Rising Stars shine a light on campus life

You might call them ‘students to watch’ – if they weren’t already doing great things worth watching right now.

At this year’s Student Impact Awards, nine first-year students were presented with Rising Star Awards. The awards recognizes an outstanding level of commitment, leadership, creativity, and initiative to the DSU, as well as to the campus and community at large.

This year’s recipients were:

• Grant Flagler (Management)
• Abrar Husain (Management)
• Sara Kudlowsky (Management)
• Richie Kanza Mata (Arts and Social Sciences)
• Michelle MacGillivray (Arts and Social Sciences)
• Alexandra Pavlidis (Arts and Social Sciences)
• Taylor Quinn (Arts and Social Sciences)
• Kyle Warkentin (Health Professions)
• Tareq Yousef (Science)
  

The activities and initiatives that the students are involved in are truly unique and range from DSU positions and culture societies on campus, to packing shoes to be sent overseas, to working with Free the Children.

But how do they balance school and their volunteering?

First-year nursing student Kyle Warkentin thanks the technology of the iPad.

“It’s my life,” he says. “I have to look at it in order to know what is next. I also practice a technique that is learning to manage energy and not time. It works wonders!”

Giving back

Volunteering outside of the classroom provides students with practical hands-on skills for future careers. As a commerce student majoring in accounting, Abrar Husain sees his position as a project analyst for Students in Free Enterprise as an opportunity “to apply my business skills outside the classroom in real-world situations.”

In the society, he works with other business students to share skills and ideas. “We meet with small and medium enterprise start ups, and discuss problems they are facing. We help them in conducting market research, financial analysis, advertising, creating marketing plans, or any other help that is needed. It's a great learning experience for me, and it really inspires students and new entrepreneurs to go through with their goals.”

For others, volunteering is a way to raise awareness. Mr. Warkentin created the Dalhousie Alzheimer’s Education Society to work with students to help understand the illness and provide support for those with family members living with the illness. He also led the Shoes for Souls initiative, coordinating the delivery of 40,000 pairs of shoes to needy children and families in Africa and Haiti.

Both students eagerly encourage other Dal students to take the initiative and get involved.

“I tell other students how much I have learned working at my volunteer positions,” says Mr. Husain. “There is so much to do out there, and I recommend students to look into societies and other volunteer groups and look to find some thing that is related to their field of study, or something that interests them.”

“Take the chance, whatever your passion is, and make the change,” adds Mr. Warkentin.