One to Watch Award

This award recognizes recent Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s alumni, normally not more than 10 years out from either an undergraduate or graduate program who is making significant contributions in their field of endeavour, setting an example for future Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s alumni to follow.

Award Eligibility & Criteria

Candidates should be:

  • A Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s alumnus/alumna who graduated less than 10 years ago
  • Someone who has accomplished early success in one or more fields of endeavor which augurs well for future leadership and accomplishment
  • An inspiration to the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s community

2026 Recipient

Ally Zlatar

  • Artsci'18

Ally Zlatar smiling wearing black shirt and has long brown hair

Ally Zlatar is an artist, scholar, and activist, and a graduate of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s, where she completed her BFA in Visual Art and Art History. While at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s, she was deeply involved in the campus arts community and worked closely with the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Her time at the university shaped her commitment to using art as a tool for dialogue, advocacy, and social change.  

She is the founder of The Starving Artist, an initiative that amplifies creative voices to address systemic issues, alongside a publishing studio and scholarship fund supporting access to mental health care. Currently a Leverhulme Research Fellow at Teesside University, Ally’s work explores art, illness, and medical ethics through auto-ethnographic practice.  

Recognized by awards including Forbes 30 Under 30 for Social Impact, her practice is driven by a passion for transforming lived experience into collective understanding and impact.