Holland awards recognize seven from McMaster

Seven members of McMaster University were honoured at the John C. Holland Gala Awards on Saturday night.

The event, which marked the start of Black History Month in Hamilton, recognizes achievements by members of the black community and provides role models for young blacks.

McMaster biology professor Juliet Michelle Daniel was honoured for her professional achievement. Daniel holds a doctorate in microbiology and is a multiple academic award winner. She operates a lab where she focuses on cell, molecular and cancer biology. Her research has contributed greatly towards developing treatment for malignant tumours. She also mentors African and Caribbean students at McMaster.

Second-year French student Aminah Rock was honoured for youth achievement. Rock aspires to earn her masters and teach French one day, while also studying world religions. Born in Quebec, she is fluently bilingual and wants to help students from the West Indies and Africa understand the importance of learning Canada's two official languages.

The Black History Award of Merit was presented to Ray Johnson, a tireless community volunteer and long-time kinesiology professor at McMaster. Johnson is a former CFL top draft pick and McMaster football coach. He worked as McMaster's athletic director for 13 years — the first black person to hold that position at a major white university in North America.

McMaster track and field coach George Christopher Kerr received the Ray Lewis Sport Achievement. A volunteer sprint coach with the Hamilton Olympic Club for the past 12 years, and a coach at McMaster, he has nurtured some of Canada's best track and field athletes.

Lloyd Turner, former CFL top draft pick and McMaster football coach, was honoured for his community service. Turner worked as McMaster's athletic director for 13 years — the first black to hold that position at a mainstream university in North America.

McMaster students Nailah Gordon-Decicieo, first-year business, and Jairus Goodridge, honours commerce, were two of four winners of a youth scholarship. Gordon-Decicieo takes part in nursing home visitations, youth mentoring and feeding the homeless. Her goal is to be a physician. Goodridge works with underprivileged black youth at school and summer camp. His goal is to get his law degree and provide services to African Canadians in an environment where they feel comfortable and respected.

The awards are named for a Hamilton preacher whose father was a runaway slave. The late John C. Holland's personal story is that of a man who struggled to live and work in racist, segregated times but ultimately fulfilled his dream of becoming a minister, at Stuart Memorial Church on John Street, in 1948.

(With files from The Hamilton Spectator, Feb. 7, 2005)

For access to The Hamilton Spectator online, McMaster users can click here from a main campus computer.