We are pleased to announce that Tracy Wachmann, Public Interest Coordinator at the Allard School of Law, is a recipient of this year’s President’s Staff Award in the category of Community Engagement. This prestigious UBC award is given annually to staff who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and excellence within the UBC community.
For the past 11 years, Tracy has served as the Public Interest Coordinator for the Career Services Office. She has played an instrumental role in connecting the Allard School of Law with the larger social justice community in BC. These connections have been invaluable and have served us well over the years.
Her enthusiasm and dedication to the role has helped many students realize their career goals. Some of her many achievements include:
- Organizing and hosting the highly successful annual Social Justice Forum. This event provides students with the unique opportunity to meet with representatives from 20-30 public interest organizations from across the Lower Mainland.
- Securing funding to double the number of Public Interest Work Placement positions that are available for students.
- Working with Pro-bono Students Canada to establish the highly successful and innovative Homeless ID Clinic.
- Leading the planning process for a biennial day-long social justice conference. The popular event provides students with an opportunity to network with social justice lawyers and learn about emerging areas in the field.
In addition to all of these achievements, Tracy’s warmth and kindness has been a source of inspiration for all of those she supports and works with.
Tracy had this to say about receiving this award:
“I am particularly thrilled to have received this award in the Community Engagement category because community has always been extremely important to me. I think we are all looking for a sense of community and it is integral to our quality of life. I feel privileged and proud to have been a part of growing such a robust social justice community in the Lower Mainland and fostering connections between the community and the law school. Perhaps this can best be captured in the moments when students and alumni have expressed to me how much an event I have organized like the Social Justice Forum or touring the Downtown Community Court has meant to them in finding their home at the law school and in the legal profession.”
