Hélène Cazes, Donna Greschner: Local heroes lauded at 10th anniversary of VLAs

On Feb. 26 at the Crystal Garden, over 400 guests celebrated 21 extraordinary nominees in eight award categories at a special 10th anniversary gala of the Victoria Leadership Awards (VLAs).

UVic is a founding partner of the annual VLA program. This year, Dr. H&e#180;lène Cazes and Prof. Donna Greschner received the UVic award. A number of the community heroes celebrated last night are either from, or affiliated with, the university.

University of Victoria Community Leadership Awards (up to two each year)

H&e#180;lène Cazes

Dr. Cazes is a specialist of humanism. An associate professor in UVic's Department of French, she is also the faculty coordinator of the Humanities Diploma Program-offered with the Division of Continuing Studies as an alternative curriculum-and the director of UVic's Program of Medieval Studies. Her research asks such questions as "What is a legacy?" and "How do legacies make communities?" An active member and founder of inclusive research groups (ie. Early Childhood, History of Medicine, Book Collections), Dr. Cazes also works with the library to build free programs, exhibitions and open-access publications.

Donna Greschner

Prof. Greschner, former dean of UVic Law, is known for linking the university and community for greater public benefit. She has helped expand the faculty's clinical programs-in which law students help clients who have limited financial resources-and was instrumental in having the downtown law clinic co-locate with Victoria's new Justice Access Centre. Greschner has created and improved connections between UVic and the profession and she speaks effectively for the university in many legal organizations in this city and beyond. She is also a strong advocate in the community on issues about access to justice.

The VLA partnership

The VLAs were established in 2004 to recognize the commitment of community champions who work collaboratively to resolve the complex challenges facing the communities of Greater Victoria.

Led by Leadership Victoria, the event is a collaboration with UVic, the Rotary Clubs of Greater Victoria, the Victoria Foundation, and the United Way of Greater Victoria-five partners in recognizing and promoting leadership. The leadership program itself is a national phenomenon that includes Leadership Vancouver and Leadership Ottawa.

The VLA announcement on Feb. 26 is posted on the UVic news page and a full list of all nominees is available here.

More information about the awards is also online at: www.leadershipvictoria.ca. Videos from the ceremony will be posted on the organization's YouTube channel over the coming days.

VLA honorees since inception: bit.ly/1cWCknr

Leadership Victoria on Facebook: /leadershipvictoria

VLA 10th anniversary video

Follow on Twitter: #vla2014