Innis College

Al-Amin Ahamed named 2024 McCall MacBain Scholar

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 01 May 2024 14:34:44 +0000

Al-Amin Ahamed named 2024 McCall MacBain Scholar

Community

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 05/01/2024 - 10:34

Students

St. George

Graduate Students

Innis College

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

McCall MacBain Scholarships

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Al-Amin Ahamed (supplied photo)

Al-Amin Ahamed, a doctor of pharmacy candidate at the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, has been named a 2024 McCall MacBain Scholar, joining the fourth cohort of recipients of the scholarship.

McCall MacBain Scholars are selected based on evidence of exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength and intellectual curiosity. They are provided access to a fully funded master’s or professional degree at McGill University, mentorship and a comprehensive leadership program.

Ahamed will pursue a master of public policy in the hopes of advancing health equity in drug policy.

As an undergraduate student at U of T, Ahamed served as social innovation ambassador, orientation co-ordinator and residence don at Innis College. Upon returning to U of T for their second degree, they continued to gain leadership and governance experience, serving as vice-president, professional faculties of the U of T Students’ Union and president of the Undergraduate Pharmacy Society. They also served as president of the PharmaPride club, working to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in health care.

“Words alone cannot articulate what this scholarship means to me. Growing up in a first-generation immigrant household, I never felt that these types of opportunities were meant for people like me,” Ahamed said. “Becoming a McCall MacBain Scholar has transformed my life by making graduate education an accessible reality for me and my family.”

Four other U of T students and one alum received McCall MacBain Awards:

McCall MacBain Finalist Award for use at McGill University

Tamara Altarac (Woodsworth College)
William Lloyd (Trinity College)
Jacob Kates Rose (University College, 2020)

McCall MacBain Regional Award for use at a Canadian public university

Muhammad Ansar (U of T Scarborough)
Yomni Makonnen Tesfaye (U of T Scarborough)

Read the University Registrar’s Office story about Al-Amin Ahamed

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Brett Story recognized with Diane Weyermann Fellowship

lanthierj — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:25:40 +0000

Brett Story recognized with Diane Weyermann Fellowship

Community

lanthierj Fri, 09/22/2023 - 15:25

Faculty

Alumni

St. George

Faculty of Arts & Science

Innis College

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Brett Story (supplied image)

A documentary by filmmaker Brett Story – an assistant professor at the Cinema Studies Institute and Innis College in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & Science – has received one of the Camden International Film Festival’s inaugural Diane Weyermann Fellowships.

The Production of the World, a co-production of Canada and the U.S., directed by Story and produced by Jeff Reichert, is described as an all-archival documentary about the radical critic John Berger, the CIA’s infiltration of the arts during the cultural Cold War and the ways images operate as a battleground for politics. It’s one of three films receiving the fellowship, which includes a US$100,000 prize and 18 months of creative support through retreats and mentorship.

Established to honour Weyerman, a former director of the Sundance Institute who died of cancer in 2021, the fellowship “champions filmmaking teams producing feature documentaries that take artistic risks in highlighting stories of moral and ethical urgency,” Variety reported.

Story is the author of the book Prison Land: Mapping Carceral Power Across Neoliberal America. Her 2016 feature documentary, The Prison in Twelve Landscapes, won the Special Jury Prize at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and was a nominee for Best Feature Length Documentary at the Canadian Screen Awards. Her 2019 documentary, The Hottest August, was a New York Times Critics’ Pick.

Francisca Wiafe-Amoako wins inaugural Lesra Martin Student Changemaker Award

lanthierj — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:17:58 +0000

Francisca Wiafe-Amoako wins inaugural Lesra Martin Student Changemaker Award

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Tue, 08/10/2021 - 16:17

Alumni

St. George

Faculty of Arts & Science

Innis College

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Francisca Wiafe-Amoako, a recent Innis College graduate who earned a double major in neuroscience and physiology with a minor in Spanish, has been recognized with the inaugural Lesra Martin Student Changemaker Award.

