Celebrating Pickering College Young Alumni

On May 24, Pickering College hosted a special celebration in recognition of the nominees, finalists and recipients of the inaugural Alumni Keystone Award and the Agent of Change Community Award. Pickering College is honoured to announce the 2023 Alumni Keystone Award Recipient, Nico Macias’14. We are also pleased to name four 2023 Alumni Keystone Finalists: Tara Bhardwaj ’11, Amanda Brissenden ’11, Josephine Kanu ’16, and Carter Powis ’10.

Tara Bhardwaj ’11

Helping and inspiring others to create meaningful change in their communities.

Tara is a dynamic community leader helping others give back to their communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. She has an impressive career in the nonprofit sector, currently working with the Nature Conservancy of Canada managing the donor services team. She is also working towards a master’s degree in leadership and community engagement with York University. Tara’s impactful involvement includes volunteering as a board and committee member with Santropol Roulant and guest lecturing with various community engagements.

Amanda Brissenden ’11

Combining expertise in health sciences research and a passion for community service within clinical medicine.

Amanda is a biomedical engineering research scientist pursuing a doctor of medicine at the University of Alberta. Her impressive academic journey includes a doctor of philosophy in applied science at Queen’s University, where she achieved first place in the Queen’s Three Minute Thesis Competition and third place provincially. As a passionate community volunteer, she was honoured with the 2021 Ontario Volunteer Service Award for her five years of dedicated service at Kingston General Hospital.

Josephine Kanu '16

Striving to make a difference and positively impact the lives of others.

Josephine is a dedicated professional committed to making a difference through work and volunteer service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a vital role in a nationwide database project on emergency department admissions. Currently a clinical research coordinator at the BC Centre for Substance Use, Josephine focuses on evidence-based approaches to substance use and addiction. Josephine’s extensive history of volunteerism with her alma mater, University of British Columbia, contributed to a more inclusive, accessible campus, and helped inspire youth to become excited about learning.

Carter Powis '10

Leading bold conversations around environmental change and sustainable practices.

Carter currently serves as a senior advisor at McKinsey & Company’s Sustainability Practice while pursuing doctoral work in climate science at the University of Oxford. His expertise in climate science and its application to economic and business strategy extends beyond his work and academic studies. As a creator, producer and co-host of a Spotify podcast, Carter helps bring attention to climate change and mental health through conversations with worldleading experts such as former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore.

2023 Alumni Keystone Award Recipient Nico Macias ’14

Nico’s impactful work as an engineer at SpaceX has focused on enhancing the launch rate and reliability of the Falcon vehicle. His work contributed to cost-effective satellite missions and the first portion of the Starlink constellation to be placed into orbit. This technology is revolutionizing internet connectivity worldwide, forging new paths for rural and Indigenous communities lacking affordable internet and proving to be a vital tool for disaster relief efforts, demonstrated by its valuable use in Ukraine.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The Alumni Keystone Award recognizes the outstanding contributions our young alumni make in their fields to leave our world greater, better and more beautiful than they discovered it. A keystone is the wedge-shaped piece at the crown of the arch, something on which associated pieces depend on for support. Similarly, our young alumni are emerging community leaders who others depend on for inspiration, guidance and action.

AWARD CRITERIA & ELIGIBILITY

The nominated individual will:

• Demonstrate excellence in their field of endeavour, either in their career, academic achievement or in a volunteer service, striving for mastery and continued life-long learning, exemplifying: “Learning for Life. Creating the Future.”

• Demonstrate Quaker values, supporting the vision and mission of the Global Leadership Program, to be: “creative, innovative and courageous agents of ethical and positive change, true to Quaker values.”

• Be at minimum 5 years out since having graduated from Pickering College, or if they left the school before graduation, be affiliated with a class year that graduated in 2019 or earlier.

• Be younger than 35 years old, or be a member of the Class of 2007–Class of 2019.

For example:

• They have demonstrated that their current work has, or will have, the potential to advance the field they are in (e.g. ground-breaking research, innovation that could include the creation of new products, frameworks for improved delivery models of services, taking action on a particular problem).

• They have mentored and continue to mentor individuals within their field, further expanding their knowledge and advancing their field by supporting and inspiring others.

• Their work has had a noticeable influence locally and/or globally.

Nominate someone for the Alumni Keystone Award at www.pickeringcollege.on.ca/community/alumni/keystone-award

Nominations will be accepted until March 31, 2024.