Established in 2017 by Joyce Sakamoto and Bonnie Jarokosky in memory of their parents, the Jo and Anne Vanee Memorial Award is presented annually to a Dhillon School of Business student at the University of Lethbridge. It honours the values that Jo and Anne Vanee held most dear, recognizing a student who exemplifies compassion, kindness, and a dedication to supporting their peers through volunteerism. Recipients must also maintain strong academic standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
The latest recipient of the Jo and Anne Vanee memorial award is Moyosoreoluwa Oladoye, a Bachelor of Management student in her third year as a finance major.
ULethbridge alumna and finance coordinator at the Town of Coalhurst, Toluwalase Awoderu (BMgt '24), says that Moyosoreoluwa is truly deserving of the award due to her sincere and selfless dedication of time, talent and resources to positively impact the community.
"Moyosoreoluwa gracefully balances many responsibilities, always demonstrating a commitment to making a difference,"Toluwalase says. "Her mission to brighten the lives of others is evident in her constant pursuit of growth, both as a leader and as a person. Her genuine desire to uplift those around her ensures that she will continue to inspire and lead with kindness."
Here, Moyosoreoluwa, who is an international student from Nigeria, reflects on how her faith shapes her approach to life, the impact of others' kindness and more.
First, why did you choose the Dhillon School of Business for your business education?
Choosing the University of Lethbridge for my post secondary education was a no-brainer for me, as my elder sister was already attending ULethbridge at the time of my application. I heard very good things from her about the teaching methods and smaller sized classes compared to the University of Toronto which was my other option where I had gotten another offer of admission. In addition to that, the application and admission process was also pretty seamless, which was really encouraging.
What does kindness and volunteerism mean to you, and how do you practice them in your daily life?
To me, kindness and volunteerism are just two words that sum up the word love. This is because, as a Christian, I live by the commandments which Christ laid down—including the greatest ones, which encompass love and loving my neighbours as myself. With these as my principles and way of life, I try to imbibe this in ways I can—through showing compassion, kindness and out of my goodwill, volunteering my time, efforts and resources to people, every day. Whether it’s in my classroom, my workplace, on the bus or wherever I find myself, I make sure to put in that conscious effort.
How did it feel to be recognized for your kindness, compassion and volunteerism?
It really is rewarding to be recognised for my actions, especially considering the fact that I do this not for the recognition. However, it has also encouraged me to be more kind, show compassion to people and volunteer more which I am genuinely grateful for.
Can you share a moment when someone’s kindness, compassion or volunteerism made a difference in your life?
There have definitely been so many moments when people’s kindness, compassion and volunteerism have impacted my life. However, I would say, that I have experienced their impact in my life even more after moving to Canada as an international student. I can’t say it was just the impact of one person, however. When I landed in Canada, a community— the youth of The Excel Church, part of Freedom House Church, a religious and charitable organisation— took me in, made me comfortable here in Lethbridge and became, and still are, my family after travelling over 6,000 miles away from home. They have really impacted my life for good in ways I would never have imagined.
What do you hope people take away from your story of compassion, kindness and volunteerism?
My one takeaway I have for everyone reading this is to, “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” If you carry this mentality as you go about your day, you will become selfless in your actions and, as such, radiate so much love and kindness to others— you never know what someone might be going through!
Joyce Sakamoto and Bonnie Jarokosky say they are thrilled to hear that Moyosoreoluwa was chosen for the Jo and Anne Vanee Memorial Award.
"Our parents were firm believers in passing along support to those that show exemplary compassion to others, while maintaining excellence for themselves," the two said in a joint statement. " We congratulate Moyosoreoluwa for being that person! We are honoured to be able to acknowledge our parents through the scholarship program at ULethbridge and are thrilled for Moyosoreoluwa to be the recipient for this year."
To learn more about the Jo and Anne Vanee Memorial Award and numerous other scholarships and awards available through Dhillon and ULethbridge, click here.