Faculty of Education graduates Ayesha Masood (BA ’24, BEd ’24) and Lyn Trudeau (BA ’08, MEd ’13, PhD ’24) have been honoured for their tireless work towards an equitable and inclusive future for education.

Both received the Board of Trustees Spirit of Brock medal honouring their community involvement and exemplary leadership on Thursday, June 13 during Brock’s 115th Convocation.

A deep respect for people and their stories paired with a strong desire to create positive change is shared by Masood and Trudeau.

Masood, a graduate of Brock’s Concurrent Teacher Education program, was born in Pakistan and moved to Canada with her family in 2006 where she had to navigate a new culture and language.

Continually inspired by how hard her parents worked to find a sense of belonging for their family, Masood has led with the same determination to help other students find connection through community at Brock.

She joined Brock’s Human Rights and Equity’s (HRE) Student Justice Centre in 2019 and provided support to students by organizing equity-centred events on campus.

The experience jump-started Masood’s passion for community involvement.

In 2021, she co-founded the South Asian Women’s Society, a Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) club that enacted transformative changes towards a more inclusive experience for students.

The club, which has grown to more than 200 members from diverse backgrounds, has won BUSU Club of the Year and contributed fundraising efforts for mental health and breast cancer awareness for women in South Asian countries.

“Through our efforts and support of the University, we are now a cultural club with a strong sense of advocacy that creates a safe space for students to connect and celebrate the many joyful experiences we have as students,” Masood said.

Trudeau, an Assistant Professor of Social Sciences who graduated with a PhD in Educational Studies, shares Masood’s belief that social justice and activism can occur simultaneously as cultural joy and celebration.

Brock University Board of Trustees member Kevin Magee (BA ’14), left, presented Lyn Trudeau (BA ’08, MEd ’13, PhD ’24) with the Spirit of Brock medal Thursday, June 13 during the University’s 115th Convocation.

Trudeau completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees at Brock and has taught at the University for more than 10 years. She was inspired to tell the story of her academic journey in her doctoral work, highlighting narratives of strength, perseverance and joy.

“I wanted to speak of my journey in a way that met the rigours of academia, but also bring in my own culture,” she said. “I’m Anishinaabe from Sagamok Anishinawbek First Nation, Eagle Clan, and like all Indigenous nations, we have such a beautiful culture; there’s so much strength and resilience, but also joy and a richness of spirit.”

Her research explored narrative conventions in society that often positioned Indigenous students in a “deficit model,” focusing on negative experiences of lived trauma instead of highlighting joy and cultural celebration as hardships were overcome.

Trudeau said that Indigenous culture will become more normalized by flipping the script and focusing on its positive aspects, which will benefit Indigenous students and scholars.

Her own teaching and research are conducted through a decolonial lens, working alongside Elders, Indigenous youth, Indigenous teacher candidates and residential schools. At Brock, she is cross-appointed to the Departments of Women’s and Gender Studies and Sociology and is also affiliated with the Social Justice and Equity Studies program.

“Creating an authentic sense of belonging is key to transformative community engagement,” said Dean of Education Mary-Louise Vanderlee. “Both Ayesha and Lyn have demonstrated their capacity to engage, build and represent community in the most exemplary ways. On behalf of the Faculty of Education, I wish them both the very best as they continue to inspire with their approach to celebrating the best of how communities can be strong, resilient and joyful.”

Sunaina Sharma and Sandra Mirabelli, the 2023–24 Faculty of Education Sessional Award for Excellence in Teaching recipients, delivered addresses to the next generation of educators during the Faculty’s Convocation ceremonies Thursday.

For a full schedule of Brock’s Spring Convocation, visit brocku.ca/convocation

Discover the full collection of Convocation photos by ceremony on Brock University’s official Facebook page or view recordings of the ceremonies at brocku.ca/livestream