The following is a citation by McMaster President Peter George on Adam Spence, 2003 Honour M Award recipient.

An honours social sciences student, Adam is the personification of the Honour M Award.

From his first days at McMaster Adam enthusiastically embraced his role not only as a student but also as a student leader.

He joined the Social Sciences Society in first year and by his second year held an executive position with the Society, a seat on the SRA, and was a regular voice on CFMU's Morningfile program.

Adam is not one to simply attend meetings. He has proven himself to be a leader at every opportunity, and has devoted his time and energy to making improvements for other students.

He founded the Social Sciences Spirit Crew, rewrote the Social Sciences Society constitution and by-laws, was an active Welcome Week planner, initiated the Ad-hoc Committee on Parking and Transit  an issue that definitely isn't for the faint of heart.

He also made the time to found and edit a new Social Sciences newspaper, and it was primarily through his efforts that the MSSS hosted the first-ever Symposium on Social Sciences Education, an event that continues to have an impact on activities within the Faculty. During all of this he managed to find time to coach a children's soccer team in SaltFleet and was a mentor for Big Brothers of Hamilton-Wentworth.

Each of these activities in itself would have made a significant contribution to the University and the community. But you can't keep Adam down.

After exemplary service, he was elected the vice-president, education for the McMaster Students Union. In the year he has held that position, he has developed an outstanding array of accomplishments.

A few of the most notable are developing the first Horizons – Future Leaders Conference; organizing a blue box distribution program for McMaster students; editing of OUSA News for the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance; co-creating the MSU's First Year Council; developing myweb, a one-stop web information portal for McMaster students about their campus, community, rights, education and finances; and participating as a student member on the University's strategic planning exercise called Refining Directions.

Adam, you have been an exemplary member of the McMaster community. You have represented students with integrity and dedication and you have earned the respect of all those with whom you've worked.