2025 Kindness Champion Award Winners

Year and Program: 4^th year PhD student, Development, Stem Cells, and Regenerative Medicine (DSRM)

Research Focus Area: Cardiac disease and inflammation

Q: What does kindness mean to you?

A: "Personally, kindness is embodied both as a virtue and through acts. Kindness involves cultivating a culture of empathy, respect, and recognition of those around us, often rooted in compassion and authenticity. I believe acts of kindness can be both grand and mundane."

Q: Why does kindness matter – why be kind?

A: "Kindness carries great significance as I believe it truly is a radical force. As each person navigates unique struggles and phases in life, to consistently show up as a positive influence on those around you is revolutionary. To be kind is to choose to show up and make your surroundings better each day, and eventually that will lead to large scale benefit."

Q: What makes kindness particularly important in graduate school versus everyday life?

A: "Graduate school is incredibly challenging on a personal level. As students we are consistently grappling with imposter syndrome, stressors, and sacrifices in pursuit of higher education. Kindness is particularly important in these spaces as it is rooted in empathy – a major space for connection between trainees going through similar struggles."

Q: Please share a memory of a moment when someone else was kind to you in a way that was impactful.

A: "One fond memory was when I was struggling during my second year during graduate studies, I reached out to a mentor of mine to have a chat. Despite how busy her schedule was as a professor in a separate division; she made me a priority. During my meeting I felt incredibly validated and affirmed, something that can be rare in high-paced academic settings. Furthermore, she consistently nurtures our professional relationship with regular check-ins or considering me for extra tickets to things like sporting events or zoo days. This in turn inspires me to pay it forward and be a good mentor to junior students and those aiming to get into grad school."

Year and Program: 3^rd year of the Industrial Hygiene PhD program.

Research Focus Area: Occupational health and safety motivation, the impact of safety training, and the use of emerging technology to mitigate injury among aviation workers. 

Q: What does kindness mean to you?

A: "To me, kindness is approaching each situation in an attempt to understand others and make them feel valued. Kindness is one thing that we can carry with us every day to make the world a brighter place for those around us."

Q: Why does kindness matter—why be kind?

A: "Kindness matters because you never truly know what someone else is juggling in their life. Being able to approach someone with empathy and understanding can make all the difference." 

Q: What makes kindness particularly important in graduate school versus everyday life?

A: "I find that kindness is particularly important in graduate school versus everyday life because of the challenges that students face. I find that kindness helps us to be resilient to these challenges and build community. Kindness and community allow us to continue in times of uncertainty and challenge." 

Q: Please share a memory of a moment when someone else was kind to you in a way that was impactful.

A: "My first year of graduate school, I was very unsure of myself. I spent the first several weeks questioning my potential and worrying about the future. Ryan Bellacov, who has since graduated from our program, was a TA in the lab course that I was taking. One day, Ryan sat with me during lunch and complimented my performance in the lab course. He went out of his way to tell me about the potential that he saw in me that I didn't yet see in myself. I regard this moment as a turning point that allowed me to approach my studies and research with increased confidence, all due to Ryan's kindness."