15 Celebrity Alumni From Ryerson University

Ryerson has such a diverse community of students, both current and former. And although everyone studies in different programs, most of Ryerson’s alumni are successful in their respected fields. Here are 15 alumni who have become very famous since their time at Ryerson University!

1. Shay Mitchell

Best known for her role as Emily Fields in Pretty Little Liars, Mitchell began her journey as an actress studying acting at Ryerson. Since then, she has appeared in many TV shows as a guest star, including in Degrassi: The Next Generation, Glee, and Rookie Blue. She has played roles in movies such as being apart of the star filled cast for Mother’s Day. Shay Mitchell is a rising star on both the small and big screens, as well as through social media.

2. Nina Dobrev

Dobrev is well known for her lead role in The Vampire Diaries. Before getting to play Elena Gilbert on the hit CW show, Dobrev majored in sociology at Ryerson University. She has since won 8 Teen Choice Awards and 3 People’s Choice Awards. Although her acting career prevented her from graduating, Dobrev is still a very successful alumna.

3. Nia Vardolas

Studying acting on a scholarship at Ryerson, Nia became a famous actress and writer. Although she has been apart of many works, she is best known for her role in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

4. Hannah Simone

After graduating from Ryerson’s RTA School of Media in 2005, Simone became a VJ at MuchMusic, and currently stars in Fox’s comedy New Girl. She has also had a career as a model and worked for a year as a human rights officer at the UN in England.

5. Tyler Stewart

Currently a drummer for the Barenaked Ladies, Stewart graduated from Ryerson back in 1989 with a degree in Radio and Television Arts. His group has won seven Juno awards and created the theme song for CBS’s Big Bang Theory.

6. Gail Kim

After majoring in nutrition, Kim decided she wanted to become a pro wrestler. She won her first match at the WWE Women’s Championship. In 2012, Kim was named the number one female wrestler in the world by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. In 2016, Kim was made the first female inductee in the TNA Hall of Fame.

7. Rick Brace

The current President for Roger’s Media graduated from Ryerson with his B.A. in Radio and Television. He has also been apart of Ryerson’s President’s Council since 2008. But Brace’s success doesn’t stop there. He was a director of the Hockey Hall of Fame for 12 years, a director of Canadian Wildlife Foundation since 2013, and was the president of specialty tv for Bell Media for 6 years.

8. Tom Anselmi

Anselmi graduated from Ryerson with a degree in landscape architecture. He is now currently the president and CEO of the Ottawa Senators NHL hockey team. In 1987, he helped to develop the SkyDome, now known as the Rogers Centre. And he was a Chief Operating Officer of MLSE in 1999, and the Executive Vice-President and COO of MLSE in 2004.

9. Jay Onrait

While attending Ryerson in 1996, Onrait started his career off as a editorial assistant for TSN. In 2003, he started co-hosting SportsCentre on TSN, and in 2013 he moved as a host to Fox Sports Live. Now Onrait is returning to TSN to co-host SC with Jay and Dan.

10. Ellen Wong

Wong, like many other famous Ryerson alumni, studied radio and television for her degree. Her background in martial arts helped her get some of her acting roles, including in the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Wong has also played roles in movies such as The Circle, and on tv shows including Combat Hospital, The Carrie Diaries, and GLOW.

11. Erdem Moralioglu

Moralioglu studied fashion during his time at Ryerson University. Now he is a famous fashion designer who has dressed many celebrities including Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Cate Blanchett, Michelle Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow, Keira Knightley, and Sara Jessica Parker. He has also made clothing worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, a Royal Ballet Principle dancer, and Meghan Markle, who wore his dress to a wedding with Prince Harry.

12. Liane Balaban

Majoring in journalism, Balaban left Ryerson early to focus on her acting career. She has since appeared in many tv shows and movies. In 2008, she starred in her first Hollywood feature film, Defiantly, Maybe with Ryan Reynolds.

13. Jason Jones

Before becoming an actor, comedian, and producer, Jones studied theatre at Ryerson University. He is best known for his work in The Daily Show, Pitch Perfect, and Pitch Perfect 2. Jones has also been apart of many of works such as The Bounty Hunter, Law & Order, and How I Met Your Mother.

14. Brian Bailey

Bailey is a Fashion designer who has created his own company, Iscariot Design, which can be found in many stores including The Bay, The Shopping Channel, and Nordstrom. Bailey started his career working with The Hudson’s Bay Company while studying fashion at Ryerson. He has been a mentor on Project Runway Canada.

15. Isadore Sharp

Sharp spent his time at Ryerson studying architecture technology. After spending some of his career in architecture and real estate, Sharp moved over to the hospitality business. In 1960, he founded Four Seasons Hotel, and now has about 100 luxury hotels around the world.