Graduating Awards

The Silver V Award marks outstanding cumulative contributions over the recipient’s time at Victoria. Ideally, the nominees will be well-rounded students who have distinguished themselves in any number of areas of campus life over the entire course of their time at Victoria.

The award is a sterling silver lapel pin featuring the letter V designed by Birks.

Nominees will also be considered for the Gold V (a 14kt gold pin), which recognizes truly outstanding achievements.

 

Nomination Form

Class officers (president, vice-president and secretary/treasurer) become the representatives and social liaisons of Vic 2T4 and their duties include: maintaining regular communication with the class, organizing class reunions and other alumni events, and serving (if requested) on various committees, such as the Alumni of Victoria College Executive (AVC).

Seniors Sticks are presented to two graduates who have, in the opinion of the graduating class, contributed the most to Victoria College and are considered to best represent the Class at Convocation. These two individuals will lead the procession to Convocation Hall on the day of Convocation.

Nominations are due by March 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Nomination Form

General Excellence

The Chancellor Northrop Frye Gold Medal
Donor:	The Senate of Victoria University in 1991 in memory of H Northrop Frye (1912-1991) of the Victoria College Class of 1933, scholar and teacher, member of the Department of English at Victoria College 1939-1991, Chancellor of Victoria University 1978-1991.
Terms:	Awarded to the student graduating with highest overall A standing.

 

The Dr A. B. B. Moore Award
Donor:	The Victoria University Students' Administrative Council in 1977 in honour of the Very Reverend Dr Arthur Bruce Barbour Moore (1906-2004), President of Victoria University 1950-1970, Moderator of The United Church of Canada 1971-1972, Chancellor of the University of Toronto 1977-1980.
Terms:	Awarded to a graduating student who has been a candidate for the University of Toronto Moss Scholarship.

 

The Prince of Wales Gold Medal
Donor:	Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (1841-1910), later HM King Edward VII; to commemorate his visit to Victoria College at Cobourg in 1860.
Terms:	Awarded to the student graduating with highest overall A standing among candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree. If the Frye medal is awarded to a candidate for this degree, this medal is awarded to the candidate with second highest A standing.

 

The Prince of Wales Silver Medal
Donor:	Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (1841-1910), later HM King Edward VII; to commemorate his visit to Victoria College at Cobourg in 1860.
Terms:	Awarded to the student graduating with second highest overall A standing among candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree. If the Frye Medal is awarded to a candidate for this degree, this medal is awarded to the candidate with third highest A standing.

 

The Regents Graduating Scholarship (multiple awards of $250 each)
Donor:	The Board of Regents of Victoria University. The acquisition by Victoria University in 1887 of a valuable 15-acre plot of land fronting on Bloor Street, part of which forms the present campus, provides the source of income for these awards. Established in 2019.
Terms:	Awarded for distinguished A standing over the entire course of studies in any subject.

Humanities

The Marion Horton Borden Scholarship
Donor:	Douglas C Borden of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario in 1979 in memory of his wife, Marion (Horton) Borden (1906-1978) of the Victoria College Class of 1926.
Terms:	Awarded to a student who has achieved overall A standing in the Fourth Year, and who has completed a Modern Languages Program.

 

The Brown Gold Medal (includes $1,000 cash prize)
Donor:	Estate of Vera Beatrice (Kenny) Brown (1894-1985) of the Victoria College Class of 1915 and by gift in her lifetime from 1968 in memory of her husband George Williams Brown (1894-1963), also of the Class of 1915, member of the Department of History of the University of Toronto 1925-1960.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with highest overall A standing who has completed the Specialist Program in History. If there is no eligible student who has completed the Specialist Program in History, the award may be conferred upon the graduating student with highest overall A standing who has completed the Major Program in History.

 

The Harry Morris Coyle Memorial Scholarship
Donor:	Nancy J Coyle of Toronto in 1987 in memory of her father Harry Morris Coyle (1917-1986) of the Victoria College Class of 1950, an Essex Scottish Regiment veteran blinded by mortar fire in 1944 who completed his degree with high standing in History despite this handicap, receiving the Prince of Wales Gold Medal in 1950.
Terms:	Awarded to a graduating student with an overall A standing who obtains the highest standing in a 400-series English Advanced Research Seminar course or a History Independent Studies Course.

 

The Maclaren Gold Medal
Donor:	John James Maclaren (1842-1926) of the Victoria College Class of 1862, later a Judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature for Ontario; the medal was established in 1881.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with highest overall A standing who has completed a Specialist Program (or two Major Programs) in Modern Languages.

 

The Myrtle V. McCulloch Scholarship in Literature and Critical Theory ($2,000)
Donor:	Estate of Myrtle Victoria McCulloch (1897-1975) of the Victoria College Class of 1919.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student who has highest overall A standing among candidates who have completed a Program in Literature and Critical Theory. Open to students of all colleges.

 

The Myrtle V. McCulloch Scholarship in Renaissance Studies ($2,000)
Donor:	Estate of Myrtle Victoria McCulloch (1897-1975) of the Victoria College Class of 1919.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student who has highest standing among candidates who have completed the Specialist or Major Program in Renaissance Studies, provided it is at least B+ (CGPA 3.30). Open to students of all colleges.

