For the second year in a row, Noble twins have tied for the Board of Governors In-Course Medal for the Faculty of Science.
Ally and Jenny Noble, fourth-year undergraduates taking the same double major of biomedical sciences and biochemistry, will take home the 2024 medals to go with their 2023 awards.
"I was very surprised when I got the news that we won the award for a second time," says Ally Noble. "It was especially unexpected that we tied with the same average again after another year of classes even after performing differently in almost every class we took together."
Dean of science Claudio Verani (centre) congratulates twin sisters Jenny and Ally Noble on their second straight win of the Board of Governors In-Course Medal.
The sisters were neck in neck with their cumulative average of 98.7 per cent. The medals go to the student in each faculty with the highest average, usually just one.
"I wasn't expecting to win the award again and was even more surprised to find out we had tied again," says Jenny Noble. "My third year was my most difficult year, so I definitely didn't think I would be able to get the award again."
In addition to academic excellence, the twins volunteer on and off campus and hold down jobs. Ally Noble is currently applying to dental schools.
"It gets really hard to balance everything from studying to work to my volunteer commitments, but over the years, I have learned how to prioritize my time to make sure everything gets done on time," she says. "I like to keep a running list of everything I have on my plate and tackle it one by one to make sure I don't get overwhelmed with trying to focus on too many things at once."
Jenny Noble is applying to medical schools.
"I won't lie, it is challenging to balance work, school, extracurriculars, etc. and sometimes, things must be sacrificed," says Jenny Noble. "But I've always been very organized, and I prioritize my time according to my responsibilities to make sure I put my best foot forward."
Both women are Outstanding Scholars and volunteer in research labs through that program.
Ally Noble has been working in Simon Rondeau-Gagné's lab since her second year.
"For my first two years in the lab, I worked under the supervision of Dr. Garima Garg, where I helped her with processing biopolymers for industrial applications," she says. "Now, I'm working on a project looking at alternative photocatalysts for use in light regulated polymerization."
Jenny Noble works in biomedical science professor's Jeff Dason's lab.
"I've been working in Dr. Dason's lab since my second year," says Jenny Noble. "Currently, I am writing my fourth-year undergraduate thesis, studying nociceptive sex differences in adult Drosophila."
The Student Awards and Financial Aid office announced all the faculty winners of the Board of Governors in-course medals. The medallists are ranked by major average and must achieve a cumulative average of at least 83 per cent.
