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First Michael Nightingale Student Contribution Award to be presented at Guelph-Humber's inaugural convocation June 19
U of G's top student achievers are being honoured during convocation ceremonies this week at Guelph and next week at the University of Guelph-Humber's first convocation.
Sarah Roy is this year's winner of the Winegard Medal, Guelph's top convocation award for undergraduates. Named for former U of G president Bill Winegard, it recognizes both academic achievement and contributions to University and community life.
Roy, who graduates this week with a B.A.Sc. in child studies, has received a number of awards during her years at Guelph, including the Ontario Women's Institute Scholarship, the Dean's Scholarship and the Dorothy Britton Memorial Scholarship. She was an active member of Guelph Students for Literacy, the Child Studies Administrative Council, Campus Crusade for Christ and Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
Roy also volunteered in the community, serving breakfast to children in the Better Beginnings, Better Futures program at Onward Willow and caring for young children at the Guelph Community Health Centre and the Ontario Early Years Centre. In 2005, she travelled to Uganda to volunteer at the Chain Foundation Orphanage.
This fall, she will begin a master's program in speech language pathology at McGill University.
Other nominees for the Winegard Medal were Caroline Lee (OAC), Meg Wilson (CBS), Paul Le Marquand (CPES) and Ulla Laidlaw (College of Arts).
The recipient of this year's Forster Medal, U of G's top convocation award for graduate students, is Heather Mattila, a PhD graduate of the Department of Environmental Biology.
During her PhD program, Mattila, who held a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council post-graduate scholarship, built up a sizable list of publication credits, including a book chapter in the Ontario Beekeeping Manual and a number of articles in prestigious journals such as the Proceedings for the National Academy of Science.
At U of G, she was a teaching assistant, instructor and guest lecturer and shared her work with the public at schools and community events and through the media. She also co-wrote a primer to help other PhD students survive and excel at their comprehensive exams, was a graduate student mentor and served on the board of the Provincial Entomological Society.
She currently holds a post-doctoral position at Cornell University.
The Forster Medal is named for the late Donald Forster, a former president of U of G, and recognizes academic achievement, motivation, leadership and citizenship. Other nominees were Andria Jones (OVC), Trent Stellingwerff (CBS), Bryan van der Ende (CPES) and Robert McLeman (CSAHS).
Aidan Abram is this year's winner of the Walter Vaughan Medal. Named for a former secretary of Senate, the medal recognizes the contributions of a student member of Senate.
Abram, who graduates this week with a B.Sc. in earth surface science and international development, has served as co-chair of the University's United Way campaign and was a member of Board of Governors, the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences Student Alliance board and the Central Student Association board. He is also a past president of Mills Hall. In April, he received a Brian D. Sullivan Student Leadership Award.
Abram, who plans a career in urban sustainability, is currently employed at a Guelph consulting firm, working on projects related to climate change.
Four Governor General's Medals are also being presented during summer convocation. The gold medal recognizes academic achievement at the master's level, the silver medal goes to the undergraduate student with the highest marks, and the bronze medal is awarded to the student earning top marks in OAC's associate diploma programs in agriculture and horticulture.
This year's gold medallist is JingBo Ni, an M.Sc. graduate in computing and information science who is now enrolled in a PhD program at Guelph.
Silver medals went to engineering B.Sc. graduate Laura Wagner and zoology B.Sc. graduate Christopher Martin.
The bronze medallist is Vanessa McDougall, who holds an associate diploma in agriculture from U of G's Kemptville Campus.
On June 19, University of Guelph-Humber student Melissa Melo will receive the inaugural Michael Nightingale Student Contribution Award. Named for the institution's first vice-provost and chief academic officer, the award is presented to a graduating student who has made significant contributions to the University of Guelph-Humber community and who has demonstrated commitment to enriching the student experience.
Melo, a media studies student who will graduate with a bachelor of applied arts from U of G and a diploma in journalism from Humber, has been involved in a number of organizations over the past four years. In addition to being a student ambassador pre-orientation program leader and speaking to students and parents about Guelph-Humber, she is past president of activities for the University of Guelph-Humber Student Association and has organized a number of campus events. She is also the founding co-ordinator of the Goodwill Unit, a club at Guelph-Humber that aims to raise awareness and promote community service.
Two Vice-Provost Awards for Academic Excellence will also be presented. The awards, which go to students graduating with the highest average in their program, will be presented to business student Digira Baidya and media studies student Melaya Bogers.
