April 2, 2026
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Knox College is pleased to announce that David Knox is this year’s Chris Vais Community Award recipient. Principal Ernest van Eck announced the recipient of this year’s Chris Vais Award on March 31st, during the College’s last Community Worship service of the 2025-2026 academic year.David is the first graduate from the Master of Psychospiritual Studies (MPS) program to receive this award and he has been such a faithful living example of the legacy that the Chris Vais Award seeks to honour. David is currently in his final year as an MPS student at Knox College. He is President of the Mission & Theology Society (M&T), where he works to foster a vibrant and respectful community. Additionally, he has served as an intern with the Knox Counselling Centre.
David chose to become a mental health professional after embarking on a journey of finding his purpose and place in the world. He sees it as an honour to bear witness to people’s lives and to accompany them on their journey to find what is meaningful to them.
In his previous placement, he had the opportunity to develop his spiritual care and chaplaincy skills in an interfaith context at Baycrest Health Sciences, working with patients, residents, and families in late adulthood. He met with patients who struggled with loneliness, grief, isolation, abandonment, regret, acceptance, depression, anxiety, understanding their meaning, values, and purpose in life, and the loss of autonomy, choice, social support, and community.
The Chris Vais Community Award was established in 2002, in memory of the Rev. Dr. Chris Vais, by classmates who graduated with him from Knox in 1987. Each year Chris Vais’ family and friends honour his memory by making financial contributions to this award.
Knox is grateful to the donors who faithfully give each year to make this award possible.