The award is presented to Innis College students who have worked to effect change for Black lives through creative and innovative scholarship or extra-curricular activity.

Wiafe-Amoako was honoured for founding the Afro-Dance and Culture Club, a student group that offers Afro-dance workshops and uses music and dance to promote awareness of Black and African diasporic culture.

“There are so many Black students who are doing things and having great impacts in their communities, but don’t receive recognition for the work that they do,” Wiafe-Amoako said. “So, it’s been really affirming and I feel really privileged not just to be a recipient of the award, but one of the inaugural recipients.”

The award was initiated by Martin, an alumnus of Innis College, who is known for his remarkable personal journey from poverty and illiteracy to a successful career as a lawyer.

Read the U of T News story

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Kassia Neckles wins inaugural Lesra Martin Student Changemaker Award

lanthierj — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:13:43 +0000

Kassia Neckles wins inaugural Lesra Martin Student Changemaker Award

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Tue, 08/10/2021 - 16:13

Students

St. George

Department of Cinema Studies

Department of English

Faculty of Arts & Science

Innis College

Lesra Martin Student Changemaker Award

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Kassia Neckles, a fourth-year student majoring in cinema studies and English, has been named an inaugural recipient of the Lesra Martin Student Changemaker Award.

The award is presented to Innis College students who have worked to effect change for Black lives through creative and innovative scholarship or extra-curricular activity.

Neckles was recognized for her publications analyzing race, representation and portrayals of Blackness in film.

“It can be very easy for me to undermine my efforts and work as inconsequential, both as a single person in a world of billions and as a Black person in a world so rife with anti-Blackness,” she said.

“This award, in a sense, assures me that my efforts to support my community and inspire change are not entirely futile.”

The award was initiated by Martin, an alumnus of Innis College, who is known for his remarkable personal journey from poverty and illiteracy to a successful career as a lawyer.

Read the U of T News story

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Cynthia Messenger receives OCUFA Service Award

lanthierj — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 16:53:25 +0000

Cynthia Messenger receives OCUFA Service Award

Community

lanthierj Fri, 07/16/2021 - 12:53

Faculty

St. George

OCUFA

Faculty of Arts & Science

Innis College

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The University of Toronto’s Cynthia Messenger has received the OCUFA Service Award from the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations.

OCUFA recognized Messenger, of the U of T Faculty Association, and her colleagues, Herb Kunze of the University of Guelph Faculty Association and Robert Hickey and Paul Young of the Queen’s University Faculty Association, for their collective efforts to create the University Pension Plan (UPP).

The UPP, which saw its inception this month, is a jointly-sponsored pension plan (JSPP) for the university sector in Ontario.

“I am honoured to receive recognition from OCUFA, an organization that played a shaping role in the early stages of the development of the UPP,” said Messenger, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the writing and rhetoric program at Innis College.

“The multi-year UPP project provided a rare opportunity for which I am grateful – to work on a challenging and important project with colleagues from across faculty associations, staff unions, and administrations at U of T, Guelph, and Queen’s.”

The UPP would not be a reality without the dedication and hard work of the four winners, said OCUFA president Rahul Sapra. “These four individuals were instrumental in pushing the UPP project forward and ultimately bringing it to fruition. Because of their work, tens of thousands of faculty, academic librarians and staff now have a better pension plan.”

Professor Angela Hildyard, special adviser to the president and provost, said Messenger played a critical role.

“From the very beginning of this initiative, Cynthia was convinced that moving into a JSPP was the only way to ensure that U of T faculty and staff could continue to enjoy the excellent pension benefits that our employee associations and unions had negotiated over the years,” Hildyard said. “Her unwavering commitment was central to the ultimate establishment of the UPP.”

