Jada Roach, who claimed U of T's prestigious Dr. Clara Benson Honour Award last month, was named the winner of the OUA equity, diversity, & inclusion award of excellence.
Jada Roach has made her mark in more ways than one as a track and field student-athlete with the Toronto Varsity Blues. The team captain was named the 2022-23 recipient of UofT's Clara Benson Honour Award, which is given to an undergraduate women's student-athlete who has contributed most to university athletics from the standpoint of academics, athletics, leadership, and community service.
Serving as a member of the Varsity Board's athlete engagement subcommittee as well as the head of communications for the BIPOC Varsity Association, Roach helped lead a subcommittee of volunteers to develop multiple initiatives that improve and promote diversity and inclusion with Varsity Blues athletics.
In addition, the Saskatoon, Sask. local served as the director of diversity and inclusion for UofT Women in Sport, where she recommended changes to improve those areas in club membership and executive decisions. Her focus lies in increasing membership and creating initiatives centered around BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ inclusion.
As a member of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) Equity Committee, the third-year kinesiology major has helped plan and has led various events, including the KPE Diversity and Equity in Motion Conference and the KPE Black History Month film showing. Along with her role on the Equity Committee, she is a student panelist with the Summer Mentorship Program (KPE Day) and U of T's Black and Indigenous Student Hangout.