Award Criteria & Nomination Process
Nominations now open for the Viola Desmond Awards
Do you know a Black woman or gender-diverse person connected to the university who is making a positive difference in their community?
We invite you to submit a nomination today! The deadline for applications is Friday, June 7.
Five award recipients are chosen each year
Each year, five awards are given to Black women and gender-diverse people connected to the university including a university student, a faculty member, a staff member, an alum and a local high school student.
Review the awards criteria and nomination process:
Awards nomination criteria
One reference letter required with each nomination
All nominations require one reference letter (maximum one page) provided by an individual who can speak to the nominee's contributions to the Black community and/or how they are an active leader in their community or someone who has benefitted from the nominee’s work.
- High school students may submit letters from their teacher, mentor, guidance counselor or school administrator (this could be someone who supervised a co-op or volunteer placement).
- Students (undergraduate, graduate and continuing education) may submit letters from their teacher, mentor, employer (volunteer, paid work, placement) or spiritual/faith/community leader.
- Staff may submit letters from their supervisor/manager, colleague, committee/team leader or student.
- Faculty may submit letters from their supervisor/manager, colleague, committee/team leader or student.
- Alumni may submit letters from their current or past teacher, mentor, supervisor/manager.
Optional supporting documents
Nominators can also choose to include a maximum of one of the following additional supporting documents:
- additional reference letter from another referee
- letters of recognition associated with another award, recognition, etc.
- articles about the nominee
- videos highlighting the nominees work
- links to associated businesses, groups, etc. that highlight the nominees work
For faculty nominations, nominators can submit an academic C.V. and/or links to publications.
Categories and eligibility
The TMU student award nominee must:
- Self-identify as a woman or gender-diverse person.
- Self-identify as Black.
- Be currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time student at TMU.
- Agreed to be nominated by their nominator.
- Be in good academic standing (only those students with a minimum 1.67 cumulative grade point average and a clear academic standing will be considered).
- Be a positive role model and advocate of the Black community.
- Be an active leader in their community, with examples to showcase that they have made a positive difference in areas such as equity, diversity, inclusion, human rights, social justice and community development and engagement.
This award includes a $500 monetary reward.
The TMU faculty award nominee must:
- Self-identify as a woman or gender-diverse person.Self-identify as Black.
- Be currently employed as a full-time or part-time faculty member at TMU.
- Agreed to be nominated by their nominator.
- Have enriched TMU’s and/or Toronto’s diversity through initiatives promoting Black history and celebrating the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural lives of Black people.
- Be an active leader in their community who has made a positive difference in areas such as equity, diversity, inclusion, human rights, social justice and community-building/engagement.
Have a minimum of two years of work/volunteer background and/or activist/advocacy experience with the Black community.
The TMU staff award nominee must:
- Self-identify as a woman or gender-diverse person.
- Self-identify as Black.
- Be currently employed as a full-time or part-time staff member at TMU.
- Agreed to be nominated by their nominator.
- Have enriched TMU’s and/or Toronto’s diversity through initiatives promoting Black history and Black flourishing.
- Be an active leader in their community who has made a positive difference in areas such as equity, diversity, inclusion, human rights, social justice and community-building/engagement.
- Have a minimum of two years of work/volunteer background and/or activist/advocacy experience with the Black community.
The TMU alumni award nominee must:
- Self-identify as a woman or gender-diverse person.
- Self-identify as Black.
- Be a graduate of TMU from any program.
- Agreed to be nominated by their nominator.
- Have enriched TMU’s and/or Toronto’s diversity through initiatives promoting Black history and celebrating the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural lives of Black people.
- Be an active leader in their community who has made a positive difference in areas such as equity, diversity, inclusion, human rights, social justice and community-building/engagement.
- Have reflected and recognized, in their actions and deeds, the importance of their TMU education and through their stature, integrity and ability they inspire students, faculty and staff within the Black community, both on and off-campus.
The local high school student award nominee must:
- Self-identify as a woman or gender-diverse person.
- Self-identify as Black.
- Be in their final year of secondary school in the Toronto area.
- Agreed to be nominated by their nominator.
- Meet or exceed the Ontario Ministry of Education standard of good academic standing (only those students with a minimum average of 70% in 6 U/M credits or equivalent will be considered).
- Plans to attend an accredited Ontario university or community college.
- Be a positive role model and advocate of the Black community.
- Be an active leader in their community who has made a positive difference in areas such as equity, diversity, inclusion, human rights, social justice and community-building/engagement.
This award includes a $500 monetary reward.
Applications for the student bursary are now closed
About the Student Bursary
All applications to the Viola Desmond Bursary are considered, evaluated and awarded by the Viola Desmond Planning Committee.
The recipient is awarded $1,000.
Eligibility criteria
The bursary applicant must:
- Self-identify as a woman or gender-diverse person.
- Self-identify as Black.
- Be currently enrolled as a student at TMU and have clear academic standing (minimum 1.67 cumulative grade point average is required for consideration).
- Be a positive role model and advocate of the Black community.
- Have demonstrated involvement in the community through extracurricular activities both on campus and/or in the community.
Questions?
Please contact the Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion (OVPECI) at violadesmond@torontomu.ca.