A student committed to promoting citizen engagement as a means of building a truly democratic society

Carminda Mac Lorin is convinced that artistic creativity could be the key to a society in which citizens actively define their present and their future and she focuses every single one of her actions on promoting citizen engagement in all its different forms. Born into a family of mixed roots dedicated to international development, she gained a heightened awareness of all the different facets of social action at a very early age. Open to critical approaches focusing on social justice, among other things, from 2002 to 2006, she coordinated Solidarity Week at the Université de Montréal and from 2005 to 2010 she was actively involved in the Action Week Against Racism. Carminda has created several events that combine multidisciplinary arts and social criticism and in 2003 established Solidarythmé, an event that provides a new take on the benefit concert and is now in its ninth edition.

A student committed to improving the quality of life of deaf people

Cynthia Benoît has a passion for geography and is steadfastly devoted to a cause that has been close to her heart ever since she was little, that of improving the quality of life of deaf people like herself, and she will stop at nothing to ensure her projects are a success. Dynamic and determined, what truly sets Cynthia apart is the amazing diversity of her areas of action and her overflowing energy. President of the Société culturelle québécoise des sourds at the age of 22 and the organizer of the very first International Day of the Deaf held in Québec en 2007, the Master’s student in urban studies at INRS is currently in charge of the athlete development committee for the Canadian Deaf Sports Association as well as secretary of the Board of Directors of Deaf Youth Canada. It goes without saying that, although for some people deafness may be considered a handicap, for Cynthia it has become a source of pride!

A student committed to sharing his optimism so as to incite others to embark on the path to success

Fuelled by a positive attitude that is simply extraordinary, Jameson Jones-Doyle’s personal and academic achievements are all just as remarkable. Although he has had more than his fair share of hurdles to overcome because he has been afflicted with cerebral palsy since birth, Jameson has never let anything get the better of him. In his own personal way, he has steered his ship come hell or high water without ever allowing himself to be overcome with doubt. On the contrary, his illness has served as a source of motivation and at the age of 17 he began giving presentations at the National Stuttering Association’s annual conventions. Named Graduate Ambassador of the Year in 2010, Jameson became the first non-MBA student to be elected President of the John Molson Graduate Students’ Association in 2011. Spurred on in his daily life by his overflowing optimism, he has just launched his own company.