Avani Abraham | Contributor
Featured Image: The awards create a new goal for students to strive for in their pursuit of academic excellence. | Courtesy of YFile
Professor Chris Robinson has recently been endowed with two new awards for students specializing in Finance graduating from York’s School of Administrative Studies (SAS). The new Gold and Silver merit prizes are awarded to the graduating students from the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) honours program with the two highest GPAs.
Robinson, an associate professor with SAS, has taught numerous finance courses. He currently teaches personal financial planning, a third-year School of Administrative Studies course. Robinson has been with SAS for the past 13 years, and, prior to that, was a professor at the Schulich School of Business for 21 years.
The BCom program at York teaches students managerial skills and practical experience, while allowing them to specialize in the area of business, such as finance. These BCom prizes were awarded for the first time at York’s convocation this past June.
Robinson credited the influence that education has had in shaping his own life as the driving force in his decision to bestow these awards.
“My success is founded on my own education, and that’s why I give,” he stated.
The awards are intended to serve as additional motivation for students and their academic endeavors, and ultimately are a recognition of their efforts.
“With these new awards, I am trying to encourage students to strive for excellence in their academic work,” Robinson said.
Ian Chun Sang Wong (BAS ’16), winner of the first Gold Prize, who now works in the finance department of an insurance company in Hong Kong, endorsed the success of this award.
“I’m honoured to receive this prize,” said Wong. “It validates the idea that if you put your mind to something and follow through, you can achieve what you thought was impossible.
“It’s shown me that I can realize my goals.”
The awards, in recognizing exceptional work ethic and determination, will be a feather in the caps of awardees, and a reflection of the calibre of York’s BCom graduates. This was highlighted by Jiangmeng Xie (BAS ’17), the winner of the Silver Prize.
“The prize is proof of my efforts in my studies,” she said. “It will continue to remind me of my past successes and be a strong source of support as I pursue new goals in the future.”
Beginning next June, another prize that Robinson has recently been endowed with will also be granted—the Chris Robinson Personal Finance Award. This honour will be awarded to the graduating student with the highest GPA in the BCom program’s personal finance courses.
He has created a new goal for future BCom students to aspire to, and instilled a greater sense of accomplishment in those who have attained these heights.
