To say Emily Davis has made an impact on the Faculty of Agriculture over the past four years is an understatement. Her passion to enhance student life, her dedication to helping others, her ambition to assist students in any capacity and her success in both academics and extracurricular activities has made her a shining star on the Ag Campus.
A native of Oxford, N.S., Emily received awards for both student governance and student leadership at this year’s 10th Annual Student Achievement Awards on the Ag Campus.
“It is so nice to be recognized for making an impact on the campus that I call home,” says Emily. “In my time at AC my involvement outside the classroom through student leadership has been the most rewarding experience and has shaped me as a person. I love doing what I do and to have that recognized means the world.”
Emily has worked diligently to enhance student life through her work as vice-president finance with the Dalhousie Agricultural Students’ Association (DASA) and her student position with Student Services. She has actively engaged with clubs to assist with forming budgets and planning events. She was a key contact for all new students and has been a wealth of knowledge for choosing classes, getting involved and adjusting to university life.
To Emily, a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture student majoring in Environmental Science, being a student leader means being focused on empowering other students to contribute to student life.
“Being a student leader is a win-win situation. You can often see the impacts you have on your campus community and it makes you feel good inside,” she explains. “It is a great feeling to be part of something bigger than yourself. It can also be an empowering role that has a ripple effect on others and can encourage others to be involved and contribute as well.”
Connected on campus
“To watch Emily's kindness in action, you need only to spend five minutes with her anywhere on campus,” says DASA Manager Pat Jeffcock. “She remarkably knows everyone by their first name and constantly reaches out to students as they walk by to check in, touch base and offer words of encouragement.
“If she attempts to study in the library, she is tackled by herds of students looking for advice, wanting to say hello and asking for help with club activities, choosing courses and getting involved. Emily never says no; she helps them all and goes above and beyond to follow up with each student.”
Emily was recently voted valedictorian by the graduating class of 2016 and will address her fellow classmates during Convocation ceremonies this Friday.
“I have changed so much from the time I first stepped on campus to now,” she says. “The AC has made me into a better and stronger version of myself. I honestly think my four years here on campus have been the best four years of my life... I never imagined that the AC would provide me with so many opportunities and allow me to grow in ways I didn’t even know were possible.”
Following convocation, Emily will be returning to Dalhousie to begin her master’s degree in Environmental Studies on the Halifax campuses.