Convocation is a time of celebration, and we are pleased to announce our Fall Convocation award winners!
Jennifer Evans
Winner of the President’s Special Award for Academic Achievement
Jennifer is graduating with a Social Development Studies degree, with a specialization in Social Work. In addition to this award, Jennifer has received the Isobel McKay Scholarship, the Trevor Edwards Memorial Award and the Kerr Ostrander Leadership for Tomorrow Award, among others.
Jennifer also has a long history of community work in menstrual education and food justice, and is currently a volunteer mediator with Community Justice Initiatives. She has already begun pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at Renison, and hopes to open a family therapy practice in the future.
Atheven Jeyakumaran
Winner of the Bachelor of Social Work Award of Excellence
Atheven is graduating with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. Before arriving at Renison, Atheven completed an Honours Political Science degree at Carleton with a concentration in International Relations. He then went on to complete a Social Service Worker Diploma from Seneca at York before beginning a BSW. He also received the Renison Town and Gown Society Award.
At Renison, Atheven was part of the Renison Student Advocacy Advisory Committee, the Renison Racialized Students Committee, and the Renison BSW Curriculum Committee. Additionally, Atheven volunteered as Renison Open House Recruitment Volunteer, worked with the Connection Collective at the Student Success Office, and worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Waterloo for two different projects.
Currently, Atheven is earning his Master of Social Work degree at the University of Toronto, and expects to complete the program in 2024. He hopes to work within the Toronto District School Board as a school social worker, and plans to eventually go into law to support migrant families seeking citizenship and permanent residency in Canada. Long term, closer to retirement, Atheven says he would like to also become a Justice of the Peace.
Rachel Elizabeth Leslie
Winner of the Bachelor of Social Work Award of Excellence
Rachel Leslie is graduating with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree.
Rachel is a two-time graduate of the University of Waterloo, having previously received an Honours Bachelor of Global Business and Digital Arts. Following a successful career in marketing and advertising, the pandemic inspired her to pursue her passion for social work. She began volunteering and later mentoring at Distress Centre Halton, supporting those in her community in their time of need. After seeing the first-hand impact of this work, she decided on a complete career change and enrolled in Renison’s BSW program. During her studies, Rachel worked as a Relief Counsellor at Gillian’s Place, a gender-based violence shelter. Here, she provided crisis intervention, support to those fleeing violence, and advocacy for clients through initiatives implemented as a DEI committee member.
Going forward, Rachel aims to further her studies by pursuing a Master's in Social Work and continuing to advocate for and support those in her community.
Kaito Kuwahara
Winner of the Master of Social Work Award of Excellence
Kaito is a queer, transmasculine, mixed-race person and settler living in Tkaronto. Prior to attending Renison, they obtained a diploma in Social Service Work from Seneca College and an Honours Bachelor of Social Work from Lakehead University.
Kaito strives to be an active volunteer within their community, previously supporting Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, CMHA, and various Pride-related events.
Kaito is excited for what the future holds and remains committed to justice work centred on anti-oppression, anti-racism, decolonization, and abolition. They are also grateful to have had the opportunity to learn with and from their classmates, professors, and field placement team – shoutout to Miryan, Angela, Kaeli, and Serenity at Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre! Moving forward, Kaito hopes to work alongside community to address the past/ongoing harms of social work on marginalized communities and promote alternative approaches to community care.
Nicole Zinn-Schadenberg
Winner of the Master of Social Work Award of Excellence
Nicole will graduate with a Master of Social Work degree. She came to study Social Work in a non-traditional way, first completing degrees in Biology at Acadia University and dreaming of becoming a Paediatric Oncologist. A traumatic incident prevented Nicole from applying to and attending medical school, and she ended up working for the Alzheimer Society and then as a Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant at a long term care home.
It was after a Women of Courage trip with Outward Bound Canada when she connected with one of the leaders, a social worker themselves, that Nicole decided to go into Social Work. She applied to the BSW program at the University of Victoria (UVic) on a whim 11 days after returning home. Nicole graduated with her BSW with distinction from UVic in 2020, and started in Renison’s MSW program in September 2021. She juggled a busy family life with two teenagers and a spouse, as well as a full-time job throughout her MSW degree, found time to tutor students in math who may not otherwise have funds to afford extra help. She is also a volunteer presenter for the Ontario Police College in Aylmer, Ontario, speaking on Dementia, Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence, and sharing her own story of sexual assault in the Sexual Abuse Investigators course.
During her MSW, Nicole’s field placement was at the Ingersoll Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic (INPLC) and was offered a job after finishing the placement. Nicole has now been with the Clinic for just over a year. She sees rostered patients who utilize the services of the Nurse Practitioners, those living with addiction in Oxford County through the Oxford County Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy program (OATS), and she also supports the Oxford County Trans Clinic. In future, Nicole hopes to maybe to have a small private practice, but also hopes to be able to provide some support to local mental health programs who serve individuals who can’t afford to pay for services.