Eight alumni and three Western students are among the pioneers named as recipients of business london‘s Twenty in its 20s Awards.
The awards, given annually, recognize young innovators, creatives, and community advocates making a name for themselves in London, Ontario. and beyond. Five judges from organizations across the borough reviewed dozens of nominees to identify which business londonMadisyn Latham, managing editor, described them as the “brightest, boldest and most innovative twenty-something” in the city.
Winners with ties to the Western community include:
Kenisha Arorastudent, medical sciences
Founder, The Sisters of Hope
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Youth Representative for North America and Europe.
President, Western University Student Senate
Arora, a third-year medical science student at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, has lived by the motto “service above self” since an early age. At the start of the pandemic, she and her sister Alisha founded the sisters of hopeto bring hope to seniors in long-term care and young children in foster care.
As UNESCO Youth Representative for North America and Europe, she delivered the keynote address at the United Nations Transformational Education pre-summit last June in Paris as a youth representative on the high-level steering committee of SDG4 (Sustainable Development Goal number 4).
His involvement with Western includes serving on the university’s strategic plan steering committee, around 150. Read more about Aora.
“I realized at a young age that I can’t wait for governments and corporations to make the change I want to see in the world. If I wanted to see a change, it was up to me to do it.”
Nicole BaranowskiBA’19, MScM’21
Founder, Hairstrong
Business Analyst, Morrissette Institute of Entrepreneurship
Former Mustang and Captain, Western Women’s Rowing
Kinesiology and sports management graduate Nicole Baranowski founded strong hair and created “the world’s first customizable hair band” while attending Western. Through a kinesiology entrepreneurship class, he was inspired to address the problem of his long hair getting in the way of him as he competitively rowed for the Mustangs. He raised funds for his adjustable headbands through various accelerator programs and incubators at the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurshipwhere he currently works as a business analyst.
“In college, my outlet was competitive rowing. Now, it’s the sport of entrepreneurship. Whatever works, I push forward; and what doesn’t work, I leave it behind”.
read more About Baranowski.
anthony juneBachelor’19
Co-Founder/CEO, B4Grad
With a passion for helping students live a better life, Giugno co-founded B4Grad, a mobile app for an interactive school planner that helps students organize their homework. He started B4Grad as a computer science undergraduate at Western. Today, it’s his full-time major, with more than 150,000 students around the world using B4Grad to stay focused.
“I know how important it is to have an education, and I believe that by building a business that makes studying less stressful and more accessible, I have been able to help alleviate the challenges that prevent students from succeeding.”
Read more about Giugno about western science Alumni and their perspectives page.
dollar luostudent, computer science and HBA
Former CEO, RollUP Solutions
Entrepreneur, technologist
As a former CEO of Rolling solutions, a social enterprise founded by a group of Western students, Luo was part of a team that provided more than 300 wheelchairs, walkers and canes to people in financial need across Canada. The group also supported COVID-19 relief efforts by donating mobility devices to hospitals in Middlesex County and Winnipeg, Man.
“The best part of my career is the opportunity to create something out of nothing. As a product manager and entrepreneur, I love the process of conceptualizing a new product or feature, conducting research, and leading its development from inception to implementation.”
Paige MartinBA’18 (FIMS), MMJC’19
OHL anchor and sideline reporter, Rogers TV
OHL, CBC collaborator
Martin credits her parents for encouraging her to dream big, responding to their ideas with, “Okay, how are we going to make that happen?” As a media studies student at Western, she hosted the London Nationals Junior B hockey team. She remains a passionate storyteller, driven to make a positive impact.
“I am one of the few female reporters in the Ontario Hockey League. While some may think that’s really cool (they’re not wrong), it doesn’t sit well with me. We need more women in this league…Fathers and grandparents come to talk to me at games and tell me their daughters and granddaughters now like to watch and I’m there.”
Ian Rake, BMOS’16
Analyst, AGF Investments
Chair, London Lawn Summer Nights
Despite his busy career as a Chartered Financial Analyst, Rake has always found time to fill leadership positions for the lawn bowling fundraiser, London Lawn Summer Nights. The initiative has raised over $100,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
“Work hard, play hard. I think it’s critical to balance work, be able to be disciplined during the workday, and build a network of professionals you can trust for successful charity events and good times.”
Rubaina Singla, student, Media, Information and Technoculture, HBA
Founder, Singla Intimates
cansbridge companion
Singla didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur, but her passion for sustainability led her to create intimate singlean ecological lingerie line.
While working in fashion retail, Singla became concerned about the waste she saw in the process and wanted to be part of the solution. Singla Intimates uses industrial waste and recycled yarns for its garments instead of the typical petroleum-based fibers.
recently selected as Cansbridge Scholar 2022Singla traveled to the Nordic region for a summer internship through the program to further her knowledge of sustainable fashion and how to accelerate Canada’s investment in a circular economy.
“I believe that the world expands and solutions emerge by understanding different angles and perspectives. I look forward to collaborating with passionate people to solve challenging problems in areas like food and textile waste, climate change, healthcare, and tech policy.”
read more about Singla.
Justin Tiseo, BA’16
Partner/Deputy General Manager, East Park Golf Gardens
In addition to his busy role at East Park Golf Gardens, Tiseo has been making a difference in the London community since he was a teenager. The criminology graduate is the leader and creator of John Paul II Catholic High School’s OneRun fundraiser for cancer care, for which won a Pilar Award in 2016. The same year he received the Ontario Youth Volunteer Medal, an award given by the province’s lieutenant governor to recognize outstanding voluntary contributions. Today, Tiseo says his greatest reward is instilling good work habits and teamwork skills in the young people who work with him at East Park.
“This role is all-encompassing, and issues/situations come up that can be overwhelming. But I also think this motivates me. I work best under pressure, so having a constant variety of situations that require me to solve problems is something I really love.”
-With files from Ivey Communications and the Faculty of Sciences. Award winners citation source: business london