Trinity’s 2024 U of T Student Leadership Award Winners

Posted: March 25, 2024

This year, an incredible 16 members of the Trinity community have been awarded 2024 U of T Student Leadership Awards (UTSLA) – 12 Trinity College students and four Trinity College alumni! The University of Toronto Student Leadership Awards recognize graduating students for outstanding student leadership, volunteer service, and commitment to the university broadly, to their own division, or for contributions in both areas. Congratulations to all our 2024 UTSLA recipients! View the list of all recipients: 2024 U of T Student Leadership Awards (PDF).

#TrinityGrad24 undergraduate Arts & Science students: 

Mogtaba Awad Alim, Catherine Chi, Taylan Gurpinar, Nisha Iqbal, Alexander Lawson, Anusha Madhusudanan, Ciara Rose McGarry, Alex McLean, Ruichen (Richard) Shuai, Tam Tran, Jessie Wu and Sabrina Zhu

Trinity alumni (current U of T graduate students):

David Guo, Nathan Kuehne, Zoe Thompson and Kirsten Ching Fong Yeung

 

Learn more about Trinity’s incredible UTSLA recipients!

Trinity’s 2024 UTSLA winners share what contribution of which they are most proud. (Supplied photos)

#TrinityGrad24 undergraduate Arts & Science students:
Mogtaba Alim Mogtaba Awad Alim: Mogtaba was honored to become U of T’s first Black President of the CS Student Union. Inspiring and empowering minority students, and demonstrating the rewards of perseverance was a dream realized.
Catherine Chi Catherine Chi: The Immunology Students’ Association Welcome Back Lunch in which over 100+ students and 8 faculty members attended. The event connected undergraduate students with their professors and faculty members.
Taylan Gurpinar Taylan Gurpinar: Taylan has orchestrated a welcoming and supportive environment as an Orientation Executive at Trinity College in 2021-2023, fostering an inclusive community and aiding new students in becoming active community members.
Nisha Iqbal Nisha Iqbal: As Charitable Indulgence’s Co-President, she transformed this self-funded club by securing local baker partnerships, raising $9000+ for Gaza aid and building a Pakistan community well for 1000 people.
Alexander Lawson Alexander Lawson: Alexander has spent three years in student government working to engage his fellow students in the governance process and strive for a more close knit community at Trinity College.
Anusha Madhusudanan Anusha Madhusudanan: Anusha exemplifies exceptional leadership by dedicating herself to advancing accessibility and equity through impactful advocacy campaigns and establishing academic resources that empower students.
Ciara McGarry Ciara Rose McGarry: Ciara McGarry served as the President of the Association of Political Science Students from 2022 to 2023. As President, Ciara organized social, academic, and career-related events and initiatives for the entire political science student body.
Alex McLean Alex McLean: Alex sought to cultivate a spirit of collective care in their everyday interactions with students, strengthening community connections through inclusive practices.
Richard Shuai Ruichen (Richard) Shuai: Richard Shuai has been Co-President and Marketing Chief at the University of Toronto Machine Intelligence Student Team, the 2022-23 Trinity College’s Student Food Ambassador, and a student governor on the Arts & Science Council and the Trinity College Meeting.
Tam Tran Tam Tran: Tam listens to student experiences and is dedicated to serving under-privileged and vulnerable populations in her local community, through uplifting, training and collaborating with peers.
Jessie Wu Jessie Wu: As the President of the World University Service of Canada, Trinity Chapter, Jessie reduced financial barriers to education by increasing access to funding for Student Refugee Program students.
Sabrina Zhu Sabrina Zhu: Sabrina is most proud of improving access to career/professional development opportunities for marginalized students and amplifying these students’ narratives through, for example, her roles at WISE UofT.

 

Trinity alumni (current U of T graduate students):
David Guo David Guo – Rotman School of Management: Being the Executive Vice President of the Rotman Graduate Business Council, David was influential in executing the goal of “One Rotman,” bringing students from all Master-level programs together under one roof, one community.
Nathan Kuehne Nathan Kuehne – Temerty Faculty of Medicine: Nathan leads and guides the development of mentoring relationships and supportive communities with students from underrepresented groups, often supporting life-changing educational and career goals.
Zoe Thompson Zoe Thompson – Temerty Faculty of Medicine: Throughout Zoe’s seven years as a U of T student she has been involved in a number of different organizations in leadership positions extending from her first year as an undergraduate student to a final year medical student.
Kirsten Yeung Kirsten Ching Fong Yeung – Faculty of Arts & Science: Kirsten contributed to U of T by fostering community and mentorship; however her proudest accomplishment is after her term as ChemClub President, student leadership retention was the highest ever!

 

About the Award:

The University of Toronto Student Leadership Award continues U of T’s long-standing tradition of recognizing outstanding student leadership, volunteer service, and commitment to the university. This tradition began with the Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award, which ran from 1994 – 2019 and was named in honour of Mr. Gordon Cressy, former Vice-President, Development and University Relations. In naming the award, the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA) recognized Cressy’s leadership and volunteer service across various spheres, as well as his term at the university. During the award’s 25-year history, it celebrated the exemplary contributions of more than 4,000 students whose commitment and volunteerism had a lasting impact on their peers and the university.

The University of Toronto Student Leadership Award (UTSLA) continues the spirit of the retired Cressy Award. Recipients of the UTSLA  join the distinguished community of past Cressy Award recipients in being honoured for their exemplary leadership and volunteer service to U of T.

 

If you are a Trinity College program student or alumni (International Relations; Ethics, Society & Law; or Immunology) who received a 2024 U of T Student Leadership Award, please let us know – email communications@trinity.utoronto.ca.

 

Categories: Alumni; Awards & Honours; Student News; University of Toronto News