Unlike previous years where four students were recognized, only three students earned the prestigious honour of ing the ranks of the Tricolour Society.
This year, the three students receiving the Agnes Benidickson Tricolour Award are Hannah Burrows, MSc ’25, Zaid Kasim, a PhD student in civil engineering, and Ore Maxwell, HealthSci ’26. In previous years, there have been policy changes that restrict the committee to only selecting up to four recipients annually. All award recipients were chosen after deliberations where the committee was unable to reach a consensus on a fourth recipient. The awards will be presented by the Office of the Rector at a ceremony on April 4.
In an interview with The Journal, Rector Niki Boytchuk-Hale, MEd ’26, explained that nominators must submit a nomination package on behalf of the student that consists of a nomination form, letters of , references from community , faculty, staff, or alumni, a resume, and a record of their contributions. After nominations close on Dec. 31, the committee ranks candidates and selects the top 10 for interviews.
Hannah Burrows, MSc ’25
Burrow’s journey stood out to the award committee—not just for their ion for research, but for her dedication to breaking down barriers and driving meaningful change.
While Burrows is set to begin her PhD at Queen’s next year, her journey to Queen’s began with an interest in biochemistry before she fell in love with the field of psychology. This interest-shift led to a strong focus on research, including a thesis on autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Burrows’ current research examines the role of dogs in human interactions, focusing on how dogs can be placed in service roles, police work, and endangered species detection.
She highlighted how her involvement in multiple campus organizations, particularly those advocating for marginalized groups including Autism Spectrum Disorders Group in the Psychology and Education department, as well as her love for education, has helped shape her leadership. She’s especially proud of a textbook she co-authored in her fourth year, “Pay for Post-Secondary: A Student Guide for Securing Financial Aid” which helps students from equity-deserving backgrounds navigate the scholarship application process.
“Something my mom always says to me is that ‘you make your own luck,’” Burrows said in an interview with The Journal. “I like that saying because I feel like the more [effort] you put into the things that you enjoy, the more you’re going to feel fulfilled.”
Zaid Kasim, PhD ’26
Almost a decade ago, as a high school student, Kasim toured Queen’s University. It was the warm smiles of the students that convinced him to become a Gael. Today, he works to those smiles on to others.
“I just saw one simple thing, and it was that people were smiling. That’s all I saw because it was in between classes and in the middle of a semester I just saw people laughing and talking to each other,” Kasim said in an interview with The Journal. He knew at that moment Queen’s was where he wanted to be.
Kasim’s tenure at Queen’s has been marked by a breadth of leadership roles, from his early days handing out cookies as an Engineering Society wellness coordinator to serving as AMS President. He currently holds the title of the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS) vice-president (graduate).
As a student leader of colour, Kasim often found himself as the only person of colour in the room. Instead of being deterred, he chose to carve out space—not just for himself, but for others. His commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion has been a driving force behind his advocacy, ensuring the University becomes a more welcoming place for marginalized students.
As he looks ahead to completing his PhD in civil engineering by 2026, Kasim remains committed to leaving Queen’s better than he found it and encourages students to lean into the feeling of wanting to be involved on campus.
Ore Maxwell, HealthSci ’26
Feeling the need to provide the she always looked for as the only Black Student in her classroom, Maxwell has strived to be a beacon of change since her younger years.
Originally from Nigeria, Maxwell spent much of her life in England before immigrating to Canada and later eventually settling in Alberta. Though Ontario is now where she studies, her home remains provinces away. Despite the changes in the environment, Maxwell’s only goal is to make her community better through mentorship, advocacy, and community building.
Maxwell is a commitment scholar, equity ambassador, residence Don, QSuccess senior mentor, and tutor for equity-deserving students in Kingston. She’s also the co-founder and president of Queen’s Cancer Kids First, a branch of the larger Cancer Kids First organization. Launched in June 2023 with three other Health Sciences students who work with a team dedicated to ing pediatric cancer patients and caregivers, particularly in Uganda.
Maxwell believes in paying it forward—she wants to on the kindness and she has received to help others grow, just as she has. She encourages students to transform their struggles into opportunities that uplift others, ensuring they don’t face the same difficulties.
“If I was to leave a legacy here on Queen’s, I would give three words, and those three words are pay it forward. […] In the moments of high emotion and peak stress sometimes that can be the best flow states of a chance to just get it done, do it, pay it forward and leave a legacy,” Maxwell said in an interview with The Journal.
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