'This award helps me achieve my dream:’ Arts & Science, Woodsworth College honours students, donors and alumni

Stories of redemption, perseverance and excellence inspired the alumni and donors who attended the Woodsworth College Student Awards celebration at Hart House on February 26.

Youness Robert-Tahiri, a fourth-year student, recounted his journey from a homeless teenager escaping an abusive household to a thriving scholar, student mentor and social justice advocate.

"This award helps me achieve my dream of building resiliency in other kids who have experienced trauma like I did,” says Robert-Tahiri, winner of the Brookfield Peter F. Bronfman Gold Leadership Scholarship.

Youness will use the scholarship money to promote and scale his comedy-based psychosocial intervention project that he piloted last summer with orphaned, abandoned, and precariously housed youth at SOS Children's Villages in South Africa.

“Your donation makes a tangible difference in many students’ lives, and it’s made our journey at U of T a memorable one,” he says.

“It’s because of our donors’ generosity that students are enabled to pursue their dream of a university education and a life of fulfillment,” says Woodsworth College Principal Carol Chin, a professor with the Department of History.

Amid the crowd in the Great Hall, donor Geoff Leckey met recipients of the Emma Leckey Memorial Award, a scholarship founded in memory of his late daughter, a Woodsworth student killed by a drunk driver in 2018.   

“I know these students will go out and make a difference in the world and their success will be Emma’s legacy,” says Leckey who travels each year from Ottawa to Toronto for the ceremony.

“It’s more emotional than other awards because Emma was in fourth year and I’m in fourth year; we just have so many similarities,” says award recipient Tshephiso Gaamangwe, who will graduate this year with her honours bachelor of arts degree, majoring in international relations.

“The fact that her dad is still giving back to the university to help other students means a lot. I will honour Emma’s memory, and I look forward to the day when I can give back too.”

For some award recipients, their university journey is just starting. First-year student Ashley Muncaster, recipient of the Wronowski-Rose Scholarship, was honoured for outstanding work in the Academic Bridging Program that kicked off her new life chapter at U of T.

“I’ve been out of school for 20 years so I’m really proud that I can see positive results from my hard work,” says Muncaster, a cinema studies major. “Winning this award confirmed I’m ready for this and it’s going to help me a lot financially.”

Founded more than 50 years ago as a home for part-time students, in 1999 Woodsworth started admitting full-time students and is continuing to thrive. The college is currently undergoing a monumental renovation and expansion project to better serve its community of over 5,300 students.

“We are grateful for the unwavering support of our donors; your generosity is changing lives and will have a ripple effect for years to come,” says Maina Rambali, president of the Woodsworth College Alumni Association and member of the selection committee for the Brookfield Bronfman Gold and Leadership Scholarships.

“Reviewing this year’s award applications, I was deeply moved by the resilience, passion and determination. It was not easy to choose among so many deserving candidates, which is a powerful reminder of the talent and potential of our students.”

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