Christine Zeindler

Email: christine.zeindler@ubc.ca


 

Rebecca Chadney, this year's Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize winner.

Rebecca Chadney, this year's Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize winner.

Winner graduates with double-major in biochemistry and molecular biology and history

For as long as Rebecca Chadney can remember, she has loved both arts and sciences.

When deciding to pursue a career as a physician, she knew her path to medical school would depend on her success as an undergraduate science student — but, she wasn’t ready to let one passion take her away from another.

This week, Chadney graduates with a Bachelor of Science, double-majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology (medical and molecular biology option) and history. She celebrates the end of her undergraduate career as the recipient of the Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize.

The $10,000 prize, now in its 12th year, is the largest donor-funded award available to graduating Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science students. The award recognizes an individual who has excelled academically and demonstrated leadership while earning their degree.

Andrew Brunton, managing partner at Pushor Mitchell LLP, says the firm is proud to recognize the accomplishments of another exceptional UBC Okanagan student.

“We are thrilled to support Rebecca as she works towards her goal of becoming a physician, and we hope she will be able to continue her great work in the community,” says Brunton.

“We’re proud supporters of UBC Okanagan and are delighted to add Rebecca to the distinguished list of Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize winners.”

Originally from Langley, BC, Chadney relocated to Kelowna in 2016 to study at UBC Okanagan.

“I knew I wanted to move to a new city, to challenge myself, meet new people, and broaden my world view,” she says. “But, at the same time, I was coming from a small high school in the valley, so I didn’t want to feel like a number or a little fish in a big pond.”

Chadney focused exclusively on science in her first year, but often thought about pursuing a history minor once she was more adjusted to university life.

“I felt a little underprepared at first because although I went to a great high school, it wasn’t STEM-focused, so I didn’t have the lab experience that many of my peers had, and that was a bit stressful,” she explains.

“I was able to push through because I love science. I love learning about the body, and luckily, I was able to get the hang of labs pretty quickly.”

As a science student, Chadney was able to take an arts elective in her second year and registered for a history course with Associate Professor Dr. Jessica Stites-Mor. She was immediately hooked.

“The course was amazing, everything started clicking for me, and it was exactly what I thought university would be like,” recalls Chadney. “Dr. Stites-Mor encouraged me to pursue a minor, but after taking two more classes with her, I was like, okay, I have to double major.”

Chadney continued to study history alongside biochemistry and molecular biology, and ultimately applied for an Undergraduate Research Award with Assistant Professor of History Dr. Tim Paulson in 2020.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the award, but Dr. Paulson reached out and asked if I was interested in doing an honour’s thesis with him — and I said yes.”

Chadney’s thesis explored the role of women in Okanagan agriculture from 1890 to 1930.

“I love agriculture, gardening and plants, so it was a really cool opportunity to look at those things in the context of history and women’s studies,” she says.

Aside from her academic pursuits, Chadney is dedicated to community service, serving as president of the UBCO Unicef Club and volunteering for numerous organizations including the Kelowna Gospel Mission Dental Office, a clinic offering dental services to Kelowna’s most vulnerable population.

Chadney also worked as a chemistry teaching assistant, history research assistant, residence advisor, and played intramural sports throughout her time as a student.

Now, she’s looking forward to a well-deserved break before jumping into her next endeavour.

While UBC’s medical program is at the top of Chadney’s list, she’s open to others as long as she’s getting one step closer to her dream career.

Chadney is grateful for the strong support system she's had over the past five years, including mentor Dr. Paulson and her family. Especially her mother.

“My mom has been there for me through thick and thin — from my very first midterm to my very last final she was always there to encourage me and remind me to aim for progress, not perfection.”

“I want to thank Pushor Mitchell LLP for funding this award — their recognition and generosity gives me the financial freedom to prioritize my education,” she says.

As Chadney reflects on the last five years, she’s most proud of how much she’s grown as a person.

“I came to UBCO feeling really nervous and small, and now I’m leaving with a double-major in my two favourite subjects, a major award and the confidence that I can do anything I put my mind to — and that’s an empowering feeling.”

About UBC's Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning founded in 2005 in partnership with local Indigenous peoples, the Syilx Okanagan Nation, in whose territory the campus resides. As part of UBC—ranked among the world’s top 20 public universities—the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

Dela Hini won a Strong Woman award for creating her pink backpack project which distributed sanitary supplies, toiletries and cosmetics to exploited and marginalized women in Kelowna.

