These awards are a way to recognize and encourage excellence in undergraduate and graduate studies by celebrating those who have distinguished themselves not only academically, but also outside the classroom.
The Faculty of Arts is proud to announce the recipients for the year 2026.
Meet our winners
Julia Lucas
Julia is a fourth-year Honours BA student graduating from the World Languages and Cultures program with a minor in French as a Second Language. Over the course of her program, she has particularly enjoyed exploring global and cultural topics through the lenses of history, philosophy, critical theory and literary analysis. She has been able to pursue her passion for language learning through the Spanish courses offered at uOttawa and strengthened her French through linguistic risk-taking and engaging with the Francophone community.
Julia demonstrated her passion for Indigenous reconciliation efforts through her capstone seminar case study on the Secret Path multimedia project, which she presented at the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures’ annual symposium. She has gained hands-on experience through her position as a research assistant, expanding her knowledge in the fields of theatre and bibliographic work through the Brecht in/au Canada database project. Julia will continue her studies at uOttawa through an MA in public and international affairs this fall.
Ana Carolina Muñoz Cruz
Ana Carolina is a student in her second year of the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute’s MA in bilingualism studies. Holding a bachelor’s in teaching and in second language teaching, she was chosen as a Spanish assistant by the Centre international d'études pédagogiques in France. With experience teaching French and Spanish as a foreign language, she has a particular interest in issues related to linguistic identity in the context of migration, which led her to write a thesis on “1.5 generation” migrants’ sociolinguistic and identity trajectories, as well as looking at the way families’ language practices shape their relationship to their first language and linguistic identity.
Regarding this, she will take part in two major conferences this summer: the LPP Conference (Multidisciplinary Approaches in Language Policy and Planning) organized by the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, and the Methods in Dialectology and Language Diversity XIX conference, taking place at the University of British Columbia. She has received a grant for the latter from the Faculty of Arts.
Ana Carolina has also served as a research assistant for Professor Nikolay Slavkov throughout her master’s, an experience for which she’s particularly grateful. Professor Slavkov enabled her to strengthen her training in applied linguistics and sociolinguistics research, two areas in particular that her thesis draws on.
Dana Mehdipour-Haidari
Dana is graduating with an Honours Bachelor of Arts, with a major in art history and a minor in law. Throughout her undergraduate career, she has focused her studies on Iranian art portraying women, orientalism, textiles, and human rights from an intersectional feminist lens. Additionally, Dana was able to explore a multitude of diasporic perspectives while writing for the Planting Roses in January exhibition catalogue and her research paper, Finéus’ Déchoukaj: An Unravelling of Haitian Women’s Stories, which will be published in 2026.
Interested in contemporary issues, Dana participated in brAIchild, uOttawa’s open educational resource project. Her research chapter, titled “Freedom,” studies AI’s misconstrued depiction of Iranian women’s representation after the Women, Life, Freedom movement. A lifelong reader, she volunteered with the Reading Rocks program, giving weekly literacy tutoring lessons. Last summer, she published her debut novel, Remembering Memories, a woman’s historical fiction set in 1970s Iran, exploring class, gender and the notion of memories.
Franceska Rossignol
A woman of Haitian, Quebecois and Innu background, Franceska is in the honours BA, with a major in Indigenous studies and a minor in social work. She grew up in a Montreal neighbourhood where poverty, violence and gangs were part of everyday life. Raised by a single mother who always refused to be limited by labels, she received much more than the basics: deep values, discipline, perseverance and the belief that she could go far.
At a very young age, Franceska took part in different activities: cadets, gymnastics, soccer, gardening and volunteer work. At 15 years of age, she was already working. From 13 years of age, she knew that she wanted to become a lawyer, to fight injustice, particularly that experienced by Indigenous people, a reality rooted in her family history that she felt deeply even before being able to put a name to it.
Twice denied admission to law at the Université de Montréal, she experienced disappointment, doubt and self-questioning, but she didn’t give up. She then turned to Indigenous studies, a choice from the heart despite the obstacles. At times, she asked herself if she was really in the right place, but she continued.
