2007 Medal Winners and Valedictorians
VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony A (Thursday, June 7 - 10am)
Claire Gall, Bachelor of Business Administration
 |
After graduation in 2001 from Mount Baker Secondary in her home town of Cranbrook, Claire Gall came to TRU to study finance and marketing. Claire was vice-president of the ACE (Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship) team which competed in Toronto this year, and she has also volunteered with the TRU eco-committee, Ducks Unlimited, BC Summer Games, Rotary Youth Leadership Camp, Lions Club, where she was inducted as an honorary member at the age of 18, and SPCA. Claire has accepted a position with Paramount Energy Trust of Calgary starting next week. She also plans to pursue a professional designation in finance and she will write the Level 1 chartered financial analyst exam later this year. |
VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony B (Thursday, June 7 - 2pm)
Shelley Kreutz, Bachelor of Education
 |
After graduating from Kamloops Secondary School in 1998, Shelley Kreutz earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre from UBC before coming to TRU to complete a degree in education. Shelley is looking forward to moving back to her house in Burnaby and getting a teaching job on the Lower Mainland, while continuing to work in film during the summer months. She’s also hoping to take some time off to travel around Europe. |
VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony C (Friday, June 8 - 10am)
Kristine Rasmussen, Bachelor of Fine Arts
 |
After graduating from Merritt Secondary School in 2002, Kristine Rasmussen came to TRU to further her knowledge and interest in photography and printmaking through a degree in Fine Arts. An excellent student throughout high school and university, Kristine has won numerous awards for academic merit, including the Governor General’s Award in 2002, the National Terry Fox Humanitarian Award, the National Garfield Weston Merit Scholarship for Colleges, a Millennium Excellence Award, an AUCC Mattinson Endowment award, and a TRU Visual Arts faculty scholarship. She also found time to volunteer with the MS Society of Canada, the Terry Fox Run, and at the Sagebrush and Pavilion Theatres. |
VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony D (Friday, June 8 - 2pm)
Amber Greenall, Bachelor of Natural Resource Science
 |
After graduating from Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School in 100 Mile House in 2002, Amber Greenall left the family ranch in 100 Mile House to come to TRU. A Bachelor of Natural Resource Science degree student with an interest in range issues, Amber attended the Society of Range Management Conference in Reno, Nevada, this year, where she placed 5th out of 152 students in the Undergraduate Range Management Exam. Amber’s future plans include a master degree, and she’s considering TRU’s new Master of Science in Environmental Science degree. Amber is also the winner of the Thompson Rivers University Medal in Natural Resource Science. |
VALEDICTORIAN - Fall Convocation
Kirti Naslund, Master of Business Administration
 |
Kirti Naslund was born in India and moved to Canada when she was 10-yeard old. In 2005, she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree, majoring in accounting, at The University College of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford.
Kirti maintained an impressive GPA throughout the intensive master's program and volunteered to chair the MBA Student Committee. She worked with the committee to organize events to facilitate the student's networks - both socially with ethnic parties and for business by hosting luncheons and breakfasts with keynote speakers. Her future plans include a career in finance or business consulting. |
GOVERNOR GENERAL'S ACADEMIC MEDAL (SILVER)
Christy Earle
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
 |
Christy Earle had many home towns and schools while growing up, and now, as new mom to nine-month-old daughter, Jovalyn, plans to take up the "gypsy life" herself and travel through her nursing vocation throughout Canada, the US, and internationally. Christy has volunteered in Kelowna General Hospital's emergency department, and with the CRNBC student rep program. She plans to pursue graduate studies in administration, and use that degree to become active in politics within the health care industry. |
GOVERNOR GENERAL'S ACADEMIC MEDAL (COLLEGIATE BRONZE)
Stuart Graham
Management Studies
 |
Stuart Graham was born in Vancouver in 1978, attending elementary and secondary school there. He completed his diploma in management studies through open learning while working. Recently married to another TRU graduate, Stuart plans to keep working in Vancouver.
|
UNIVERSITY MEDALS
These medals are awarded in each TRU degree program to the eligible graduating student who achieves the highest grade point average over the assessment period.
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN JOURNALISM
Karl Hardt
 |
Karl Hardt was born in Nairobi, Kenya, but grew up in Montreal. After graduating from Royal West Academy in 1987, Karl moved to Calgary, where he earned a journalism arts diploma at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in 1997. He then moved to Castlegar, earning a BC and Yukon Community Newspaper Association prize and a Hollinger Award of Distinction in newswriting and photography. In 2005 he moved to Kamloops to attend TRU, where he won the 2006 Jack Webster Student Journalism Award. He is considering graduate studies after spending some time in his chosen profession.
|
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN APPLIED COMPUTING SCIENCE
Michael Farough
 |
Michael Farough was born in Winnipeg, then, when he was in Grade 4, moved with his family to Kamloops, where he graduated from Brocklehurst Secondary School in 2000. After earning a diploma in TRU's Computer Systems: Operations and Management program in 2004, Michael, an avid reader, video gamer, and snowboarder, laddered into TRU's Bachelor of Technology in Applied Computing Science degree program. He will be working in his profession in Kamloops after graduation.
