Undergraduate Students Receive English Department and Other Honours
Each year, the Department of English presents awards that recognize outstanding undergraduate student achievement. At the start of term's English Bachelor of Arts (BA) Welcome Social, the awards for 2012-2013 were presented.
Second-year English BA student Cameron Macdonald was presented with the English BA Student Life Award.This award celebrates the achievements of one BA English student who has made an outstanding contribution to the life, activities, and endeavours of the English department. Cameron has been an active member in the English BA Course Union and its activities as well as a student presenter at "Discover Ryerson" Days and an undergraduate representative on the English Department Council.
The BA English Academic Achievement Scholarships are granted to students who have attained the highest Grade Point Average across all courses within a given year, with one scholarship designated for a student in each of the first, second, third, and fourth years of the program. As the English BA was only in its second year in 2012-2013, two scholarships were awarded: Alison Aird, in the second year of the BA English program, and Lauren Matera, in the first year of the program.
Third-year English BA student David Grech was awarded the English Essay Award, given to a first- or second-year student who has written the best essay in an English course. David won this award for his essay for the "Literary and Cultural Theory" course.
Supported by the generous donation of a former English faculty member, the W.C. Chau Essay Award is given to the third- or fourth-year student who has written the best essay in an English course. Duy Tommy Lam, currently a 4th-year student in the Arts and Contemporary Studies English Option program, won this award for his essay for the "17th-Century Literature and Culture" course.
The Creative Writing Award is awarded to a student who has produced the most outstanding sample of creative writing in any genre in an English course. Kira Metcalfe won this award for her creative writing submission for "Forms of Creative Writing," one of the second-year project courses that are a feature of Ryerson's BA English program. Kira’s work will appear in a future edition of the White Wall Review, the department's annual literary journal.
"These awards showcase academic excellence on the part of our students and recognize the important role that our students play in developing a vibrant and engaged community of scholars here at Ryerson," remarked Dr. Anne-Marie Lee-Loy, Undergraduate Program Director.
Also at the Welcome Social, English BA student Celine Araujo was presented with the Jacqueline Atkins Scholarship for Excellence in Business and Professional Writing, given out by Ryerson's School of Professional Communication.
Additionally, two English BA students were honored at the Faculty of Arts Dean's List celebrations; Rachel Kearney and Cameron MacDonald. Students on the Dean's List have earned a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.67 or higher. Cameron was also honoured for retaining his Ryerson University President's Scholarship as a result of his high CGPA.
The Department of English warmly congratulates the award-winners.