From the fifth Black woman in RCMP history to attain the rank of inspector to a passionate advocate for Blau syndrome, six of Royal Roads University’s most distinguished alumni will be honoured this May.
On May 3, the school will award the graduates who, through their work, have sought to address challenges in workplaces, communities and around the world.
“It brings me great pride to see the remarkable contributions they’ve made in communities near and far, inspiring people with the courage to transform the world,” RRU president and vice-chancellor Philip Steenkamp said in a news release.
The ceremony, at RRU's Dogwood Auditorium in Colwood (2005 Sooke Rd.), runs from 5 to 7 p.m. and is open to alumni and their guests.
Here are the alumni set to receive awards under various categories.
Distinguished Changemaker:
Veronica Fox (Master of Arts in Leadership, 2010): The fifth Black woman in RCMP history to achieve the rank of inspector, Fox is a respected leader, mentor and educator. She has dedicated her career to empowering other women of colour to enter careers in policing and security.
Veni Iozzo (Master of Business Administration, 2013): A global executive, Iozzo has led significant enterprise-level initiatives and is an experienced internal and not-for-profit director and collaborative leader.
Community Changemaker:
Dapo Bankole (Master of Arts in Leadership, 2018): Bankole is the founder and president of Mopheth Systems Corp., an IT firm that creates software products such as Mentorfy – a platform for companies and organizations to create, manage and expand mentoring programs. From Nigeria, he is passionate about helping newcomers establish strong roots in Canada.
April Hicke (Graduate Certificate in Corporate Social Innovation, 2023): Hicke challenges the status quo within the tech industry. Through her role as co-founder and chief growth officer of talent-scouting company Toast, she is advancing gender equity by helping women get careers and get ahead in tech while helping tech companies diversify their workforce.
Global Changemaker:
Kevina Power (Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Management, 2005): A driven humanitarian, Power works with the NGO World Vision. Her work requires her to find solutions to deeply entrenched social challenges, and her efforts have helped build cross-cultural collaborations while driving towards equitable development.
Emerging Changemaker:
Cheryl-Lynn Townsin (Master of Arts in Global Leadership, 2021): Townsin is a tireless advocate, educator and researcher on the impacts of Blau Syndrome. After losing her six-year-old daughter, Lexi, to complications of the inflammatory disorder, she co-founded the Cure Blau Syndrome Foundation, which aims to improve awareness and raise funds for medical researchers.
For more information, visit: royalroads.ca/ACAA.
