AV俱乐部 students, faculty, staff, and other community members and supporters gathered together last Thursday evening (March 28) for the 13th听annual Impact Awards, celebrating the efforts and achievements that Dal students and student groups make outside of the classroom.
A total of 45 awards were handed out to students and groups to recognize the impact they make both on- and off-campus in a variety of categories. The university鈥檚 Board of Governors鈥� Awards were also handed out during the ceremony. (Watch for story about this year's recipients next week on Dal News).
鈥淯niversities are at their best when they cultivate and elevate the talents and passions of students to lead purposeful changes within our university community and broader society. Dal Student Leaders honoured through this year鈥檚 Impact Awards model what it means to give back, and lead transformational change within our campus, regional, and even international communities,鈥澨� said Dr. Rick Ezekiel, vice-provost, student affairs.
鈥淐ongratulations to all the award winners, who exemplify leadership excellence within our community. We鈥檙e excited to follow your leadership journey to come, as we continue to foster a culture of student leadership at Dal through exciting new initiatives such as our new Student Leadership Academy.鈥�
Keep reading below for the full list of 2024 Impact Awards winners.
Residence Life Leadership Awards
Awarded to current residence students in positions of leadership who have best demonstrated an exceptional level of maturity and professionalism. They encourage and empower students to engage in student life, they lead by example, and they work to improve the life of the residence hall.听听
Samantha Xia Cooke
Civil Engineering
Austin, Texas
Kaitlin McNeil
Law, Justice and Society
Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
Residence Life Impact Award
Presented to a current member of a residence hall community who has made outstanding contributions to the life of their residence community, led by example by encouraging and empowering residents to get involved, promoted respect, and created opportunities for their peers.
Puru Arora
Computer Science
Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India
Ishraque Kibria
Industrial Engineering
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Impactful Residence Council
Awarded to the residence council that has demonstrated consistency in event planning and delivery, has high participation and attendance from their membership, and sets an example for other councils. This council also acts as a strong advocate for the individuals it serves.
B for Kai听
Community Service Award听
This award recognizes an outstanding off-campus student leader who has demonstrated significant leadership, commitment, and service aimed at improving the community in which they live.听
Mallory Chislett
Accounting
Westville, Nova Scotia
Most Impactful General/Special Interest Society听
Awarded to a student society ratified with the AV俱乐部 Student Union that caters to the general or niche interests of students and has demonstrated consistency in planning and delivery or programming or events, high student participation, and attendance of their membership, and sets an example for other student societies.听听
AV俱乐部 Egyptian Society
Most Impactful Sports Society听
Awarded to a student society, club, or intramural league. The recipient must demonstrate consistency in planning and delivery of programming or events, high student participation and attendance of its membership, and sets an example for other student societies.听
AV俱乐部 Football Club
Intramural & Sports Club Award
Awarded to a AV俱乐部 intramural or sports club participant who demonstrates significant commitment to AV俱乐部's intramural or sports club programs, exemplifies the role of intramurals and/or sports clubs in developing and promoting student engagement and fun on campus, and demonstrates positive leadership and inspires others to get involved.
Emily Andrews
Microbiology
Paradise, Newfoundland
Varsity Athlete Award听听
Awarded to a varsity student athlete who demonstrates significant contributions to the community, has increased awareness at AV俱乐部 of a given charity or cause, demonstrates positive leadership, and inspires others to get involved.听 听
Aaliyah Arab-Smith
Medical Sciences
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Student Wellness Award听
Awarded to a student who best demonstrates leadership in promoting and contributing to a healthy campus, and is a role model for health and wellness both in practice and by impacting others to lead a healthy lifestyle (demonstrated through peer-to-peer education, volunteering, service learning, global outreach, or any activity that enhances quality of life and development).听 听
Ankana Boruah
Psychology
Guwahati, India
Rising Star Award听
Awarded to first-, second-, and third-year students who have demonstrated an outstanding level of commitment, leadership, creativity, and initiative to the AV俱乐部 Student Union, as well as the campus and community at large.听 听
Nathan Tesfazion
Immunology
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Most Impactful Charitable/Community Based Society听
Awarded to a student society ratified with the DSU that has made a significant contribution to a charitable cause within the AV俱乐部 community or beyond. The society has demonstrated consistency in planning and delivery of programming or events, high student participation and attendance of its membership, and sets an example for other student societies.听 听
AV俱乐部 Building Smiles Society
Sustainability Award听
Awarded to a student who has made a significant contribution to improving awareness on sustainability issues at AV俱乐部. This person's actions reflect their passion for the environment and inspire others to make positive change.听
Arunima Verma
Environmental Engineering
Delhi, India
Student Activist Award听
Awarded to a student who demonstrates passion and commitment to social justice and action, leads by example, organizes students in an inclusive way, acts with integrity, raises awareness, and inspires others to create change.听听听
Katarzyna Farrell
Medical Sciences
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Most Impactful Sustainability-Oriented Society听
Awarded to a society that demonstrated positive impacts on sustainability issues through raising awareness, programming, education, advocacy, and student engagement. Aspects of sustainability can include but are not limited to environmental, social, and/or economic impacts.听
Dal/King's Bike Society
International Student of the Year Award听
