Student success was recently recognized at the annual Social Science & Communication Studies Awards Ceremony, where 43 students were honoured for their dedication and commitment, as well as for their inspiring work both in and out of the classroom.
Held Nov. 19 at the Underground Restaurant, award recipients, professors, support staff, friends and family gathered for the event that highlights student achievements.
The reception featured warm memories and touching stories connected to both the awardees and to the legacies of former members of York’s social science and communication studies communities.
Professor J.J. McMurtry, chair of the Department of Social Science, and Professor David Skinner from the Department of Communication Studies, welcomed guests to the reception and congratulated students on their accomplishments. Associate Dean Diane Beelen Woody, speaking on behalf of Dean Ananya Mukherjee-Reed, also offered warm congratulatory remarks to the award recipients and their guests.
Particular highlights from the ceremony included retired faculty member Eric Koch’s presentation of the award in his name to Bradley
Ferns, which was simultaneously humorous and heartfelt as he offered encouraging words of advice to the recipient.
Another touching moment during the ceremony was when the award recipient for the Criminology Honours Scholarship, Victor Martin, shared words of gratitude to his professors and his family. Martin honoured his father who he stated was “a first-generation immigrant who helped build this country with his hands” and asserted that he would continue his father’s legacy by “building this country with his mind.”
Dalton Kehoe presented the award in his name to Madelle De Leon.
The awards presented by family members included the Arthur Siegel Award (Keshra Hines), the Jerry Durlak Award (Nicole Otieno), the Ellen Baar Award (Kayla Forjan) and the Gina Feldberg Prize (Michael Adia).
The Yasay family presented an award to honour their son, Joshua Yasay, to Stephanie Patt.
Kevin Estrela, an employee of the Alterna Credit Union, presented the Alterna Social Scholarship in honour of Haswell Iron to Delzad Kutky.
Other awards were presented by the program coordinators or members of the departments, including Professors Stephanie Ross, Uwafiokun Idemudia, Ricardo Grinspun, Denielle Elliott, McMurtry, Annette Bickford, James Williams, Mary-Louise Craven, Anne MacLennan, Allyson Lunny, Lisa Drummond and Matthew Tegelberg.
McMurtry presented the final four awards that were available to all students in the Department of Social Science: the Department of Social Science Award (Joyann Smith); the Gordon Lowther Award (Jaspal Dosanjh); the Lillian Lerman Book Prize (Keshra Hines); and the Otto Friedman Memorial Scholarship (Luigi Rulli).
The reception ended with closing remarks by McMurtry and Professor Mary-Louise Craven.
Special acknowledgments were given to the Underground for its assistance, and to the staff in the Departments of Social Science and Communication Studies who helped with the nominations process and preparations for a successful and well-attended event.
A special thank you was offered to Jacqueline Selman, the undergraduate students coordinator in the Department of Social Science, and to Sushma Kanhai-Dupuis, the undergraduate program assistant in the Department of Communication Studies, for their generous assistance in organizing the awards ceremony.
Awards
Department of Communication Studies:
EricKoch Award – Bradley Ferns
Jerry Durlak Award – Nicole Otieno
Dalton Kehoe Award – Madelle De Leon
Riva Orlicky Award – Bradley Ferns
Arthur Siegel Award – Keshra Hines
Penny Joliffe Award – Sophia Goshulak
Work & Labour Studies program:
Neil Reimer Scholarship – Ran an (Kate)
Labour Studies Student Achievement Award – Fidan Topyurek
African Studies program:
Esiri Dafiewhare Scholarship – Valerie Kitchen
Stevenson Scholarships in African Studies – Sara Ghebremusse and Lauren Rattray
Social & Political Thought program:
Undergraduate Student Award – Tenzin Jamyangling
International Development Studies program:
Honours Award – Mark Therien
Health & Society program:
Gina Feldberg Prize – Michael Adia
Health & Society Book Prize – Cindy Lin, Al Yamamoto, Bradley Wilson, Theresah Afrakomaah
Criminology program:
Criminology Honours Scholarship – Victor Martins
Criminology 1650 Book Prize – Michelle Spencer
Joshua Yasay Memorial Scholarship – Stephanie Pratt
Law & Society program:
Law & Society Program Honours Prizes – Rita De Fazio and Lamees Mussa
Jane Banfield Prize – Rebecca Rossi, Prabhjot Badesha and Paul Farruggio
Professor David L. J. Sealey Award – Endi Batino
Urban Studies program:
Marion Miller Urban Studies Award – Loren March and Haru Greco Liu
Frances Frisken Urban Studies Prize – Brittany Recek
Social Science 3700 Urban Studies Prize – Jonathan Kitchen
Lynn M. Bell Urban Studies Achievement Award – Loren March
Latin American & Caribbean Studies program:
Honours Award – Rut Lau
Lydia Covenay Burnett Bursary – Teffori Selassie
WW Anderson Award – Israel Ceron Alsibar and Stephanie Chunoo
South Asian Studies program:
Best Essay Prize – Aqeel Ihsan
Business & Society program:
Honours Award – Ankita Abraham