North Bay student earns Lindsay Wilson Memorial Award

Maura McGrath, a second-year Child and Family Studies student, is the recipient of the Lindsay Wilson Memorial Award.For the first time since it’s inception, the Lindsay Wilson Memorial Award will be presented to a student on Nipissing’s North Bay campus.
The award was created in 2013 to honour student Lindsay Wilson, who was murdered on April 5, 2013, just two weeks prior to the end of her graduating year.
Wilson had dedicated her life to the community support and advocacy of people with special needs or disabilities. The award in her name is given to a full-time student enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program majoring in Child and Family Studies or the Bachelor of Social Work program. The recipient should demonstrate a commitment to and knowledge of advocacy for community integration of children, youth and/or adults with special needs acquired through employment, education and/or volunteer work. Preference is given to college transfer and mature students.
McGrath brings experience in working with students with physical, emotional and learning difficulties. She travelled to Dominican Republic as part of a missions trip with her high school, bringing supplies and resources to schools and medical centres. She hopes to work as a special education teacher, focusing on inclusion and acceptance for all students.
"I was happy to find out I was the recipient of the Lindsay Margaret Wilson Memorial Award this year,” said McGrath. “One of my favourite inspirational stories is about the little boy throwing the starfish back into the water. It sounds like Lindsay was the kind of person who, like the little boy on the beach, tried to make a difference. It is my hope that I too, can continue to have the privilege of working with and learning from those people who, like the starfish, may need a little support to live their lives to the fullest."