2021 Award Recipients

Bachelor of Science (Plant Biology)

Manpreet Sahota has persistently worked to make her community better, whether it’s by demonstrating leadership at UCalgary or volunteering in the community.

Manpreet’s family left India and resettled in Canada shortly after the 1984 Sikh Genocide. Not only has she thrived despite adversity, she has helped others to connect and support each other. To create community among students who share a similar cultural background, she co-founded the Punjabi Students’ Association, which aims to reduce student isolation and promote a sense of Punjabi pride at UCalgary.

Serving as the Students’ Union Faculty of Science Representative, Manpreet led projects to make campus spaces more accessible, raised awareness of the Campus Mental Health Strategy, and implemented the first-ever Science Student Wellness Day. She has been a positive force on campus through a variety of other roles including a course peer leader, peer mentor with the Women’s Resource Centre, and new student orientation leader. She has been an advocate for making equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives a priority at UCalgary, including leading a promotional campaign to encourage diverse student participation in varsity sports.

In the community, Manpreet has volunteered at Peter Lougheed Hospital and Foothills Hospital since 2015. Her work has included coordinating meal-time assistance and musical visitors, spearheading the Co-Act Audit program to improve patient experiences, and mentoring incoming volunteers in effective patient communication. She also dedicated many hours to providing support to children in developing countries as Vice President of Communications and Executive Vice President of UNICEF on Campus.