Convocation Student Awards

Claudia Culley

Bachelor of Journalism
Tuesday, June 10 - Afternoon Ceremony

A graduate of the Bachelor of Journalism program, Claudia has demonstrated outstanding ability in her studies, while significantly contributing to the university for the benefit of KPU and its students.

Claudia continually put hard work into her courses, earning her a place on the Dean’s Honour Roll each semester. Her academic achievement has opened the doors to numerous awards, including the 2023 Jack Webster Student Journalism Award. Claudia is also known for her thoughtful, kind and respectful approach in working with classmates, offering support to them when needed.

Outside of classes, Claudia has played a pivotal role in telling KPU’s stories through The Runner, KPU’s student newspaper. Over the past year she has served as the publication’s Editor in Chief, leading a student team in informing the university community about important news and events. Giving her an even closer connection to the university has been her work as a Student Research Assistant for the KPU 50th anniversary book project. Led by journalism instructor Tracy Sherlock, the project has given Claudia a chance to uncover the history of KPU and the people who made the university what it is today.

Studying at KPU has allowed Claudia to explore her passion for storytelling, and she hopes to continue telling stories in her future career.

Avery Sims

Fashion Marketing
Tuesday, June 10 - Afternoon Ceremony

Avery has excelled in her field of study at KPU, and her contributions to the university community have enhanced the experience of other students and the learning environment as a whole.

While completing the Diploma in Fashion Marketing program at the Wilson School of Design at KPU, Avery was an outstanding student exhibiting a sharp ability to apply theoretical concepts to real challenges in fashion marketing. She also proved to be a strong leader, serving as the class representative for the program and as a member of the graduation committee — playing an instrumental role in organizing the design school’s annual grad show.

At KPU, Avery refined her skills in trend forecasting, creative direction and branding strategies. One of her proudest projects was developing a trend forecast for AW26/27, analyzing global sociopolitical climates, consumer emotions and cultural shifts to predict the future of womenswear.

Marika Lopez

Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Criminology
Wednesday, June 11 - Morning Ceremony

Marika has made exceptional contributions to KPU — achieving academic excellence while making considerable contributions toward community service.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Major in Criminology, Marika’s journey as a volunteer began in elementary school. Since then she has volunteered with numerous groups, helping her grow into the person she is today.

Marika, who has been living with epilepsy since she was an infant, is an epilepsy advocate who has volunteered with the BC Epilepsy Society, the Centre for Epilepsy and Seizure Education in BC, Epilepsy Positivity and the Edmonton Epilepsy Association. In 2022, the BC Epilepsy Society awarded Marika the Purple Heart Award for her epilepsy advocacy work in the community.

From 2019 to 2024, Marika participated in the BC Youth Parliament, where she helped create an inclusion, equity and diversity policy and was recognized with the Fisi Award for Service.

Marika’s academic achievements are no less exceptional. A top performer in her courses, Marika’s honours thesis explored how Facebook neighbourhood groups are used to address crime. In the fall, she plans to continue her criminology studies in a master’s program at Simon Fraser University.

In her spare time, Marika enjoys reading, hanging out with friends and creating epilepsy content to help educate those who live with and without epilepsy.

Manmeet (Mini) Claire

Bachelor of Arts, Major in Anthropology, Minor in Indigenous Community Justice 
Tuesday, June 10 - Morning Ceremony

Manmeet has graduated from the Bachelor of Arts, Major in Anthropology program at KPU with outstanding academic achievement.

After taking a few introductory anthropology classes and thoroughly enjoying the content, she chose the study as her major. She decided to minor in Indigenous Community Justice to learn how to better support and centre Indigenous perspectives in her academic, personal and professional life.

An outstanding student with leadership skills, Manmeet gained
experience as a student assistant at KPU in the Anthropology Department and as a peer tutor through the Learning Centre at KPU, supporting students in achieving their learning goals and adjusting to university life. She also assisted in the revival of the Anthropology Club at KPU by serving as vice- president for one year.

Currently working as a curator and gallery coordinator, Manmeet hopes to one day do archeology field work in B.C. as a junior archaeologist, and work as an educator in some capacity in the future. Manmeet also hopes to pursue a graduate degree.

Manmeet enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, listening to music, crocheting, sampling craft beers, and Bollywood and bhangra dancing, which she has taught to children for many years.

