On March 28, Glendon students, staff, faculty and friends came together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of peer-nominated Glendonites at this year’s Student Engagement Awards.
Created in 2009 to officially recognize Glendon’s student leaders, the annual award ceremony marked its seventh year this year, when 19 student leaders were acknowledged with a combination of monetary prizes and awards for high recognition.
The most prestigious awards are the Margaret Wallace Award and the Friends of Glendon Student Services Awards, presented this year to three students whose contributions to campus life left an indelible mark on the community.
The Margaret Wallace Award
Megan Burns
Honouring the late director of the Glendon Athletic Club, the Margaret Wallace Award is given to a student who demonstrates participation and leadership in campus life, with priority given to those involved in sport. The recipient of the 2016 award is Megan Burns, a fourth-year business economics student, the vice-president Athletics of the Glendon College Student Union and an active student leader, who has made invaluable contributions to Glendon’s Orientation Week and to creating opportunities for connection through intramural sports. Burns also currently serves as the World University Service of Canada’s co-president at Glendon, and works diligently to create education, employment and empowerment opportunities for disadvantaged youth around the world.
The Friends of Glendon Student Services Awards
Juan Garrido
These awards recognized final-year sociology and drama studies major Juan Garrido and third-year psychology student, Jennifer Chweiri.
During his time at Glendon, Garrido has made lasting contributions to the campus community as an active and long-standing council member of the GCSU, a don in residence, a student ambassador, an eAmbassador, and as the coordinator of GLgbt*. Garrido has succeeded in bringing queer performers to campus, providing inclusivity and fostering safe space workshops to students, and raising awareness for issues that face queer students.
Jennifer Chweiri
An active member of many student clubs, Chweiri is known as a caring and passionate leader. She is currently a Lion’s Den peer mentor and an executive member of four clubs focused on community wellbeing: the Yukvashakti Meditation club, the Neuropsychology Sciences Association at Glendon, Glendon Roots and Shoots, and the Glendon Musical Ensemble. Chweiri actively seeks to connect Glendonites to opportunities that are interesting and relevant.
The selection committee was also pleased to recognize the following students for their outstanding contributions to student life at Glendon, the arts, athletics and to university governance:
- Adeela Malik
- Aleksandar Golijanin
- Andrea Ata
- Ashley Moniz
- Christian Lopez
- Dorna Zaboli
- Haman Mandouh
- Jenna Krajinovic
- Marika Kunnas
- Shefali Jain
- Shivani Babuta
- Tova Ciccotelli
- Travis Ricketts
The celebration was sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs, Student Financial Services and the Friends of Glendon.