Not only has Omar Zghal excelled in his undergraduate career, says the supervisor of his three-year research placement as an Outstanding Scholar—he has made it look easy.

Zghal will receive the 2013 President’s Medal, awarded each year to a graduating student who has made significant contributions to campus and community activities while maintaining a superior academic record, during Convocation ceremonies Wednesday afternoon.

His research supervisor, chemistry professor Holger Eichhorn, says Zghal has reached the level of a good graduate student.

“His academic success may appear to be effortless because of his cheerfulness, but he works hard and is goal-oriented,” Dr. Eichhorn says. “However, most astonishing to me is his level of integrity and maturity. He chooses his classes, activities, and involvements by following his interests and what he considers to be of general importance, which explains his wholehearted commitment to the chosen tasks.”

A chemistry major, Zghal maintained a cumulative grade point average of 12.52 and twice received an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award. His extensive volunteer work includes a term on the UWindsor Senate; several positions on the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance, including as a councillor; serving as president of the Muslim Students Association and on the UWindsor Emergency Response Team. In the community, he volunteered at Windsor Regional Hospital’s Cardiac Wellness Centre.

Business grad touted for top achievement

BComm grad Maria Vasilevski will receive the 2013 Governor General’s Silver Medal, awarded each spring to the undergraduate honours program graduating student deemed to be the most outstanding in their field, in relation to their graduating peers.

In her four years at the Odette School of Business, Vasilevski never earned a non-A level grade, receiving 26 A-pluses in her coursework. She served several co-op terms in pursuit of her honours degree and turned a placement with Deloitte into a full-time position with the firm.