Gold Medal Winner 2023 makes a difference for women in STEM, environmental sustainability

The Ted Rogers School of Management’s 2023 Gold Medal and the TMU Board of Governors Leadership Award and Medal winner spent their university career devoted to environmental sustainability, social innovation and mentoring women and minorities in STEM.

Over their academic career, Jacqueline Chung, a fourth-year BTM student, has received several awards related to their advocacy work, including the 2021 Ted Rogers School of Management Leadership Award, 2022 Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award and the Women-in-Technology Scholarship by Adobe Research in 2022.

Recipients of the Gold Medal are selected based on their academic achievement and participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities. 

The Board of Governors Leadership Award and Medal is one of the most prestigious university-wide awards offered to graduating students, who are selected on the basis of their outstanding academic achievements, leadership and participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities within TMU and/or the community at large. 

Jacqueline Chung is passionate about environmental sustainability, mental health, and diversity. They have been involved in environmental sustainability, advocacy, and mentoring for diversity groups. They held nine internships in financial services and asset management firms, and worked part-time jobs in coaching, education, retail, consulting and non-profit organizations.

Chung mentored minorities and young women interested in careers and technology for five years. “Because I come from a STEM background, I wanted to support other women and marginalized groups who want to enter the STEM and business fields, giving them advice, providing guidance and passing on information,” they explained. “I wished I had that when I was younger, so I could have explored more roles in and around the STEM field.”

Over their time at the Ted Rogers School, Chung worked in project management roles for environmental sustainability groups on campus, in addition to advocacy for ocean conservation and sustainability on campus. They also worked on sustainability-focused events including an Earth Hour festival and case competitions. 

“I just really enjoyed feeling like I was making a difference trying to educate people about things that could help our environment and kind of see the impact that I have,” they said. “I’ve always been passionate about environmental sustainability, but the more education I get about it, the more dedicated I am.”

“Now, I hope to combine my skills in technology and business and my passions in social work in the future,” Chung said, adding that they would like to start their own sustainable fashion company.