Nominations for the 2024-25 Student Leadership Awards are now open!
Every year, Queen’s Student Affairs celebrates extraordinary contributions made by student leaders at Queen’s to support their peers, and local community members and initiatives.
The Student Leadership Awards honour student recipients – individuals or groups – of the Peer Leadership Award, the Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Anti-Racism (I-EDIAA) Impact Award, and the Brian Yealland Community Leadership Award. Nominations are submitted by students, faculty, community members, and staff.
Deadline for nominations: Sunday, February 9, 2025.
- To nominate a Queen's student or group of students, fill out the online nomination form (located under each award heading) and submit.
- Looking for tips? Check out our guide to writing a strong nomination!
- Recipients will be chosen by a selection committee. Nominators with successful nominations will be notified by email.
If you have any questions about the awards or the nomination process, please email studentaffairs@queensu.ca.
Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Anti-Racism Impact Award
The Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Anti-Racism (I–EDIAA) Impact Award will be presented annually to Queen’s students, individuals and groups, who have shown their commitment to the principles of Indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism. Up to two awards will be granted annually to students (individuals or groups) who have contributed to making Queen’s a more inclusive campus. The recipients will demonstrate contributions to furthering an understanding of the interplay and intersections among different identities on campus and their work will show that diversity strengthens the Queen’s community.
- Open to both undergraduate and graduate students
- Recognition is for demonstrated involvement in, and commitment to, social justice causes that impact the Queen’s community on a broad or small scale
- Nominees can be associated with any Queen’s program, department, club, organization, or student-led initiative, or a community partner/organization
- Self-nominations are not accepted
A strong nomination will:
- give specific evidence of your nominee’s impact on the Queen’s community
- show concrete examples of their commitment to the principles of I-EDIAA in academics, extra-curriculars, and/or personal development 
- note how long they were in any relevant role(s) (as applicable) 
- include letters of support for the nomination (see below) 
2020-21 recipients: Biology Graduate Students and Ishita Aggarwal (MD'23)
1st photo Biology Graduate Students: L-R: Monica Garvie (PhD'23), Harshavardhan Thyagarajan (PhD’23), Kristen Hayward (MSc’21), Hana Thompson (MSc’22), Samantha Gene (PhD’23), Riley Gridzak (PhD'24), Regan Cross (PhD'23), Nell Libera (PhD'22)
2nd photo Ishita Aggarwal
2019-20 Recipients: Miriam John (ArtSci’21) and The Queen’s American Sign Language Club
2018-19 Recipients: Rebecca Gordon (Ed’19) and The Executive of the African and Caribbean Students’ Association (ACSA)
2017-18 Recipients: Aniqa Mazumder (Artsci'18) and Xin Sun (Artsci’18)
Brian Yealland Community Leadership Award
Named in honour of Brian Yealland, the Chaplain at Queen’s University for 32 years, the Brian Yealland Community Leadership Award will be presented annually to Queen’s students, individuals or groups, who make a significant contribution to society by working with and encouraging youth who are experiencing social, behavioral, economic or other challenges by helping them realize their worth as individuals and their potential to achieve.