Awarded to an international student who has demonstrated excellence in leadership, shown engagement in the community, inspired others, and is a respected voice for international students at AV俱乐部.听 听
Sahil Chawla
Computer Science
Mumbai, India
Most Impactful Emerging Society听
Awarded to a society that is relatively new or was revived after inactivity. This society has demonstrated positive impacts through their programming, education, student engagement and/or community building. This award also recognizes initiatives taken by a group of students to ensure the safety of the student body on- and off-campus.听
AV俱乐部 Friends of Doctors Without Borders
Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award听
Awarded to a student who has demonstrated excellence in generating an innovative idea, concept, or business. The student uses their leadership, vision, and focus to make their ideas come to fruition.听 听
Molly Kohn
Commerce
Toronto, Ontario
Most Impactful Cultural/Spiritual Society听
Presented to a student society ratified with the AV俱乐部 Student Union that has raised awareness, engaged students, and increased representation of a culture, religion, or spirituality on campus. It demonstrates consistency in event planning and delivery, high participation and attendance of its membership, and sets an example for other student societies.听 听
AV俱乐部 Muslim Students Association听听
Student Employee Award听
Presented to a student employee who has demonstrated leadership and fostered community spirit in their work on campus. This student will be employed in any capacity on campus and, through their work, contributes to the AV俱乐部 student experience.听 听
Jibran Hagalwadi
Neuroscience
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Most Impactful Faculty/Departmental Society听
Awarded to a faculty or departmental society ratified with the DSU that has best demonstrated consistency in planning and delivery of programming or events, high student participation and attendance of its membership, and sets an example for other student societies.听 听
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AV俱乐部 Undergraduate Engineering Society (DUES)
AV俱乐部 Student Union Gold D鈥檚听
Awarded to AV俱乐部 Students to recognize an elite level of involvement and achievement in campus life over the course of their university career. These students have shown outstanding extracurricular contributions in the community.听 听
Henry Amin
Economics
Beirut, Lebanon
Jastina Mahendrarajah
Pharmacy
Guysborough, Nova Scotia
Mayank Ramchandani
Computer Science and Neuroscience
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
AV俱乐部 Student Council Member Award听
Awarded by the AV俱乐部 Student Union to the Councillor who has demonstrated a commitment to collaborative problem solving, active representation of their constituency, and initiative in the pursuit of innovation.听
Mariam Knakriah
Environmental Science & Sustainability
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Most Impactful Social Justice Award听
Awarded to a society that upholds social justice principles by its actions.鈥疻ith equitable practices, the society has demonstrated transformative impacts on the community on- and/or off-campus through raising awareness, programming, education, advocacy, student engagement and/or student action.听
AV俱乐部 Black Law Students' Association (DBLSA)
Faculty Leadership Awards听
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing for each AV俱乐部 faculty. Part-time students are eligible for this award. These students exemplify the highest level of passion for their discipline, take initiative in creating new opportunities, and encourage their peers to engage in faculty initiatives.鈥疐aculty Leadership Impact Award winners positively impact other students in their faculty and the reputation of their faculty at AV俱乐部 outside of the classroom.
Agriculture: Harichandana Valisakkgari, Hyderabad, India
Architecture & Planning: Treno Morton, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Arts & Social Sciences:听Reagan Lindsay-Kereluik, Oakville, Ontario
Computer Science (Undergraduate):听Manar Elgamil, Cairo, Egypt
Computer Science (Graduate):听Noppadol Theerakul, Roi-Et, Thailand
Dentistry:听Mohammed (Mo) Alabdoulsalam, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Engineering:听Ahmed Ramadan, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Health:听Sowon Suh, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Law:听Essie Mehina, Calgary, Alberta
Management:听Lara Issa, Bedford, Nova Scotia and Ellie Fisher, Lower Cloverdale, New Brunswick
Medicine (Medical Student): Roxaneh Zaminpeyma, Bedford, Nova Scotia
Medicine (Graduate Student): Gracious Daniel Kasheke, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Science:听Carmen Minnis, Mt. Stewart, Prince Edward Island
Dal-King鈥檚 Impact Award
Awarded to the University of King鈥檚 College student who is most highly engaged and takes on a leadership role at AV俱乐部. This is the sister award to the KSU Community Engagement Award for AV俱乐部 students at King鈥檚, which acknowledges the contribution of a AV俱乐部 student to the community at King鈥檚 College.
Eleanor Friddell
Mathematics
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Outstanding Graduate Student Award听
Awarded to a graduate鈥痵tudent in either a professional or research program. These students exemplify the highest level of passion for their discipline and are engaged in initiatives that improve the quality of the graduate student experience at AV俱乐部.鈥疧utstanding Graduate Student Award winners positively impact other graduate鈥痵tudents with activities that extend鈥痓eyond their academic programs.听
Patricia Porto de Barros Ayaz
Political Science
Rio de Janeiro 鈥� Brazil
Outstanding Student of Distinction Award听
Awarded to a student that has shown an elite level of consistent campus involvement over the course of their university career, and has made outstanding and impactful extracurricular contributions in the community either through student advocacy, academic justice, leadership, or other student involvement. This award is based on the academic and community accomplishments of AV俱乐部 alumni Lillu Ju, Level Chan, and Malcolm Honour.听
Mobina Ali
Psychology
Tehran, Iran
President鈥檚 Awards for the Advancement of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA)听
This award recognizes the鈥痮utstanding efforts of AV俱乐部 students or student groups that work consistently to promote an inclusive campus community at Dal and demonstrate an understanding that a commitment to EDIA means focusing on dismantling the unjust structures that systematically marginalize or exclude some while privileging and advantaging others.听 听
Eshan Arora
Medical Sciences
Halifax, Nova Scotia