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In 2025, �������� selected six recipients for its prestigious alumni awards, the Leaders and Legends Awards, which are comprised of six categories: Emerging Leader, Excellence, Global Service, Innovation, Mentor of the Year and Distinguished Service.

This year’s winners include educators, researchers, entrepreneurs and community leaders who all strive to bridge gaps in education – whether by addressing shortages of French teachers, creating community programs for aging and neurodiverse learners, mentoring immigrant professionals in healthcare, and much more. Their contributions to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and the education sector at large have made a difference in Canada and around the world.

Through their creative efforts to improve education, this year’s six alumni winners – Justin Patrick, Maria Rogers, Shijing Xu, John Dias, Cindy Sinclair and Erin Finley – have been recognized for their excellence and leadership in teaching, research and advocacy.

The group of six were invited to a special luncheon in their honour, with friends, family, colleagues and their nominators in tow, to celebrate each other and their award. �������� Dean Erica Walker with Sim Kapoor, Director of Advancement, Communications & External Relations, and Natalie Neumann Butler, Sr. Alumni Programs & Donor Relations Officer announced the winners and spoke about their impact.

This year’s nominations were carefully reviewed by a dedicated committee led by chair Sabrina Persaud – a longstanding member of the �������� Alumni Association and an experienced policy officer in the government administration industry.

�������� extends its sincere appreciation to Sabrina and to this year’s outstanding alumni committee, including Dan Bowyer, Yvonne Connagey, Monica Gutierrez, Susan He, Jessica Kronis, Ashleigh Molloy, and Amy Parker. We thank them for their hard work to select the best from a strong field of nominees.

Learn more about our 2025 recipients below.
 

Emerging Leader Award – Dr. Justin Patrick

Dr. Justin Patrick researches student government, student movements, and other forms of student leadership. During his years as a student, Dr. Patrick says his research empowered his advocacy and activism. Students found this approach beneficial and would often call on him to help their student governments from local to global levels in times of crisis. Upon completing his PhD and his elected term as President of the Global Student Government, Dr. Patrick was glad to be able to say that student government—student democracy—around the world is better off than when he started his work. Today, he continues supporting students in his research and teaching.

What has winning this award meant to you? Who has encouraged you along the way?

I am deeply honoured to be selected for this award. The contributions of many student leaders, particularly those serving in democratic student governments, go unsung. Some students have died for the cause of student democracy so their peers and successors can enjoy more potential to enact educational change. Student government is integral to the larger democratic mission, and I hope that the recognition and support �������� has shown for my student government involvement opens the door for other students to be similarly recognized for their work, both on this campus and beyond.

This honour also demonstrates ��������’s recognition of the importance of campus-level student government, and also for larger, supra-campus student governments at provincial, national, and global levels. Student coalitions beyond campuses are necessary for making education the best it can be across the board. In my experience, isolationism in student democracy, an approach that many student governments in wealthy countries currently practice, is often rooted in racism and other forms of xenophobia and bigotry. Student government and student leadership need to be practiced, researched, and taught with a global perspective.

I would like to thank Dr. Shelly Khushal for nominating me. I often shy away from promoting my accomplishments for awards, and I am very grateful that she noticed me, gathered the necessary application materials, liaised with referees, and wrote very kind words. I am thankful for her friendship over the past five years, and I am glad that we had the opportunity to study in the same PhD cohort and support each other throughout the journey.

I would also like to thank my PhD supervisor, Dr. Nina Bascia, and my PhD committee members, Dr. Glen Jones, and Dr. Carly Manion. They have helped me throughout my doctoral studies and the academic job search, and their letters of support for this award and other endeavours have allowed me to sustain my efforts to support student government in research and practice.

Moreover, I would like to thank the many students I have worked with at ��������, the University of Toronto, and around the world, living and deceased, who have striven to improve student democracy at a time when democratic backsliding threatens its continued existence. I dedicate this award to them.

