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Susie Toe: FHS Award for Outstanding Service to the Faculty of Health Sciences

This award goes to the student whose activities and efforts support the FHS community, and Susie Toe has devoted herself to service and leadership that uplift her peers and broader communities throughout her undergraduate journey. She found great joy in continuously volunteering as a HIVE Leader and Peer Mentor for FHS, helping students transition into university by sharing her own experiences and providing welcoming resources. 

She also served in multiple leadership roles such as VP External for HSUSU, Executive At-Large for the Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry (SOCA), House Chairperson for the Residence Hall Association, and President of Campus Vibe Moments. In these positions, Susie helped organize inclusive events, coordinated volunteer opportunities, and promoted student engagement leading culturally inclusive programming that celebrated diversity and fostered a sense of belonging.

Susie reminds students to check in on themselves, be kind to themselves and others, and always make time for the small hobbies they love. 鈥淚t鈥檚 through those moments that we find strength and motivation to keep moving forward in everyday life.鈥�

Rachelle Payandeh: FHS Award for Extraordinary Achievement

The most rewarding part of Rachelle Payandeh鈥檚 undergraduate experience was being a part or SFU鈥檚 vibrant community. She was heavily involved with SFU鈥檚 FHS Peer Mentorship Program, Autism Mentorship Initiative, Women in STEM and Let鈥檚 Talk Science outreach program. Through these programs she contributed to vital initiatives, and gain life-long friendships and mentors.

During her time at SFU, Rachelle was also a research assistant within the Injury Prevention and Mobility Laboratory conducting research on cycling-related injuries. She also helped with research at St. Paul鈥檚 Sinus Centre where she was able to form meaningful connections with patients. Currently, Rachelle works at BC Cancer in the Population Health Sciences department. Since joining the team, she has developed a deeper understanding of the critical role supportive care plays in patient experience and quality of life.  

Outside of SFU, Rachelle volunteers with Eagle Ridge Hospital in the Surgical Day Care, NaloxHome as Youth Educator and the YMCA as a spin class instructor! Rachelle's time at SFU helped her grow academically and professionally, but it was the friendships she formed and the support of the faculty and staff that she attributes her success to.

Rachelle is grateful to receive this award as it reflects the values and commitments that shaped her time at SFU. 鈥淒edicating hours to the community took a lot of effort and growth and I am proud to have pushed myself toward something meaningful.鈥�

Chloe Goodison: FHS Award for Outstanding Community Service

Chloe Goodison has a number of memorable experiences she can recount, but everyday has brought new highlights for her. Taking courses that enriched her passions for health equity and community engagement; partaking in eCoop with the Charles Chang Institute taught her how to run a social venture; and making new friends through clubs, labs, and coffee meetings brought lifelong connections.

Receiving the Extraordinary Achievement Award in 2023 was a big milestone, marking Chloe's leadership as a 21-year-old Executive Director following NaloxHome Society鈥檚 incorporation as a nonprofit. Now a Registered Charity, NaloxHome has reached over 40,000 secondary students in BC with science-backed, stigma-free drug education. With 91 youth volunteers and 4 youth staff, the organization continues to grow through community-rooted collaboration and care.

Chloe advises students to get involved both on and off campus, as it will spark personal and professional growth. At SFU, she immersed herself in student life as President of The FentaNIL Project, a Peer Mentor, a Research Assistant, and more. Beyond campus, she volunteered in emergency departments and served on governance boards, gaining real-world insights that deepened her understanding of health complexities, ultimately enriching her studies.

Jaden Gornall: FHS Award for Citizenship and Exemplary Academic Performance & FHS Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, BA Program

The best part of Jaden Gornall's chapter at FHS was translating his understanding of health equity into meaningful action within his communities. Founding a non-profit, Limb to Life Yoga Collective, and guiding adaptive yoga at G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre allowed him to see the impact of accessible wellness firsthand. Jaden also valued his work at SEL BC, organizing initiatives that advance mental health literacy in BC schools through knowledge exchange between public health researchers and educators. Additionally, he enjoyed volunteering with Mywell Health to develop online health promotion kits. Jaden's desire to support the well-being of his SFU community also inspired him to facilitate mindfulness workshops for the FHS, Let鈥檚 Be Real club, and Out on Campus.

Jaden's two awards highlights his work achieving the top mark in the BA program, and recognizes the qualities he has as a leader continuously contributing to the communities around him. For him, the rewarding nature of these experiences reaffirmed his passion for combining scholarship and intellectual exploration with hands-on community initiatives. This summer, in collaboration with Dr. TJ Salway and fellow FHS students, he is leading a mixed-methods research study examining the impacts of partner-integrated yoga therapy on 2S/LGBTQ+ mental health.

As for advice for other FHS undergrads, Jaden urges students to not underestimate their ability to make an impact in a way that is uniquely their own. "Stay curious, leave your social and material environments in better condition than you found them, and remember that even small contributions can make a lasting difference for both yourself and those around you."

Ida Niksirat: FHS Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, BSc Program

Looking back on her time at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ida will always cherish the people there. From professors to advisors to administrators and fellow students, every individual brought their unique perspectives in the interactions they had with her. The advice they gave and stories they shared encouraged her desire to think outside of the box and consider healthcare problems from an interdisciplinary, holistic point of view. The support and knowledge from mentors and peers encouraged her to pursue research, completing an Honours thesis that provided recommendations to policy makers, allied health professionals, and patients on artificial intelligence use in Canadian healthcare spaces. 

Receiving the award for the top mark in the BSc program, Ida feels affirmed in her philosophy towards learning. Having faced incredible adversity throughout her life, Ida understands how difficult it is to pursue education in the face of seemingly insurmountable social barriers. Ida hopes that students in similar positions remember that learning is a human right, not a privilege. No social structure in place can trump the role that learning has always played in human development, biology, culture, and history. Every individual has a right to learn, and Ida sincerely hopes that students hold themselves firm in that right through challenges and difficult times. 

Ida will always remember her time in the Faculty of Health fondly because of the people who were a part of the journey. If she could impart advice to incoming and current FHS students, Ida would emphasise that the best way to develop yourself is to connect with others. Talk to everyone you can and take advantage of the unofficial education provided in these conversations alongside the official one you enrolled in.