Tanika Hillocks has always prioritized aligning hard work with heart work.<\/p>\n
So, it\u2019s no surprise the Media and Communications Studies student recently received the Lou Cahill Scholarship in recognition of her commitment to academic excellence, community involvement and participation in charitable activities.<\/p>\n
Hillocks, who is heading into her final year, came to Brock with a certificate in Digital Marketing, a diploma in Media Communications Studies and a successful lifestyle blog about her experience with Black motherhood.<\/p>\n
She says chose the University because she wanted to engage in meaningful conversations around the power and potential of effective communication.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a mature student, my mind is always trying to find the connection between what it is that I\u2019m learning and real-life scenarios,\u201d she says. \u201cI love continuously learning new things and applying that back into the different pillars of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mother and full-time student describes her work in arts and culture, food security and maternal health as being \u201cgrounded by a desire to create spaces that centre healing, foster connection and honour the complex realities of marginalized communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through supporting and curating several art exhibits in the Niagara Region, Hillocks says she has deepened her connection within local\u00a0communities and strengthened her belief in the power of storytelling.<\/p>\n
Her food security work \u2014 which includes developing and managing a food subsidy program providing fresh, affordable produce to Black mother-led and low-income families \u2014 challenged her to think critically about access, care and solutions to tackle food insecurity.<\/p>\n
She also deploys her communication skills as a doula and birthing coach in support of Black maternal health.<\/p>\n
\u201cCreating personalized, culturally responsive education and support to foster positive birth experiences for Black mothers has allowed me to meet people where they are on their parenthood journeys so they can make informed choices to have the birthing experience they deserve,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
All the while, Hillocks has excelled academically, being named to the Dean\u2019s Honour List twice and completing a successful experiential education placement with the Canadian Gap Year Association through the COMM 4F00<\/a> course.<\/p>\n Hillocks says receiving the Lou Cahill Scholarship affirms her \u201cbelief that communication is the foundation for building trust, fostering authentic connections and diversifying storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is also a gentle reminder to self to keep pushing forward on my journey with care and clarity, not just to reflect the world as it is, but to reimagine what it can become \u2014 for myself, my children and the communities I serve,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Scholarship adjudicator Rick Mauro says he was impressed by Hillocks\u2019s \u201cdemonstrated understanding that communications, well done, can drive meaningful action.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTanika\u2019s application was not only well written, it also told a compelling story of her dedication to improving her community through effective and measurable communications,\u201d says Mauro, a longtime member of the scholarship jury who was mentored by Cahill for more than two decades.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure that Lou would have been equally impressed with the calibre of her application and the community commitment Tanika has made, something Lou held very important,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n The award, created in 2008 to recognize a student in Brock\u2019s Business Communication or Media and Communication Studies programs, has long been sponsored by the\u00a0Canadian Public Relations Society<\/a>\u00a0(CPRS) Foundation and is named for\u00a0Louis Cahill<\/a>, a local communications legend who was known amongst his peers as Canada\u2019s \u201cDean of Public Relations.\u201d<\/p>\n