King's celebrates gold medal recipients of the Class of 2021

Congratulations to the 2021 King’s Gold Medal Award recipients, who will be honoured at the Celebration of Graduates, to be held on June 16, 2021. This ultimate academic achievement represents years of hard work and dedication.

Gold Medal Awards are presented to the graduate in each category with the highest average in the last year of their module to recognize their outstanding academic achievement.

The Gold Medal Award Recipients for 2021 are:

Gold Medal for Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies Honours: Rebecca Francis ’21, 4 Year Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies Honours Specialization in Finance and Administration

Francis is currently completing the Canadian Securities Course (CSC). She has also received a scholarship to write her Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 Exam. She aspires to become a financial advisor in the Wealth Management sector in the near future.

“These past four years served as an exceptional learning experience and opportunity for me to discover my passion, love for learning and to strive for excellence. Dedicating myself to growth and development allowed me and my peers to excel. Attending King’s University College helped build upon my leadership and interpersonal skills, while enhancing my knowledge and intellectual abilities. The school also allowed me to build meaningful, lifelong relationships with my professors and classmates. Lastly, as the Valedictorian for King’s Graduating Class of 2021, I would like to thank the whole King’s community for creating an inclusive and empowering environment where everyone felt heard, welcomed and respected,” says Francis.

Gold Medal for 3-Year Bachelor of Arts - Humanities - James Schnitzler ’21, 3-Year BA Major in Philosophy

Schnitzler, from Calgary, Alberta, plans to begin the MDiv program in continued seminary formation for the Catholic Priesthood.

“I am very grateful for the robust philosophical grounding I received at King’s. In all its essentials, my undergrad program was replete with great primary texts, lively in-class dialectic, and exceptional professors. Many thanks to all who challenged and inspired me along the way, but especially to Dr. Michael Fox, Dr. Dean Proessel, and Dr. John Killoran. I am forever indebted to you for further instilling in me a most necessary, unmitigated commitment to philosophy.” Says Schnitzler.

Gold Medal for 3-Year Bachelor of Arts - Social Science - Patrick Madge ’21, 3-Year BA Major in Finance

Madge, from Listowel, Ontario, plans on entering into the financial industry to use his expertise to help clients realize their goals.

“My time at King’s was amazing and a period in my life that I will always cherish. It is a very inclusive and diverse campus where I met many wonderful people. The professor’s and staff were supportive and helped me accomplish this gold medal,” says Madge.

Gold Medal for 4-Year Bachelor of Arts - Interdisciplinary Programs - Eliza McClelland ’21, 4-Year BA Major in Disability Studies

McClelland, of Bowmanville, Ontario will be taking a year off school to work and plan what is next.

“As a shy, quiet, and terrified first-year student, I knew King’s was the place for me. The small residences and classes made me feel less alone in my new city. I loved my program, Disability Studies. It taught me that school isn’t just about textbooks and papers; it’s about putting our heads together to make this world a better place where everyone belongs. University introduced me to some of my favourite people, my favourite job (L’Arche London), and my dream program of Disability Studies and for that, I feel really, really fortunate. I feel more than ready to take on this world because of my four years at King’s,” says McClelland

Gold Medal for 4-Year Bachelor of Arts – Humanities: Cole Van Meerbergen ’21, 4-Year BA Major in History

Van Meerbergen of London, Ontario, plans to take more courses at Kings and Western next year. He will then pursue a Master's in history for fall 2022 and hopes to complete a Bachelor of Education with the ultimate end goal od working towards teaching History and Geography at a secondary level. 

"My memory at King’s has been almost unforgettable and was ultimately my best decision for my post-secondary education, if it weren't for the amazing student body and King's faculty, I would've never found my passion for studying History. King’s allowed me to think and apply my knowledge towards history to the greatest degree through the incredible courses the faculty had to offer. This has helped me to continue to work towards my passion of teaching History for the future,” says Van Meerbergen.

Gold Medal for 4-Year Bachelor of Arts - Social Science: Hana Dardarian ’21, 4-Year BA Major in Psychology; Minor in Philosophy.

Dardarian, of London, Ontario plans to work as an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapist.

“My time at King’s was full of both fun and learning. I will always look back at my experience and smile,” says Dardarian.

Gold Medal for Bachelor of Arts Honours - Interdisciplinary Programs - Rachel Reparon ’21, 4-Year BA Honors Major in Disability Studies; Major in Family Studies and Human Development

Next year, Reparan, from London, Ontario, will be attending Western for the combined Master of Occupational Therapy and PhD in Occupational Science program. 

“I loved my time at King's! I was provided with so many rich learning opportunities through hands-on experience, research opportunities, and professors who genuinely cared about student's learning and well-being. The Disability Studies program cultivated critical thinking as well as passion within me that I am excited to carry forward into my post-grad education, career, and everyday life,” says Reparon.

Gold Medal for Bachelor of Arts Honours - Humanities - Adrianna Cubellis ’21, 4-Year BA Honours Major in English Language and Literature; Major in Philosophy

Cubellis, from Markham, Ontario, plans to take a year off to work, gain volunteer experience, study for the LSAT and apply to law school in the fall with the hope of starting in September of 2022. 

“King’s has provided me with the foundation and resources to grow into a hardworking and confident person, both inside and outside of the classroom. The small class sizes, the guidance from phenomenal faculty and the support from numerous campus resources made my four years at King’s unforgettable. I will value the friendships and relationships that I have made at King’s for the rest of my life. King’s has become for me, my home away from home. I am deeply honoured and grateful to be a Gold Medal recipient and thankful for all of the kindness and support provided to me by the King’s community,” says Cubellis. 

Gold Medal for Bachelor of Arts Honours - Social Science - Courtney Hartwig ’21, 4-Year BA Honours Specialization in Psychology; Major in Disability Studies

Hartwig, of Kilworth, Ontario, will be starting her MSc in Occupational Therapy at McMaster University in the fall.

“I am so grateful that I was able to make close connections with professors and peers due to the small class sizes that King’s provides. Some of my favourite memories from my time at King’s include being a KAMP mentor, engaging in experiential learning courses that allowed me to apply my knowledge in meaningful ways within London, and the rewarding feeling of completing my thesis about self-perceptions and stress in online learning,” says Hartwig.

Gold Medal for Bachelor of Social Work - Honours - Tara Husni ’21, 4-Year Bachelor of Social Work Honours Specialization in Social Work

Husni, from London, Ontario, hopes to gain valuable experience in the Social Work field and explore different areas of work with marginalized groups.  She may pursue her Master of Social Work or potentially explore teaching.  

“I have grown both personally and professionally at King’s. I have learned from brilliant professors to be inquisitive, introspective, and to challenge the status quo. However, being a full- time student while simultaneously juggling school and work commitments is not easy. My highlight at King’s comes from the wisdom, strength, and compassion of my fellow social work peers that helped me overcome these barriers and motivated me to continue pursuing my dreams,” says Husni.

Gold Medal for 3-Year Bachelor of Arts - Interdisciplinary Programs: Lama Naboulsi ’21, 3-Year BA Major in Social Justice and Peace Studies

Naboulsi, from London, is planning to work with refugees to help them overcome their challenges. " I believe they need a lot of support as they experienced a complex range of issues related to their migration experience, trauma, fear, and resettlement," says Naboulsi.

Gold Medal for Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies - Yun Wu ’21, 4-Year Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies Specialization in Finance and Administration

Congratulations to all of the Gold Medal Award recipients! The King’s community wishes these outstanding graduates all the best in their future career, vocational and academic pursuits.