Lyndsay Matesic

Diploma, Horticulture Technology
Tuesday, June 12 - Afternoon Ceremony

Lyndsay is graduating with a Diploma in Horticulture Technology in the Faculty of Science, with a specialization in Landscape Horticulture Systems. Lyndsay, from Yellowknife, N.W.T., loves plants and wanted to deepen her knowledge of their cultivation.

Lyndsay has a goal of becoming a professional landscape architect. Receiving the Governor General Bronze Award represents the culmination of two years of dedication and hard work that has paved the way for her career.

Horticulture studies at KPU represented quite a learning curve for Lyndsay. The temperate rainforest of the West Coast is a world away from her home on the Taiga Shield where she has gained all her practical experience. Although the two ecosystems vary significantly, Lyndsay has embraced the challenge of bridging the gap between theory and practice with an open mind.

In her spare time, Lyndsay enjoys ultimate frisbee, rock climbing, hiking and exploring trails with her dog. In summer, she also grows vegetables at a community garden, a portion of whose harvest is donated to those in need, and assists at the Yellowknife Farmers Market as a coordinator.

Amy Rabidoux

Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Psychology
Wednesday, June 11 - Morning Ceremony

Amy has achieved significant academic success at KPU while completing her Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Major in Psychology. That, coupled with her commitment to community service, makes her a deserving recipient of this award.

Continually improving as a student, Amy achieved a 4.15 GPA in her final two years, earning her a place on the Dean’s Honour Roll for multiple semesters. She completed an honours research project under the guidance of Dr. Cory Pedersen, investigating smiling behaviour in men as a means of promoting and understanding men’s wellness. Her involvement in the university community is significant, serving as vice-president of the Kwantlen Psychology Society, the founder and co-lead of the Kwantlen Critical Conversations Club, a volunteer with the Pride peers group and a volunteer at the Gathering Place.

Amy also puts her heart into community-building outside KPU. She works at a crisis shelter for teens, and for the past five years has volunteered her time to teach sex education at high schools, focusing primarily on alternative education and under-serviced communities.

Amy plans to further her education with a master’s in counselling to serve the communities that need support the most. In her spare time, Amy enjoys creating art, playing various instruments and playing board games with friends.

Sophie Bartel

Certificate, English Upgrading
Tuesday, June 10 - Morning Ceremony

Sophie’s ability and willingness to contribute to the learning community was noticed by her instructors. Sophie took an active role in her learning in spite of some initial apprehension, having been away from academic studies for a few years. She became a leader in class, responding to questions and initiating conversation that helped to build a positive classroom environment, as well as confidence in her classmates.

A creative and wild spirit, Sophie made the class a better place for everyone to learn. She proactively shared information with students who had missed class. And in group discussions, she consistently asked questions that showed genuine curiosity to spark collective enthusiasm.

Sophie was deliberate in making academic and career choices and in balancing and prioritizing challenging work and school responsibilities. Along the way, she demonstrated maturity by accessing university resources and additional course support to reach her academic potential, earning her top marks in a challenging English literature course (ENGQ 1091), followed by an equally impressive grade of 97.5 per cent in WRTG 1100.

In her spare time, Sophie enjoys walking, hiking, drawing, crochet and taking care of her goats.

Julia Townsend

Bachelor of Journalism
Tuesday, June 10 - Afternoon Ceremony

As a student in the Bachelor of Journalism program, Julia proved herself as a strong student, known for her diligence and responsible and friendly nature. During her studies, Julia worked closely with journalism faculty member Tracy Sherlock on the Climate Disaster Project, serving on the Climate+ Student Advisory Committee and writing profiles of people forced to leave their homes during wildfires in Canada.

Julia demonstrated herself as a professional and empathetic student journalist in her approach to telling stories. She worked as a contributing writer for KPU’s student newspaper, The Runner, and also has extensive volunteer service in the wider community. She’s been a volunteer facilitator with Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland’s Go Girls! program and My Voice My Power! programs for nearly three years. She has also volunteered with Options Community Services in Surrey in the immigrant services office and with a creative writing program for the children of Ukrainian newcomers at Surrey Libraries.

Throughout her life, Julia has drawn on her own lived experience with disability to better the lives of others through her advocacy work and involvement with the BC Wheelchair Basketball Society.

