TMU students recognized as outstanding community volunteers
Third-year Lincoln Alexander School of Law student Dave D'Oyen receives the 2025 Dennis Mock Student Leadership Award for his exemplary service on and off campus.
"You are here because someone believes you are a leader. You have demonstrated that by your efforts to improve the student experience at the university and shape a better society," said Dave D'Oyen (Lincoln Alexander School of Law '25), speaking to other TMU student honorees at the 2025 Student Experience Awards on April 9.
D'Oyen, a third year law student, is one of this year's Dennis Mock Student Leadership Award recipients. These awards recognize students who have made outstanding voluntary contributions to their school or academic program, their faculty, or to TMU as a whole.
Making a difference
A long-time volunteer for community organizations like Children's Aid Society of Toronto, Toronto Police Service and Lifelong Leadership Institute, D'Oyen also serves on the board of directors of the Michaëlle Jean Foundation.
During his time at TMU, he has served on both the Academic Integrity Council (AIC) and the Senate Appeals Committee (SAC)—experiences that were very meaningful to him.
"I signed up for those opportunities because I thought they would help me develop skills relevant to the legal profession, like knowing how to engage in impartial decision-making, thinking independently, and working with a team to come to a conclusion," D'Oyen said.
But what he found most rewarding was the opportunity to make a positive difference.
"You appreciate the gravity of the responsibility before you, and the impact you'll be having on a student's life," he said, adding that as part of the SAC he was often presented with very serious issues and matters of discipline.
"Sometimes these decisions really stay with you and you just hope you're making the best decision,” he continued.
In his nomination of D’Oyen, law professor Jake Okechukwu Effoduh said, “Dave has been a unifying force within the TMU student body. He has played a pivotal role in dispute resolution, fostering dialogue and bridging divides among students during moments of tension and misunderstanding."
"His ability to mediate conflicts with wisdom, diplomacy, and fairness, while maintaining deep collegiality, demonstrates the depth of his character and his commitment to a more harmonious, inclusive university environment.”
As he graduates from TMU this spring and prepares for his legal career, D'Oyen encourages fellow students to get involved in university life and create the changes they want to see.
"Everyone should keep in mind, we are the university and whatever we're expecting from the university, it's incumbent on us to take some steps to make that possible,” he said.
Lasting impact
Environmental Applied Science and Management student Chris Randall, honored with the 2025 Dennis Mock Student Leadership Award, made significant contributions to campus sustainability through initiatives like the Eco Move Out program and the BIPOC Sustainability Changemaker Series.
Creating positive change within the university community is also a priority for Chris Randall (Environmental Applied Science and Management '25), another Dennis Mock Student Leadership Award winner this year.
Through his roles on the TMU Senate, Teaching and Learning Committee and as an organizer of events like the 2023 Waste Management Fair, Randall has put his environmental values into practice while enhancing campus life.
Another highlight for Randall are his roles as residence and graduate advisor with Housing and Residence Life.
Helping students
"The transition to university for so many people, especially people from outside of the city, the province or even the country can be difficult,” he said. "I really enjoyed the experience of fostering community within that setting."
Using trauma-informed care approaches, he supported students through difficult situations and supported the TMU Residence Council, mentoring students in leadership development.
Randall also made significant contributions to sustainability initiatives on campus.
He co-organized his student association’s BIPOC Sustainability Changemaker Series during the pandemic, amplifying underrepresented voices in environmental discourse—work that earned him the TMU Faculty Association's Social Justice and Labour Relations Award.
As a sustainability ambassador, he helped re-establish the Eco Move Out program, which diverts household items to the on-campus Free Store instead of landfill when students move out of residence.
Randall describes his six years of studies at TMU as "a really enriching and fulfilling experience" and values what he learned through his program and coursework.
But it's the extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities that will stay with him as he begins an interdisciplinary PhD program on the East Coast this fall.
"These are some of the most impactful experiences of my time at school," said Randall. "Being able to actually have that hands-on experience and apply those lessons to my extracurriculars and my interests is what actually brought fulfillment and brought value to my experiences."