We are proud to celebrate Richolette Freckleton (associate director, research, scholarships & awards), recipient of this year’s Excellence in Decolonization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (DEDI) Award—an honour recognizing exceptional passion, dedication, and impact in advancing these values across York University.
The Excellence in DEDI Award highlights outstanding achievements in practices, events, policies, programs, or initiatives that foster equitable, sustainable, and measurable change through an intersectional social justice lens. Recipients demonstrate a deep commitment to improving access, representation, and belonging for equity-deserving groups, including women, visible/racialized minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
For Freckleton, these values are not abstract principles—they are the foundation of her daily work. One nominator described her as someone who “demonstrates unflinching passion and dedication to ensuring the representation and success of BIPOC scholars,” adding that she “effectively models how to translate York’s DEDI commitment into meaningful action that supports the academic excellence of equity-seeking students.” Another colleague noted that “Richolette has passionately dedicated her entire career at York to building an inclusive environment for the recruitment, retention, and advancement of equity-seeking groups.”
A photo of President & Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton with Richolette Freckleton
Among Freckleton’s many accomplishments is her leadership in developing and fundraising for the 60th Anniversary Scholarship for BIPOC part-time students, awarded for the first time this year. This scholarship not only expands opportunities for equity-deserving learners, but also acknowledges and supports those balancing academic success with caregiving and community responsibilities. “These awards represent a significant outreach to BIPOC graduate students and to the growing community of part-time mature learners,” another nominator wrote.
A photo of Richolette Freckleton
Freckleton’s commitment to student success also shines through her Fostering Excellence for Black Scholars Workshop, which she initiated with her incredible team and continues to champion. The workshop connects current and incoming graduate students with leading Black faculty researchers and supervisors who share their experiences navigating academia and provide guidance on scholarship and grant success. Through this initiative, Freckleton is helping build confidence, community, and leadership capacity among Black graduate students—empowering them to thrive within and beyond York.
Described by colleagues as empathetic, passionate, inclusive, and student-centred, Freckleton has been instrumental in advancing key DEDI initiatives within the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Through her vision and advocacy, she has strengthened pathways for Black and equity-seeking students, ensuring their academic journeys are supported, visible, and celebrated.
The Excellence in DEDI Award is one of several honours presented through the University’s annual President’s Staff Recognition Awards, honouring staff who go above and beyond to support student success, academic excellence, community engagement, and positive change. Freckleton’s recognition stands as a testament to her unwavering commitment to equity—and her transformative impact on York’s graduate community.
Through her leadership and vision, Richolette Freckleton continues to shape a more inclusive future for York’s graduate community—one where every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.