After earning her degree at KPU, Julia plans to continue her studies in education at University of B.C

Natalie Morin

Bachelor of Science, Nursing (Advanced Entry)
Friday, June 13 - Morning Ceremony

A graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Advanced Entry program, Natalie demonstrated exemplary practice as a role model for clinical and community-based nursing with a strong focus on health promotion and personalizing client care. Throughout her studies at KPU, Natalie worked effectively with her peers and exhibited respect and empathy toward others.

Her project work was both meaningful and of high quality, and reflected her experiential knowledge of working with Indigenous communities and respecting inclusion and diversity. Natalie also demonstrated strong leadership skills by supporting her cohort peers and in helping the KPU nursing program improve to better meet student needs.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Advanced Entry program is suited for students who have already completed a baccalaureate degree and are looking for the opportunity to transition to the field of nursing. With a drive to help others, Natalie is well-suited for a career in nursing, and has a goal to become a specialty qualified emergency nurse. In her spare time, she enjoys playing soccer, staying physically fit and reading books.

Panveer Kaur

Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting
Thursday, June 12 - Afternoon Ceremony

Panveer strove for excellence as a student in the Melville School of Business — and she achieved it. A student in the Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting program, Panveer began her journey at KPU as an international student. Inspired by her sister, an accountant, and the enjoyment of finding solutions for people, Panveer landed on accounting as a career path. Now her goal is to become a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and eventually start her own accounting firm.

Panveer’s commitment to her studies at KPU didn’t go unnoticed. In the challenging intermediate tax course, for example, she scored 100 per cent — well above the class average of 72 per cent.

Panveer played an important role in the creation of the student generated intermediate tax textbook. Contributing to its creation supported the overall learning environment at KPU. This free resource has been used by many students over the past five years.

Now working full-time at an accounting firm, Panveer also makes time to get outdoors, hiking or walking, and also enjoys going shopping with family.

George Tso

Bachelor of Science, Physics for Modern Technology
Thursday, June 12 - Afternoon Ceremony

As a student in the Bachelor of Science, Major in Physics for Modern Technology program, George demonstrated exceptional theoretical and practical skills, truly encompassing the philosophy of the program.

George thrived in KPU’s environment of small class sizes. He excelled in all of his courses and showed impressive quality work in lab assignments and projects. Two of his most impressive projects included measuring the local value of gravity while driving up Mount Seymour and the application of machine learning algorithms to model the Faraday Rotation data of the surrounding interstellar medium.

Besides his academic achievements, George also showed to be a great team player, supporting his peers and making valuable contributions to his courses.

During his work experience, George spent seven months at the National Research Council's Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre in Victoria. Initially a four-month position, it was extended due to his excellent work.

George is now considering a career in clinical medical physics. In his spare time, he enjoys badminton, archery and reading.

Thomas Frohock

Citation, Parts, Warehousing, Logistics and Distribution
Tuesday, June 10 - Morning Ceremony

As a student in the Citation, Parts, Warehousing, Logistics and Distribution program, Thomas made his mark in KPU, displaying an outstanding commitment to his studies. He exemplified the three A's: attendance, academics and attitude.

A personable and communicative learner, Thomas shows exceptional attention to detail and is a strong ambassador of the program.

Klara Joubert

Bachelor of Design, Product Design
Friday, June 13 - Morning Ceremony

Throughout her studies in Product Design at the Wilson School of Design at KPU, Klara was an outstanding student with a strong academic record and a thoughtful, research-driven design approach.

Klara chose to study Product Design because it allowed her the opportunity to explore many different fields in design, and apply critical thinking and research to the design process. As a research assistant, she contributed meaningfully and consistently, showing initiative and reliability. Klara’s radiant, supportive personality and willingness to assist her peers and faculty at any moment make her a true asset to our community. Her combination of talent, generosity and leadership truly exemplifies the spirit of this award.

But it wasn’t an easy path. An international student from a rural town in South Africa, Klara overcame culture shock through deep reflection, grit and determination to thrive as a student at KPU. With support from friends, family and instructors, Klara found her feet and stepped boldly into who she’s been able to become. She plans to use her knowledge and skills to make meaningful change in the social innovation sector.

In her spare time Klara enjoys running, hiking, and chatting and laughing with friends and family.