Algoma University celebrated academic excellence and community building at an annual fundraising dinner on Thursday.
The 21st annual John R. Rhodes Scholarship Dinner and Art Auction saw a record turnout with more than 400 attendees and more than $60,000 raised even without the art auction.
‘Amazing Race Canada’ Season 7 winners and 2SLGBTQ+ and Indigenous equity advocates James Makokis (left) and Anthony Johnson (right) speak with CTV News about education and their roles at the 21st annual John R. Rhodes Scholarship Dinner at Algoma University. (Cory Nordstrom/CTV News Northern Ontario)For the first time this year the school brought in special guests to host the event – ‘Amazing Race Canada’ Season 7 winners and 2SLGBTQ+ and Indigenous equity advocates Anthony Johnson and James Makokis acted as emcees for the evening’s festivities.
“The John Rhodes event is the premiere event at Algoma University, both from an academic standpoint and a community engagement standpoint,” said Colin Wilson, the university’s director of strategic advancement.
“We’re really excited to bring everyone together, and I think Anthony and James bring a really unique perspective to the event.”
First-year biology student Taya Shackleton was awarded the 2023 John R. Rhodes Scholarship at the dinner. The scholarship was established in 1979 thanks to generous contributions from friends and family of the late John R. Rhodes and is considered the university’s most prestigious and generous award.
Shackleton, who is from Sault Ste. Marie, plans to become a specialized physician and a student-athlete on the school’s varsity soccer team. He is a graduate of Superior Heights Collegiate & Vocational School.
“I would like to thank Algoma University, the organizing committee (and) Sault Ste. Marie’s business community,” said Shackleton, in a news release Friday.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the family of the late John R. Rhodes for giving me and many others through the years an opportunity to become an Algoma Thunderbird. It’s a great honour to be a part of Mr. Rhodes’ legacy and my gratitude for this scholarship will last a lifetime.”
Johnson and Makokis told CTV News that they had dinner with the university president on Wednesday and believed in his vision for higher education.
“A lot of what we focus on in our public speaking is to get Canadians and newcomers and Indigenous folks to focus on the history of this land, the story of this land, the spirit of the places that we live in,” said Johnson.
“I think education is a pathway forward to be able to provide freedom and opportunities for people to really do whatever it is that they want to do with their life,” added Makokis.
For more information on the Algoma University or the John R. Rhodes Scholarship, visit the school’s website.
– With files from CTV News Northern Ontario videojournalist Cory Nordstrom
Excited to meet Dr @PauletteSteeves Nehiyô-Metis archeologist and author of this incredible book on Indigenous archeology. Spending the night hosting @AlgomaU John Rhodes’ fundraising dinner for student scholarships. pic.twitter.com/wJcslzctSX
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