Hannah Tobias-Murray
Ask anyone who knows Hannah and they will tell you that she is a force to be reckoned with in every possible way. I have been lucky to grow up in the same circles as her, as students of political science and leaders in the Orientation Program, the Social Science Students’ Council, and the University Students’ Council.
Hannah has many glowing attributes that I could speak to, but the most notable one is her resiliency. Since the early days of our term, the USC has been impacted by COVID-19 and as you can probably imagine, it is not easy being the VP Student Support and Programming in a year where there are few students on campus and even fewer opportunities for in-person programming. Despite this, Hannah has remained steadfast in her mission to turn nothing into something.
Over the past several months, she has led the development and execution of the only mixed-model Orientation Week in the country, reimagined COVID-19 programming through a series of student neighbourhood pop-ups, and transitioned vast student support programs online, all while managing the largest portfolio in the organization.
As a fierce advocate for the student voice, Hannah is always the first to lead her portfolio and our team by example, operating with integrity, resiliency, creativity, and futurism. In times as unpredictable as these, Hannah maintains a quiet confidence that can only be found through active listening, thoughtful reflection, and critical analysis.
Importantly, Hannah has been one of the chief architects of the team’s dynamic, always forwarding conversations about equity, allyship, and action. Her commitment to dismantling injustices while building unity, particularly amongst the women on our team, has fostered mutual respect, support, and admiration.
Outside of our professional lives, Hannah has remained a steadfast support and a close confidante to me for many years. I’m grateful to have her as my partner in our frequent attempts to convince our team that we should grab food and our incessant need to mess around with Matt every single day that we are in office.
This month, as we celebrate the strong female voices that make our campus community what it is, Hannah serves as a role model to many young women, through her leadership, her kindness, and her humility. Now, and undoubtedly in the future, she will play a significant role in driving positive change as we strive toward a more equitable world.