‘Dedication to making a difference’: Meet our 2022 U of T student leadership award winners
They are public speakers, volunteers and advocates. For four of them, they call their primary community.
This year’s winners of the (UTSLA) from – Anthonia Ikemeh, Brian Henriques, Brittany Burek, and Liwei Liao – epitomize outstanding service and commitment to the and the broader university community.
Established by the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA) in 1994 – originally as the Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award in honour of Gordon Cressy, former U of T Vice-President, Development and University Relations – the award has honoured more than 4,000 U of T students whose commitment and service had a lasting impact on their peers and the university.
“Our community is a passionate, thoughtful, supportive one that is devoted to nurturing and fostering our collective dedication to making a difference,” said Professor Normand Labrie, Interim Dean of . “This year’s winners of the U of T Student Leadership Award are an incredible reflection of that crucial mindset.
On behalf of the community, I wish to congratulate our winners for 2022. It is a well-deserved and prestigious honour.”
Learn more about our 2021 UTSLA winners
Learn more about our 2020 UTSLA winners
To reflect and celebrate our 2022 winners, News has checked in with this year’s recipients and asked them three questions: What does it mean to win this prestigious University of Toronto award? What was your favourite memory? And how important was it to be a leader as you continued your studies?
Brittany Burek
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development
Burek, an doctoral candidate and clinician-scientist at in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program, has been committed to improving equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility practices within her work and spheres of influence. As a co-founder of the School and Clinical Child Psychology Hub Website, she contributed to the creation, maintenance, and growth of a student-led website designed to increase accessibility of program-specific information for current students. She currently engages in ongoing administration, advocacy and content creation by liaising with students to ensure content meets their needs.
Previously, Burek has served on the faculty and program councils at , she represented her fellow students, actively participating in decision-making and execution of initiatives within the institute.
What does it mean to win this prestigious University of Toronto award?
I receive this award with gratitude for peers, friends, faculty, family members, and staff that have supported and partnered with me through my time at . Being a recipient of this award provided an opportunity to reflect on the hopeful, ambitious spirit shared by students, and the impact that commitment to extracurricular efforts can have. I am heartened by the recognition from members of my community and to be named alongside inspiring student leaders!
What was your favourite memory?
Any time that I have gotten to collaborate, dream, activate, and engage with peers! Together, we pursued a number of large and small initiatives to improve the experience of student-clinicians and took a radically optimistic approach to collaborating with the institution. I am proud of the sustained impact of the virtual hub website which has grown and evolved over the course of my time at in the care-full hands of many student leaders.
How important was it to be a leader as you continued your studies?
attracts and endeavours to nurture leaders. I grew alongside, and on the shoulders of a thriving community of student leaders throughout my studies. It has been natural and energizing to maintain a level of extracurricular engagement, particularly related to student-led initiatives focused on increasing equity and community. My studies and life are enriched by being in relationship with spirited people working towards something better, fanning each others flames, and pushing the envelope. I hope to use the momentum of my experiences at to fuel ongoing advocacy, engagement, and leadership in my next chapter.
Brian Henriques
Master of Teaching
Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Henriques, who will earn a Master of Teaching this coming Convocation, was immersed and active in university life. This school year, he served as the President of the Master of Teaching Student Association (MTSA) – where he became the association’s representative on the Library Student Advisory Committee and Teacher Education Liaison Committee. He also served as the Internal Coordinator on the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Student Association, and contributed largely to its 10th Floor Planning Committee (a role he continues to fill).
What does it mean to win this prestigious University of Toronto award?
To me, this award means that my contributions to make a safer, diverse, equitable, and a more inclusive space was effective. Winning this award shows that leadership takes various forms and can be shown through different ways. I want this win to empower student leaders that are still at that change will come and your hard work will pay off.
What was your favourite memory?
I had the distinct pleasure of interacting with many students across and the University of Toronto and those memories and each interaction will be carried in my heart and be a fond memory of my degree.
How important was it to be a leader as you continued your studies?
Being a leader made my experiences at incredibly meaningful given the ongoing state of the pandemic and the need to address systemic issues. Being a leader meant having uncomfortable and challenging conversations and led to change as well as expansions of awareness of how to combat systemic challenges. My goal in life has always been to create a brighter future and being a leader at gave me such an opportunity.
Anthonia Ikemeh
Master of Teaching
Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Ikemeh, a teacher candidate in the Master of Teaching program, has been a trusted volunteer and advocate. She serves as a recruitment and outreach volunteer with the Master of Teaching Access Pathways for Black Educators initiative and is a member of the Master of Teaching Black Student Advocacy and Advisory Committee (MT BSAA). Most recently, she supported some of the Alumni Association Student Advisory Committee’s activities led by a fellow teacher grad. Ikemeh has also been a friendly-face for -based open houses and volunteered with research committees, organizing public events for the community.
