Emma Martin-Rouselle and Harper Xiao are the recipients of the 2025 Outstanding Leader in the Faculty of Arts Award for their dedication and achievements within the Faculty.
Emma Martin-Rouselle, Sociology
For the past four years, Emma has been a dedicated member of the Arts Undergraduate Society, holding positions from photographer to VP Engagement to President, supporting student engagement and needs of over 14,500 Arts students in each role. As President, Emma focused on several equity and inclusion initiatives, from implementing the AUS Equity & Inclusion strategy and starting the BIPOC Community Market and AUS’s first ASL workshop.
Emma has also been involved on campus in the Sociology Student Association, Residence Life, as a UBC Student Ambassador, and in the community through the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and Vancouver Young Women in Business.
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
Being an executive of the Arts Undergraduate Society from 2022-2024 was a really significant part of my UBC experience. I joined the AUS at a time where I was struggling to feel ‘at home’ in the Faculty of Arts, coming from a small high school and community to a Faculty of 14,000. Because of this, eventually being able to lead that organization as President was all the more meaningful. It definitely was not an easy experience—especially given the many hats I was wearing—but it also taught me a lot about who I am as a leader, and other lessons that I will carry beyond my time at UBC.
What does it mean to be a great Arts leader?
There are a lot of qualities that make a good leader (as seen in the diversity of students who’ve won this award!) but, something specific that stands out to me is the ability to mentor others. Many of the leaders I look up to most are people who not only take their leadership roles as a learning opportunity for themselves, but also as a chance to share. Whether it’s connecting with younger students over coffee or sharing input and my previous years’ experience with new AUS executives. This is something I hope I’ve been able to achieve as a leader, but also have appreciated others doing for me.
What advice would you give to incoming UBC Arts students?
UBC is a big place, and Arts is a large faculty, so there is tons of room for new opportunities and experiences. For me, it was so important that, no matter how anxious or daunted I felt, I forced myself to try new things and to push myself out of my comfort zone. I always say that my UBC experience was completely different from what my high school self would’ve expected it to be; but, whether it was transferring into the B+MM in second year, or running for AUS President, or applying for the Coordinated Arts Program TA position, my favourite experiences were fuelled by throwing myself into things I would have previously never seen myself doing.
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
I learned that I am always capable of more than I expect. I came into university as an anxious but keen high schooler, with hopes of maybe running for an elected position in my third or fourth year… so, safe to say that that version of myself would definitely not have imagined achieving (or fitting, time-wise!) as much as I did in my 4 years at UBC. When running for elected positions, taking on new jobs, and interacting with so many diverse and complicated topics or events, I learned how important it was to, despite my anxieties, be confident in my abilities and my knowledge.
Harper Xiao, Psychology
Harper has contributed to her peers’ success in every stage of the student journey, from prospective applicants to new-to-UBC students and beyond. As a Student Engagement Assistant, Harper managed 51 Orientation Leaders and supported over 800 first-year students.
Harper has also held positions as Residence Advisor and a Peer Health Educator, as well as completing an Entrepreneurial Co-op term launching a Mandarin podcast that now reaches over 17,000 subscribers worldwide.
What student leadership opportunity had the most impact on you during your time at UBC?
The student leadership experience that has shaped me most profoundly has been my time with the UBC Campus Tours team. There, I learned to manage multiple projects at once, honed my public speaking skills, and most importantly, connected with an amazing from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. I was encouraged to bring my full self and cultural insights to the table, observe gaps in operations, propose improvements, and even execute my ideas—turning thoughts into action and leaving a lasting impact on future students’ experiences with UBC Tours. In doing so, I’ve helped prospective students make more informed decisions about whether UBC is the right fit for them.
What does it mean to be a great Arts leader?
Take pride in who you are and show up authentically. Trust that your inner strengths are enough to support others.
What advice would you give to incoming UBC Arts students?
Make the most of the opportunities and resources offered by UBC Arts. Take advantage of being part of the largest and most diverse communities. Don’t be shy—connect with friends from around the world!
What did you learn about yourself at UBC?
We all have more courage and control than we think. UBC is a supportive place filled with genuine people who have helped me expand my comfort zones and experiment with new ways of learning, creating, and living.
