{"id":45135,"date":"2017-06-06T16:16:34","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T20:16:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=45135"},"modified":"2017-06-07T17:04:59","modified_gmt":"2017-06-07T21:04:59","slug":"award-winner-urges-students-to-be-each-others-champions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2017\/06\/award-winner-urges-students-to-be-each-others-champions\/","title":{"rendered":"Award winner urges students to be each other\u2019s champions"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”<\/p>\n

When Christopher Ventura first heard the inspiring words by American writer Tom Peters, he was deeply moved by the message.<\/p>\n

He embraced the notion \u2014 along with his own mantra of Building Better Badgers \u2014 and applied it during his time at Brock, where he worked at becoming a true leader in the University community.<\/p>\n

Ventura\u2019s efforts did not go unnoticed. The Master\u2019s of Education student was awarded the graduate student Board of Trustees Spirit of Brock Award during the Faculty of Education Convocation on Tuesday. The Faculty\u2019s undergraduate student Spirit of Brock Award was also presented Tuesday to Alyssa Berardocco.<\/p>\n

\"Alyssa

Alyssa Berardocco was presented with a Spirit of Brock award for the Faculty of Education by Mario De Divitiis of Brock’s Board of Trustees.<\/p><\/div>\n

The award is given to students who demonstrate leadership, innovation, courage, inspiration and community involvement.<\/p>\n

During his time at Brock, Ventura served as Director of the Graduate Students\u2019 Association, representing graduate students on Senate, and worked as the Brock University Students\u2019 Union clubs manager, which included the responsibility of acting as Brock\u2019s co-ordinator for the World University Service of Canada Student Refugee Program.<\/p>\n

Through the program, Ventura assisted in resettling refugees who travelled to Canada in search of higher education.<\/p>\n

Working with newcomers to Canada was an eye-opening experience for the Port Colborne native, who cherished the time he was able to spend with the new students.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt changes your perspective to see what it\u2019s like for a student who was born in a refugee camp, who grew up in abject poverty and who didn\u2019t have a home to go to. To see them come to Brock, to be a part of our campus and have the opportunity to get a world-class education is amazing,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of our institution for opening its arms and really trying to make a difference in people\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ventura\u2019s biggest piece of advice to incoming students was to find and follow their passions.<\/p>\n

If a club suiting their interests doesn\u2019t exist on campus, they should create it, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFind a way to make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

He urged students to support one another and to push each other to become leaders in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing someone\u2019s first follower, their champion, is sometimes the little push they need,\u201d he said. \u201cThey want to know someone believes in them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community involvement was also a key part of Berardocco\u2019s Brock experience.<\/p>\n

The Hamilton resident has achieved a reputation for excellence during her time at the University, where she has served in numerous roles in community outreach, marketing, service-learning and student leadership.<\/p>\n

She received the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society Award of Merit for contributing some 4,000 volunteer hours during her four years, while maintaining an average of above 80 per cent.<\/p>\n

Berardocco also served as President of the Concurrent Education Student Association, a Faculty of Education councillor, on the Brock University Students\u2019 Administrative Council, Brock University Students\u2019 Union and Co-Chair of the Hamilton Campus Teacher Candidate Council.<\/p>\n

CONVOCATION SPEAKERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"

Kamini Jaipal-Jamani, the Faculty of Education recipient for the Excellence in Teaching award addresses the crowd at Tuesday’s Convocation ceremony.<\/p><\/div>\n

Delivering the Convocation address Tuesday morning was Kamini Jaipal-Jamani, the Faculty of Education recipient for the Excellence in Teaching award.<\/p>\n

Jamani told the graduands she follows Albert Einstein\u2019s belief that \u201cImagination is more important than knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope your experiences in the Brock Faculty of Education engage your imagination and emotions so that you can go forth and inspire others to experience joy and wonder in knowledge and learning,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The afternoon address was delivered by Coral Mitchell, Professor in the Department of Graduate and Undergraduate Education.<\/p>\n

Mitchell said she was the first person in her family to attend university, and it changed her life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first lesson I learned, to my surprise, was that I didn\u2019t know everything there was to know,\u201d she said. \u201cI was presented with ideas I had never thought of and possibilities I had never dreamed about.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said she teaches her students the concept of GINTOT, an acronym for \u201cgee, I never thought of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA GINTOT is a new piece of information that opens your mind and expands your horizons,\u201d she said. \u201cNot just of what you know, but of what questions you think are possible to ask. I encourage you to continue learning, to seek new GINTOTs and to be continually amazed.\u201d<\/p>\n

See video of Tuesday’s two\u00a0Spring Convocation ceremonies below:
\nTuesday, June 6, 10 a.m. \u2014 Faculty of Education<\/strong>
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