Celebrating inspiring women
April 19, 2023
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![Photograph of winners of Inspiring Women Awards and Student Spring Awards](/gazette/sites/gazettewww/files/assets/WEB%20Ban%20Righ%20Centre%20Awards%202023.jpg)
The Ban Righ Foundation is inviting Queen鈥檚 and Kingston community members to join its first in-person celebration since 2019 of the Inspiring Women Awards and Student Spring Awards.
"The decision to host one big combination event just made sense,鈥 says Susan Belyea, Director of the Ban Righ Centre. 鈥淎s Ban Righ staff have always said, the mature women students we meet every day are some of the most inspiring women we know!"
The Inspiring Women Awards: An Evening at the Isabel, is scheduled for April 27, 7鈥9 pm at The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, and will feature live music and poetry performances, along with the presentation of the awards. .
Since 2016, the Ban Righ Foundation鈥檚 annual Inspiring Women Awards have highlighted the contributions of women to the Queen鈥檚 and Kingston communities.
The Mentorship Award recognizes a Queen鈥檚 faculty member who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting and inspiring female students in achieving their goals through mentorship and/or knowledge sharing. The 2023 recipient is Dr. Sara Nabil, Assistant Professor of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Interaction Design, School of Computing.
The Leadership Award recognizes a woman who has created opportunities for others in, and made positive contributions to, the Kingston community. This year, the award will be presented to Yasmine Djerbal, Associate Director of the Queen鈥檚 Centre for Teaching and Learning. Yasmine is also involved with several local organizations, and is co-founder of Roots & Wings, which aims to educate, empower, and engage local female, transgender, Two-Spirit, and gender-nonconforming youth of colour.
鈥淚nspiring Women is an opportunity for campus and community to come together for a truly celebratory evening. Learning the stories of the Inspiring Women Award recipients and our Student Spring Award recipients reminds us of the strength, humour, and heart of the women in our lives,鈥 says Belyea.
Student Spring Awards
The donor-funded Student Spring Awards honour the achievements and determination of 13 mature women students.
鈥淲hen I came to Kingston with an 11-month-old to start my degree, I knew no one in this town, but the Ban Righ Centre became my home,鈥 says Antara Arif, PhD candidate, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, and 2023 recipient of the Janet Bilton-Holst Citation. 鈥淚 have been through various struggles as a student-parent, and I must say, I would not have been able to continue without the support of the BRC. I thank the friends and family of Janet Bilton-Holst who established this award. It reminds us how precious we are as individuals and how we can help to create a compassionate environment for all of us.鈥
鈥淭he Student Spring Awards are an opportunity to publicly recognize the perseverance and accomplishments of mature women at Queen鈥檚, who have overcome barriers and juggle multiple roles while pursuing their education,鈥 says Belyea. 鈥淥ur students tell us that receiving an award, many of which have a monetary value, is a validation of the hard work and determination that is a central part of their academic and life journeys.鈥
Recipients鈥 families, friends, and colleagues are invited to join the celebration.
To learn more about the Ban Righ Centre, and how it supports mature women students at Queen鈥檚 in achieving their academic goals and finding community, explore their website.