Brock was a familiar place long before Selina and Madeline Qubaja set foot on campus as second-generation Badgers.

Growing up in St. Catharines, the sisters attended Brock open houses and community events with their father, graduate Marvin Qubaja (BSc ‘03).

Now studying Medical Sciences at the University, the sisters were among the more than 90 students recognized at the 2026 Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (FAHS) Student Honours Reception on Sept. 29. The event celebrated undergraduate and graduate students for their academic excellence, leadership, service, research and other significant accomplishments during the 2025-26 academic year as well as the recipients of prestigious awards and scholarships.

“We’re proud to share in this opportunity to celebrate what is most important for any university in the world — the talent that we nurture and educate,” said Nota Klentrou, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. “We celebrate our student success. They are the future of this Faculty, of this University, of this province, of this country and of the world. And believe me, the world today needs our students.”

Selina, a third-year student, was honoured for achieving the highest average among more than 4,500 FAHS students during the 2025-26 academic year.

“I was really surprised,” she said. “I didn’t expect to be the highest just because I’ve met so many incredible students.”

After getting support as a mentee through Med Plus, Selina is helping fellow students succeed through Mentor Link and is a member of the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society.

Madeline, a second-year student who is also participating in Med Plus, received the Molson-CHSC-Folk Arts Council Scholarship, as an incoming student graduating from a St. Catharines high school with high academic standing.

“I really like the Medical Sciences program, student services and community at Brock,” she said. “It’s important that a post-secondary institution has services for student success as well as health and well-being.”

While she already had fond memories of welcoming encounters with faculty members she met through her father, Madeline said hearing good things about Brock from her sister helped make the transition from high school to university easier.

Now, the pair are active members of the community both on and off campus. Both volunteer with Vision Plus, which supports vision screening for children, and a local Ronald McDonald House Family Room at the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines.

Madeline said volunteering has encouraged her explore new experiences, including vision screening and an upcoming hospital volunteer role in the intensive care unit.

Research has become another part of the sisters’ shared — but distinct — academic paths. Selina has been involved with the Raineki Lab in the Department of Psychology since last year, where she has began a directed reading course related to prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Madeline recently began volunteering in Professor of Kinesiology Toby Mündel’s lab to explore her research interests and prepare for a potential career in medicine.

The sisters’ journey reflects the broader message of the reception’s keynote speaker, Sport Management PhD student Katongo Tiyaonse, who encouraged students to view their education as a starting point for purposeful action and take ownership of it.

“I learned early on that while a degree gives you credibility, social capital gives you leverage, and you need them both. You will need to put yourself out there because visibility is currency,” Tiyaonse said. “When you align your skill set with genuine purpose, you will create meaningful, lasting value for your community.”