It is with great pride that the Mohawk College Alumni Association honours Tony Young with a 1998 Alumni of Distinction Award for Applied Arts.

Tony Young is a 1983 graduate of Mohawk's Television Broadcasting Program. Tony began his professional career with Toronto's multilingual station, Channel 47, gaining his first on-air experience as a reporter for "Blackworld". He then moved to City TV's MuchMusic, Canada's first national music station, prior to their 1984 launch. He started as a videotape operator, then as a camera operator and on-air promotion personality, and finally as V-Jay and host of specialty shows. He developed a character called "The Spy" and was also responsible for creating a music video called the "MuchMusic Groove".

Tony is most commonly known as Master T, and is the Host and Producer of DaMix and Host and Co-Producer of Rap City. Tony is also the Host and Moderator for The Real Deal, a monthly program which deals with the issues facing the youth of today. Issues are presented and discussed via fax, phone and in person. The show is interactive and deals with teens in Canada from coast to coast.

As the popular Master T, Tony is often assigned the most high profile of interviews. This year alone, Tony did on-air "intimate and interactive" interviews with the Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys and was granted the only Canadian interview with Madonna. His Madonna interview even made it to Entertainment Tonight! Over his 15 year career with MuchMusic, Tony has done hundreds of interviews - in fact there are just too many to list!

Master T's on air persona, however is only a hint of the real Tony Young. Tony uses his role as Master T to get involved with schools, teens and youth organizations to further his message that staying in school and obtaining a good education is necessary and positive. Tony's philosophy is that the most powerful tool to achieve your dreams is a solid education. He furthers this message by speaking at high schools, colleges and universities, and participating in hundreds of other events supporting education.

Tony has also assisted his alma mater, Mohawk College. In 1996, Tony presented the Alumni Address at our spring convocation ceremonies. He was the first alumni speaker to receive a standing ovation....before he even reached the podium! This fall, Tony also participated in Mohawk's recruitment campaign. He allowed a photo and bio of his experiences at Mohawk to appear inside the college calendar, helping recruit students to the college's media studies programs. He also found time out of his busy schedule to record radio ads, which aired on many area radio stations. Tony proudly encouraged students to: Choose Mohawk - I did!

Tony also lends a hand at many other functions which support his beliefs. He participates in the crusade against drugs; supports anti-racism campaigns, and several other charities that assist children. He spends hundreds of hours of personal time volunteering at youth-oriented events.

Tony Young is one of the most recognizable television personalities in Canada's music scene. He has been able to capture the feeling of today's youth, and is using his success to provide them with a positive influence. This positive image is very much in demand. He is asked regularly to support and promote programs, as he is a very popular and influential role-model who really connects with his generation. He has taken his career success and harnessed it in away that makes a real difference.

Tony Young is a successful and highly visible College graduate. He is known and respected across Canada. His life-long commitment to education, through speaking at schools, and positive on-air messages, makes him an excellent example of success and dedication. We are confident that Tony Young is a worthy recipient of the 1998 Alumni of Distinction Award for Applied Arts.