Dela Hini won a Strong Woman award for creating her pink backpack project which distributed sanitary supplies, toiletries and cosmetics to exploited and marginalized women in Kelowna.

Dela Hini receives Top 20 Under 25 award from non-profit, Think for Actions

Sharing the bare necessities of life with marginalized women has brought recognition to a UBC Okanagan student.

Dela Hini, a Calgary-raised, Ghana-born third-year sociology student at UBC Okanagan, has been named a ‘strong woman’ according to the non-profit think tank Think for Actions.

The organization recognized Hini as one of its Top 20 Under 25 award recipients in the Strong Woman category earlier this month.

Hini received this award for founding and supporting the Pink Backpack Project, a campaign to provide sanitary supplies, toiletries and cosmetics for exploited and marginalized women in Kelowna.

“While living in Kelowna during my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to witness Kelowna's growing and highly visible homeless population,” says Hini. “My sociology background and experience as a work-study student for UBCO’s Equity and Inclusion Office inspired and enabled me to take matters into my own hands. I wanted to do something positive and tangible to support the disenfranchised around me.”

Always one to get involved on campus, Hini co-founded UBCO’s Arts and Science Students Association, which helped establish and support the Pink Backpack Project.

“Inspired by the 10th UN Sustainable Development Goal, the Pink Backpack Project aims to mobilize students to address areas of inequity in the Kelowna area,” says Hini.

In their first year, the project assembled 12 ‘essential pack’ care packages, mini cosmetics kits and boxes filled with surplus items. These were then distributed by the local volunteer group, HOPE Outreach.

"I’m delighted with the accomplishments of the backpack project’s first year. We successfully provided an opportunity for students to apply their talents and skills to help support the Kelowna community,” she adds.

This success motivated Hini to apply for the Think for Actions award.

Calgary-based Think for Actions aims to support the professional development of youth and has a long-term goal of establishing a community affairs research institute. The organization is focused on effectively engaging communities through research, collaborations and partnerships poised to solve large societal challenges.

The Top 20 Under 25 award has multiple categories to recognize the efforts made by people under 25 years and the organizations supporting them. There are seven categories, including the Strong Woman division, which recognizes two individuals who are helping to raise awareness on issues that are prominent in their community.

The award is meant to inspire the younger generation and to instil a sense of selfless service to society.

“I just want to make a difference in an innovative way,” adds Hini.

About UBC's Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

Study evaluates texting as a poor way to deliver criticism

Many think they’re doing a favour by texting criticism instead of giving it in person. Not so, say researchers at UBC Okanagan’s campus who have determined that negative comments can have the same impact regardless of how they are delivered.

Their findings suggest that text messaging can be just as harmful as face-to-face conversations when it comes to delivering unfavourable remarks.

Susan Holtzman is an associate professor in UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences.

Susan Holtzman is an associate professor in UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences.

“Text messaging has become a popular way for communication, including heated discussions,” says UBC Okanagan psychology researcher and study senior author Susan Holtzman. “Our study is among the first to provide a clear picture of the emotional impact of receiving a critical text.”

Her research team analyzed the emotional responses of 172 individuals between the ages of 18 and 25, who were given criticism in-person, through text messaging or no feedback at all. The participants were also assessed for trait mindfulness—the ability to focus on the present moment.

“The emotional impact of criticism was strikingly similar for participants in the text message and in-person groups,” says Holtzman, an associate professor in UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences. “However, participants low on mindfulness, who tend to be more emotionally reactive, reported more hurt feelings when criticism was provided through a text message.”

“Generally speaking, the use of text messaging for providing negative feedback is not necessarily ill-advised. But it is important to remember that not everyone responds to critical text messages in the same way—there are personality differences in how people react,” says Holtzman. “People also tend to be less inhibited when they are texting, and that can lead to worse outcomes.”

Basically, she says don’t say anything in a text message that you wouldn’t be willing to say in-person.

“And when it comes to making amends, our previous research and other studies show that in-person communication is likely best.”

The study, published in Computer in Human Behaviour was supported by funds from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Facts

  • 95 per cent of adults own mobile phones in North America
  • Text messaging is the most frequently used function on smartphones
  • From the study above:
    • The average age when participants received their first cell phone was 14.5
    • 85 per cent of the participants had a cell phone by the age of 16
    • 41 per cent of the users sent more than 50 text messages a day

About UBC's Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.