UTM Alumni Honoured at 2023 Arbor Awards

The Arbor Award is the highest honour granted by the university to volunteers, recognizing their exceptional and longstanding contributions. This year, UTM celebrates two alumni who continuously prove their dedication to advancing and giving back to the U of T community. 

Demetra Dimokopoulos (HBSc 2006) has volunteered with UTM for over eight years, supporting students as a mentor, moderator, networking volunteer, and case competition judge. 

“The Arbor Award represents my long-standing symbiotic relationship with this university,” says Dimokopoulos. “Through my interactions with this community, I find myself reflecting on my own experiences as a student and the challenges I faced; the reflection sometimes leads to new revelations and ideas that spark my creativity.”

A paralegal by profession, she has also served as a member of the UTM Alumni Association Board of Directors and on U of T’s College of Electors Executive Committee and Nominating Committee for Alumni Governors.

“Volunteering has been a very rich and rewarding experience that I intend to continue for years to come!”

Lennox Phillips (HBA 2001) brought in his financial expertise as a wealth adviser when he served as the treasurer of the U of T Alumni Association Board of Directors. He has also joined the Council of Presidents, the UTM Principal’s Advisory Council, the Governing Council College of Electors, and the UTM Alumni Association Board of Directors, where he led as President.

Phillips has also collaborated with the U of T Career Center to provide students with hands-on experience in finance and wealth management through internships. He attributes his character-building experiences in UTM as his motivation to serve the community. 

“Growing up in Trinidad and then moving to Canada, it was at UTM where I truly began to lay down my roots and carve out my Canadian identity. The university was a pivotal environment where I learned a great deal, forged lifelong friendships, and found my direction. This deep sense of gratitude towards UTM fuels my desire to support the institution that played such a crucial role in shaping who I am today. Serving the community brings me immense joy, as it allows me to contribute to this special place that has given me so much,” he says. 

Congratulations, Demetra Dimokopoulos and Lennox Phillips! Thank you for being important alumni contributors to the UTM and U of T community.