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March 24, 2025

We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of our undergraduate and graduate students whose research, leadership and community work continue to inspire. These awards honour not only hard work and dedication, but the thoughtful and creative ways each is helping to shape a better world. Thank you for all that you bring to your studies and your communities. Congratulations to each of you!

SOSC Graduate Excellence Awards:

Brooke Hayes
PhD Candidate – Research Excellence Award
Brooke’s groundbreaking research has illuminated the critical role of soil microbial abundance in climate change mitigation, food security, and rural economic viability—placing her at the nexus of these global issues. Her tireless efforts led to the creation of BC's largest agri-food collaborative network and have helped democratize land management and food production.

Sonia Voicescu
PhD Student – Community-Engaged Research and Knowledge Mobilization Award
Sonia’s outstanding research stands out for its deep commitment to diverse forms of community engagement. Through her work as an early career scholar, she has amplified the voices of ecological restoration practitioners and mining-based communities, identifying and addressing the needs of communities while giving back through accessible publications and presentations.

Sabrina Guzman Skotnitsky
Master’s Student – Leadership and Outreach Award
Sabrina has mobilized her arts-based research on climate anxiety into a youth-led, equity-focused climate action model. Her dedication to co-creating curriculum, leading workshops, and supporting youth with compassion and creativity showcases her extraordinary leadership and social commitment.

Hannah Gentes
Master’s Student – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award
Hannah’s leadership and advocacy in support of Indigenous and equity-deserving communities have advanced equity, diversity and inclusion both within and beyond the university. Her work reflects a strong commitment to building inclusive and supportive spaces, with her involvement in initiatives like the Campus Cousins program standing out as a thoughtful and impactful contribution.

SOSC Undergraduate Rising Star Awards:

Katia Bannister
Georgia Klap Award + Lorene Kennedy Field Course Award + UVic Excellence Scholarship Renewal
“I'm immensely grateful to honour Georgia's memory by devoting time to my own hands-on learning experiences, while also supporting other young people in accessing embodied learning opportunities as a volunteer with the UVic Ecological Restoration Club and the South Island Whitewater Club.”

Parker Little
PH&N Institutional Undergraduate Scholarship + Maclean Annual Award in Economics + Leeder Family Memorial Scholarship in Economics + Dr. Lorene Kennedy ES Undergraduate Award
“I remember the greenery of Sandown farm on the last day of my VKURA internship as fondly as I remember the days I received my scholarships. These Awards have helped tremendously. Thank you to the donors, the professors, and the committees that have made such memories possible. ”

Sophie Kunka
Jacob Noseworthy Memorial Scholarship + Dr. Lorene Kennedy ES Undergraduate Award + Lorene Kennedy Field Course Award + Leo Chan Memorial Scholarship in Political Science
“I am deeply grateful to the donors and sponsors who made this possible. The scholarships I earned this year allowed me to focus on my studies with less financial stress for myself and my family.”

Shannon Sherk
Geraldine G. Goode Scholarship + Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Award
They are passionate about the multidisciplinary impacts of climate change and currently work as a licensed Emergency Medical Responder. This scholarship provided funding for their honours research in partnership with BC Ambulance investigating the impacts of climate change on paramedics.