Celebrating impact: Mallory Yawnghwe, NorQuest Honorary Diploma recipient

When Mallory Yawnghwe enrolled in high school, she was placed in a special-needs class. She was a good student with no learning difficulties but says there was an assumption of needing extra help, simply because she was bussed in from the reserve.

As a vulnerable young person, it was hard not to internalize the narrative that had been created for her. Yawnghwe’s grades began slipping and she ultimately dropped out, causing her to later be denied admission into college—NorQuest College.

So, in 2025, when NorQuest awarded her an Honorary Diploma—the college’s highest honour—it was a powerful full-circle moment.

“The path that we think that we're supposed to take is not always the path that we're meant to take. Things often happen for a reason,” says Yawnghwe. “It was a reminder of how much I’ve grown, and that organizations like NorQuest are always evolving too.”

Since co-founding Indigenous Box in 2021, Yawnghwe has helped grow the business from a basement-run subscription box into a nationally recognized social impact company—one that connects Indigenous businesses and their products with customers who care.

With clients that have included everyone from the United Nations to the office of the former Prime Minister, the business focuses on reciprocity: their success benefits suppliers, and suppliers’ success benefits them. Shipping more than 60,000 packages worldwide every year, the social enterprise has become a robust force for economic reconciliation in Canada.

“We’re acting as a connector between culture and commerce, doing our best to build community in a space where many people have none,” says Yawnghwe. “I come from a long line of leaders and helpers, so the idea of reciprocity is just part of who I am.”

Receiving an Honorary Diploma from NorQuest helped affirm Yawnghwe’s path. It also reminded her of the importance of shaking off the assumptions and labels projected on her as an Indigenous youth.

“Sometimes we believe what’s being told about us,” she says. “When I finally chose to reject that story, it was taking back my power in a way and saying: ‘I’m allowed to take up space. I’m allowed to build a business. I’m allowed to create impact.’”

Indeed, some accomplishments aren’t measured in grades or accolades but in the lives changed, the barriers broken, and the communities transformed. And that’s what NorQuest’s Honorary Diploma program celebrates.

Yawnghwe credits part of her success to the challenges she overcame during postsecondary (she never gave up applying), where she earned her Bachelor of Commerce in 2018. Though she often felt overwhelmed and defeated as a student, it helped her develop a mindset to never give up.

“Remembering on the hard days that things will get better has allowed me to go after those big dreams,” says Yawnghwe. “I challenge myself to find ways to do things and not be afraid.”

The first in her family not to attend a residential school, Yawnghwe is not only writing her own story but also empowering future generations to do the same: in classrooms, in lecture halls, and on convocation stages.

“It’s a big weight, but it’s a weight I don’t carry alone,” she says. “There are so many people of my generation who are showing up every day to build connection, to show kindness to others, and to create a future where all children can thrive.”

Nominate a Community Leader today

A diploma celebrates what someone has learned; an Honorary Diploma celebrates what someone has contributed. If you know someone who deserves this recognition, we encourage you to nominate them on NorQuest’s Honorary Diploma landing page.

Nominees can be from anywhere in Canada, provided their impact has been felt locally and they are available to present at Convocation. Please keep in mind that Honorary Diplomas are generally not awarded to people who can’t accept in person, or to those who currently work at NorQuest, sit on its Board of Governors, or hold political office in Canada.

Winners will be honoured at the college’s 2026 Convocation ceremony in June.