These awards are a way to recognize and encourage excellence in undergraduate and graduate studies by celebrating those who have distinguished themselves not only academically, but also outside the classroom.
The Faculty of Arts is proud to announce the recipients for the year 2024.
Erika Brummell
Erika Brummell is a fifth-year honours environmental studies co-op student in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics. She is passionate about advancing the scientific understanding of glaciers in the Canadian Arctic and their relationship with the environment. After seeing glaciers for the first time on a University of Ottawa field course, Erika became aware of their global importance and was motivated to pursue directed research in glaciology. Erika’s experiences in the Faculty of Arts have provided a global perspective, allowing Erika to investigate glaciers in Canada, Tanzania and Svalbard (Norway) to better understand how glaciers are responding to climate change.
Her studies have supported her in becoming a passionate advocate on the issue of climate change and she aims to support the development of equitable climate solutions. Within the student community, Erika has volunteered for GAIA, the geography students association, to support and empower her academic community. Alongside research, Erika is active in the outdoors and enjoys rock climbing, running and canoeing. She combines her academic and recreational interests to make outdoor and scientific spaces more accessible, diverse and inclusive. Erika looks forward to beginning her Master of Science in Physical Geography in the Faculty of Arts to continue pursuing these goals.
Sophie El-Assad
In spring 2024, Sophie El-Assaad will graduate with an MFA from the University of Ottawa’s Department of Visual Arts. A transdisciplinary artist with a practice in both theatre/performance and the visual arts, Sophie’s current research addresses themes of diasporic identity mediated through trauma, technology and socio-political systems. Sophie creates surreal, installation-based environments to be encountered through various mediums including sculpture, found objects, poetic text, photography, video and performance. In her time at the University of Ottawa, Sophie has participated in a couple of departmental art exhibitions. She is the recipient of four Montreal English Theatre Awards and, in 2021, was one of three finalists for Montreal’s Jovette Marchessault prize for her work in design. In 2023, Sophie represented Quebec in costume design at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space.
Vera Hadzic
Vera Hadzic is a fourth-year student completing her Honours BA with majors in English and history. Her research focuses on cosmography and knowledge production in early modern literature, but through her studies, she has also developed interests in themes of embodiment and enclosure in Canadian and contemporary literature. She has won the English department’s Avie Bennett Prize for the best essay on Canadian literature by an undergraduate student, as well as the Paul Marcotte Prize for the best essay on Shakespeare by an undergraduate student. Throughout her time at uOttawa, she has been an intern for the Museum of Classical Antiquities, served as bilingual exec for the Friends of the MCA Club, and worked as a writing mentor at the Academic Writing Help Centre. She is also a writer: her first poetry chapbook, Fossils You Can Swallow, was published in 2023 by Proper Tales Press, and her poetry and fiction have appeared online and in print.
Sara Didi Hassane
Sara Didi Hassane is a fourth year Honours BA student in Greek and Roman studies (Department of Classics and Religious Studies) with a minor in psychology.
She is very proud of her work at the Museum of Classical Antiquities at the University of Ottawa. For the past three years, she has been able to take on multiple tasks, such as cataloguing and preparing educational content and tours focusing on different parts of the collection. Additionally, she curated an exhibit on ancient writing and languages this year, which she would recommend that you visit!
She has been able to undertake different research projects at the University of Ottawa thanks to the support and supervision of several professors. These opportunities, such as the UROP scholarship and the Hannah studentship, have allowed her to grow both as a person and as a researcher, which she is extremely grateful for.
Taegan Holmes
Taegan Holmes is a student in second year of the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute’s MA in Bilingualism Studies. She is currently finishing her thesis and expects to receive her degree this June. She graduated summa cum laude in second language teaching with a minor in Italian language and culture from the University of Ottawa. Her passion is teaching and she is interested in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). Taegan became a French teacher at age 22. She also works as a French tutor, as a writer for the second language certification program and as a research assistant with the eTASC lab.
Diane Riddell
Diane Riddell began her studies in the PhD program in Communication after a career in communications in the private and public sectors. During her journey at uOttawa, she has been a teaching assistant, research assistant and part-time professor. She has been active in the Communication Graduate Students Association (CGSA), serving as its representative on Faculty Council for two years. During the pandemic, she also founded a weekly Zoom drop-in session for PhD students, which continues to this day under her leadership.
