Each year, as part of MacEwan’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Week, an assortment of staff, faculty, students and alumni are honoured for their contributions as Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (I.D.E.A.) Leaders.

The initiative was created by the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Diversity (OHRDE), and focuses on individuals who are promoting and advancing inclusivity and equity on campus and in their respective communities.

“Congratulations to this year’s I.D.E.A. Leaders, Alix, Hanoor, Lindsey, Russell and Shaun for their ongoing contributions to making MacEwan better for everyone,” says MacEwan President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Annette Trimbee. “Creating an inclusive and equitable community requires an ongoing, conscious effort and I look forward to seeing what these campus leaders accomplish going forward.”

Student recipients

Alixaundria Lamothe

Creating spaces for Indigenous students on campus is important to Alixaundria Lamothe, a third-year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in Anthropology. She is a student project assistant at kihêw waciston, and also the president of the MacEwan Indigenous Students Club. In addition to her work with Indigenous students, Lamothe works with non-Indigenous groups from all backgrounds to introduce them to Indigenous traditions and ceremony. She has launched several initiatives in peer support and advocacy, and uses her own lived experience to educate and enlighten fellow students.

Harnoor Dhaliwal

Fifth-year Bachelor of Science student Harnoor Dhaliwal is dedicated to ensuring that Albertans of all backgrounds are treated fairly and are able to live a life free of hate. He works with the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee, and helped them to partner with major organizations like the World Sikh Organization, Sangat Youth and Punjabi Community Health Service. He treats everyone he meets fairly and respectfully, and aims to make that treatment the standard for everyone.

Faculty recipient

Lindsey Whitson

Academic librarian Lindsey Whitson works closely with kihêw waciston and other campus and community partners to support and decolonize teaching and learning inside and outside of MacEwan University. This past September, she collaboratively organized reflective land-based walks to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. To honour the late Roxanne Tootoosis, Whitson and Dr. Heather Fitzsimmons Frey are also working with kihêw waciston and with students to bring to the surface Indigenous histories and teachings across the city blocks of MacEwan. Whitson is co-chair of the Interdisciplinary Dialogue Project, alongside URDC Director Larisa Hayduk, which invites faculty, students, staff, and broader community into dialogue and action around important issues involving inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.

Staff recipient

Shaun Bosch

Shaun Bosch, program manager for the School of Continuing Education, brings his passion for equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion to his work at MacEwan and to his positions on various committees. He sits on the Women in Leadership Board, participates in a number of other community groups and regularly pursues professional development opportunities to increase his understanding and application of equity, diversity and inclusion principles.

Alumni/staff recipient

Russell Solowoniuk

MacEwan alum Russell Solowoniuk, Help Desk/Software Support ʻ00, has been working as an assistive technology education assistant with Access and Disability Resources for over 20 years. He was the first student to use a screen reader during classes, and has applied his own experiences to bettering the educational experience for other students since. He regularly runs presentations for the Special Needs Educational Assistant program on assistive technology, and has helped to produce braille materials on campus to increase accessibility for blind students.