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National Magazine Awards recognize members of the U of T community

lanthierj — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 16:20:31 +0000

National Magazine Awards recognize members of the U of T community

Community

lanthierj Wed, 07/14/2021 - 12:20

National Magazine Awards

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

University College

University of Toronto Communications

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Dawn Lim's photographs, published by Maclean's, captured the frontlines of the pandemic (photo by Dawn Lim)

For their writing, editing, photography and design, University of Toronto faculty, staff, students and alumni have been recognized by the 2021 National Magazine Awards.

Dawn Lim, a UHN emergency physician and assistant professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, photographed the pandemic from the frontlines for Maclean's magazine, work that won the Grand Prix Gold for best cover.

"I believe we all remember events better through stories. The feelings we all felt then were overwhelming and scary,” Lim says. “When I look at this cover, I remember the tension as the team got ready to intubate. I remember nurses and doctors telling me that they were so glad I was photographing their lived experiences during the first wave. These are precious memories of our hospital coming together in a time of incredible vulnerability. Medicine is full of stories. I'm so pleased that my work as a clinician and as a photographer collided in this moment."

Other U of T winners included alumnae Pacinthe Mattar (gold) and Téa Mutonji (silver) in the essay category and The Varsity features editor Jadine Ngan, who received an honourable mention for best emerging writer. Alumni Malcolm Johnson and Hamutal Dotan received multiple nominations as handling editors, and Innis One instructor and University College writing centre instructor Simon Lewsen received an honourable mention for his long-form feature writing.

The spring 2020 issue of University of Toronto Magazine, edited by Scott Anderson, won the Grand Prix Silver for its cover and honourable mentions for portrait photography and best editorial package. The magazine also won big in the B2B National Magazine Awards, with the spring 2020 edition taking gold for best art direction (entire issue) and receiving a nomination for best cover, while the winter 2020 edition, edited by Anderson, Patricia Lonergan and Don Campbell, received nominations for best photograph and best art direction (single issue or opening spread).

See the complete list of NMA winners and nominees

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Reshma Dhrodia and Steve Masse receive Jill Matus Excellence in Student Services Awards

lanthierj — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 20:19:45 +0000

Reshma Dhrodia and Steve Masse receive Jill Matus Excellence in Student Services Awards

Community

lanthierj Fri, 04/16/2021 - 16:19

Jill Matus Excellence in Student Services Award

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(Photo of Masse courtesy of Masse; photo of Dhrodia courtesy of Dhrodia)

For their strong initiative and commitment to enhancing the student experience, two staff members – Reshma Drodia and Steve Masse – have received the Jill Matus Excellence in Student Services Award.

The honour is one of the Awards of Excellence presented by the University of Toronto Alumni Association in collaboration with the university. The prestigious program dates back to 1921 and recognizes outstanding faculty, staff and students.

As the On Location Accessibility Team lead at the St. George campus and chair of the equity diversity inclusion and accessibility committee within Accessibility Services, Dhrodia has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to those with accommodation and accessibility needs. She has helped organize nearly 20 different equity- and inclusion-based training opportunities for staff members, and created, designed and delivered a training program on accessibility and inclusion for hundreds of staff and faculty, many in leadership and front-line student service positions.

In honouring Dhrodia, the alumni Association notes that supervisors and peers commend Dhrodia for her depth of understanding, her ability to cultivate an environment of openness, and her far-reaching impact. Her tireless work has served as a blueprint not only for Accessibility Services, but for many others across the university and beyond.

As dean of students at Innis College, Masse has worked to create positive change in every part of student and residence life – from providing additional supports to students in residence, to spearheading a new collaborative training model for residence life staff, to ensuring greater diversity in hiring through intentional recruitment efforts. He has worked to improve amenity spaces for students and collaborated on a funding model for refugee students. During the pandemic, Masse worked tirelessly with his staff to ensure that Innis remained safe and accessible to those who required housing.

In honouring Masse, the alumni association notes that colleagues and students alike say Masse is a highly effective leader and gifted listener. Everything that he and his team do is rooted in compassion, respect and student service.

