"Class of 2022, as we line up to receive the degree that we have worked so hard for, I want to thank you for your trust and support, and for allowing me to represent you. I am blessed to have gotten to know many of you, and I am so excited to see where the future takes you. I hope you take what you have learned at STU and turn it into something magical. Although the last two years have been challenging, the ambition and drive to move forward is why we are here today.
To the grad class committee, I would never have been able to do this without you. Your creativity, kindness, and support was beyond what I could have imagined. Thank you all, and congratulations to the Class of 2022!"
Florence Awde, of Mount Albert, Ontario is the 2022 recipient of the Tom McCann Memorial Trophy.
“Earning this award means the world to me as St. Thomas embodies the values I have come to cherish and will take with me in my future education and endeavors,” Awde said.
The award is presented annually to a senior student who possesses strong leadership, character, and personality traits, and best portrays the spirit of the university.
The Governor General’s Medal, established in 1873, is one of the most prestigious awards that can be received by a student in a Canadian educational institution. It is presented to the student with the highest academic standing in the graduating class.
The University Medal for Academic Excellence in Arts is awarded to the graduating student with the highest overall standing in the Bachelor of Arts program. The medal, the highest Arts award given by St. Thomas University, is made possible by an endowment created by President Emeritus Dr. Daniel O’Brien and his family. Medals are awarded to the outstanding graduate in the Arts, Education, and Social Work programs.