Diane worked for several years as a research assistant for Professor Luc Bonneville’s SSHRC-funded project on smartphones in the university classroom. She served on a Faculty of Arts mental health and wellness awareness and promotion working group led by the then-vice-dean, student affairs. Through the working group, she also had the opportunity to develop communication resources for the university’s adviser on mental health and wellness. She also supported her department with research and writing during the development of a proposal to establish the Master of Arts program with concentration in health communication.
Diane holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts (Journalism) from Toronto Metropolitan University, a Master of Science in Communications Management from Syracuse University, and a Certificate in University Teaching from the University of Ottawa. She is an associate member of the research unit on Advancement of Scholarship in Teaching and Learning (ASoTL) at University of Ottawa.
Tatiana Orel
Tatiana Orel studied in the Master of Information Studies (MIS) program at the School of Information Studies from 2021 to 2024. In her master’s thesis, she researched information management practices and methodologies in architecting information systems. The results of this research offer a comprehensive perspective on contemporary trends in the field of information architecture for information management and the information architect profession. As Tatiana transitions to a new career path, she would like to combine her knowledge and expertise in linguistics and terminology with new professional opportunities related to information management and artificial intelligence, as well as to contribute to the advancement of information science.
Jacqueline Vaquette
Jacqueline Vaquette is completing her second year of the two-year accelerated bachelor’s in English-French translation at the School of Translation and Interpretation. A proud Franco-Ontarian from south of Niagara, Jacqueline is the child of a French immigrant father and a Québécoise mother who instilled in her the importance of her language and her francophone culture. She has always stood up for her linguistic and cultural rights, for example, as a member of committees of several organizations such as the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario and the Translation Students Association (AETTSA).
Recognizing the value of a high-quality education in French, it was important to Jacqueline to study at the University of Ottawa, where she received two bachelor’s, in French language and in education. She then worked as a teacher, first in a traditional school setting and then with adults (civil servants, immigrants) for over 20 years. After COVID-19, she returned to school as part of a career remake. She eagerly looks forward to celebrating her 50th birthday by walking across the stage to receive her diploma.
Vittoria Rinaldi
Vittoria is in her final year pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History and World Languages and Cultures with co-op. Throughout her academic journey, Vittoria has distinguished herself through a series of notable achievements. Her passion and hard work for the World Languages and Cultures program was recognized with a book award for her major. This highlighted her academic success in her courses and her participation as the student representative for the program. Furthermore, she has consistently earned a spot on the dean's list, because of her dedication and hard work in her studies.
Outside of the classroom, Vittoria’s practical experience through a co-op placement with the Government of Canada has been profoundly rewarding, providing her with invaluable insights into the professional applications of her studies. Furthermore, she served as a research assistant for the “Brecht in Canada” project. This experience not only honed her research skills but also deepened her love for academic inquiry.
Vittoria’s experience at the University of Ottawa has sparked a genuine love for learning, inspiring her to pursue further studies. Motivated by this passion, Vittoria aspires to continue her education by attending law school, aiming to combine her diverse interests and skills to make meaningful contributions to her community and beyond.
Audrey Sigouin
Audrey Sigouin is a fourth-year student completing a bachelor’s in lettres françaises in the Département de français. During her time at the University of Ottawa, she has been involved in various student organizations, including the Association étudiante du Département de français, for which she held the position of president for 2023–2024. During her term, she relaunched the department’s student journal, Calembour, which gives visibility to uOttawa students’ writing talent. She will soon publish an original work as part of a collection of texts from the Lis-moi Outaouais project, expected to be launched at the 2025 Salon du livre de l’Outaouais. Audrey will continue her studies this fall, once again in lettres françaises in the Département de français.
Sama'a Salama
Sama’a Salama is a graduating honour's BA student in the Department of Linguistics. Throughout the four years of the program, Sama’a has had the opportunity to work with different professors in various linguistic sub-fields. Being a member of the Centre for Child Language Research (CCLR) for the past three years has given Sama’a a foundation in experimental linguistic work. Starting in fall 2022, Sama’a had the opportunity to work in indigenous language research with a focus on South American indigenous languages, culminating in an honour’s thesis on the Ecuadorian indigenous language imbabura kichwa.
As an active member of the research community, Sama’a is interested in centring under-documented and minoritized languages along with their speakers. Sama’a will be continuing on to a Master’s of Linguistics in the fall, and is grateful to everyone in the department, with a special thanks to Professors Francis, Salanova and Zamuner for their unwavering support and mentorship.
