Governor General Gold Medal Winner at 2025 Convocation
This year’s Governor General Gold Medal winner was awarded to Chikezirim Nwoke who graduated with his PhD in Anthropology with a Specialization in Political Economy.
“I did not expect to receive this award, so I was exhilarated when I got the email,” said Nwoke. “Knowing that Carleton graduate students across the various faculties are doing groundbreaking work, it is an utmost honour to be named the Governor General’s Gold Medallist this year.”
The Governor General’s Gold Medal is awarded to the student standing at the head of the graduating class at the graduate level. The award is donated by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.
In 2022, Nwoke received the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, which allowed him to fully focus on his research. Nwoke was also able to take up resident fellowships at the University of Edinburgh and Brown University, in addition to other non-resident fellowships.
“I spent ten months conducting ethnographic research at the Onitsha Market in Nigeria,” said Nwoke. “Carleton University, through the Institute of Political Economy, the Institute of African Studies, and especially the Department of Sociology and Anthropology helped forge me into a fine scholar and made me realize that the world is mine to explore.”
Nwoke was introduced to Carleton University through the late Prof. Pius Adesanmi, who encouraged him to apply for a PhD at Carleton. “When I was ready to begin my doctoral studies, I reached out to Prof. Nduka Otiono, who offered his full support and thus began my journey to Carleton,” said Nwoke.
With this award and numerous others he has received, Nwoke is excited and dedicated to continue striving for knowledge and producing scholarly outputs that are accessible to a wide range of audiences.
He also has high praise for his experience at Carleton.
“I cannot say it enough, the people are Carleton’s most valuable infrastructure. My supervisors, Prof. Blair Rutherford and Prof. Vivian Solana, gave me the kind of mentorship and support I could not have received anywhere else in the world…and believe me, I have been around,” said Nwoke. “I never met an administrative staff member or professor who did not reaffirm my conviction that the soul of Carleton is built on community and friendship.”