How do you want to continue making an impact to advance student governments and education institutes?

I want to become a professor who consistently researches student government and teaches future generations of students about it. The story of student government needs to be told, especially because many student governments struggle with passing on institutional knowledge. If students can understand how their actions fit within student governments’ larger history and global contexts, it will be much easier for them to enact educational change and improve their student governments’ capabilities. These larger contexts can also help other education-related parties understand student governments' importance for education and democracy more broadly.

Student contributions to education decision-making have great potential to improve the quality of education, but they need to be collective and democratic. I want to do all I can to assess the quality of student democracy and develop ideas to improve it. On the research front, for instance, there is a need to develop comprehensive theories and philosophies of student government to help ensure future scholarship is rooted in good research questions, so research outputs benefit students without tokenizing or manipulating them.
 

Excellence Award – Dr. Maria Rogers

Dr. Maria Rogers is a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health and Well-being at Carleton University, and a registered clinical psychologist in Ontario and Quebec. She is fascinated by children’s relational health, particularly in the school environment. Her research focuses on children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as those with ADHD, and how relationships (i.e., with and among parents, teachers, peers) impact learning, mental health, school attendance, and feelings of well-being at school.

What has winning the Excellence award meant to you, and who would you like to thank?

I am truly honoured to receive this award, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to �������� for this recognition. �������� holds a very special place in my life—both of my parents graduated from ��������, and I had an unforgettable experience as a student in the School and Clinical-Child Psychology doctoral program. My time at �������� provided me with outstanding training as both a researcher and clinician, and it also gave me the gift of lifelong friendships and incredible colleagues. I’m grateful to be part of this legacy. I would like to thank Dr. Anne-Claude Bedard for the nomination, and my doctoral supervisor, Professor Emeritus Judy Wiener, for her ongoing career mentoring and friendship.

What are your future professional aspirations at �������� and education more broadly?

Last year, I had the privilege of participating in the �������� Mentorship Program, which was an incredibly meaningful and rewarding experience. I am currently engaged in collaborative research with colleagues at �������� and actively involved in supervising graduate students. I look forward to continuing my contributions to the �������� community in the years ahead.

I am very concerned with the high rates of chronic absenteeism we are seeing among children and youth since 2020. Along with mental health problems, rates of absenteeism have skyrocketed around the globe. We have little to no data on this problem in Canada, so my colleagues and I at the Canadian School Attendance Partnership are working with communities and school districts around the country to better understand and address this problem. We have a lot of work to do, but we must get all Canadian children attending school regularly if we are to have a successful future in this country.
 

Global Service Award – Dr. Shijing Xu

Dr. Shijing Xu is currently Professor and Associate Dean of Teacher Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Windsor, and a Tier-2 Canada Research Chair. An alumna of ��������, she is deeply passionate about International and Intercultural Reciprocal Learning in Education. Collaborating with like-minded educators in Canada and China, she has built a multidimensional cross-cultural bridge to foster West-East mutual understanding. Dr. Xu was principal investigator and co-director of a SSHRC Partnership Grant Project on West-East reciprocal learning in education, engaging UWindsor, ��������, GECDSB, TDSB and four Chinese universities and over 40 schools in both countries. She is committed to global educational collaboration and cross-cultural dialogue.

What has winning the Global Service award meant to you? Who has encouraged you along the way?

Winning this award affirms that our decade-long efforts in building bridges between Western and Eastern educators—across universities and schools—reflect a shared vision recognized and valued in today’s complex world.