 

The Moriyama Gold Medal
Donor:	Dr Raymond Moriyama (1929-2023), Bachelor of Architecture 1954 and Honorary Doctor of Laws 1994, University of Toronto, and his wife Sachiko (1931-2024) established the award in 2011. Dr Moriyama is a recipient of the Order of Ontario and the Companion of Order of Canada.
Terms:	Awarded annually to a Victoria College graduating student with high standing in the Arts, such as drama, cinema, or music.

 

The Sanford Gold Medal
Donor:	Senator William Sanford (1838-1899) in 1892 in memory of his son Edward Jackson Sanford of the Victoria College Class of 1890, who died shortly after graduation.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with highest overall A standing who has completed the Specialist Program in Philosophy.

 

The William Ewart Staples Gold Medal
Donor:	Margaret Ruth (Lawson) Staples (1898-1988) of the Victoria College Class of 1921 in 1965 in memory of her husband William Ewart Staples (1891-1964) of the Class of 1914, Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Victoria College 1932-1962.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with high overall A standing who has completed a Specialist or Major Program in an ancient subject offered by the Department of Near Eastern Studies. If there is no candidate who meets these terms, this medal may be awarded to a graduating student who has obtained high overall A standing in any subject.

 

The Trethewey and South Scholarship
Donor:	Friends and former students in 1967 in honour of William Hilliard Trethewey (1898-1981) of the Victoria College Class of 1923, member of the teaching staff in French 1936-1969 and its chair 1952-1967; and estate of Marjorie Helen South (1905-1967) of the Victoria College Class of 1931.
Terms:	Awarded to a student with overall A standing who has completed a Major or Specialist Program in Modern Languages and Literatures. Preference will be given to a student of French and/or German.

 

The Wilson Gold Medal
Donor:	The Reverend, later Bishop Edward Wilson of Metuchen, New Jersey in 1873 in memory of his son Edward Wilson, a Victoria College student who died of typhoid fever at Cobourg in 1872.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with highest overall A standing who has completed a Program in Classics. If there is no qualified candidate in Classics, it may be awarded to a student who has completed the Major Program in Latin or the Major Program in Greek.

Science

The Kendrick Gold Medal
Donor:	Rhena Victoria (Kendrick) Robson (1901-1982) of the Victoria College Class of 1923 in 1965 in memory of her brother Thomas Douglas Hutchison Kendrick (1905-1964) of the Class of 1925 (MD University of Toronto 1928), FACP, recipient of the Cox Gold Medal.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with highest overall A standing who has completed a Specialist Program or two Major Programs in Basic Medical Sciences. If the Prince Philip Gold Medal is awarded to a candidate for this program(s), this medal is awarded to the candidate with the second highest A standing.

 

The Prince Philip Gold Medal
Donor:	The Board of Regents, which in 1962 obtained permission to use the name of HRH Prince Philip (1921-2021), Duke of Edinburgh on a gold medal to be presented annually to a student graduating with high standing.
Terms:	Awarded to the student graduating with highest overall A standing among candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree. If the Frye Medal is awarded to a candidate for this degree, this medal is awarded to the candidate with second highest A standing.

 

The Prince Philip Silver Medal
Donor:	The Board of Regents, which in 1962 obtained permission to use the name of HRH Prince Philip (1921-2021), Duke of Edinburgh on a silver medal to be presented annually to a student graduating with high standing.
Terms:	Awarded to the student graduating with second highest overall A standing among candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree. If the Frye medal is awarded to a candidate for this degree, this medal is awarded to the candidate with third highest A standing.

 

The Scott Memorial Scholarship
Donor:	Estate of Marjorie Evelyn (Walton) Scott (1905-1978) of the Victoria College Class of 1927; also in memory of her husband Arthur Wycliffe Scott, MD (1901-1942) of the Class of 1924, and her husband's parents Arthur Melville Scott (1869-1941), OBE, PhD (Goettingen), LLD of the Class of 1896, physicist and educator, and Emeline Bertha (Howson) Scott (1870-1956) of the Class of 1895.
Terms:	Awarded to a female student who has obtained high overall A standing in the final five courses, at least four of which are Science courses, of any Honours degree Science program.

 

The Scott Memorial Scholarship
Donor:	Estate of Marjorie Evelyn (Walton) Scott (1905-1978) of the Victoria College Class of 1927; also in memory of her husband Arthur Wycliffe Scott, MD (1901-1942) of the Class of 1924, and her husband's parents Arthur Melville Scott (1869-1941), OBE, PhD (Goettingen), LLD of the Class of 1896, physicist and educator, and Emeline Bertha (Howson) Scott (1870-1956) of the Class of 1895.
Terms:	Awarded to a male student who has obtained high overall A standing in the final five courses, at least four of which are Science courses, of any Honours degree Science program.

