The memory of a beloved psychology professor and dean has been preserved through a new student award: The Dr. Sandra Wright Psychology Research Mentorship Award.

Nearly twenty years ago, Sandra’s father, Alan Wright, passed away in Vancouver.  Sandra’s dad was a giant figure in her life: he had been a high school principal, had driven Sandra across the country more than once, and had helped Sandra with data collection for both her masters’ and PhD theses.  His loss was even more significant because Sandra's mother, Patricia Wright, also a teacher, had died twelve years earlier of Parkinson's’ disease.  Sandra had taken time at the end of her PhD work to care for her.

Sandra’s academic career was shaped in no small part by both her parents.  They had modeled what it meant to be dedicated educators.  After Sandra’s father passed away, she and her husband, Grenfell faculty member Dr. Matthew Janes, decided that the best way to honour both of Sandra’s parents was through the Alan and Patricia Wright Psychology Travel Bursary, which was created in 2009.  Since then, many students have availed of funding to attend a psychology conference, which has increased the strength of their applications to graduate school.

In July 2025, Sandra died of cancer.  Sandra was respected by colleagues across the campus for her collegiality, humility, and kindness.  Students remember her not only for her love of animals – she created novel experiments in her animal lab – but especially for her mentorship.  Cards that students sent over Sandra’s 23 years at Grenfell draw a clear picture:  Sandra was committed to their success by working closely with them.  Sandra was no doubt inspired by her parents.

Before she died, Sandra and Matthew discussed how Sandra would want her legacy to be captured by the university where she had spent her career.  Grenfell Campus was a place that she loved.  From those conversations came the Dr. Sandra Wright Psychology Research Mentorship Award.  The criteria for the award were developed by faculty in Psychology and reflect who Sandra was: the scholarship is to be awarded to a student to acquire paid experience conducting research directly with a faculty member.  This can be in any area of psychology.  The scholarship will be awarded for the first time in the fall of 2026.

In reflecting on the creation of the scholarship, Matthew reflects on the original scholarship, which will also continue".

“For many years, Sandra would insist on writing a new cheque each year for the award. I did not understand why this was,” he said.  “Now, just over a year after Sandra’s death, I understand.  When Sandra wrote the cheque, she would write her parents’ names on it, too.  It was an opportunity to write those names once again, and when the award was given out, it was a chance to hear their names spoken.” 

The same is now true for the scholarship in Sandra’s memory.  “A scholarship in Sandra’s means that her name will be spoken every year,” Matthew said. “ Nothing sounds sweeter to me than the sound of Sandra’s name.  Not only that, but future students will know who she was, and her legacy will carry on.”

Sandra is being honoured in this way, in addition to a tree that will be planted on campus in her memory.  That tree will act as a sister tree to the one that was planted at the family cabin.  In addition, a bench was recently installed outside of palliative care at Western Memorial Regional Hospital.

Those wishing to donate to a Grenfell Campus scholarship, may do so here.