The 2026 Q-TILITIES So QriTical! Student Award Winner is Thamar Derksen!
This award, valued at $500, recognizes outstanding community engagement and leadership of an MRU undergraduate student, and is financially supported by Q-TILITIES, a queer-owned energy services provider. Among many other activities, Thamar founded YYC Sapphics and has volunteered at the SAMRU Pride Center and organizations including Calgary Outlink and the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conversation,.Thamar also recently launched the Calgary Queer Bird Watching Club, aimed at connecting 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC people by getting into nature and enjoying bird watching/photography in local parks and outdoor spaces.
The 2026 So QriTical! Student Award winner is Jess Neary!
This award, valued at $500, recognizes outstanding community engagement and leadership of an MRU undergraduate student. Jess is an accomplished student leader, previously the lead facilitator at MRU’s Stepping Up program and currently volunteering as a peer support worker for the After Hours Peer Support Centre supporting other students in crisis. Jess is also the Co-Vice President for the Bachelor of Child Studies Student Society.