Social Sciences

The Adams Gold Medal
Donor:	The Reverend and Mrs G K B Adams of Saskatoon in 1918 in memory of their son Lieutenant Joseph Reginald Adams (1886-1917) of the Victoria College Class of 1916. Having resigned his commission he went to France as a sergeant in a machine gun section, 8th Battalion, and died of wounds at Etaples in November 1917.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with highest overall A standing who has completed the Specialist Program in Economics and/or Political Science.

 

The John E. Engeland Scholarship
Donor:	John Engeland, of the Victoria College Class of 1975, recipient of the Adams Gold Medal (1975), M.A. in Geography and Economics and long term senior researcher of housing needs at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; and his wife, Pamela. Matching funds provided by an anonymous donor. Established in 2017.
Terms:	Awarded to the Victoria College graduating student with the highest overall A standing who has completed a social science program, with preference for students in programs related to housing (including Geography, Urban Development, and Economics).

 

The Rundle Gold Medal
Donor:	Friends of William Edward Rundle, LLD (1867-1949), Treasurer of Victoria University 1914-1937; established in 1937.
Terms:	Awarded to the graduating student with highest standing among candidates for the Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Award value: three awards of up to $6,000 each

Donor: Estate and by gift in his lifetime from 1953 of Professor Donald Oakley Robson (1905–1976) of the Victoria College Class of 1928, member of the teaching staff in Classics 1947–1971 and chair of the Department of Classics 1960–1971.

Award Terms: Awarded to a graduating student who has achieved high standing in Classics, Ancient Greek or Latin. The intention of this award is to enable its recipient to attend the Summer Session of the American Academy in Rome or the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. Open to students of all colleges of the Faculty of Arts & Science with preference given to a graduating student of Victoria College.

• Open to students from all colleges of the Faculty of Arts & Science, with preference given to students of Victoria College.
• To apply, submit a Study Abroad Award Application by March 31.
• Please upload copies of your summer program acceptance letter and other relevant documentation.

American Academy in Rome – The program application deadline is in mid-January
American School of Classical Studies – The program application deadline is in early January 

2023 recipient: Katerine Anne Moorcro Haberl

Study Abroad Award Application

Award value: up to three awards of $1,000 each

Awarded to graduating students who have participated in and made a significant contribution to student life in such areas as athletics, stage productions, student government, student publications or volunteer services.

Applications are due by April 15, 2025.  See the application link below.

Award value: up to $3,500

Donors: Professors Sheila and David Cook in 2012. Sheila Cook was a founder and first co-coordinator of the Egerton Ryerson stream of the Vic One program. David Cook is a former Principal of Victoria College 2000-2012 and professor of Political Science.

Award Terms: Awarded to a graduating student who has completed the Education Stream of the Vic One program and the Education and Society Program. The award will be given to an individual who has demonstrated excellent leadership skills along with other key attributes advantageous to those pursuing a teaching career. Please note that should any of the candidate(s) be selected to be the recipient of another significant financial award (i.e. Vari Scholarship), the honour of the Sheila and David Cook Award will be made in name only for recognition purposes, with no financial award attached. 

Applications are due by April 15, 2025. See the application link below.

2024 recipient: Iman Hussain

2023 recipient: Imani Nakii King 

“Receiving the Sheila and David Cook Award has been a humbling and rewarding experience as I continue my education journey at OISE with the Master of Teaching Program.”

-Sylvia Yang, 2022 recipient

Award value: up to $5,000

Donor:  Established in 2018 by his daughter, Dr. Jean O’Grady of the Victoria College Class of 1964, The Fred Reilly Award is named for Frederick William Reilly (1910-1989), an entrepreneur and inventor.  Thrust into working life at the age of 14 as a printer’s apprentice in post-World War I London, England, he worked his way up to become the managing director of slotted-angle maker, Dexion Canada Ltd.  He then invented various construction systems for racking, shelving, and cabinetry, and established companies to make and sell them. As a manager, he adopted innovations such as a profit-sharing scheme for his employees.  Redirack, his major invention, is a heavy-duty steel shelving that is still today the material of choice for pallet racking in warehouses throughout Canada. Matching funds provided by an anonymous donor.

Award Terms:  Awarded to a graduating student of Victoria College who is not necessarily planning to attend graduate school, but who after graduation plans to develop a product or procedure, preferably of an environmental or humanitarian nature. Such a student will have an entrepreneurial spirit and interest in innovation and invention.  Financial needs may be taken into consideration.

Applications are due by April 15, 2025. See below for the application link.

2024 recipient: Niharika Burugapalli

2023 recipient:  Abhayjeet Singh Sachal

"The Fred Reilly award gave me the support and confidence I needed to transform my personal passion in cosmetics and female empowerment into a business for social benefit. The award allowed me to gain the materials I needed to learn more about the intersection between social media and current make-up trends for use in my collaboration with local women’s shelters. I’m eternally grateful for the support of the award."

-Berenice Alvarez Guajardo, 2019 recipient

Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 are available for Victoria College students who are graduating in June or November 2025 and beginning postgraduate studies in Fall 2025.  The online application is open in early February until March 31 each year. 

Deadline: March 31, 2025

See Vic Postgraduate Scholarships