Manaal Syed receives the GADE Student Award for Leadership and Service

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work would like to congratulate PhD Candidate Manaal Syed, who is this year’s recipient of the GADE Doctoral Student Award for Leadership and Service in Social Work. This award is given to a social work doctoral student or group of students who have shown significant leadership in service to their school, university, or professional or academic associations.

“The Student Award for Leadership and Service is very well deserved honour for Manaal,” says Lin Fang, associate professor and director of FIFSW’s PhD program. “I have been impressed by her level of devotion for the communities she cares for, and I am grateful for the service she has made to the PhD students and the Faculty as a whole.”

Over the past several years, Manaal has been involved in a number of diversity, inclusion and equity activities at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty and the University of Toronto. These have included planning and facilitating student events that promote meaningful dialogue on equity and social justice and helping inform FIFSW’s social work curriculum and core program competencies to ensure they reflect values related to social justice and diversity.

Manaal has also offered mentorship and support related to academic and professional development for minority students from diverse backgrounds. In addition, she has served as a Graduate Advisor, providing peer coaching on conflict prevention and resolution.

Recognizing the debilitating impact that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has had on students, she initiated and led an academic peer support group for PhD students in the summer to foster community-building and reduce social isolation. Manaal is currently providing support as a Student Advisor on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at FIFSW.

Congratulations, Manaal, on this well deserved achievement!