In Oct. 2021, she , ’s award-winning web series. In her episode, she discusses play-based pathways to education.
What does it mean to win this prestigious University of Toronto award?
I am humbled to be a recipient of the University of Toronto Student Leadership Award. I believe that serving your community is a calling and I feel a sense of responsibility to serve. Being able to support the community especially during these uncertain times has strengthened my skills as an activist and provided clarity and direction for the journey ahead. I recognized that my presence here today has come from the struggles and sacrifices my ancestors and others have made. Therefore, I am privileged to be able to contribute in a small way to the betterment of my peers, and U of T and I am grateful to receive this award in recognition of that contribution.
What was your favourite memory?
Reflecting on my experience at , I cannot honestly speak to a favourite memory. As part of the first group of students who attend U of T but never stepped foot on campus, our experience is unique. The memories that are dearest to me are those I formed while building relationships and making connections with peers and teachers. Presenting for the Alumni Association (AA) and its Stay At Home Club and engaging in a course created for Black identified students are two experiences that made a positive impact in my education.
I would like to thank my professors, especially Dr. Andrew B. Campbell and Dr. Clelia Rodriguez for the mentorship and guidance. I would also like to thank David Montemurro, the MT leadership team, the AA, members of the MT BSAA Access Pathways for Black Educators initiative and my peers for all of the support and love they shared with me.
How important was it to be a leader as you continued your studies?
Leadership is important because for me being a leader is a way for me to pay-it-forward. I would not be able to succeed in certain spaces if I did not have someone else as a guide or support. I intentionally use my position and knowledge to support others, in hopes that they will do the same for future generations. We live in a world that is plagued with injustice and racism, and as an institution U of T is complicit in these systems of oppression. It is through our collective efforts and the unification of our strengths that we are able to succeed in life and in our world at large. As an empowered Black female, I will continue to do my part to empower and uplift others by engaging in works to disrupt and dismantle the status quo around injustice. The leadership opportunities provided for me have worked to significantly enhance my positive learning experience at the University of Toronto and I am truly grateful!
Liwei Liao
Master of Education
Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education
Liao, a soon-to-be Master of Education graduate in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, has worked to bridge the gap between students and resources. Within , he was a student representative for the 2021 Fall Open House for Educational Leadership and Policy Program twice, sharing program information and learning experiences with potential students interested in the program.
Outside of , Liao currently serves as an organizing member of the Hart House Global Commons, supporting their current focus on climate change in program and content development, outreach and recruitment efforts. Previously, among other duties, he was a group facilitator and volunteer for Community Action Projects (CAPs), at U of T’s Centre for Community Partnerships.
What does it mean to win this prestigious University of Toronto award?
It seems to me winning the UTSLA not only represents wide recognition for my longstanding contributions to the EDI community development at U of T, but also a testament to my leadership practice that explored can serve as a model for other student leaders to inspire. For being the inaugural president of the U of T Mental Health Revitalization, which is closely affiliated with and Temerty Medicine, I am honored by the strong connections that have been cultivated over the past year to revamp the international student mental health support at U of T. Meanwhile, I feel blessed to join an interconnected community of award winners that have been in place for nearly 30 years. It forms my sense of belonging to stand by those past recipients who have left an impact across the university and beyond with their outstanding community service and leadership.
What was your favourite memory?
Traditional education has always narrowly compelled me to define myself, but this was clearly not the case at . To me, my favorite memory here was empowered me to identify the infinite possibilities in my future career through its well-rounded education and student support. Although this argument is not shared by everyone, I hate to say there are rigorous boundaries between disciplines. And the most appealing aspect of was the great effort and accommodation of the professors and staff made in satisfying my complex personal development needs and preparing me to fulfill my career aspirations, especially for activating my personalities with empathetic conversations and open hearts. I want to extend my gratitude to all the professors who have taught me at , the LHAE administration team, Wellness and the colleagues I have befriended in my organization for all the teachings and guidance they have entrusted me in my community outreach.
How important was it to be a leader as you continued your studies?
It was my experience being a leader managing the U of T Mental Health Revitalization that mobilized my theoretical knowledge from the culturally responsive leadership foundation to an in-depth continuum covering both theory and practice. While promoting intramural ties with other associations, societies, and university officials through event planning targeting international student mental health, it also qualified me to successfully join the post-pandemic wellness working group and enlightened my studies in the ELP program to act to textualize an executive planner based on my sustainable community collaboration experience. In the future, I hope to connect with 's accelerator – InnovED and productize my service delivery for the international student community to have a more substantial and far-reaching impact on facilitating equitable, diversified, and inclusive mental health support at U of T.