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The Ban Righ Foundation is inviting Queen’s and Kingston community members to join its first in-person celebration since 2019 of the Inspiring Women Awards and Student Spring Awards.

"The decision to host one big combination event just made sense,” says Susan Belyea, Director of the Ban Righ Centre. “As Ban Righ staff have always said, the mature women students we meet every day are some of the most inspiring women we know!"

The Inspiring Women Awards: An Evening at the Isabel, is scheduled for April 27, 7–9 pm at The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, and will feature live music and poetry performances, along with the presentation of the awards. .

Since 2016, the Ban Righ Foundation’s annual Inspiring Women Awards have highlighted the contributions of women to the Queen’s and Kingston communities.

The Mentorship Award recognizes a Queen’s faculty member who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting and inspiring female students in achieving their goals through mentorship and/or knowledge sharing. The 2023 recipient is Dr. Sara Nabil, Assistant Professor of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Interaction Design, School of Computing.

The Leadership Award recognizes a woman who has created opportunities for others in, and made positive contributions to, the Kingston community. This year, the award will be presented to Yasmine Djerbal, Associate Director of the Queen’s Centre for Teaching and Learning. Yasmine is also involved with several local organizations, and is co-founder of Roots & Wings, which aims to educate, empower, and engage local female, transgender, Two-Spirit, and gender-nonconforming youth of colour.

“Inspiring Women is an opportunity for campus and community to come together for a truly celebratory evening. Learning the stories of the Inspiring Women Award recipients and our Student Spring Award recipients reminds us of the strength, humour, and heart of the women in our lives,” says Belyea.

Student Spring Awards

The donor-funded Student Spring Awards honour the achievements and determination of 13 mature women students.

“When I came to Kingston with an 11-month-old to start my degree, I knew no one in this town, but the Ban Righ Centre became my home,” says Antara Arif, PhD candidate, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, and 2023 recipient of the Janet Bilton-Holst Citation. “I have been through various struggles as a student-parent, and I must say, I would not have been able to continue without the support of the BRC. I thank the friends and family of Janet Bilton-Holst who established this award. It reminds us how precious we are as individuals and how we can help to create a compassionate environment for all of us.”

“The Student Spring Awards are an opportunity to publicly recognize the perseverance and accomplishments of mature women at Queen’s, who have overcome barriers and juggle multiple roles while pursuing their education,” says Belyea. “Our students tell us that receiving an award, many of which have a monetary value, is a validation of the hard work and determination that is a central part of their academic and life journeys.”

Recipients’ families, friends, and colleagues are invited to join the celebration.

To learn more about the Ban Righ Centre, and how it supports mature women students at Queen’s in achieving their academic goals and finding community, explore their website.