Pluralism celebrates the things that make us different: 2017 award winner Clare Hickie

Do you know a student or alum you want to recognize with a Pluralism Award of Excellence? The Faith and Spirituality Centre invites you to submit your nomination  by Friday, April 13, 2018.

Past award recipient advocates for marginalized communities

Clare Hickie received the Pluralism Award in the student category in 2017. Hickie was nominated by a fellow University of Calgary student who felt touched by her concern and help dealing with issues arising from the American travel ban last year. The nominating student was an international graduate student at the time, whose plans to apply for graduate school in the United States were affected by the ban.

Hickie is in her final semester of a BA (Honours) in psychology with a minor in development studies. She is a decorated student, receiving the President’s Admission Scholarship, the Alyson Woloshyn Legacy of Leadership Award and the 2018 Women's Resource Centre Award.

Hickie has a lot of volunteer experience with the Leadership and Student Engagement office and the Women’s Studies and Feminist Club. She’s also worked on Campus Mental Health Strategy programs and organized events like Outrun the Stigma. In addition to being a mental health advocate, Hickie advocates and demonstrates support for people of marginalized communities who have been targets of discrimination and hate crimes. It is due to these qualities and many more that Hickie was awarded the Pluralism Award of Excellence last year.

Pluralism strengthens the campus community

Hickie believes that pluralism is an important value to help find new creative ideas and connect with one another as a community.

“Having a campus community that values pluralism means that everyone can come to campus and feel welcome and included,” Hickie explains. “Pluralism means we have a campus where we are encouraged to interact with one another on a deeper, more meaningful level, and not just seek out and celebrate the things that we share, but also the things that make us different.“

Hickie feels pluralism is a way of living and learning: “I’ve found many opportunities to take advantage of in our community, from engaging in the cultural clubs and events on campus, to taking classes that challenged me to think with a different perspective. 

“The most important way we can embody pluralism is being open to new ideas and perspectives, to celebrate the things that make us different, and to actively seek out new things. We can create a space where everyone will be valued and accepted for who they are as a person. “

Pluralism Awards of Excellence recognize one student and one alum each year

The Faith and Spirituality Centre's pluralism programming aims to foster an inclusive and pluralistic campus culture committed to understanding, action and respect. The annual Pluralism Awards of Excellence are one way to recognize the great work done by UCalgary students and alumni on campus and in the community.

The award recognizes one undergraduate or graduate student and one alum. Students, faculty and staff can make a nomination. Nomination criteria include having helped foster a pluralistic campus community, promoting interfaith and/or intercultural unity and understanding and demonstrating academic and/or professional distinction. Nominators must have consent from the students/alumni whose names are put forward to the selection committee, which has representation from campus departments and community organizations. The nomination also requires two supporting letters of reference.

The awards will be presented at the Faith and Spirituality Centre’s annual Interfaith Dinner held in September.