First, I’d like to thank the Leaders and Legends Awards Committee and the nomination team (Dr. Michael Connelly, Dr. Cheryl Craig and Dr. Yishin Khoo) for this special honour.  I extend my deepest gratitude to all the teachers and professors, especially those at ��������/UT, whose guidance shaped my journey (e.g. my mentor and supervisor, Dr. Michael Connelly and committee members Dr. Ruth Hayhoe, Dr. Jim Cummins and Dr. Antoinette Gagne).  My heartfelt thanks also go to the professors, school educators, graduate students, teacher candidates and school students in Canada, China and beyond, who have joined me in this bridge-building endeavour over the past 15 years (e.g. Dr. Shijian Chen and Dr. Yibing Liu at SWU China, Dr. Clara Howitt at GECDSB, my internationally oriented UWindsor colleagues, my supportive UWindsor Faculty of Education leadership teams and central administrations in the past decade). Much appreciation goes to the SSHRC Partnership research team leaders and members at all partner institutions as well as all supporting graduate research assistants in each partner institution. Special acknowledgment and appreciation go to Dr. Michael Connelly, whose scholarship and mentorship in teacher education, curriculum studies and narrative inquiry in multicultural and international settings, alongside his invaluable collegiality and teamwork, have been pivotal in my academic growth and career development. Finally, I am grateful to my family and friends for their unwavering support.

How would you like to continue making an impact around the world?

The Global Service award recognizes outstanding alumni and friends who are committed to addressing the world’s pressing social and humanitarian challenges with transformative global impact. I am very humbled and deeply honoured by this recognition and remain steadfast in my mission to collaborate with like-minded educators worldwide. Together, we strive to build international partnerships grounded in reciprocal learning across cultures and societies, advancing environmental sustainability, ecological harmony, and global stewardship.

In recent years, I, with scholars from seven countries across six continents, have attempted to address the urgent need for a shared sustainable future. Our focus is on integrating global stewardship and environmental sustainability into teacher education and school curricula, empowering younger generations to become conscientious stewards of our planet.

While our grant applications have faced challenges, our resolve remains unshaken. We will pursue alternative pathways to unite diverse scholars and practitioners in a spirit of mutual respect, relevance, and reciprocity. Our goal is to cultivate broader, wider, and deeper cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration—one that fosters public understanding and equips youth with the knowledge to “develop plausible pathways to live within Earth’s limits” (SSHRC, 2018).

This award reaffirms the importance of our collective efforts, and I am committed to continuing this vital work for generations to come.
 

Innovation Award – Mr. John Dias

John Dias is the CEO and Co-Founder of Dias Learning, an innovative startup striving to revolutionize French education through fun, inclusive, interactive programs and Edtech for children. Dias Learning is also addressing Canada’s shortage of French teachers and leads student experiential learning internships for aspiring teachers.

John completed his BEd at �������� and his MA and HBA at the University of Toronto. He is studying business at the Rotman School of Management and hopes to return to �������� for his PhD. John is also very involved in the University of Toronto’s Entrepreneurship ecosystem.     

What has winning the Innovation award meant to you? Who has encouraged you along the way?

I am honoured to receive this award. I would like to express my gratitude to �������� for its world-renowned leadership in education and its commitment to continuous improvement. �������� brings together talented, passionate leaders who collaborate to spearhead innovation in academia and in society at large.

I would like to thank my beloved late father Frank Dias who co-founded Dias Learning with me. I would also like to thank our company’s Vice President Daniel Isakovich, a fellow �������� alumnus, and our Creative Director, Theresa Uyen (the artist “Birduyen”).

In addition, I would like to thank U of T’s French faculty, in particular UTSC’s French professors, U of T Arts & Science Experiential Learning, University of Toronto Entrepreneurship, the Centre Teaching for Learning, UTSC’s SICIEEIL, UTM’s ICUBE, UTSG’s Arts & Science Centre for Entrepreneurship, the Rotman School of Management, and the University of Toronto Libraries.

How do you want to continue innovating for the future of education?

I am a strong believer in lifelong learning. I plan to pursue more research at �������� and the University of Toronto. �������� fosters innovation through its esteemed leadership in academia, which directly leads to necessary social impact and positive changes at all levels of education.     

