With her sights set on providing compassionate care as a future medical professional, Azka Siddiqui has already spent countless hours giving back to her community as a volunteer.

Siddiqui, who just completed her first year in Brock University’s Medical Sciences program, was recently recognized for her efforts with the prestigious Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers. She received the award during a ceremony hosted by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Edith Dumont, at Queen’s Park in Toronto on April 28.

“There’s nothing as rewarding as volunteering your time and knowing that you’ve made an impact on so many people,” she said. “I am exceptionally proud and honoured to have received this esteemed award and to have brought home a nationally recognized victory for Brock University and all of the Niagara region.”

The Niagara Falls resident was first set on the path to volunteering thanks to her family’s encouragement.

One of her most memorable early volunteer experiences was creating hundreds of handmade cards for St. Catharines seniors through the Visiting Angels organization, which inspired her to continue providing cards for retirement homes over the years.

Medical Sciences student Azka Siddiqui at an award ceremony with the Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, and the Honourable Edith Dumont (right), Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, in April.

She was later selected to represent her high school, DSBN Academy, on The City of Niagara Falls Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, where her work focused on youth advocacy, environmental issues, mental health in teens and community building. She also served on the District School Board of Niagara’s Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Alliance, where she advocated for policies to create safer school environments.

Siddiqui has also devoted her time in doctors’ offices and at summer camps, supported local food and sanitation drives, and even volunteered on a humanitarian basis to support refugees.

In 2024, her work to better her community was recognized by Mayor Jim Diodati of Niagara Falls with the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award and by the Rotary Club of St. Catharines with the Rotary Award.

She has also applied her graphic design and technical expertise to her volunteer efforts with a range of local organizations, helping with award ceremonies and in the recognition of students.

For the past seven years, she served as a mentor with the nonprofit organization Technovation Girls Global. In this role she has hosted nationwide events and helped to increase science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) opportunities and resources for girls and other underserved and minority communities.

“The Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers is the highest honour a young person can achieve for outstanding volunteer work in the province,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West. “I want to congratulate Brock student and medal recipient Azka Siddiqui for her tireless efforts in serving her local community in Niagara and empowering young women in the sciences and math.”

Siddiqui said her community involvement dovetails well with her academic endeavours, helping her develop the critical skills needed to excel in her future career and continue supporting others.

“I think volunteering helps with a lot of the skills that are required in the medical science field, such as attention span, social skills, communication skills and even business skills that you learn along the way,” she said. “I’ve also always appreciated an interdisciplinary approach, so I think taking different skills and finding an intersection between them is a really great learning opportunity.”

She hopes her story will inspire others to consider how they can give back to their own communities.

“Volunteers are the soul of the nation; they are true champions for change and represent true human passion,” she said. “Volunteering is a never-ending journey, and I plan to continue in the future. I also encourage everyone reading to volunteer; the best time to give is now.”