Actress Sandra Oh wipes back tears while accepting an award from the National Theatre School in Montreal. (CBC)

Sixteen years after her graduation, Ottawa-born actress Sandra Oh was finally able to hit the stage of the National Theatre School Friday.

The Grey’s Anatomy star was in Montreal to be honoured by her alma mater with the Gascon-Thomas award for 2009 Friday. The award honours people who have made an "exceptional contribution" to theatre in Canada and who "serve as an inspiration to students of the school."

"Finally I get to be on the monument stage," exclaimed Oh while receiving the award on the stage of the historic Monument National Theatre.

During her time at the school, the stage was under renovations. Instead, Oh said her class performed for each other up in the third-floor attic.

"This place used to look like crap," marvelled Oh in an interview with the CBC.

Despite having won a Golden Globe for her role in the 2004 film Sideways, the Gascon-Thomas recognition is "the best award ever," said Oh.

"I feel very, very moved just being here and seeing familiar faces, and to see the students walk into the school," the Ottawa-born actress said.

"Because it is my history and it is really important. My parents were here at the very beginning — they saw every show. And for them to come back 15 years later for me to receive this award — it is history for me as well."

School not her first choice

Oh turned down a full journalism scholarship from Carleton University to attend the National Theatre School.

Oh described how she applied to the school after seeing a pamphlet about it.

“It seemed like a perfect warm-up audition for my real audition to Concordia [University in Montreal] — which, by the way, I didn’t get into.”

In addition to providing her with a network of colleagues she said she can always trust to tell the truth, Oh said the major thing the school taught her was how to take care of herself as an actor.

"Because after this I’m telling you — it is all on you to figure this all out. No one is going to take care of you. No one is going to hand you success."

Oh acknowledged her parents were worried her chances of success as someone of Korean-Canadian origin.

"I think you think of that if you grow up in a predominantly white society, and you’re not white."

But, Oh said she didn’t let that hold her back.

"It becomes a part of your makeup. And it certainly is a part of mine but … that is not the part that leads me."

Oh shares the Gascon-Thomas Award with singer and artistic director Paul Buisonneau.