Past and Present Shining Students

Since 2017/18, students have been recognized and participated in our Shining Student initiative. Many students are nominated in several academic years, but for this purpose, they are listed the first year they are nominated. Please note that some of the details may have changed for the Shining Student profiles featured within this section. For example, many of these students have since graduated. Quite often we have name changes for programs, courses and departments and faculty and staff may have moved on, but at the time of posting to the web, the details were current. If you would like to learn more about something mentioned and can't find a reference to it on our websites, please contact artsci.communication@uleth.ca and we will do our best to assist.

Education Shining Student Taylor Dunning-Horvath

Taylor Dunning-Horvath discovered a love for teaching others to go along with his love of math and science at ULethbridge, leading him to the combined degrees program.

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Josh McNeil strikes a winning balance between athletics and academics

From the baseball diamond to the chemistry lab, Josh McNeil is learning to keep a lot of balls in the air. The pitcher/catcher with the Prairie Baseball Academy and second-year science student says …

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Niihtaapookaa (Old Man River Child), Tatiana Weasel Moccasin's journey forward is inspired by the past

Those who came before Niihtaapookaa, Tatiana Weasel Moccasin inspired her to attend ULethbridge. Their story, in particular, moves Tatiana to continue intergenerational healing while learning about Indigenous culture and traditions to become …

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Ty Dudas finds the formula for success in the lab

Ty Dudas, a third-year neuroscience student at the University of Lethbridge, has truly embraced the institution's liberal education philosophy. While majoring in neuroscience, Ty's curiosity led him to explore other fields, particularly organic …

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Maleeka Thomas has a passion for student advocacy

Maleeka Thomas is grateful for the opportunities the University of Lethbridge community has provided her, and the fourth-year sociology student – the first international and Black student to serve as President of …

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Shining Student Sydney Whiting is an advocate for environmental policy and social justice

ULethbridge introduced political science student Sydney Whiting to a community of student advocates who taught her about justice, equity, privilege, and intersectionality in practice outside of the classroom.

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Makenna Kleiner discovers a passion for wildlife and the environment at ULethbridge

Makenna Kleiner is a BSc Environmental Science student who chose ULethbridge due to its outstanding science programs and the incredible facilities in the Science Commons. Makenna discovered her passion for environmental science and …

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Shining Student Uvindu Abeysekara: A journey of academic excellence, research, and community engagement at ULethbridge

With unwavering determination, creativity, and an outgoing nature, Uvindu Abeysekara's ULethbridge journey serves as an inspiration, urging us to seize opportunities and push beyond our comfort zones for a transformative university experience.

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Kianna Turner discovers interdisciplinary growth at ULethbridge

Kiana Turner transferred from Red Deer College, choosing ULethbridge for its quick response time and small class sizes. Here, she has discovered different areas of interest through the liberal education model, explored …

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