University of Alberta - Augustana’s Joe Mwatha Named 2025 CCAA Torchbearer Presented by Hudl
(May 12, 2025) – The following was submitted by the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association.
Joe Mwatha, a student-athlete at the University of Alberta – Augustana Campus, has been selected as a 2025 recipient of the CCAA Torchbearer Scholarship Presented by Hudl. This national award celebrates student-athletes who have made exceptional community contributions through leadership, service, and civic engagement.
Now in his fourth year with the Vikings Cross-Country Running team and currently studying Business Management, Mwatha has found a meaningful outlet for his energy and leadership through the Augustana Chaplaincy. As a student chaplain, he supports a variety of weekly events aimed at creating a more inclusive, welcoming, and spiritually supportive environment for students from all backgrounds.
Mwatha’s commitment is hands-on: preparing spaces for community meals, serving food, setting up and operating equipment, cleaning up afterward, and helping organize celebrations for diverse religious traditions such as Holi and Ramadan. Through weekly gatherings like Soup Dinner, Open Table, and TGIF, Mwatha plays a key role in fostering connection and building community spirit on campus.
“I hoped to offer meaningful spiritual support, to help people heal, and to create spaces of trust, dialogue, and joy,” Mwatha shared in his application. “I came to realize that even small actions—serving soup, washing dishes, or offering a kind word—can carry profound meaning.”
What began as an effort to give back to a community that once welcomed him has evolved into a personal mission rooted in humility, compassion, and service. From collaborating with the South Asia Club on campus game nights to celebrating alongside others in faith and friendship, Mwatha exemplifies the quiet strength of servant leadership.
The CCAA Torchbearer Scholarship, Presented by Hudl, awards six student-athletes annually with a $1,000 scholarship, recognizing their off-the-field leadership and civic engagement. Launched in 2021, the initiative reflects the evolving partnership between Hudl and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, highlighting the value of sport as a force for social good.
Hudl, the Official Video Analysis and Exchange Partner of the CCAA, has been a longtime supporter of collegiate sport in Canada. Its collaboration with the Torchbearer Scholarship reflects its commitment to investing in student-athletes who lead by example—on and off the field of play.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Nancy Paquette, Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association
Manager, Marketing & Communication
nancy@ccaa.ca
Mark Kosak, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Kayla Beers, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
kaylab@acac.ab.ca