- Open to both undergraduate and graduate students
- Recognition is for demonstrated leadership and initiative in a volunteer capacity
- Must be associated with a campus or local community-based organization working with youth
- A letter of support from the organization is highly encouraged
- Student must be in good standing with the University
- Self nominations are not accepted
A strong nomination will:
- demonstrate the broad impact made by your nominee through working with youth in the local community  
- detail contributions they have made that go above and beyond what would normally be expected 
- note how long they were in any relevant role(s) (as applicable) 
- include at least one letter of support for the nomination (see below) 
Service Pillar: Kate Dickie (Comm’24), Patricia Roussel (ArtSci’24), Kyran Sachdeva (ArtSci’25), Lauren Pattison (ArtSci’24)
Advocacy Pillar: Erin Mlynaryk (ArtSci’24)
Education Pillar: Zaynab Karimjee (ArtSci’24), Mehak Khangura (ArtSci’25)
Branding/Marketing and Finance: Isabelle Ettinger (Comm’25), Sophie Omoumi (Comm’24)
2019-20 recipients: Christie Gray (Comm’21) and Shakira Brathwaite (MD’21)
L - R: Pedram Akbari (Shakira's nominator), Brian Yealland and Christie Gray
2018-19 recipients: Lindey Felske (MA’20) and Adrienne Fanjoy (JD’20)
2017-18 recipients: Emilio Frometa (Artsci’17, MIR’18) and Kennedy Everitt (Artsci'18)
L-R: Emilio Frometa​, Brian Yealland and Kennedy Everitt​
2016-17 Recipients
1st photo L-R: Brian Yealland, Gabriel Jayakaran, Dr. Johanne Bénard, Associate Dean (Studies) in Student Services (FAS) and Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)
2nd photo L-R: Alex Chase, Brian Yealland, Chintan Dave and Dr. Tony Sanfilippo, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medicine Program
2015-16 Recipients
2014-15 Recipients
- Open to both undergraduate and graduate students
- Recognition is for demonstrated leadership in peer assistance and outreach
- Must be employed/associated with a Queen’s University program or service
- Nominee must be in good standing with the University to be considered for this award
- Self-nominations are not accepted
A strong nomination will:
- Demonstrate the broad impact made by your nominee on their peers 
- Detail contributions they have made that go above and beyond what would normally be expected 
- Note how long they were in any relevant role(s) (as applicable) 
- Include letters of support for the nomination (see below) 
Congratulations 2023-24 recipients - Nashmia Anwar, Miles Brackenbury, and Pungavi Linghan
Congratulations 2022-23 recipients - Jacob DesRochers (Education) and Queen's Local WUSC Committee: Aidan Sander (FHS), Alaa Khalaf (FHS), Ayden Harrison (FAS), Nazanin Soghrati (FHS), Princess Talabi (FHS)!
Congratulations 2021-22 recipients - Landon Montag (BScH’20, MSc’22) and Erin Lee (PhD’24)!
Left: Landon Montag
Right: Erin Lee
2020-21 recipients: Miriam John (BAH'22, Biology) and Rohit Shukla (PhD'22, Civil Engineering)
1st photo: Miriam John (right) with Nominator Mariam Atnasious (left)
2nd photo: Rohit Shukla
2019-20 recipients: Brielle Thorsen (Sc’20) and Step Above Stigma
L - R: Provost and VP (Academic) Mark Green, Melanie Howard (nominator), Brielle and Dean of the Stephen J.R. Smith Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science Kevin Deluzio
2018-19 recipients: Meghann Grenier (Sc’19) and Taylor Bluhm (NSc’19)
2017-18 Recipients: Atul Jaiswal (PhD candidate, RHBS), Jennifer Williams (Artsci’16, MSc'18) and Sexual Violence Bystander Intervention Trainers
1st photo: Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs, Ann Tierney and Atil Jaiswal
​2nd photo: Ann Tierney and Jenny Williams
3rd: Sexual Violence Bystander Intervention Trainers with Assistant Dean, Student Life and Learning, Corinna Fitzgerald and VP and Dean of Student Affairs, Ann Tierney
2016-17 Recipients: Anna Geladi (MPL ’18) and Joyce Leung (B.Ed. ’18)
1st photo L-R: Ann Geladi, Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)
2nd photo L-R: Dr. Johanne Bénard, Associate Dean (Studies) in Student Services (FAS), Joyce Leung and Dr. Rebecca Luce-Kapler, Dean of the Faculty of Education
2015-16 Recipients
2014-15 Recipients
Kaylee Clark and Emma Dargie!
Emma Dargie 2014-15 Recipient of the Peer Leadership Award