The idea grew out of her own experience in sport. Nika had seen firsthand the confidence, leadership skills and sense of community that athletics can create. But she had also noticed that young women do not always have the same opportunities to see themselves in leadership roles within sport.
She wanted to help change that.
Through Bridge to Bench, Nika is creating opportunities for young women to gain exposure to leadership environments in sport, learn from women already working in the field and begin imagining themselves in roles such as coaching, administration and other areas of sport leadership.
Turning an idea into something real
Since receiving the $10,000 B. Anne Wood Leadership Award, the project has moved considerably beyond its original concept.
Nika has developed a placement model, built relationships with local organizations, including the OSEG Foundation, and worked through the practical questions involved in creating an experience that is meaningful and accessible for participants.
“The award gave me the ability to move the project from an idea into something I could actually implement. It created the space and resources to build partnerships, plan the program properly, and make the experience more accessible for participants and reduce some of the typical barriers we tend to see in sport,” says Nika.
The funding has also given Bridge to Bench something less tangible but equally valuable: credibility. As Nika began approaching potential partners, receiving the award helped demonstrate that the project had support behind it and could move from intention to implementation.
For Nika, that process has also changed her own understanding of leadership.
Developing Bridge to Bench has meant asking questions, reaching out to people, listening to feedback and adapting the project as she learned more.
Leadership, she says, has become less about having every answer and more about being willing to take initiative and adjust along the way.
The project will take another step forward on November 5, when Bridge to Bench hosts a leadership workshop at the University of Ottawa’s Lees campus. The event will bring together program participants and young women from NEW WAVE, an initiative of the Nepean Girls Hockey Association with similar goals. Hayley Irwin, a coach with the Ottawa Charge and two-time Olympic gold medallist, will share her experience in coaching and women's sport. While the first part of the workshop will be reserved for participants, Irwin's presentation will also be open to University of Ottawa students, offering them an opportunity to hear firsthand about women's leadership in sport.
Learning that reaches beyond the classroom
For the Faculty, that progression is an important part of the student experience the award is intended to support.
“What has impressed me most about Nika’s project is the way she has taken what she has learned, combined it with her own experience in sport, and turned it into something that responds to a real need,” says Jean-Philippe Thivierge, Vice-Dean, Undergraduate Studies. “That is the kind of student experience we want to create! one where academic learning becomes a tool for action. I hope other students will see what is possible and feel encouraged to bring forward their own ideas.”
Bridge to Bench also reflects a broader ambition: creating opportunities for students not only to understand social challenges, but to test ideas and contribute to practical responses.
“Students choose to study the social sciences because they want to understand the world, and also to change it! The B. Anne Wood Leadership Award helps us to support students with big ideas to use their academic skills to address a real-world problem. Over the years, the projects supported by this award have had a big impact on our communities. We are proud to be a catalyst for students looking to make positive change happen.”
What could your idea become?
Applications for the 2027 B. Anne Wood Leadership Award open October 19, 2026.
The $10,000 award is open to eligible third-year students enrolled in an Honours bachelor’s program at the Faculty of Social Sciences and supports the development of a personal leadership project over a 12-month period.
For students wondering whether their idea is developed enough to apply, Nika has simple advice:
“I would tell them to apply even if their idea isn’t completely figured out yet. My project became much clearer through the process of developing it. If you have something you care about and an idea that could make a difference, the award can give you the opportunity to actually test it, build connections, and turn it into something real. You don’t need to have every detail worked out before you start.”
Applications open October 19. Learn more about the B. Anne Wood Leadership Award and how to apply.