Two years later, she dared to try again: she applied to the University of Ottawa, and this time, everything changed.
From the moment she arrived, the change was striking. Franceska discovered a deeply caring environment, one of mutual support, where teachers were really involved and believed in their students. Quickly, she became a research assistant in decolonization and Indigenization. That was when something clicked: she understood that she didn’t have to become a lawyer to advocate for her beliefs, get involved with vulnerable populations and change things.
The first woman in her family to receive a bachelor’s, Franceska is the embodiment of resilience. Driven by her family’s and friends’ unconditional love and buoyed by all the quiet sacrifices that paved the way for her, she advances powerfully — for herself, for her folks and for all those who haven’t yet found their way.
Her journey is a reminder that we don’t always choose where we start, but there’s no limit to where we can go.
Youssef Wasef
Youssef is a fourth-year student of English literature and creative writing. He predominantly writes realist literary fiction to interrogate gender relations, sexuality and the Middle Eastern diaspora. In 2023, he was the recipient of the Arts and Letters Award for poetry, and his work has appeared in Common House, Bywords.ca and the Literary Times.
In 2024, he placed third in the University of Ottawa Department of English’s 24-hour short story contest and placed first in the UESA creative writing scholarship contest for two consecutive years, in 2025 and 2026. In the fall, he will begin his master's degree in English and creative writing at the University of Toronto on a SSHRC grant.
Grace Zhang
Grace is a fourth–year student graduating with her honours bachelor of arts in history. Passionate about historical research, Grace had the opportunity to be involved with the uOttawa Undergraduate History Students’ Journal (CLIO) as an editor and co-director, in addition to completing an independent history essay under the supervision of Professor Kouky Fianu.
Her research focused on periodization, investigating the Global Middle Ages and the Chinese Middle Ages in conjunction with the theories of Edward Said. She is extremely grateful to Professor Fianu for initiating her interest in medieval history and supporting her throughout her research. Additionally, she wishes to thank Professors Jo-Anne McCutcheon, Michel Bock and Heather Murray for supporting her intellectual development. Grace is excited to be starting her juris doctor at Osgoode Hall Law School this fall, where she hopes to continue her passion for academic research in the legal field.
Éloïse Côté
Éloïse is finishing an honours bachelor’s in Greek and Roman Studies after four years of study at uOttawa in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies, during which she received a University scholarship every term. She’s also interested in archeology and in the ancient Mediterranean world, passions she developed through visits to many archeological sites in Europe. She’s particularly interested in how material culture can shed light on the lives of women reduced to slavery in antiquity.
In 2025, Éloïse took part in an archeological dig in Italy, where she gained hands-on skills in excavation, stratigraphy and analysis of archeological material. During her studies, she has volunteered for the National Capital Commission’s public archeology program at Lac Leamy and with the Société franco-ontarienne du patrimoine de l’histoire d’Orléans, helping document and preserve oral histories of seniors in her community.
She plans to begin graduate studies in classical archeology this fall, and would like to offer her sincere thanks to Professors Marie‑Pierre Bussières and Dominic Côté for their constant support and their generosity throughout her time at university.
Emma Desjardins
Emma Desjardins graduated summa cum laudefrom uOttawa with an honours bachelor’s in psychology. She’s currently pursuing a master’s in lettres françaises in the research-creation profile, which she’ll complete this year. She received an SSHRC master’s scholarship and the 2025 CRCCF scholarship, and is studying narrative identity and how it’s used in the fictional letter by Quebecois female writers. Her interdisciplinary approach combines narratology and cognitive sciences to explore the link between epistolary narratives and mental health concepts.
During her time as an undergraduate at uOttawa, she worked as part of various psychology research laboratories. She now serves as president of the Département de français graduate students association (AÉCS) for 2025–2026. She also helped organize a 2026 symposium and took part in her department’s book clubs.
