naisha wanted to make the most of her time at U of GH. She made sure to get involved to engage with her peers, develop skills, and have fresh experiences.
In her first year, Naisha joined Alpha Phi Sigma’s Phi Epsilon Chapter at U of GH. Contrary to what the name may sound like, this student-run group isn’t a fraternity or sorority; it’s an honours society for future law and justice professionals. This was pivotal for her to develop relationships with her classmates because during her first year, Ontario was still emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic as campus remained empty while activities largely remained online.
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After being a general member for two years, Naisha took the next step in her Alpha Phi Sigma journey: becoming an executive and helping shape the chapter. In third year, she was the Vice-President of Communications, and in her final year, she became the Vice-President of Activities. Throughout her involvement in Alpha Phi Sigma, she participated in opportunities like Coffee With a Cop (a networking event), organized a food drive for the Safe Centre of Peel (Alpha Phi Sigma collected over 300 food items for the charity), and attended conferences with the society in Chicago and Denver.
In Denver, she even presented her research (conducted alongside Justice Studies instructor Dr. Laura MacDiarmid) on gender-based violence in the Greater Toronto Area at the International Alpha Phi Sigma Conference.
Wanting to uplift her peers, Naisha became a First Year Experience (FYE) leader in her second and third years and a Student Transition and Resource Team (START) leader. In these roles, she guided and mentored students on their academic journeys, and represented Guelph-Humber at events like the Ontario Universities’ Fair.
“START [and Alpha Phi Sigma] were probably one of the best ever experiences I could ever ask for,” Naisha said, smiling, pondering the nostalgia.
Another initiative close to Naisha’s heart is working with IGNITE, which is Guelph-Humber and Humber Polytechnic’s student union. She cites IGNITE as being a “huge part” of her undergraduate journey. Representing her fellow students was immensely rewarding through her election to its board of directors during her third year and serving as a Student Advocate during her fourth year. Here, she was able to take part in the Walk for Reconciliation Event, Remembrance Day Ceremony, and several other IGNITE events like HypeHall and SpeedFriending.
“IGNITE has truly helped build and shape a lot of my future, through forming relationships and making connections,” she said.
Moreover, Naisha stepped out of her comfort zone to try mooting, which is an event where students are given a real court case and compete with other challengers to defend each side of the case.
“It was my first time, so I was super nervous doing it. But my advice for anyone who feels like this is to do as much as you can in your four years and don't be afraid. I was so afraid of what other people would think. But who cares? Shoot for the moon,” Naisha said.
Breaking internal barriers
While her four-years were wonderful overall, they didn’t come without challenges.
Surprisingly, her biggest challenge didn’t come from inside the classroom; it came from inside herself.
Naisha looked inward to overcome feelings of self-doubt. Through this, she learned a valuable lesson and wants to share that wisdom with other students: “It’s ok to make mistakes. It’s ok to learn from those mistakes.”
“The biggest lesson I learned is you have to fall in order to get back up,” she continued. “So put in your application if you want that executive position on a club, or if you want to get into a certain school. Life is so short and there's only 365 days in a year…Take the opportunity and run with it.”
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