"Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average.” - Jim Rohn

On Wednesday, March 7^th, 2012, over eighty graduating student leaders in the Faculty of Arts gathered at Sage Bistro for the seventh annual Dean’s Reception for Graduating Arts Student Leaders. Nominated by faculty members, staff, and their peers, these students were recognized for the many ways in which they improve UBC and their communities through their dedicated leadership contributions.

Congratulations to all of the graduating student nominees and thank you for your dedication and hard work in your many leadership roles. We wish you continued success in all your endeavours after graduation and hope you will carry on your legacy of leadership as alumni of UBC.
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Amanda Cheong, Justin Yang, and Tarini Fernando were chosen from among the nominated students by a selection committee as recipients of the Dean’s Outstanding Leadership Awards for their exceptional and sustained contributions. The winners received a diploma frame and their names were added to commemorative plaques which hang in the Meekison Arts Student Space in Buchanan D.

Congratulations Amanda Cheong, winner of the 2012 Dean’s Outstanding Leader in the Faculty of Arts!

Amanda is “[a] [true] ambassador for UBC Arts.” Her  leadership has proven immeasurable for the Immigrant Vancouver Ethnographic Field School, a Community Service Learning Initiative she has been heavily involved in, as she has helped to raise the profile of the society and of UBC in the eyes of the Vancouver immigrant community. Further, in the Student-Directed Seminar that she is currently coordinating, entitled “Immigration and Multicultural Community Development,” she has worked to evaluate the ESL system in Vancouver schools by focusing on the role of grassroots and civil society organizations in Canadian immigrants’ settlement experiences.

During her time at UBC, she has successfully connected her leadership experiences to her discipline and research, as evidenced by a working paper she co-authored with Dr. Jennifer Chun for Metropolis BC on the consequences of low-paid work for immigrants, and the public forum they planned in order to circulate their findings to community partners and immigrant service-providers. Additionally, as the Sociology Students' Association Co-President, she advocated for expanding research opportunities for undergraduate students.

Congratulations Justin Yang, winner of the 2012 Dean’s Outstanding Leader in the UBC Community!

Justin is “a well-rounded, highly self-motivated student,” who has been tremendously involved in various organizations at UBC.  His commitment to leadership, both his own and his peers, has included an executive member on both the Science Undergraduate Society (Vice-President Finance), and the Arts Undergraduate Society (President), demonstrating “his relentless pursuit of interdisciplinarity.”

In addition, he has been, and continues to be, active in UBC’s Alma Mater Society.   He is currently serving as a Student Senator, is the AMS Tutoring Coordinator, and has been a representative to several committees pertaining to teaching and learning. In these roles, he has sought to engage the administration on a variety of urgent, academic issues facing undergraduate students.

“[His] sheer breadth of interests and activities, and his selfless engagements with many aspects of campus life (academic, professional, and social) reflect a singular young man with tremendous energy, generosity, and potential,…both lead[ing] and represent[ing] by example.” It is evident that he has made an impact on student life at UBC.

Congratulations Tarini Fernando, winner of the 2012 Dean’s Outstanding Leader from the UBC Community to Beyond!

Tarini “has proven to be an outstanding ambassador of the university and the projects she has been involved with in the community beyond. Not only is she “committed to issues affecting the campus community…[but is also] engage[d] with pressing issues of global concern.” Her involvement in the World University Service of Canada, where she sponsored student refugees and assisted them with their transition to life in Vancouver, is an excellent example of how she has been able to link her commitments to UBC with her interest in affecting the world beyond the university.

Similarly, her role in co-founding the Passion Project reflects her ability to mobilize students at UBC to address community needs beyond the campus. The Passion Project is a student-led initiative based at UBC, which works to set the stage for youth to share and celebrate their passion while simultaneously linking these interests to the community in local service-learning projects. 

Additionally, she “has worked tirelessly to build the Sri Lankan community at UBC while also focusing [her] efforts internationally via...a Sociology Directed Studies course held in conjunction with an internship in Sri Lanka.” It is difficult to find “[another] student who has achieved this kind of synthesis of university and community as well and as effectively as [she has].”

To view a list of previous Outstanding Leader Award winners, click here.

To view additional photos from the event, click here.

[photos taken by Andrew Hood]