Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2020 Chancellor William C. Graham Awards

Caring, giving and community-focused – these are just a few words to describe the 13 outstanding members of the Trinity College community who are the recipients of the 2020 Chancellor William C. Graham Awards.

In its second year, the Chancellor William C. Graham Awards are given in honour of Chancellor Graham’s generosity of spirit and leadership, and immeasurable contributions to the Trinity community. “Chancellor Bill Graham exemplifies the enduring values of our founder, Bishop Strachan. In everything he does, he makes the Trinity community better. He is extraordinarily generous in every way and a true inspiration to all of us at Trinity and beyond,” said Professor Mayo Moran, Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Trinity College. “The Chancellor William C. Graham Awards honour his legacy by recognizing members of the community who lead by positive example and help make the College a more welcoming and positive place. On behalf of the College, we extend a special thank you to our 2020 recipients for being such as inspiration, for their positive attitude to all that they do for our college, and for making Trinity a supportive place to learn, live and work.”

The recipients of the 2020 Chancellor William C. Graham Awards were announced at the Fall Meeting of Corporation, which was held virtually on October 22.

Please join the Trinity community in congratulating the 2020 Chancellor William C. Graham Awards winners in all four categories: Current Students; Administrative and Service Staff; Academic Staff, Faculty, Librarians, Fellows, Associates and Teaching Staff; and Alumni. Recipients are selected based on a demonstrated commitment to improving the spirit of caring and fostering a positive environment in the Trinity community. The summary citation for each recipient is based on the statement provided by the nominator and others in support of the candidate. The citations are brief and will certainly not capture all they contribute to the College, but will give you a snapshot of their impact.

Recipients of the 2020 Chancellor William C. Graham Awards

Lydia Angarso: Current Student

Lydia is a current student who is committed to creating positive change and has made significant contributions in making Trinity a more inclusive community. From being a co-founder of the Trinity College Multicultural Society to working on the Trinity College Task Force on Anti-Black Racism and Inclusion, Lydia has been instrumental in ensuring BIPOC students will face fewer barriers to their success at Trinity College. In the words of Lydia’s nominator: Lydia is one of the most inspiring students I have had the privilege to cross paths with!

Rachel Berger-Viflanzoff: Current Student

Rachel is a current student who was a Community Advisor (CA) in residence last year. Rachel was integral in helping to get the program off the ground, while working to build a strong community within her area of residence. This year Rachel stepped forward to take on the role of Senior CA, to help further the goals of the program. Rachel demonstrates great care for our students and the whole Trinity community.

Jerome Chang: Administrative Staff

As the College’s Associate Registrar, Jerome is a wonderfully positive colleague and an amazing resource and support for our students. Jerome approaches everything he does with humour, caring and humility. In coping with the new realities we faced as a result of COVID-19, Jerome helped our transition to the online world, and did so while keeping the importance of human connection at the forefront. Jerome’s positive attitude in the face of such a difficult time proved to be a rallying point for our staff and our students.

Sophia DiNicolo: Current Student

Sophia is a current student who has played an important role in improving the experience for our commuting students. Last year, as one of the Heads of Non-Resident Affairs, Sophia created many new events to increase commuter student participation in college life and student governance. Even though Sophia’s headship is over, she is still very much involved with the non-resident community. Sophia’s compassion and strong advocacy has improved the student experience at Trinity.

John Duncan: Faculty

As Director of the Ethics, Society & Law Program, John actively seeks to build a more inclusive and conscientious community at Trinity, by supporting or introducing innovative academic and community-based partnerships, social justice-oriented community outreach initiatives, including Humanities for Humanity (H4H), and recreational activities (like the weekly soccer games for students, faculty and staff). All of these examples demonstrate John’s collegial, community-building nature and his desire to foster a positive environment.

Nancy Graham: Alumni

Nancy has just completed her term as President of The Friends of the Library, topping off many years of dedicated volunteer service. Nancy has served as Chair of the Executive Committee of Convocation and has also served as Year Representative for the Class of 1958. Nancy’s ability to motivate others helped lead to support for the Green Roof Environmental Project, a class reunion gift to the College. This award recognizes Nancy’s outstanding volunteerism and the positive impact she has had on the Trinity community.

Andrea Ho: Alumni

Andrea is a recent alumna who held a variety of leadership positions that have had a positive impact on students and the wider Trinity community, most notably as Co-President of Trinity Women in Leadership (TWIL). Andrea worked hard to put together a wide range of engaging programs aimed at empowering and connecting women at Trinity through mentorship and community building. As an active participant in many extracurricular activities, Andrea demonstrated a commitment to leadership and engagement at Trinity.

Geoffrey Ready: Teaching Staff

Geoffrey teaches in Eastern Orthodox studies in the Faculty of Divinity and also oversees the Orthodox program. Geoffrey has recruited a steady stream of students that Trinity wouldn’t normally attract, and inspires these individuals to pursue further studies. Geoffrey is known across the Toronto School of Theology as a positive and energetic presence, and serves Trinity is a wide-range of tasks with considerable enthusiasm and a positive spirit. He is a gifted teacher, a committed “citizen” of the college, and a positive ambassador for Trinity in the Toronto School of Theology.

Ludvig Satel: Service Staff

As a member of our Facilities team, Ludvig demonstrates a great level of caring for all members of the Trinity community. Ludvig is well known for always going above and beyond to ensure his work is done with both precision and care. He is a wonderful and vibrant colleague who is also well known for being able to engage in conversation on any topic. Ludvig is widely respected for the way he treats everyone with such kindness. As the nominator said: “Ludvig is a true gem and deserves to be honoured with this award.”

Ramata Tarawally: Administrative Staff

Ramata is exceptional in the support and programming she provides to students as our Associate Director, Community Wellness. Ramata has shown incredible leadership during the pandemic, making an impact not only at the College and on our students, but within the greater U of T community as well. Ramata has also made phenomenal contributions to College governance as a member of the Board of Trustees. The College is a significantly better place because Ramata works so hard to ensure it is a safe, welcoming and inclusive community for students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Foti Vito: Current Student

Foti is a current student who was Co-Head of Non-Resident Affairs last year. Foti helped create many events that allowed for non-resident students to be more active in the College and was a strong advocate for better accessibility to community events and student governance. The nominator noted the following: “Foti’s enthusiasm has given many commuting students the courage to advocate for themselves, get involved and run for positions in student governance.”

Peter Wismath: Alumni

Peter has been an exemplary alumni volunteer for many years, serving on the Alumni Association Executive, Corporation, and currently the Senate. While serving as Chair of the Alumni Association, Peter worked on initiatives to expand and encourage the participation of young alumni in the College community. He is currently a member of the Community Affairs Committee, providing thoughtful and valuable insights into the work of the Committee. Peter is a passionate advocate and ambassador for Trinity and this award recognizes his ongoing commitment to the College and our students.

Sydney Yeung: Administrative Staff

As the Faculty Administrator in the Faculty of Divinity, Sydney is the centre of student care and support to the Faculty’s 120 students. She excels at effectively supporting the various needs of our students and faculty members. Her caring, calm and supportive approach is valued and appreciated by our students, many of whom drop by the Divinity office simply to have a brief chat with her. Sydney brings an encouraging and supportive manner to the ethos of the Faculty of Divinity, and her influence has a huge impact on the overall tone and character of the Faculty.

Categories: Alumni; Awards & Honours; College News; Faculty & Staff; Student News