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U of T Libraries recognizes six students for outstanding research

lanthierj — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 20:00:52 +0000

U of T Libraries recognizes six students for outstanding research

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Wed, 08/12/2020 - 16:00

Students

St. George

Faculty of Arts & Science

St. Michael's College

Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize

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Clockwise from top left; Emma Sullivan, Tegan Ridge, Kiera Farrell-Beaulieu, Colin Stewart, Sally Walker-Hudecki, Braden Zufelt

Six undergraduate students have won the 2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize from the University of Toronto Libraries.

Open to undergraduate students from all campuses and disciplines, the $1,000 prize recognizes research conducted while completing course work. This year’s winners are all Faculty of Arts & Science students:

Kiera Farrell-Beaulieu (second year, Innis College)
Tegan Ridge (fourth year, St. Michael’s College)
Colin Stewart (fourth year, University College)
Emma Sullivan (third year, Victoria College)
Sally Walker-Hudecki (second year, Trinity College)
Braden Zufelt (fourth year, Trinity College)

“It is wonderful to see our talented students utilizing the wealth of information available at the libraries,” Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr said. “I was particularly impressed by the students’ innovation at navigating the various resources, exemplifying the extraordinary undergraduate work happening at the University of Toronto.”

U of T Chief Librarian Larry Alford said he was deeply impressed by the winners' research.

“The students especially deserve to be commended for putting together their applications this year under the challenging circumstances of a global pandemic when the university had to quickly move online and classes were in the midst of transition.”

Read the U of T News story

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Kiera Farrell-Beaulieu receives 2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize

lanthierj — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 19:31:45 +0000

Kiera Farrell-Beaulieu receives 2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Wed, 08/12/2020 - 15:31

Students

St. George

U of T Libraries

2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize

Innis College

Faculty of Arts & Science

Department of Political Science

portrait

Kiera Farrell-Beaulieu is one of six winners of the 2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize.

A Faculty of Arts & Science student in her second year at Innis College, Farrell-Beaulieu is a political science major. She won for a research paper on the opioid overdose epidemic among youth in Ottawa.

Farrell-Beaulieu says her experiences growing up in Ottawa inspired her winning paper, which was completed for the course JGI 216: Globalization and Urban Change.

“Winning this prize shows that my research is going in a positive direction that can lead to an attitude shift in society’s treatment of teenage addiction and mental health,” she says. “It also means hope – for me, my classmates, community members, and the parents of those who passed away – that this crisis doesn’t have to be a permanence in our community.”

Instructor Dylan Symone says Farrell-Beaulieu's work was exceptional, noting “her creative efforts in searching, evaluating, and synthesizing information sources across traditional disciplinary boundaries in scholarly research.”

The Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize is made possible due to an endowment by Mrs. Patricia Wilson and Mr. Peter Wilson.

Read the U of T News article

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Sally Walker-Hudecki receives 2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize

lanthierj — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:26:34 +0000

Sally Walker-Hudecki receives 2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Wed, 08/12/2020 - 11:26

Students

St. George

Faculty of Arts & Science

Innis College

Cinema Studies

U of T Libraries

portrait

Sally Walker-Hudecki is one of six winners of the 2020 Patricia and Peter Shannon Wilson Undergraduate Research Prize.

A Faculty of Arts & Science student in her second year at Trinity College, Walker-Hudecki won for her research project on the technological beginnings of television, completed for the course CIN 201: Film Cultures I.

“I've been interested in expanded cinema, projection devices and all kinds of technological ephemera and apparatuses for years,” Walker-Hudecki said. “In fact, I showed my own film projection invention at Hart House's 100th anniversary in September 2019, which feels so long ago.

The cinema studies major praised the support she found at Innis Library and said she looked forward to contributing more to this field in the future.

"Sally’s triumph is to integrate her research seamlessly into a thoughtful and provocative essay that charts how emerging definitions of a novel spatiotemporal medium developed alongside technological experimentation,” said Professor Charlie Keil, her instructor for the course. “It is a vibrant demonstration of how research can breathe life into past events, providing social context, illuminating institutional pressures, and animating human agency.”

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