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It was a surprise that should come as no surprise for those who have interacted with Warren Lindsay but his family and friends did manage to keep the big reveal a secret right until the announcement.
Surrounded by the very community he has supported through his dedication and advocacy, Lindsay soon learned the first Nipissing University BIPOC Bursary would bear his name at an event hosted by the Nipissing University Black Association for Student Expression (NUBASE) at the NUSU Student Centre (see video).
Video courtesy of NUSU
"Words can barely describe how honoured I am to have the first BIPOC bursary at Nipissing University named after me," Lindsay says. "This bursary will be put to good use by students of colour in our Lakers community, and will help to make their path to graduation that much easier."
The success of the inaugural Shoot for Change Anti-Racism Basketball game raised over $18,000 from donors from the Lakers community in support of the BIPOC bursaries and Lindsay's leadership on campus and beyond makes him a natural choice to be recognized.
"Going into the 21-22 school year, I knew one of the ways I wanted to make systemic change was to create financial opportunities for BIPOC students, a bursary to be exact," says Taijon Eccleston-Graham, president and co-founder of NUBASE. I'm so proud of all the work we have done over the last two-and-a-half years, as well as appreciative of all the support we have gotten throughout this journey.
"When deciding who we were going to name this bursary after, there was no debate that we were going to name it after Warren. He has supported us from the very beginning and has been a champion of giving platforms for students to have a voice. I'm so glad he got his moment to be recognized for all his hard work over the years and for his immediate family to witness that moment and celebrate with him."
See related: Creating a supportive network for Black students at Nipissing University
Lindsay is on parental leave from his role as the Director of Services at NUSU but would not miss the ceremony for a cause he believes so strongly about. Little did he know he would be the focus of the night's festivities.
"I'm fortunate that in my role with NUSU, my team and I have the opportunity to work with, and to support, amazing student groups on campus," Lindsay says. "NUBASE has had a clear vision and goal since its inception, and with an amazing executive team, and an ambitious president in Taijon, it was very easy to get behind and support their initiatives. To be recognized and honoured with such a legacy is amazing, but our work is far from finished."
