An Honours with Distinction graduate of Central Kings Rural High School, Olivia Crooks from Coldbrook, Nova Scotia, was at the leading edge of creating an inclusive sports program at her school when she helped form Basketball Team Unified in her grade nine year. In 2018, she received the Lieutenant Governor’s Respectful Citizenship Award along with her teammates for their leadership and commitment to Team Unified. A multi-sport athlete, Olivia is also a certified lifeguard and swim instructor and has been lifeguarding at local pools since 2016. At Acadia, Olivia will pursue her Bachelor of Science in Biology where she will use the opportunities provided to her through her Irving Scholarship to begin her research into the effect environmental contaminants have on human health. Her goal is to pursue a career in medical research, possibly as a pathologist. She is also interested in genetics and the mutations that result from the presence of chemicals and genetically modified organisms in our environment. Her goal is to break the chain of human engineered events that are leading to climate and environmental changes that threaten the health of all species on our planet.