Graduates contribute to community
There's a room in the Cherry household of Richmond devoted entirely to the trophies, scholarships and other accolades won by their three daughters -- all UBC grads.
As the youngest, Sarah Cherry may be the last, but she's certainly not the least.
She is graduating from the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration as one of the top students in her class. Twice she's made the dean's honour roll and she's won major awards such as the John H. Mitchell Scholarship, which earned her a designation as a Wesbrook Scholar.
She was also a member of the UBC women's swim team dynasty that claimed three national championships.
She credits competitive swimming for much of her discipline and drive for success.
"Swimming is an unforgiving sport. You can't do it half-way; you have to go all out," she says. "That means 20 hours a week in the pool, 11 months a year.
"And swimming also forces you to work well under pressure and tight deadlines. It leaves little time for school work."
Despite the rigors of the pool, Cherry was twice named academic all-Canadian for having an average of more than 80 per cent while competing on a varsity team. She was also made an athletic all-Canadian in 1994 and 1995 -- an honour given to medalists at CIAU championships.
"When you spend that much time doing something, it starts to mean so much to you. Winning the championship, especially the first time, was the most incredible experience I've ever had."
Swimming isn't the only winning UBC team Cherry's been on. She was on the first-place team in a national competition for labor arbitration at a Queen's University student competition.
"It was one of the best things I've done at university. It was an amazing experience."
Cherry was also involved in the Commerce Undergraduate Society, where she served as an elected representative on the Alma Mater Society student council.
Cherry's plans after graduation include law school at the University of Toronto, where she intends to prepare for a career in labor law.
Her sister, Karen, also graduated from Commerce and is now a labor lawyer -- and her sister Nancy was on the same championship UBC swim teams -- but don't tell Sarah she's following in her older sisters' footsteps.
She'll good-naturedly, but very deliberately, insist that everything she does, she does because it's her choice.