Tweet

Isalean Harris, formerly Isalean Phillip, is the 2019 recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal in honour of her academic excellence as a graduate student at Saint Mary’s University. The Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal is presented by university institutions on behalf of the Governor General of Canada, to students who demonstrate academic excellence by making significant contributions to research and scholarship. As a Master’s student, Isalean focused on assessing the effectiveness of employment equity policies at Atlantic Canadian universities. Her work on this sensitive topic, was recognized by local university boards and executive administrators, who invited her to provide private consultations on steps needed to substantively improve the representation of black faculty members on college campuses. Upon completion of her program, Isalean garnered front-page attention, from local and national media houses, for the impact of her research on spotlighting the ineffectiveness of existing employment equity law and policies. Isalean is well-known in St. Kitts and Nevis for her valuable contributions in youth development as a past Leeward Island Debate Champion, Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, and Vice-President of the St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association. Currently, Isalean consults as a Policy Analyst, and offers her expertise in research, policy development and programming, related to social justice issues and social innovation.