Innovation is at the core of continuous improvement in pedagogy: together, we develop creative solutions to benefit our community. A collaborative effort with input from people of diverse backgrounds is essential. I aspire to continue working with �������� and the University of Toronto to make language learning and literacy development more accessible, equitable, and inclusive for marginalized children.
 

Mentor of the Year Award – Dr. Cindy Sinclair

Dr. Cindy Sinclair, an MEd and PhD graduate, is an award-winning mentor, educator, and global education strategist, dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and career success through intercultural learning and community collaboration. As Adjunct Lecturer at U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Founder of Sinclair Consulting Services, and Leader of the Immigrant Women Medical Doctors of Color Circle, she empowers students and immigrant professionals in navigating systemic challenges through intercultural learning and community engagement. Dr. Sinclair is a former President of the �������� Alumni Association and a pillar of the �������� Mentorship Program. She has served on the U of T College of Electors and various committees advocating for social justice. Dr. Sinclair is currently a Senior Fellow at Massey College.

What has winning the Mentor of the Year award meant to you? Who has encouraged you along the way?

Winning this award is a deeply humbling affirmation of my lifetime experience in building bridges, nurturing potential, and serving with compassion. Growing up in Guyana, I witnessed my dad’s compassionate spirit and respect for his customers and employees. Coming to Canada as an international student with no idea how I would survive, I received similar kindness from strangers in Canada. These experiences, combined with the privilege of working and studying among brilliant minds at the U of T, have instilled my ensuing passion to uplift others.

I thank my family and the U of T for giving me wings to soar. Mentoring for me has been a delightful privilege – as much as I give, I receive.  I wish to thank my nominator, Serena Quintal whose bold idea during my first Global Alumni Fireside Chat sparked a cross-continental literacy project with �������� alum, Lems Crooks, in Ghana. Thanks to Meng Xiao, my first SJE PhD mentee and a newcomer to Canada with her family, and Lydia Ming Li, a courageous international MEd student in Education Psychology who arrived in Canada, felt lost and insecure, and within a short time became trailblazing scholars at ��������, for supporting the nomination. I am also grateful to my Professors, Peter Sawchuk, Njoki Wane, and George Sefa Dei and Family Medicine leaders and physicians, Dr. David Tannenbaum and Dr. Peter Selby, whose belief in me fuels my advocacy work in education and healthcare equity.

How would you like to continue making an impact in the lives of alumni and students?

The �������� Mentorship Program is not just a network; it is a vibrant living community that I am proud to help cultivate and grow. I am committed to enriching this �������� alumni-led program by deepening global alumni connections and uplifting student voices and achievements. Through fireside chats, storytelling workshops, cross-cultural, intercultural, and interprofessional collaboration, I aim to forge meaningful links across disciplines in education and healthcare.
 

Distinguished Service Award – Ms. Erin Finley

Erin Finley is an award-winning educator and artist who teaches at OCAD University and the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness. For over 20 years, she has helped people through art programs that build community and support wellbeing. Erin works with long-term care communities, using the power of art to activate memory and enrich lives. She contributes to international scholarship in health and art pedagogy and has received research support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Arts Council. Her projects have been widely featured in media and on television.

What has winning the Distinguished Service award meant to you? Who would you like to thank?

It is heartening to know that people value the work I do with long-term-care residents. I am passionate about helping people combat loneliness and isolation through innovative, collaborative art encounters. I would like to thank the long-term-care residents I create art with. They inspire me every day. I would also like to express my gratitude to my husband, whom I met at �������� many years ago. Heartfelt gratitude also goes to Amy Swartz, Sandra Porto, Nadia Finley, Lara Finley, and my parents.

How do you want to continue making an impact in your community?

I have my sights set on not only expanding my outreach projects, but also letting people know they can do similar things in their own communities. They don't need to have a particular talent; they just need to make contact with a long-term-care home and make some time. I have exhibited art internationally, and I have made art in front of large audiences, but some of the most affirming and rewarding creative experiences I have had in my career have happened when I work with older adults.