Student Empowerment Award
The TRUSU Student Empowerment Award is given out each year to a TRU student and a TRU employee who demonstrate excellence in empowering students to participate as engaged citizens on campus or in the broader community.
[su_box title=”Lynn Baldwin – Faculty/Staff Award” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“By providing her students with opportunities to directly interact with local food producers, Dr. Baldwin encourages her students to think critically about how the processing and transport of food products is often forgotten, but can be a huge source of carbon emissions. She has also brought to light how disconnected we are from the food we eat; we don’t know what was in the soil it grew in, where it has come from, or who has handled it before us. My perspective has shifted dramatically since the beginning of the semester in doing everyday things such as going to the grocery store. “
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[su_box title=”Ananna Mitra – Student Award” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“Ananna is a very vibrant and social person who is willing to help anyone with anything. She is a Peer Mentor with the Career and Experiential Learning Department and was recently selected as Peer Mentor of the month of February. She goes above and beyond to help students find the right career mentor and helps build their confidence. She is also available on campus to help anyone almost all the time and balances her job, education and the TRUSU Women in STEM club along with the Mentorship program. She also volunteers extensively on and off campus at any event or programs happening in Kamloops.”
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Student Support Award
The TRUSU Student Support Award is given out each year to a TRU student and a TRU employee who demonstrate excellence in supporting students in pursuing their educational and/or professional aspirations.
[su_box title=”Devon Devries – Student Award” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“As an SL Leader for psychology, Devon supports students in PSYC 1100, a first-year introductory Arts course that can be extremely challenging for students new to a post-secondary environment. Devon spends a lot of time organizing weekly study sessions and exam reviews that not only helps students understand the content, but also helps students learn how to study through collaboration and session organization. These sessions consider a strategic approach to learning that focuses on collaboration and gradual scaffolding to academic autonomy, where students are not looking to professors or Leaders for answers but can think critically and find solutions themselves. Devon also works as a Peer Academic Coach who provides one-on-one sessions with struggling students to provide individualized strategies and resources to manage time, set goals, study effectively, give presentations, take notes and tests, and deal with test anxiety. In this role, Devon is also able to connect students to other student services like STSS courses, Counselling, Accessibility Services, the Writing Centre, or the Math Help Centre.”
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[su_box title=”Sarah Ladd – Faculty/Staff Award” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“Sarah works as an administrative manager for the Faculty of Education and Social Work, and maintains the links she created with the TRUSU Women in STEEM Club from her previous role with Career and Experiential Learning, where she worked extensively with Engineering students to find them co-op work tems. She works to inspire students to explore their options and step out of their comfort zone. Her connections in the community are exceptional and she has helped many students find jobs. She has played a crucial role supporting the TRUSU women in STEM Club and is very dedicated towards making the STEM programs available for more women and end the stigma around women studying technology, engineering and math. She has been a source of inspiration for 100s of students at TRU, and is always working and encouraging women to lift each other up.”
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Club Leadership Award
The TRUSU Club Leaders Community Service Award is given out each year to a TRU student who demonstrates excellence in community service through club leadership.
[su_box title=”Gabrielle Mayhew” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“Gabrielle Mayhew is the leader of the Innovation Creativity and Entrepreneurship Club at TRU. As Club President, she is responsible for delivering weekly club meetings, organizing networking events and workshops, within the student community and throughout Kamloops. She delegates tasks among club executive members, ensuring club functions are the result of collaboration and shared work. Gabrielle has adopted the increased responsibility with grace and professionalism, awarding devoted focus to her duties while working a full time co-op position and an additional part-time job. Gabrielle’s efforts with ICE Club connect TRU students with business and innovation opportunities in the Kamloops community”
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Teaching Award
The TRUSU Teaching Award is given out each year to a TRU faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching.
[su_box title=”Sylvia Straka” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“Silvia goes above and beyond by advocating for students outside of the classroom as well. She is always open to listening to the challenges that students are facing, further exploring these challenges with students, and consistently supporting and guiding them to address the issue and/or taking action on their behalf. She is dedicated to creating a university environment in which students have equity and fairness, and are actively involved with their own meaningful learning. Silvia is passionate about what she is teaching and about her philosophies on teaching, and she encourages students’ to follow their own passions when it comes to learning and assignments. She encourages critical thinking, self-reflection, and university/community involvement and engagement, and is always there to help support these processes when needed. Silvia has been the most impactful professor I have had, through her insightful sharing of knowledge and through her modeling of the principles she teaches about. Silvia has had an overall profound positive impact on me as a student and as a person, and is an example of the type of social work professional I hope to become; therefore, I believe she is fully deserving of this Teaching Award.”
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Student Advocate Award
The TRUSU Student Advocate Award is given out each year to a TRU student and a TRU employee who demonstrate excellence in building political will and/or advancing policy in the interest of students.
[su_box title=”Julia Lowe – Student Award” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“Julia serves as the associate delegate (AD) and treasurer for the TRU chapter of the CNSA. In this position she advocated for students’ needs in relation to nursing school, training, and extracurricular development – particularly through their involvement with the CNSA and in attending conferences. She aided in organizing Mental Health First Aid training for students and sought out opportunities and encouraged nursing students to become involved in professional and educational development. Student representative on the School of Nursing (SON) scholarship committee. In this role, she provided a student lens on important SON related issues and facilitated opportunities for nursing students to become involved in scholarship and research.”
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[su_box title=”Brian Lamb – Faculty/Staff Award” box_color=”#333333″ radius=”6″]
“Brian Lamb is the leader of the Learning Technology & Innovation Team at TRU. Brian and his team have been advocates for the implementation of progressive educational technology systems and open educational resources that support and enhance the experience of faculty and students. Brian is widely respected across not only TRU but the entire field of educational technology and open education and has leveraged not only his skill and experience but that of his network to ensure TRU is able to stay at the cutting edge of evolving edtech trends. Brian has a long track record of participating in policy, systems, and process development that improves the learning environment for the whole TRU community and is no doubt deserving of this award of excellence.”
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