They’ve solidified themselves as leaders amongst their peers, heeded the call to make a difference in the community and excelled throughout their educational journey.

And now, 10 outstanding Brock students have added one of the University’s most prestigious honours to their impressive lists of accomplishments.

A virtual celebration was recently held to honour the 2021 recipients of the President’s Surgite Award, which recognizes leadership, community involvement and academic achievement. The group of undergraduate and graduate students from across the University met virtually with Brock University President Gervan Fearon and Provost and Vice-President, Academic Lynn Wells to share a bit about themselves and their aspirations.

“It was inspiring to hear each of the award recipients speak so passionately about their respective disciplines and the work they are putting into making a contribution to and positive impact on Brock and the wider community,” said Fearon. “We encourage our students to be engaged citizens and these award recipients show what can be accomplished with this goal in mind. They truly are role models to the entire Brock community.”

Wells described the online gathering as a valuable opportunity to hear about the Brock experience from some of the University’s most involved students.

“It was a privilege to meet with this accomplished group of young learners whose impact is felt across the University and into the community,” she said. “They are each working to leave the world better than they found it, and their leadership will certainly not end here. I look forward to hearing more about their future contributions and successes.”

Lisa Mochrie, a fourth-year Nursing student from Burlington, described herself as “over the moon” to learn she was receiving the significant Brock honour.

“It felt like the time and energy I have invested into the Nursing Department, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University and the Niagara region were recognized and acknowledged from a Brock-wide standpoint,” she said.

Upon arriving to the virtual celebration, Mochrie immediately recognized she was “with Brock University’s most involved and high-achieving students for academia and community engagement.”

“I was inspired by each recipient of the Surgite Award and it was a privilege to learn how they continued to make Brock University an even better place despite the COVID-19 pandemic.”

This was the second round of Surgite Award recipients who were honoured virtually. Due to delays caused by the ongoing pandemic, the 2020 award winners were recognized earlier this year with a similar online event.

Business Administration — Marketing student Bill Huynh said receiving the honour “means the world.”

“As a first-generation university student, it feels amazing to be recognized for all the hard work, and I hope that it inspires others to believe they can succeed as well,” he said. “You hear all the time about finding work that doesn’t feel like work and doing what you love, and that work for me is helping others. It is what I am passionate about.”

The virtual gathering reaffirmed for Huynh one of his favourite aspects of the University.

“One of the best things about being a Brock student is that you don’t feel like just a number, but rather a member of the Brock community,” he said. “The feeling of belonging is what sets Brock a part. The chance to connect with the President and Provost reiterated that perfectly. Being given the opportunity to chat with those who have such a big impact on our university experiences gives me, and I’m sure the others, the feeling that what we have to say matters.”

Public Health student Harroop Ahuja said the award has encouraged him to reflect on his journey to “become a better person and a better leader.”

“This recognition inspires me to continue creating an impact at Brock and within the broader community,” he said. “Having the opportunity to work with different students, departments and professors has allowed me to grow, learn and in turn, gain a better understanding of who and what I want to be in the future.”

“Attending a university that has empowered individuals to make positive change is so exciting,” he said, adding he’s grateful for the support Brock has provided.

The 2020-21 President’s Surgite Award recipients include:

• Azaan Adnan (Medical Sciences)
• Harroop Ahuja (Public Health)
• Kirsten Bott (Applied Health Sciences — Health Biosciences)
• Natasha Campbell (Psychology)
• Rebekah Feld (Medical Sciences)
• Bill Huynh (Business Administration — Marketing)
• Lisa Mochrie (Nursing)
• Fitriya Mohamed (Applied Health Sciences – Sport Management)
• Nicholas Printup (Media and Communication Studies)
• Grayson Wadsworth-Hayes (Child and Youth Studies)