UBC student wins Governor-General's award

UBC physiology student Matthew Piva is the recipient of the Governor General’s History Award. The honour includes a cash prize of $1,600 and a medal.

Piva wrote a 1,500-word paper in July using Batman and Superman to explain Canada’s attitude toward national heroes. He had recently read the novel Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. “I basically argued that most Canadians don’t make it to be a national hero because Canadians just aren’t like what a hero should be. I argued that we may be more heroic if we changed the definition of what a hero is,” said Piva.

Piva’s parents accompanied him to Ottawa for the Dec. 12 award ceremony at Rideau Hall.  For more information, visit: http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20111207/KAMLOOPS0101/111209837/-1/kamloops/batman-comic-leads-student-to-governor-general-8217-s-award.