From promoting Indigenous health and cultural connection, to supporting student mental health, to advocating for a more sustainable campus and world, five exceptional students are being recognized for their contributions to the McMaster community as the recipients of the 2025 President’s Award of Excellence in Student Leadership.

Established in 1993, this annual award celebrates the contributions of McMaster undergraduate students in their fourth year who have played a significant role in enhancing the intellectual, social or cultural fabric of the McMaster community through outstanding leadership.

“I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to these truly exceptional students,” says McMaster President, David Farrar. “Through their passion, energy and commitment, they have made our campus a more inclusive, caring and sustainable place. I look forward to seeing what these outstanding student leaders will accomplish in the future”

Meet this year’s recipients:

Ahmed Abdalla | Faculty of Science, Life Science

As a student representative on the McMaster University Senate, Abdalla played a key role in shaping university policy and advocating for student needs. His leadership extended across various Senate and university committees, including the Committee for Recommending a President. Abdalla also co-led a study examining students’ perceptions of academic workload, aiming to foster healthier and more sustainable learning environments.

Beyond his roles in university governance, Abdalla volunteers at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and is one of the founders of the McMaster Sudanese Students Association, an MSU club which earned the First-Year Club of the Year Award.

Darci Debassige | Faculty of Science, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour

Debassige, who is Anishinaabe kwe from M’Chigeeng First Nation, served as co-chair of the McMaster Indigenous Health Movement for the last two years. In that role, she led initiatives such as conferences and workshops in collaboration with the Indigenous community at McMaster and beyond.

Debassige also enhanced student life as a Welcome Week representative for Indigenous Student Services and participated in the 2024 IndigiNerds research program through the McMaster Indigenous Research Institute. Her undergraduate thesis explored the experiences and identities of Indigenous medical learners, emphasizing equity in healthcare education.

Madison Brennan | Faculty of Social Sciences, Anthropology

Brennan has been an active member of student organizations including the McMaster Students Union’s SWHAT (Student Walk Home Attendant Team) and Jack.org, Canada’s largest network of young people supporting the mental health of their peers.

She also served as a campus tour guide, then a tour guide leader and finally as acting tour coordinator for the university’s Student Recruitment Office. Brennan also played key leadership roles in the social network of the campus as vice-planner internal for Social Sciences Welcome Week and as the undergraduate representative on the Anthropology Social Committee.

Olivia Beausoleil |Faculty of Science, Kinesiology

A member of the McMaster women’s football team for four years, Beausoleil is a Métis student from the Georgian Bay community who was co-president and co-founder of McMaster’s Indigenous Student-Athlete Council (ISAC). There, she fostered cultural connection and empowerment through initiatives such as land-based programming and collaboration with the Indigenous community.

Beausoleil also served as community learning coordinator with the McMaster Indigenous Health Movement and, as a Kinesiology student, volunteered as a student field therapist. In the research setting, she contributed to the Community of Practice lab focused on inclusive physical literacy while also assisting with McMaster Physical Literacy for All Youth (MacPLAY).

Paris Liu | Faculty of Engineering, Civil Engineering

Liu was a student-athlete on the Marauders varsity tennis team and an active member of LIFT Church and the Pinky Lewis community food program. A dedicated environmental steward, she was co-president of Zero Waste McMaster for three years and co-founded Students for Bike Share, which created Canada’s most affordable student bike-share pass.

Liu published two peer-reviewed papers, helped create a climate change course for engineers, co-leads a national working group advocating for climate education in engineering, and was recently appointed to the Youth Council of Environment and Climate Change Canada. Liu was also recognized as a finalist for both the McCall MacBain Scholarship and the Rhodes Scholarship.