Announcing the 2026 OTSU Black Excellence in Leadership Award Winners
Each year, the OTSU awards Black-identifying students with its Black Excellence in Leadership Award (BELA). This year, we received so many great applicants, all of whom deserve recognition, so first and foremost, thank you to everyone who applied—you’re all role models!
Today we are thrilled to announce that this year’s winners are Jose Jones, Melissa Richards, and Zainab Lawal! Please join us in congratulating these exceptional students whose passion for leadership serves as a beacon for all students to persevere in the face of adversity.
As students, we occupy a pivotal space in society, one which can shape the conversations that have a material impact on forging a more inclusive future. The BELA was designed to recognize Black-identifying or Black multi-racial students whose exemplary leadership is an expression of how we can dismantle barriers and occupy spaces not traditionally occupied by individuals of colour.
Students were asked to apply for the award by outlining their experience with the intersectionality of student leadership and Black representation. We caught up with Jose, Melissa, and Zainab to ask them what winning this award means to them, and how perseverance is requisite in reshaping existing social constructs.
Josée Jones
OTSU: Congratulations on receiving this award. How did you feel when you found out you won?
Jose: I felt incredibly honoured and grateful when I found out I won the award. It was a really proud moment for me because it recognized not only my hard work, but also the support and encouragement I’ve received from my community, teammates, coaches, friends, and family along the way. As a student-athlete, balancing academics, soccer, and other responsibilities can be challenging at times, so receiving a Black Excellence Award felt very rewarding and motivating. It reminded me that the effort I put in is making an impact, and it inspired me to continue striving for excellence both personally and professionally.
OTSU: You’re on the varsity women’s soccer team and reformed the BIPOC Athletes Association, eventually becoming its president. What drove you to work so hard to get that going again? And what lessons did you learn from that process?
Jose: For me, it was really about seeing the need for it. Ontario Tech University is such a diverse school, especially within athletics, and when you look at other universities, many of them already had strong BIPOC athlete communities and support systems in place. I felt that our athletes deserved that same kind of space, somewhere people could feel represented, supported, and connected through shared experiences. That’s what motivated me to help restart the BIPOC Athletes Association and eventually take on the role of president.
Through the process, I learned a lot about leadership and persistence. One of the biggest lessons was to never back down from something you believe is important. Sometimes you have to keep asking questions, even the difficult or uncomfortable ones, in order to create change. I also learned how important it is to stay grounded in your values and goals throughout the process. When challenges came up, reminding myself why we started the association in the first place helped me keep pushing forward.
Melissa Richards
OTSU: Congratulations on receiving this award. How did you feel when you found out you won?
Melissa: When I first found out I had won, I was honestly in shock. Since the application was back in February, I had put it out of my mind, so receiving the news as the semester was ending was a surreal but incredible surprise. Once it sank in, that shock immediately turned into excitement and gratitude. As someone who leads out of passion, I don't always give myself credit for the work I do, so being recognized by my peers and the university community in this way is incredibly meaningful.
OTSU: You’ve been involved in so many community-building initiatives, and you spoke about collective leadership as a catalyst for change. How can younger students begin to reframe for themselves what they are capable of, and contribute to that legacy of change?
Melissa: When I think about how younger students can begin to reframe for themselves what they are capable of, and contribute to that legacy of change, my biggest piece of advice is to stop waiting for the perfect moment or formal permission to start leading. Leadership is not defined by a title or position; it starts when you notice a gap in your community and decide to take action.
For me, leadership started in very simple ways: tutoring, mentoring, and showing up for others who needed support. Over time, those small actions turned into larger commitments, but they all began with the same mindset: choosing to act on what I cared about, even when I didn't feel fully ready. I think a lot of students, like I once did, limit themselves by thinking that they need to have everything figured out before they can contribute meaningfully to their communities. But, real impact tends to comes from showing up consistently where you are, with what you already have.
I think that change is almost never created by one person doing something extraordinary alone; it is built through many people contributing in small, everyday actions that add up over time. So I would encourage younger students to see that the way they think, their experiences, and their skills already have value in the spaces they’re in. You do not need to be the president of an organization to make a difference. You just need to be willing to start where you are, pay attention to what is needed, and take that first step forward.
Zainab Lawal
OTSU: Congratulations on receiving this award. How did you feel when you found out you won?
Zainab: When I found out I had won the award, I felt really grateful and honestly a bit surprised. It had been a while since I applied, so I had started to believe that I didn’t get it. Finding out that I did made the moment even more meaningful. It helped me realize that the hard work I’ve been putting in, especially outside of the lecture room, has been seen and valued. It was one of those moments where I had to pause and take it in, and it reminded me how important it is to keep showing up and putting in the effort.
OTSU: You’ve been a student ambassador, orientation leader, been a part of CI Tech and the Women in Engineering club, to name a few. What drives you to keep pursuing new opportunities? How can these kinds of experiences empower students of Colour?
Zainab: What drives me is a strong sense of purpose and a desire to keep growing. I’ve learned that some of the most meaningful growth happens outside of the classroom, in spaces where you’re challenged and encouraged to step into roles you might not feel fully ready for. Through my experiences as a student ambassador, peer leader, and senior orientation leader, I’ve had the chance to meet so many new people and push myself to put myself out there. Being involved in clubs like CI Tech and Women in Engineering, black youth visionary program especially as a Black woman in engineering, has been a big part of that journey. Those club and connection have not only given me a sense of belonging, but have also reminded me of the importance of representation and using my voice. They’ve pushed me to step into leadership with confidence and to stand up for what I believe is right.
At the same time, these opportunities have allowed me to give back in ways that are really meaningful to me. During orientation weekend especially, I’ve been able to share what I’ve learned about my program and major with incoming and lower-year students, helping them feel more prepared and less alone. For me, perusing new opportunities is about making sure other students, especially current and incoming black students can see themselves in these spaces and feel like they belong there too. I want to help create an environment where they feel supported, seen, and empowered to take up space. Knowing that I can be part of that impact is what keeps me saying yes to new opportunities, even when they feel a little out of reach.
