Congratulations to our 2023 Award Winners!

Georgia Ball is a third-year Creative Industries student with a Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and a specialization in Storytelling in Media and Media Business. She is a dedicated and engaged member of the Creative Industries community at TMU. With a stellar GPA of 4.250, Georgia has not only excelled academically but has also made significant contributions through her entrepreneurial ventures and collaborative endeavours.

Georgia has immersed herself in a number of student groups, including StyleCircle, Kappa Beta Gamma Sorority, and the Creative Industries Course Union. As a Social Media Coordinator at StyleCircle, a student-led fashion publication, Georgia worked in the dynamic realm of digital content creation.

This past July, she expanded her learning globally when she embarked on a two-week learning intensive in London, United Kingdom. The immersive experience, hosted at the University of Westminster, explored emerging technology and the use of artificial intelligence. Georgia's AI project focused on visualizing the potential impact of climate change and rising water levels in London. This year, Georgia has taken on a leadership role as VP of Communications in the Creative Industries Course Union, where she manages a team of social media coordinators and is responsible for maintaining social media accounts and sending out event newsletters.

Gabby Samson is a fourth-year Creative Industries student in the Acting/Dance and Professional Communication modules. They are passionate about equity and mental health and worked at the SHIFT Centre in TMSU’s Equity Service Centre from 2021-2022. Gabby has pursued entrepreneurial opportunities through the Zone Learning incubator course and created a mental health initiative to help students struggling with self-harm. In April 2023, she launched a collaboration with the Society of the Creative School to provide harm reduction kits for students in the Creative School who struggle with self-harm behaviours/urges.

Gabby has showcased her creative talents at TMU through the competitive hip-hop team UHHU, and with visual art pieces displayed in the CICU’s art exhibition in February 2023. With almost two more academic years in Gabby’s studies, they are pursuing a minor in Black Studies and hope to continue their career in the fitness industry while maintaining a creative approach to equity-related work.

Brithi Sehra is a 4th-year Creative Industries student specializing in Print and Publishing and Media Business. Brithi started university during the pandemic in Dubai. Feeling alienated during the odd times, Brithi decided to get involved with her community.

Brithi joined the Creative Industries Course Union (CICU) in her 2nd year as the co-VP of Events, where she was able to share her enthusiasm for the program with other CRI students by encouraging connections within themselves and the local community. She is now the co-President at the CICU and aims to bridge the gap between the union, industry professionals, and Creative Industries students.

In her 3rd year, she joined the Society of the Creative School as VP of Events, where she organized orientation events for more than 800 incoming students, established and led the first cultural event by the group, and built initiatives to support students' mental health.

Brithi is a strong advocate for international students. She worked in the International Enrolment Department where she partook in panels sharing her experience and tips and tricks to navigating Toronto with newcomers. Brithi is also the President of International Students at The Creative School, which is a new student group she is helping establishhelped establish to recognize and support international students in her 4th year.

Brithi aspires to become a creative director in the advertising industry where she can lead with kindness and empathy, and continue spreading warmth and enthusiasm. She is extremely grateful for this scholarship and this recognition has motivated her to continue spreading these values throughout her endeavours.

Trevohn Baker is a 5th-year student in the Music Industry and Media Business modules. My academic career at TMU began in 2019, but it was in 2020 that I began to work here as an employee. My first-year experience and my personal life experiences inspired me to take on the role of the BIPOC Students’ Collective coordinator for over two years. I also worked at TMU within the Anti-Black Racism Student Advisory Committee for three academic terms. As a Black man, I felt that there were so many limitations yet unfathomably high expectations put on me. Then, with the pandemic thrown into the mix — I felt very othered, alienated and confused with my positioning at TMU. Through my employment, I could work on initiatives that I would have loved to see in my first year (granted, I was commuting from 2019-2021, so many resources were inevitably inaccessible to me).

Although a big chunk of my life involves equity and activism, a significant component of who I am is a result of music. I am a vocalist, and I love sharing my passion with people and using it as a way for me to connect with and heal myself. In the future, I look forward to combining my activism and professional music career to create more opportunities, exposure and experiences for the generations of youth that look like me. Receiving this scholarship is just the beginning, and I am eternally grateful!