Queens Rector Cam Yung, Artsci17, feels this years recipients of the Agnes Benidickson Tricolour Award are among the best in Queens history.
Mike Blair, Sc17, Claire Gummo, Artsci17, Tara McDonald, Artsci17, Lauren Winkler, Artsci17, and Mike Young, Artsci16, are being inducted into the Tricolour Society, which is one of the oldest and highest honours a student can receive from the university.
The people who were nominated were a very spectacular group of individuals. They have done exceptional work for the Queens community, says Mr. Yung. What made this year so special is that each person brought a different aspect in terms of leadership and character. They didnt serve in a similar way to each other. They each had a different agenda.
The award goes to Queens students for distinguished service to Queens in non-athletic, extra-curricular activities.
Here is a quick look at this years recipients:
- Mr. Blair served on the Alma Mater Society Board of Directors and volunteered with Queens First Aid and was a Queens 175th Anniversary Coordinator.
- Ms. Gummo championed conversations, wrote policy, created educational programs to address sexual violence at Queens, and has been selected as a 2017 Rhodes Scholar.
- Ms. McDonald created the Queens Elephant in the Room Anti-Stigma Campaign for mental health. She is a leader who empowers others and never gives up when advocating for equity and social change.
- Ms. Winkler worked to bring together the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities at Queens by collaborating on the very first Queens Native Students Association Indigenous Conference.
- Mr. Young, Queens former rector, worked tirelessly to create an inclusive community by addressing issues surrounding mental health, sexual violence, and gender/sexual diversity.
A selection committee made up of students from various faculties chose the five recipients from a group of 18 nominees. There is no set number of recipients that have to be selected. In the past 10 years, anywhere from one to eight students have received the honour.
The Tricolour Award has a long history at Queens as it was first awarded in 1940. Past recipients include Dragons Den TV star Michele Romanow, Sc07, MBA08; the father of the Canadian flag John Matheson, BA40, DSA77, LLD84; and former Bank of Canada Governor and Queens Chancellor Emeritus David Dodge, Arts'65, LLD'02.
This years recipients will be honoured on April 8 during a ceremony at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts.
