Class of 2025: Mental health research, compassion earn highest nod

The University of Calgary is proud to announce Dr. Brittany Lindsay as the Fall 2025 recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Student Leadership. 

Lindsay, BSc'16, BA'16, MSc'20, PhD'25, is recognized for her contributions to mental health research, education and advocacy, shaping how we approach well-being in the campus community. The award is UCalgary's highest honour for graduating students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, outstanding leadership, and a lasting commitment to enriching our campus and broader communities.

From dual UCalgary undergraduate degrees in psychology and mathematics to her groundbreaking research in social psychology, Lindsay has built a career defined by compassion, collaboration and measurable community impact. Graduating with a PhD in psychology this fall, she has combined exceptional academic achievement with leadership that has transformed how UCalgary supports student mental health and well-being.

Lindsay has demonstrated that research excellence and community leadership can be mutually reinforcing. Under the guidance of her supervisor, Dr. Andrew Szeto, PhD, executive director of UCalgary's Office of Institutional Commitments, she has advanced a body of work that brings empathy and evidence together to strengthen mental health supports for students.

Lindsay's journey began with what she describes as “wanting to do something that mattered — something that could improve lives.”

A single psychology course was all that was needed to spark her passion for understanding human behaviour and the systemic factors that influence well-being. At Szeto’s research lab, her studies on stigma, help seeking and campus community care took root. 

“Brittany’s leadership is woven through everything she does," says Szeto. "Her work has made our community a more supportive and compassionate place.”

Experience at heart of research

As co-creator of From Taboo to Talked About — one of the first suicide-stigma reduction programs in Canada designed by and for post-secondary students — Lindsay placed lived experience at the centre of her research. Working with a diverse advisory group of students, she emphasizes her collaborative ethos, explaining that “they’re not just my participants — they’re my research team.” 

The program is planned to expand its reach to other institutions through her a postdoctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Throughout her graduate career, she has mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students — co-supervising honours projects, guiding research assistants, and supporting peers through award and scholarship applications. As an instructor in the Embedded Certificate in Mental Well-Being and Resilience, which she helped design, and as a facilitator for the Community Helpers Program with Student Wellness Services, she has helped students develop confidence, skills and a sense of belonging in academia. 

Her leadership as co-founder of the Open Science Student Support Group and as Wellness Chair of the World Café Student Summit fostered inclusive academic spaces where mental health and compassion are central to learning. Many of her mentees now lead their own research and advocacy initiatives.

Advancing initiatives to promote student mental health and well-being

For almost a decade with UCalgary's Community Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy, Lindsay has advanced initiatives that embed wellness into teaching, learning and campus culture, ensuring students gain lifelong skills to support themselves and others, and contributing to the Wellness Classroom Visits program, which has reached more than 20,000 students across faculties. She also co-developed evidence-informed well-being resources that are now integral to UCalgary’s approach to curriculum design and instructor development.

Lindsay’s achievements have earned her numerous honours, including the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, the Killam Memorial Doctoral Scholarship and the Lieutenant Governor’s Gold Medal. As she embarks on her SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, she continues to lead research that reduces stigma and builds evidence-based strategies for supporting mental health. 

Her work will continue to make post-secondary communities across Canada more caring, connected and resilient.