For the first time ever, the University of Windsor's Faculty of Science has given its award for the top academic performer of the year to two people — after they both earned a cumulative average of 99 per cent.
But what makes this moment even more extraordinary is that the recipients of this accolade are not just classmates or close friends.
Ally and Jenny Noble are twin sisters.
During their time at Bellewood Public School, the twins' parents tried to keep them in separate classes. According to Jenny, her parents wanted each twin to develop their own personality and avoid becoming too similar to one another.
That changed when the twins, who are now 20 years old, entered Vincent Massey Secondary School.
"We were basically in all the same classes through high school," said Jenny.
Both sisters said they started to realize what field they wanted to pursue around the seventh grade.
"I had braces. So, right then, I knew I wanted to do something in dentistry," said Ally, adding Jenny started to develop a passion for general medicine around the same time.
In 2020, the Noble twins attended an open house at the University of Windsor.
That's where the realized they wanted to stay close to home for their post-secondary career and join a program that was pitched to them by university administrators as a "pre-medical and pre-dentistry program."
Both individuals are pursuing a double major of biomedical sciences and biochemistry.
"We both thought, 'This is the best program for what we want to do in the future and it's going to be great if we can just help each other and have the same classes.' So we just went into the same program," said Jenny.
They are now in their third year of study — meaning their cumulative average takes into account all three years.
According to Ally, sharing a university program with your twin has its perks — particularly when it comes to studying and self-motivation.
"If I don't understand a certain topic, I always have somebody who's willing to help me out. But it does get a little competitive sometimes because we both are very high-achieving students," said Ally.
The award, titled the Board of Governors In-Course Medal for the Faculty of Science, is not unfamiliar to Jenny. That's because she won it last year.
That led Jenny to have a hunch she would win it again this year — but she said being able to share this year's award with her sister is a "relief" to know their hard work has paid off.
"They told us nobody has ever shared this award before. For it to be with my sister, it's crazy that we were able to maintain such a high average. But I also know how hard Ally works so I expected she would win this at some point in her life," said Jenny.
Both twins are equally as busy as one another, outside of class.
Ally is an executive member of the University of Windsor Pre-Dental Society, volunteer for the school's Let's Talk Science Outreach team, vice president of recruitment and exam aid tutor at Students Offering Support, humane society volunteer, research lab assistant, lifeguard and swim instructor.
Meanwhile, Jenny is the president of the Pre-Medical Society, a volunteer for Students Offering Support, Let's Talk Science, the humane society and Windsor Regional Hospital. She also works as a lab researcher, lifeguard and swim instructor.
But despite their high number of duties and shared academic success, the twins make clear they do not study together.
In fact, they both enjoy being in their own quiet space when studying.
"We're taking the exams on our own. We can't do it together. So there's no point in me studying with her when I'm taking the exam for myself," said Jenny.
