Two Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) students are among the winners of Surrey Board of Trade’s 25 Under 25 Awards.
Armaan Dhillon, a 21-year-old criminology student, and Ishant Goyal, a 23-year-old entrepreneurial leadership student, are being honoured by the business organization.
Dhillon is past-president of the Kwantlen Student Association and has been involved in various community initiatives since arriving in Canada as an international student in 2021, including volunteering for the Guru Nanak Food Bank. He is a passionate advocate for students' rights and interests, including issues such as the lifting of the 20-hour weekly work cap for international students and eliminating federal student loan interest.
“I am humbled and honoured to receive this recognition and look forward to continuing my work on behalf of students and the community,” says Dhillon.
“My motivation comes from the belief that every student deserves a fair and equal chance to succeed. Knowing that m
Goyal arrived in Canada as an international student in 2017 and is now in his third year at KPU’s Melville School of Business. He is a student representative on KPU’s board of governors and on the KPU senate standing committee on appeals. Goyal has also dedicated time to helping other students: as a student ambassador in the future students’ office, as a peer tutor at the learning centre, and as a mentor for new business students.
“I am an advocate for student rights and voices at KPU,” he says. “The passion to work for others and bring positive change in the community is what drives me to take on multiple roles. My path to success involves staying active and engaged.”
The annual awards, presented May 3, recognize business- and community-minded people under the age of 25 who are either working in Surrey or working on a Surrey-based business or community project.