Evan Kuhn
Evan Kuhn is a student graduating from the honours BA in theatre in the Department of Theatre. Evan is from Waterloo, Ontario, and spent first year at Laurentian University, before coming to the University of Ottawa. Evan is a bilingual queer multidisciplinary artist. He is a performer, choreographer, dancer and dance instructor, playwright, musician, designer and technician.
He has also received credits as a costume designer, sound designer, stage manager and production manager. He has contributed to many productions in the Department of Theatre and the theatre scene, including Concord Floral (costumes), La Princesse d’Élide (stage manager and production manager), The Dragonfly of Chicoutimi (production manager), Proud (soundscape) and STUFF (soundscape). In addition to his studies and artistic practice, Evan is a climber, cyclist, yogi and cinephile. He is proud to receive the Faculty of Arts Student Award of Excellence.
Bradley Laferrière-Boileau
Bradley Laferrière-Boileau is finishing his fourth (and final year) year of an honours bachelor in history with a minor in political science. Passionate about the Middle Ages and the digital humanities, Bradley had the opportunity to take part in various projects in the Department of History. He is currently working on the design of an atlas of central and eastern Europe under the supervision of Professor Roman Krakovsky, which will be published in 2025.
A proud Franco-Ontarian active in the student body, Bradley was vice-president finance of the History Students’ Association in 2022–2023. Since November 2023, he has been the co-editor of Clio: The Undergraduate History Journal, whose volume XI was published April 4.
He wishes to thank Professors Kouky J. Fianu and Roman Krakovsky, who attracted him to research and supported him throughout his time at university. He would also like to thank Professors Lotfi Ben Rejeb, Sylvie Perrier and Sarah Templier, for guiding him so well in his studies to be a historian. Next year, Bradley will begin a master’s in history with a specialization in medieval and Renaissance studies, supervised by Professor Fianu.
Graciella Martinez
Graciella Martinez is an ambitious fifth-year student who will graduate in spring 2024 magna cum laude with an honours bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in Indigenous studies. Her research is primarily focused on the history of 20th-century Western Europe, most notably, the history of the Holocaust and the history of the Spanish Civil War. Her passion for research and commitment to novel and accessible research fuel her desire to complete a master’s and a PhD.
A recent essay of hers titled “The Precarious Portuguese Position — Radio, Nationalist Aid and Political Agendas: The Spanish Civil War Through Luso-Radio” was selected to be published in the 11th edition of the History Students’ Association journal, Clio. In her free time, she enjoys reading, travelling, dancing and playing tabletop games with her close friends.
Alexander Merpaw
Alexander Merpaw is currently studying piano in the Bachelor of Music program under Professor David Jalbert, in the performance profile (Faculty of Arts). This year being his fourth and final year in the undergraduate piano performance program, Alexander has received multiple scholarships from the University of Ottawa for outstanding academic standing and piano performance, including the Mitchell Sharp Commemorative Bursary, Jean-Paul Sevilla Scholarship, Leekor Engineering Scholarship in Music and Albert Tunis Memorial Scholarship.
Alexander has also been part of multiple masterclasses through the University of Ottawa, both teaching and playing for Charles-Richard Hamelin, Jamie Parker and Andre Laplante. He was also the 2021–2022 uOttawa School of Music concerto competition winner, which allowed him to make his orchestral debut with the first movement of Chopin’s E minor piano concerto in early October 2022.
Alexander was also a silver prize winner at the 2022 Canadian Music Competition and travelled to New York in October 2022 to compete in the New Tang Dynasty International Piano Competition. Alexander was born in eastern Ontario to a mother who was a professional musician, and has been playing piano since the age of 3.
Sierra Nediu
Sierra Nediu is in the final (sixth) year of a Joint Honours in Philosophy and Political Science. She has achieved a 9.0 CGPA and has been involved in the variety of on-campus organizations, particularly her sorority, Alpha Phi, as the director of academics and in the Department of Philosophy’s students association (UPSA) since 2021 in a variety of executive roles.
This includes being the UPSA vice-president of university affairs and finance, as well as being elected president for the last three years. Her duties and responsibilities have included attending departmental meetings, student advocacy work, planning budgets and department social events, managing the publication of its undergraduate journal, Hermes, and overseeing the philosophy scholarship program.
She has also been involved with the Students’ Association of the Faculty of Arts (SAFA) in representing philosophy students on a variety of committees (board of directors, constitutional, scholarships, publications, etc.) as well as involvement with the student union (UOSU) in ensuring philosophy students’ needs and interests are well represented. She is very passionate about philosophy as a discipline and believes that being involved in the academic community has been a deeply rewarding and enriching experience.