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Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University

Student Recognition

Neil Russell Student Leadership Award

The Neil Russell Student Leadership Award honours TRU undergraduate students who have demonstrated leadership and have made outstanding contributions to TRU, their communities and/or the society-at-large. This award is given in recognition of Neil Russell, former TRU VP Student Affairs and VP Academic, for his dedication to student achievement and leadership.

Amna Qazi

Congratulations to Amna Qazi, winner of the 2023 Neil Russell Student Leadership Award.

Amna was nominated by Alicia Ashcroft and Krista Lussier and is recognized for her outstanding leadership as a student storyteller, student liaison, intercultural advocate, and peer mentor. Amna is passionate about dismantling racism and championing diversity on campus and in healthcare, which has been seen through a number of projects Amna has initiated and worked on. Amna has demonstrated that she is a strong student leader in the Faculty of Student Development and in the School of Nursing.

More information about this award

The successful candidate will receive a monetary award of $1000 and will be honoured at a luncheon with the adjudication committee.

Note: This award is for students enrolled in a program at the undergraduate level. A student may not nominate oneself for this award. Nominators must be a faculty or staff member of Thompson Rivers University.

Application

A complete application package must include the following completed documents and be sent to Umme Mansoory at lead@tru.ca no later than the first Wednesday in March by 4:00 pm.

Nominator Form along with two, 300-500 word responses to the information requested on the nominator form.

Co-Nominator Form along with a 300-500 word response to the information requested on the co-nominator form.

Nominee form along with a 300-500 word response to the information requested on the nominee form.

TRU Peer Leader of the Month Recognition Award

The TRU Peer Leader of the Month Award recognizes one or two Peer Leader(s) per month from September to April of each academic year for contributions they have made to their mentees, peer leader group, the TRU community, and/or the broader Kamloops community. This award recognizes the diverse contributions made by peer leaders and rewards students who exemplify attributes such as passion, leadership, resilience, excellence, creativity, and empathy.

More information about this award

Application

If you are a Peer Leader Coordinator and have questions regarding nominating a peer leader, please contact Umme Mansoory at lead@tru.ca.

Nominate a Peer Leader

TRU Peer Leaders of the Month

March 2024

Geordie Stenner
Geordie Stenner

Makerspace Ambassador

In his role as a Makerspace Ambassador, Geordie’s curiosity and love for learning is so infectious that everyone who meets him cannot help but feel a little more excited about trying something new. He has helped shape the Makerspace in countless ways, from helping us learn and troubleshoot technologies, to designing and 3D printing custom tools for the space, to advocating for new resources. He is also currently supporting a faculty member integrating Virtual Reality into their curriculum. Geordie’s curiosity helps make your interests feel more legitimate, and in doing this he helps people feel not just welcome but valued.

February 2024

Anneka Spice
Anneka Spice

Writing Centre Tutor

In her role as Writing Centre Tutor, Anneka exceeds expectations in every way. Anneka actively and creatively contributes to an inclusive community. One example of this is how she created and implemented a new procedure that prioritizes the emotional and psychological safety of tutors. As she developed relationships with her colleagues, Anneka reviewed upcoming appointments for any potentially harmful language or content within the student’s draft that might trigger the tutor, and then moved the appointment accordingly. This seemingly small action highlights Anneka’s ability to build relationships, her commitment to creating an environment of safety and inclusion and her creativity and care.

January 2024

Shannon Lopes
Shannon Lopes

Intercultural Ambassador

As an Intercultural Ambassador, Shannon goes above and beyond in multiple ways. Specifically, Shannon took the lead on locating funding to create the opportunity for fellow Intercultural Ambassadors and Indigenous Peer Mentors to attend the IDEA conference on equity, diversity and inclusion and persisted through multiple barriers. Shannon builds meaningful bridges between the intercultural team and the TRUSU Equity Committee, Cplul’kw’ten, and Indigenous Education and continually demonstrates humility, empathy, and determination in their work.

December 2023

Anzhelika Mostovshchikova
Anzhelika Mostovshchikova

Resident Advisor

In her role as a Resident Advisor, Anzhelika exhibits passion and care for her community, which shines through her interactions with her residence community. Anzhelika’s creativity was demonstrated when she organized programming on healthy relationships and "everythingships" which focused on teaching students about healthy relationships and common red flags. Anzhelika combines her passion for harm reduction and mental health in her position and uses her outside interests and knowledge to her advantage in the RA role.

November 2023

Perry Erickson
Perry Erickson

Indigenous Peer Mentor

As an Indigenous Peer Mentor, Perry has shown leadership by taking the initiative to lead cultural activities and actively participating in numerous events. Perry is a role model to other Indigenous students and sets a strong example for other Indigenous Peer Mentors. Perry’s proactive approach and willingness to create connections and foster positive change within the mentorship program demonstrate strong leadership qualities.

October 2023

Casey Hopper
Casey Hopper

Student Wellness Ambassador

In his role as a Student Wellness Ambassador, Casey has demonstrated himself as an incredibly valuable member of the team. During hiring gaps, Casey stepped up to take charge of tasks that needed to be done, including giving tutorials and answering questions for team members navigating new systems. Casey's inclusive and welcoming nature allows everyone to comfortably and freely ask him questions, knowing he will be there to help.

September 2023

Michelle Raglin
Michelle Raglin

Supplemental Learning Leader and Peer Academic Coach

In her role as a Supplemental Learning Leader and Peer Academic Coach, Michelle is known for leading her sessions and workshops enthusiastically. Michelle excels at every leadership position she is in and is a great support to her team and coordinator by bringing forth creative ideas. Michelle continually strives to find new and better means to support her peers and the SL/PAC team is delighted to have Michelle return for another year.

April 2023

Mikhayla Maurer
Mikhayla Maurer

Engineering Student Mentor

In her role as an Engineering Student Mentor, Mikhayla is known for going out of her way to take initiative on projects and help her mentees. Mikhayla is the peer mentor for all female-identifying students in the first-year software engineering program. Mikhayla assists the Engineering department with workshops at high schools and planned her own peer mentor meeting collaborating with the Student Wellness Ambassador team. Mikhayla is a great role model and a valued member of the Engineering Student Mentor team.

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