She’d like to express her gratitude to her thesis directors, Joseph De Koninck (bachelor’s) and Claudia Bouliane (master’s), as well as to her colleagues in the department, whose constant support has been key to her success.
Clarence Charron
Clarence Charron is graduating with an honours bachelor of public relations, leaving a distinct imprint on the Department of Communication through the interdisciplinary imagination and scale of the work he has built throughout his degree. His research uses ethnography and media analysis to examine everyday cultural myths and systems of power. Clarence has presented his award-winning work in both academic and industry settings.
In 2025, he represented Canada at the Munich Security Conference as a NATO youth delegate. His nonfiction book, New Bohemians: How Today’s Creatives Play the Game and Break the Rules of the Social Class System, is forthcoming in 2026. Clarence will be remembered for intellectual ambition, creative risk-taking and a willingness to test the limits of conventional assignments in pursuit of larger questions. The pages of his chapter remain unwritten, but his work signals a career unlikely to follow a conventional storyline. Clarence would like to thank Professor Stuart Chambers for his mentorship and support.
Nicholas Séguin
This spring, Nicholas will complete a doctorate in interdisciplinary research in music. He previously received a BA in psychology and an MA in music from uOttawa. His doctoral thesis develops an original approach blending these two disciplines to study audio puzzles in video games, thus creating a theoretical foundation for this emerging field. His work will contribute to the development and study of games, putting audio in the forefront, whether for music learning applications, accessible experiences for persons with visual impairments or games that fully exploit the potential of sound.
Nicholas has received numerous distinctions, including a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council doctoral scholarship and an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. He has already published three peer-reviewed scholarly articles and has presented his research at international conferences. In 2024, he also served as a lecturer in the School of Music, sharing his expertise and dynamism.
Finally, he demonstrated his involvement in student life as vice-president of the uOttawa Esports club (2022–2024), where he promoted Francophone engagement and access in French to club services.
Mariana Cortés Kandler
Mariana is a fifth-year PhD candidate in linguistics at the University of Ottawa. Originally from Costa Rica, Mariana has taken a path to doctoral research that includes graduate training and professional experience in language-related fields. Her research uses ultrasound tongue imaging alongside acoustic analysis to examine variability in speech production across languages, focusing on the relationship between articulatory patterns and acoustic output. Building on earlier work in Hispanic linguistics and phonetic variation, she studies how speakers produce speech that is both individually variable and systematically structured across sound systems.
During her time at uOttawa, Mariana has developed her research while also building a life in Canada, balancing academic work with teaching, conference participation and raising her daughter, Lucía. She has presented her work at national and international conferences and has benefited from institutional support, including doctoral funding and research and travel grants, as well as a collaborative environment within the Department of Linguistics.
Mariana has taught both as a teaching assistant and course instructor, and aims to create engaging, data-driven learning environments. She is interested in continuing to combine research and teaching, supporting students in developing analytical and critical thinking skills and building confidence in their work.
Tatiana Solfjell Huard
Tatiana is a fourth-year student in the BSc in Physical Geography and Geomatics with a minor in environmental studies. Her time in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics has allowed for several exciting opportunities, such as the completion of an honours thesis project on the climate in the St. Elias Mountains (Yukon) since the 1960s and serving with the department’s student association.
She has sought to broaden her experience throughout her degree by working as a research assistant for the University’s Geochemistry Core Facility, being a TA, supporting research as a field assistant for the Laboratory for Cryospheric Research and earning certification in yoga teaching. She looks forward to continuing her studies of the polar regions during her MSc in geography at the University, starting in fall 2026.
Celebrating an Inspiring Arts Alumna
Janet McKeage
Special thanks to Arts alumna and donor, Janet McKeage (BMus ’94), for sharing inspiring remarks with our students during this evening of celebration and recognition. We also extend our congratulations on receiving the University of Ottawa Alumni Association’s Award for Community Service in recognition of her outstanding leadership, philanthropy, and commitment to community impact.
