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CCSL awards honour excellence 

By Russ Cooper

Affixed to a bumper, a sticker exclaiming, "Get involved: The world is run by those who show up" may only give a passing moment of reflection. Pasted to the podium at this year's Concordia Council on Student Life awards, Dean of Students and the evening's emcee Elizabeth Morey made sure the message resonated a bit longer.

"These awards are for those who show up," said Morey.

On April 2, this year's CCSL Outstanding Contribution Awards were given to students, staff and faculty who have made an exceptional contribution to student life or services at the university.

With celebration and levity laced throughout the event, the CCSL committee handed out awards to five people, as well as acknowledged 13 individuals or groups for their remarkable volunteer work.

In nominating MBA student Nura Askar for her outstanding performance as president of the Commerce Graduate Student Association, classmate Carole Charbonneau drew on Askar's strength to create change.

"She doesn't see the world the way it is. She sees the way it could be," said Charbonneau. To which, Askar joked in her acceptance speech, "I'm the person who changes everything."

Other award winners were MBA students Tanya Dossa and Olivier Romain for their numerous contributions to the JMSB, and Mahboubeh Khani for her service as president of the Graduate Student's Association.

The groups or individuals rewarded with volunteer initiative recognition certificates were students Bianca Morgan, Randy Pinsky, Amanda Knezevic, Dominique Bourassa, Helen Downie, Olivia Hershorn and Marian Pinsky; organizations honoured were The Association of Alms, Concordia Volunteer Abroad Program (CVAP), CASA Cares, 5 Days for the Homeless Campaign and Live-in for Literacy; as well as Education Professor Miranda D’Amico.

A noteworthy element to this year's CCSL awards was the recognition of two longtime employees who will be retiring within the year.

Presented by Associate VP of Enrolment and Student Services Roger Côté, the award for outstanding staff contribution went to Administrative Assistant in Student Services Jane Hackett.

Since starting at Loyola in 1969, Hackett has, "always had student commitment in mind," said Côté. "Whether it was helping students get through the bureaucracy or getting permits after the deadline, Jane was always there for them."

Also soon-to-retire is Book and Computer Store Director Lina Lipscombe. In recognition of her four decades of service, Morey announced that any future outstanding staff contribution award would be renamed the Lina Lipscombe staff award.

In her brief and almost tearful acceptance speech, Lipscombe graciously sidestepped the praise, choosing instead to focus on the place of Concordia in her heart. "This place has been so much of my life for 40 years," she said. "I really am going to miss it."

As well, President Judith Woodsworth presented music student J.P. Neufeld a certificate of appreciation for his role last March in alerting authorities of a potential attack on a school in Attleborough, U.K.

In bestowing the award, Woodsworth remarked, "He loves music, I love music. He's from Winnipeg, I'm from Winnipeg." To which, Neufeld graciously put one arm around Woodsworth for an impromptu hug and said, "That's a Winnipeg hug. It's too cold there for kisses."

Neufeld, whose effort gained widespread media attention from the New York Times, Le Parisien and The International Herald Tribune, was shy about his accomplishment, but stated, "I am honoured to be on the same stage as all of you who are doing these remarkable things."