Before they hit the convocation stage, LEAD Medallion Scholars received their Faculty of Science medals in a ceremony in Alumni Auditorium on Tuesday, May 30. The sixth annual event was celebrated in person for the first time since 2019.

This year 119 graduating students demonstrated Leadership, Engagement, Application, and Discovery (LEAD) to earn a bronze, silver, or gold medal. This includes leading and engaging in on-campus or off-campus organizations; pursuing study abroad; being a teaching assistant; completing an internship, co-op position, or service learning course; or participating in undergraduate research.

Anita Hu, a behaviour, cognition, and neuroscience major earned a gold medal for her involvement as president of the Science Society, mentoring fellow students, engaging in service learning, and conducting research as an Outstanding Scholar. She says her LEAD journey started with a study abroad trip to Jamaica.

“It got me to apply my skills in an actual tropical environment to learn about their climate, which I thought was a cool opportunity to apply my learning,” Hu says.

She says the LEAD program recognizes and rewards students for the hard work they put in throughout their undergraduate experience.

“It is so nice to celebrate together since all of the events that we’ve organized throughout our undergrad were because of us working together. And now we get to celebrate it all together which is awesome,” she says.

Acting dean Dora Cavallo-Medved says the faculty is proud of the accomplishments of these undergraduate leaders.

“By participating in high-impact experiences, our LEAD Medallion Scholars are graduating with a full set of employable skills including communication, collaboration, management, problem-solving, and creativity,” she says. “Their contributions have also excelled our research programs, enhanced our teaching, and enriched our communities.”

Graduates were also encouraged to continue leading the way for the next generation of science students by giving back through the LEAD Science fund, which supports experiential learning opportunities for students across the Faculty of Science.

The Faculty of Science introduced the LEAD Medallion Scholars program in 2018 to recognize students in good standing who have excelled beyond the classroom by participating in high-impact experiences.

—Sara Elliott