Congratulations to Gold Medal winner, Nerissa Inniss-Boston!
Nerissa Inniss-Boston walked the convocation podium this fall with the university’s highest honour.
While balancing a full-time position as a child and youth care practitioner with the Peel District School Board, Nerissa Inniss-Boston earned not only her master’s degree but also a TMU Gold Medal — the university’s highest award for outstanding academic achievement and extraordinary community contributions. During her studies, she also seized opportunities to participate in competitive and leadership experiences. Now, she’s aiming to pay it forward by eventually becoming a professor in child and youth care (CYC).
What does receiving the Gold Medal mean to you?
Receiving TMU’s Gold Medal is an absolute honour! I am so humbled and thankful to receive this award. I believe that the Gold Medal shows my hard work and dedication to my master’s in child and youth care. It also demonstrates how the professors and faculty of CYC view my contributions to our field and the community.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
Besides completing this program while working full-time, my proudest accomplishment was presenting on "The Path to Compassion Satisfaction" in the Three-Minute Thesis Competition (3MT)! It was an outstanding achievement and I placed 2nd overall my first time competing!
In addition, sitting on many committees and councils helped shape my experience during my graduate studies, as I developed a sense of leadership outside of the classroom. For example, by serving on the committee for my graduate program, I had the chance to help implement changes that impacted the delivery of the program for incoming students.
"TMU is one of the best schools for supporting their students and I am thankful for it." — Nerissa Inniss-Boston
How did TMU support you during your time here?
Being able to rely on faculty members when I was feeling overwhelmed helped me over the finish line. The many scholarship and grant opportunities open to students really helped with tuition and textbooks, and took the weight off any extra expenses I faced. Outside of the faculty, there were also many resources to support the success of students and help them overcome challenges, such as mental health supports or even general questions about studying at the graduate level.
What are your future plans?
My goal is to become a professor in the field of child and youth care at TMU. I hope to join the very people who taught, helped, and pushed me to be where I am at today. I hope to start with becoming a contract lecturer while continuing my education and pursuing my PhD in education, where my focus will be on Black youth in education.
Do you have any favourite classes/teachers, and what made them stand out?
Every interaction I have had with the CYC faculty was different and unique. I was able to take away something special from each one. Everyone brings a different experience that helps to shape the learning in the classroom. I will say my absolute favourites are Dr. Julie James, Dr. Julian Hasford and Dr. Judy Finlay. They each helped me grow so much!
What advice would you give to students considering grad school?
For any future student considering grad school, I suggest looking deeper into your career endeavours before you dedicate yourself to something. The trajectory from undergraduate to graduate student is a huge step. So, make sure you know what you want from that education! Be prepared to do the work and remember that your professors are always there to help!