Faculty, friends and family gathered on Oct. 30, in the Private Dining Room in the Seymour Schulich Building, to pay tribute to the outstanding students and teaching assistants of the Department of English, Faculty of Arts.
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| Above: Guests and students at the recent Department of English awards and recognition celebration |
Welcoming remarks were made by Julia Creet, Chair of the Department of English. She spoke of new and upcoming initiatives to increase the profile and value of the department, both at the University level and nationwide, including the anticipated reunion of the English and Creative Writing programs. The new program, combined with the burgeoning program in professional writing, will form a new half to the department. Creet also spoke of the development of two new graduate programs, a masters in creative 
writing and a new masters and doctoral program in rhetoric and composition as an extension of writing studies.
Left: York Chancellor Emeritus Avie Bennett
In addition to thanking her colleagues for taking up the challenges of restructuring and renewal with enthusiasm, Creet congratulated faculty members for their successes in publishing and the receipt of grants and fellowships.
Professor Heather Campbell, Faculty of Arts associate dean, and Lorna R. Marsden, York president & vice-chancellor, joined Creet in welcoming students and their proud families to the event.
On hand to present the awards were: York Chancellor Emeritus Avie Bennett; Professor Ruth Grogan; Professor Thomas Loebel; Professor Karen Valihora; Marilyn Lambert-Drache, associate dean, Faculty of Arts; and Creet.
Right: Rose Crawford (left), assistant to the Chair, Department of English; Julia Creet, Chair, Department of English; and Professor Thomas Loebel
The awards presented include:
Avie Bennett Prize in Canadian Literature
Nicole Capelo
Department of English Retirees’ Scholarship
Antonella Campanella
H.K. Girling Literature Prize
Atessa Izadpanah
Lucille Herbert Memorial Scholarship
Jenny Ferguson
Brian Hepworth Memorial Prize
Cristina Costa
Faculty of Arts Essay Prize Winners
Jonathan Gaboury – Senior Honours Thesis Prize
Kristyn McGuire – Fourth-year Honourable Mention
Elizabeth Sabiston Essay Prize Winner
Ksenia Jourova
Teaching Assistants’ Award for Excellence in Teaching
Dana Patrascu-Kingsley
Derek Irwin
The awards ceremony was followed by a reception to congratulate the award winners.