The Tyndale Seminary Student Council serves the Tyndale University Seminary Student Association (TUSSA), to which all current full-time and part-time students belong. The Council is comprised of students who are upper year students at the Seminary. Like the students at Tyndale Seminary, the Council members range in age, gender, race, denomination, degree program, life experience, and work history. The Council represents the Seminary student body and is present to be of service to all seminary students.
According to Section 3 in the TUSSA Constitution, the purpose and duties of the council are:
A. To encourage a healthy spiritual life among Seminary students by creating and/or promoting spiritually stimulating events such as chapels, seminars, prayer meetings.
B. To plan, organize and facilitate recreational and social events/programs for the TUSSA;
C. To refer student inquiries to the appropriate school departments;
D. To represent the institution at academic and school events;
E. To stimulate and participate in those Campus activities and meetings which will further the aims of the Seminary in intercultural endeavors, Biblical teaching, and an active Christian response to the needs of our day.
Email councils [at] tyndale [dot] ca if you have any questions.
Current TUSSA Student Council Members
Zohrab Sarkisian
I am Zohrab Sarkisian, in my third year as a part-time student. aiming at getting my Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies. I live in Pickering, Ontario and work full time in my own printing shop. I’m married and have two kids.
After getting my Bachelor of Business Administration, I moved to Canada in 2003 as an international student and completed my Graduate Diploma degree in Business Management.
Three years ago I had a calling to serve the Lord within the Tyndale community. Since I was already a member of TUSSA last year, I am very aware of the challenges and the strengths of the student body. I believe this will give me the opportunity to lead and serve more efficiently this year. My desire is to contribute to the welfare of the Tyndale community at large and the student body specifically by making a positive impact in the lives of the students and offer them the possibility to experience love, belonging, encouragement, and community in a unique Tyndale style while they are studying.
Dimo Ayoub
My name is Dimo and I am a second year student in the Masters of Divinity Theological Studies. I currently live in Oakville, Ontario and I have two cats whom I adore (though I’m not sure the feeling is mutual). When I am able, I blog at A Theologian's Heart. I enjoy reading and writing, reading, a good cup of tea, and did I mention reading?
During my first year at Tyndale, I was so blessed by the number of events put on by the Student Council. It was exactly what I needed and where I needed to be during that season of my life. This year I am eager to pay it forward to the incoming and returning student body as I serve in the role of VP of Administration and Finance. I have great confidence in this year’s student leadership team and the opportunities for student engagement that will take place.
I am very thankful for the Tyndale community and try my best to be on campus often. I look forward to meet many of you in this upcoming year and be blessed by you, “that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” (Romans 1:12).
Grace and Peace
Emily Ades
My name is Emily Ades and I am currently finishing up my first of two years at Tyndale Seminary as a Master of Theological Studies student. Thus far, my time at Tyndale has been so enriching as I have had the opportunity to experience the joy and deepening that comes with studying God’s Word and engaging with a community of people who come from many different backgrounds. As such, for the upcoming academic year, I hope to be part of the Student Council team as the VP for Intercultural Affairs whereby I will, along with the entire team of student representatives, try to create spaces and opportunities for all students to partake in the life-giving experience that Tyndale has to offer.
As an international student, I feel that I am uniquely positioned to be able to advocate for the needs and concerns of international students at Tyndale Seminary. Additionally, I have a passion for diversity and inclusion as I believe that community can only grow and deepen when all members are granted a voice and different perspectives are heard and validated. The Apostle Paul calls us to be a body, a metaphor that illuminates the importance of ensuring Christian community embraces difference as a means to accomplishing its mission and purpose here on earth. Thus, if I am given the opportunity to serve Tyndale Seminary and its students as the student representative for Intercultural Affairs, I will, to the best of my ability and by the grace of God and the support of faculty, staff, and students, ensure that what I have described above will be a priority of the Student Council of 2022-23.
Royston Cheng
My name is Royston Cheng and I hailed from the sunny island of Singapore. I am a full-time international student since Fall 2019; this Fall will be the fourth year of my Master of Divinity –Interdisciplinary.
I used to teach Grade 11-12 Chemistry back in Singapore till I heard God’s call to uproot my family of 5 to Canada. We arrived in Jul 2019 and through this ‘Abrahamic’ journey, God has taught me that He is good and trustworthy.
I have been fortunate to have experienced 1.5 semesters of in-person classes before the pandemic caused all my lessons to be shifted online. Hence, I was able to experience ‘both sides on the same coin. Even though my personal preference is to meet in person, I have come to see that the online space is a viable frontier in terms of engagement; I had deep conversations with people and even shed tears alongside some of them.
As the pandemic progresses to the endemic phase and in-person classes resume, the online space is here to stay. As Christians, we need to redeem this space for God’s Kingdom purpose. Hence as your student representative, I hope to create a space for seminarians to do life together in the online space.
Mark Murphy
My name is Mark Murphy and I am currently a full-time student at Tyndale University, pursuing a Masters of Theological Studies in Christian Studies. I am from the beautiful Bahama Islands where I worked in business and technology. My Christian journey has allowed me to work in many areas of youth and children’s ministry. I thank God for the opportunity to serve in His Church. I like to travel and love family vacations. I look forward to following God’s lead as a council member of Tyndale University Seminary.