Tara Raessi, TMU 2024 Gold Medal Award winner, reflects on TMU experience

Tara Raessi receives TMU’s highest academic honour for academic excellence and outstanding community involvement

July 02, 2024

The Faculty of Arts convocation took place on June 14, 2024. As a recent graduate of Psychology, Tara Raessi has received TMU’s highest honour, the Gold Medal Award. The Gold Medal Award recognizes a student from each faculty for their academic excellence and outstanding community involvement. Tara has volunteered over 1000 hours as a research assistant within the Psychology Department and has helped advance the objectives of the Clinical Addictions Research Equity and Science of Music, Auditory Research, and Technology Lab.

My mantra is “Go with the flow.” A lot of the career and life decisions I have made in my twenties have relied on finding the path of least resistance. This does not mean choosing what is easiest but choosing the path that brings you the most opportunities. Looking back, I see that the alternatives that were not working out for me were not working out for a reason—they just weren’t meant for me. - Tara Raessi

TMU President Mohamed Lachemi and Tara Raessi.

Photo by Harry Choi

Tara has an extraordinary work ethic evident in her leadership skills and availability to support recruitment efforts. This is Tara’s second undergraduate degree from TMU having completed her BComm with distinction in Law and Business in 2022 and enrolled in TMU's Psychology program in September 2022 as an advanced standing student.

What is the biggest lesson you learned during your time at TMU?

We often picture burnout as some big crash, but it can creep up on you. From my own burnout experience, I learned that I cannot give 110% because it isn’t sustainable long-term. I have set a reasonable expectation of what “best” means for me without sacrificing my wellbeing, work/life balance, etc.

Workload sustainability is similar to working out; you can train until failure, putting yourself at higher risk for major injury or less motivation to continue, or you can train until discomfort and still gain in the long run.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Achieving everything I have achieved so far, despite my minority statuses, is my proudest accomplishment.

As a female person of colour with a chronic disorder and autism spectrum disorder, I faced some tough challenges and adverse experiences. It has felt great to be able to excel regardless of these identifiers and earn success in academia.

“Academia is not linear.” I received this advice from Dr. Baumtrog, my previous instructor from the Ted Rogers School of Management and an important mentor in my life. There is no right way to obtain an academic career; what is important is that you enjoy the moment and hope for the best! - Tara Raessi

Tara Raessi walks the stage during convocation

Photo by Harry Choi

What advice would you give to an undergraduate student?

Never compare yourself with others, only compare yourself with your past self. It forces you to self-reflect on what’s been working and what hasn’t. Everyone develops at their own pace, so as long as you enjoy what you’re doing and grow at a reasonable pace, keep doing you.

When you think of your time at TMU, what 3 words come to mind?

Pay it forward. I received so much support from several people to get to where I am today in my academic career. From professors agreeing to work beyond their contractual obligations for me to complete an independent research course, to lab directors accepting me despite my unique background, I have received extraordinary help. I will always strive to pay it forward in my academic career, especially for those who need it most.

Tara will continue her education by pursuing her direct-entry PhD in cognitive neuroscience at the Rotman Research Institute with the University of Toronto.