Social science and communications studies students honoured

With more than 100 friends, family, support staff and professors in attendance, the top students in the Departments of Social Science and Communication Studies received a total of 34 awards at a ceremony held on Nov. 18.

Congratulating the students and their parents, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Dean Martin Singer (right) stressed to those present how important it was to celebrate the achievements of York’s students.

Professor Darryl Reed, chair of the Department of Social Science, noted that, “This event serves another important function, which is to remember our retired or deceased colleagues, after whom many of the awards are named. It is also an opportunity to thank the staff, many in attendance, who offer behind the scenes help to both the students and professors.”

While most of the awards were specific to the various programs within the Department of Social Science, three awards were available to all students in the department: the Ellen Barr award, the Otto Friedman Award and the Gordon Lowther Award. The Ellen Baar award was presented to Justin Goldrich by Professor Emeritus Carl Baar in memory of his wife, a long-standing member of the then division untll 1998. Professor Peggy Keall, the current undergraduate program director in social science, presented the other two awards to Marcus Sibley, who received the Gordon Lowther Award, and Qara Clemente, who received the Otto Friedman Award.

Left: Professor Emeritus Carl Baar (right) presented the Ellen Baar Award to Justin Goldrich

The awards for the Law & Society Program, presented by its coordinator, Professor Kimberley White, went to Hiam Kogiashvili-Amar, who received the Law & Society Prize, and Masouda Baryole, who received the Law & Society Honours Prize. The two Law & Society Book Awards, named for Professor Emerita Jane Banfield, went to Bobbi-Jo Marshall and Ashley Naipaul.

Professor Uwafiokun Idemudia, coordinator of African Studies Program, had a number of awards to hand out. The Esiri Dafiewhare Annual Scholarship went to Shani Wallace, and three Stevenson Scholarships in African Studies went to Janice Anderson, Onoriode Esobito-Ineh and Jessica Scantlebury.

Right: Reccia Mandelcorn (left), wife of the late Prof. Jerry Durlak, presented the Jerry Durlak Award to Regina Olszowka

Professor Anne MacLennan presented the Reva Orlicky awards to two Communication Studies students: Jolene MacDonald and Aidan Moir. Professors Emeriti Dalton Kehoe and Eric Koch presented the two awards in their names to Sun Ah Lim and Regina Olszowka respectively. The last Communication Studies award, named to honour the late Professor Jerry Durlak, was given by his wife, Reccia Mandelcorn, to Regina Olszowka.

The Labour Studies Program offered two awards: the Neil Reimer Award and the Labour Studies Student Achievement Award. Professor Stephanie Ross presented the awards to Luke Sinopoli and Ann Kim.

Left: Luke Sinopoli (left) received the Neil Reimer Award from labour studies coordinator Stephanie Ross

The Alterna Award, given by the Alterna Credit Union to a student in the Business & Society Program (BUSO), went to Tereza Safarian and was presented by Kimberley Ney, a representative of the company. Professor Mark Peacock, the program’s coordinator, presented the two BUSO Honour awards to Sania Durvesh and Rajanie Kumar.

The Criminology Program coordinator, Professor Anna Pratt, distributed the Criminology Honours Scholarship to Shashendra Baldeo and the Criminology Book Prize to Ines Ferreira.

Professor Joseph Mensah, coordinator of the International Development Studies Program, and Latin American and Caribbean Studies program coordinator Professor James Cypher handed out awards to their deserving students, Theresa Dillon and Juan Vidal.  As well, Linh Vuong received the Social & Political Thought Program Award from Professor Jay Goulding.

Right: International development studies student Theresa Dillion (left) with the program coordinator, Professor Joseph Mensa

Professor Paul Antze, the coordinator of the Health & Society Program, presented the two Founders Book Prizes to Adrienne Shnier and Bradley Keeling. He then asked Professor Rob Vipond from the University of Toronto to give out a new award in memory of his wife, Professor Gina Feldberg, to Adrienne Shnier.

Left: Professor Rob Vipond (left) from the University of Toronto presented the Gina Feldberg Prize to Adrienne Shnier

The Urban Studies Program had four awards to hand out: the Social Science 3700 Prize, two awards named for Marion Miller – a former student in the Urban Studies Program – and the Frances Frisken Award, which is named for a retired member of the program. The awards were presented by the program coordinator, Professor Doug Young, to Lisa Choi, Daniel Hoang, Andrew Scheftsik and Jordan Teichmann.

At the end of the ceremony, Mary-Louise Craven, acting chair of the Department of Communication Studies, invited students, family, friends, support staff, faculty and presenters to enjoy some light refreshments.