|
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN FINE ARTS
Linda Jules
 |
Linda Jules was born in Montreal, graduating from MacDonald High School in 1968. She completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at SFU in 1972, and then earned a diploma in cultural resources management at the University of Victoria in 1988, and a TRU fine arts diploma in 2006. Linda has volunteered with the Canadian Museums Association, the Heritage Advisory Council, the University of Victoria board of governors, the Kamloops Arts Gallery, where she was president of the board and chair of the public relations committee for the new gallery building campaign, and the Fine Arts School working group.
|
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN ARTS
Jonathan McQuarrie
 |
History major Jonathan McQuarrie was born in Victoria, then moved with his family to 100 Mile House, where he graduated from Peter Skene Ogden Secondary in 2003. An active campus volunteer, Jonathan served on the electoral board for student union elections in 2005, was a High School Model UN moderator at TRU Model UN conference in 2006, and was a student representative on the European History hiring committee in 2007. He received TRU foundation awards in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and received the History Excellence Award this year. He plans to pursue graduate studies in English history. |
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN EDUCATION
Co-winner: Jillian Marie Eyer
 |
Jillian Eyer was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, graduating from high school there in 1999. She earned a TRU Bachelor of Science degree in 2003, and has put her animal and environmental sciences knowledge to work in volunteer positions with Ducks Unlimited and the Burrowing Owl Conservancy Society. Jillian, who received the Margaret H. King Award for an education student who displays excellence in 2006, hopes to obtain a full-time teaching position.
|
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN EDUCATIONCo-winner: Krista Pitman
 |
Krista Pitman grew up in Silver Valley, Alberta, graduating from Savanna School in 1987. She finished two years of post-secondary study at Grande Prairie Regional College from 1987-1989, returning to university in 2003. Krista volunteers with the Girl Guides of Canada, where her daughter is a Spark, as well as at Pinantan Elementary and Heffley Creek Elementary. She enjoys horse back riding, cross-country skiing, canoeing, hiking and camping. She has been hired as a teacher-on-call with School District #73 and hopes to be hired as a full-time elementary school teacher.
|
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Maggie Xie
 |
Maggie Xie was born in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China, the daughter of a corporate lawyer and a pediatrician. After graduating from high school in 2002, Maggie came to TRU, where she's been named to the dean's list each semester and received a TRU Foundation award each year. Maggie, who will graduate with an honours BBA with a major in accounting and a minor in finance, received the Chartered Accountant Education Award. Maggie has found time to attend various student union activities and to participate in the ACE and Focus clubs.
|
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN NATURAL RESOURCE SCIENCE
Amber Greenall
| |
Amber Greenall, who completed co-operative education work terms while completing her degree, has a strong interest in range issues. She attended
the Society of Range Management Conference in Reno, Nevada, this year, where she placed 5th out of 152 students in the Undergraduate Range Management Exam. Amber's future plans include a master degree, and she's considering TRU's new Master of Science in Environmental Science degree.
Amber is also a 2007 valedictorian. |
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN SCIENCE
Kristi McBurnie
 |
Kristi McBurnie was born in Langley, grew up in Abbotsford, and then moved to Kamloops while a high school student, graduating from Valleyview Secondary in 2002. Kristi, who majored in computing science and minored in biology while completing her Bachelor of Science degree with a co-operative education option, won a number of scholarships, including a Community-University Enhancement Fund research grant, a prestigious Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council undergraduate research grant, and a leadership scholarship from the Girl Guides of Canada. She plans to pursue graduate studies in computer science.
|
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN SOCIAL WORK
Lorry-Ann Austin
 |
Lorry-Ann Austin was born in Edmonton, and while still a baby moved with her family to Algeria and, throughout her childhood, to Norway, England, Scotland and Singapore before returning to live in Surrey, BC, where she graduated from high school in 1990. She then completed an honours diploma in radio and television at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in 1997. Lorry-Ann, whose accomplishments at TRU include a research scholarship and a social workers grant, plans to continue working as an acute care social worker at Royal Inland Hospital while attaining a master's degree in social work, which will enable her to become a clinical social worker |
.
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN NURSING
Kristen Plowe
 |
Kristen Plowe was born and raised in Kamloops, graduating from Kamloops Senior Secondary in 1995. After some time traveling overseas, she returned to the classroom, earning a horticulture certificate from TRU in 2000. Kristen then worked and took a variety of courses before settling down to pursue a nursing degree in earnest. A dean's list scholar with a passion for physical activity, Kristen also found time to volunteer with the nursing undergrad society and as a tutor in patho-physiology. She is working full time at Royal Inland Hospital on a medical ward. She hopes to eventually earn a graduate degree in nursing, and then teach patho-physiology. |
THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY MEDAL IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT
Christine Hawes
 |
Christine Hawes was born and raised on Galiano Island, graduating from Stelly's Secondary there in 1999, then completed a wilderness leadership program at Capilano College in 2003 before coming to TRU. After travelling in South America for the summer, Christine hopes to return to Africa, where she worked in a Kenyan Children's Home as well as in small communities for famine relief. Upon her return to Canada, she plans to work as a sea kayak guide on the BC coast and the Queen Charlotte Islands. Future plans include continuing to work in tourism, primarily in Africa with a focus on tourism as a source of aid. She is currently in Chile doing community development work.
|