{"id":77520,"date":"2021-06-22T11:51:46","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T15:51:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=77520"},"modified":"2025-09-30T10:00:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T14:00:44","slug":"close-outstanding-community-achievement","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/close-outstanding-community-achievement\/","title":{"rendered":"Health Sciences Graduate Wins Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Community Achievement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Health Sciences Graduate Wins Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Community Achievement\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Following her graduation with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in spring 2021, Millie Close now works for Undergraduate Recruitment at Carleton University.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When Millicent (Millie) Close began her journey as an undergraduate student at Carleton, she struggled financially and academically. But in spite of a difficult start, Close turned her focus toward helping others and immersing herself in the campus community, and it was there that she found the positivity, inspiration and support that would transform her university experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fourth year of her Bachelor of Health Sciences<\/a> degree, Close successfully managed full-time studies while undertaking an honours field placement, balancing three part-time jobs, and fulfilling multiple volunteer roles \u2013 not to mention earning a spot on the Dean\u2019s List.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout her studies, Close demonstrated an ongoing dedication and commitment to the well-being and empowerment of her fellow students. While maintaining academic excellence, she served on a number of science committees, including the Carleton Science Student Society (CSSS)<\/a> on which she served two terms as president and CEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Millie
Millie Close<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Close further lent her altruistic spirit to the greater Carleton community by volunteering as a peer mentor in the Science Student Success Centre<\/a> for four years and actively participating in Carleton\u2019s governance. She was a member of the Carleton Academic Student Government (CASG) and has served as the undergraduate student representative for the Faculty of Science on Carleton University\u2019s Senate since 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recognition of her efforts, Close has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the Carleton University Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Community Achievement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cI try to share my passion for philanthropy and giving, and diligently work to empower and enable students\u2019 success academically, socially and professionally,\u201d says Close.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThrough my involvement, I\u2019ve found family and community on campus and I want to share this warmth and belonging with my peers in everything I do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Close is regarded by many as someone who truly embodies the spirit of volunteerism. The letters of recommendation provided to the Board Award Committee gave glowing reviews, even stating that the Faculty of Science considers her their \u201cshining star.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever in the last two decades has science student involvement been so strong, and with such an active voice, as what we see today. This is in large part due to Millie\u2019s volunteerism, dedication and passion,\u201d says Sue Bertram, associate dean (Recruitment and Retention) in the Faculty of Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Millie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Through additional involvement in Residence Life Services, the Student Experience Office, Undergraduate Recruitment and Department of Advancement, Close connected with many inspiring students who kept her motivated throughout her journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve supported students in crisis, then watched them grow through their challenges; spent hours collaborating with, and listening to science students across our campus and province, and I\u2019ve worked hard to succeed academically while navigating a learning disability,\u201d Close stated in her application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did Close overcome her early struggle? She set a simple yet effective goal: in every activity, and when presented with an opportunity to do so, commit to getting to know at least one new person.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cFeeling part of a community is really important to me, and I love making others feel comfortable and that they belong,\u201d says Close.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI value togetherness, and decided to bring that to the Faculty of Science by building a community from within that is strong, inclusive and authentic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The COVID-19 pandemic fortified this need and calling. Students were suddenly isolated from their campus, families, friends and communities. Despite feeling the weight and heaviness of that impact, Close helped her fellow classmates feel connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the most important contributions we have seen this year is Millie\u2019s tireless efforts to ensure that, in the midst of the pandemic, the undergraduate science community stays in touch,\u201d says Science Dean Charles Macdonald.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Millie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Close, through her role on the CSSS, created a science discord channel which is still regularly used by students. She took this initiative one step further by keeping tabs on struggling students to determine their needs and connecting them with the appropriate channels \u2013 all while keeping their identities anonymous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMillie has been pivotal in bringing a strong and active student voice to the decanal team, something that has been invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic and the forced switch to online teaching,\u201d says Macdonald. \u201cShe has become the voice of undergraduate science students and uses that voice to effect positive change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These efforts have not only helped her fellow students, but Close herself.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s been a challenging year. Feeling so disconnected and isolated from the family that I have at Carleton has been really hard,\u201d explains Close.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cCreating spaces to connect individually and in small group settings has helped me just as much as the audience it was intended for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pushing through this final, unprecedented year, Millie graduated with a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) with a Concentration in Disability and Chronic Illness and a Minor in Communications and Media Studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m a passionate individual, so I bring a lot of energy to my work, and I\u2019m humbled to see my enthusiasm and passion echoed in folks I\u2019ve worked with, and for.\u201d says Close. \u201cAs my undergraduate story ends, I look forward to staying connected as an alumna, and hope to give back to Carleton for all it has given me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Millie<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Following her graduation with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in spring 2021, Millie Close now works for Undergraduate Recruitment at Carleton University. When Millicent (Millie) Close began her journey as an undergraduate student at Carleton, she struggled financially and academically. But in spite of a difficult start, Close turned her focus toward helping others and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":77527,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_story_type":[25],"cu_story_tag":[1919],"class_list":["post-77520","cu_story","type-cu_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cu_story_type-student-experience","cu_story_tag-faculty-of-science"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":"blueprint"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/77520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/77520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97360,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/77520\/revisions\/97360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_story_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_type?post=77520"},{"taxonomy":"cu_story_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_tag?post=77520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}