SAIT’s Star Awards give us an opportunity to celebrate the people who help make our institution a global leader in applied education. The Star Awards recognize significant contributions made by SAIT employees who promote student success through innovation, volunteerism and shaping SAIT’s brand.
We held this year’s Star Awards on Wednesday, May 8 at 10:30 am and celebrated the outstanding contributions of our dedicated staff and faculty members.
Winners
Dania El Chaar, International Centre
Ian Schultz, Safety and Community Services
Jodi Currie, Alumni and Development
Jason Purdy, School of Manufacturing and Automation and School of Transportation
Jennifer Stefura, School of Health and Public Safety
Jarod Traxel, School of Hospitality and Tourism
Laura Lavigne, Corporate Development, Applied Research and International
Stephanie Lapointe, Applied Research and Innovation Services
Thomas Weniger, Information Technology Services
Youth Initiatives, Academic Services
See 2024 Team Award of Excellence nominees
| HPS IPE Team | Jennifer Stefura Kalin Provan Michael Mackenzie Jennifer Burton Colby Bieber Laura McIntyre Bushra Ihtasham Fiona Wilson Kim Penner Valerie Moldowin Stephanie Clack Betty Golightly Jennifer Stodler Daniel Heikoop |
| Annual Giving Team | Anna Kravchik Diane Westlake Gertrude Samar |
| Domestic Admissions Applications Solution Team (DAAS) | Angela Lucyk Scott Robinson Krista Craig Tracy Jewers Hugh Baker Petrus Jonker Sheldon Wong Yelena Arjannikova Sunny Xu Khaled Soueidi Robert Roney Deanne Colbourne |
| SAIT Cross-Functional Response Team for IRCC Caps and Advanced Education Provincial Attestation Letters | Patrick Sullivan Victor Jimenez Brian Scriver Lukas Gesell Alina Hetman Nomso Nnadi Gabriela Zuniga Kanae Ebina Jade Joa Cheri Schewaga Sinead Brady Neera Arora Abhinav Khanna Tracy Jewers Khaled Soueidi Wayne Weinheimer Troy Davidson David Own Atul Bhandari Cyla Panin Deanne Colbourne |
| Academic Services Administrative Team | Cassie Reeves Rebecca Dwyer Emily Mosher Miche Xu Madison Kelsey Sharla Mann Stephanie Mattie |
| SAIT’s Youth Initiatives Team | Ashley Monteiro Ashley Vu Gabby Valenzuela Patrick Nicholson Abdullah Rafih Greg Stein Mackenzie Strang Mathew Peters Sydney Paquette Rozlynn Wick |
| Green Building Technology Access Centre/Facilities Management Team (GBTAC/FM Team) | Melanie Ross Kelsey Chegus Justin Pockar Nyambo Mubukwanu Peter Chu Rick Sutclifee Joel Pabuaya |
| School of Business Academic Advising Team | Andrew Julio Andrew Engler Amanda McKibben Lexsu Chen Grace Mindanao Erin Wordie Ken Pacheco Yuko Simms Michelle Richards |
| BA Year One, LaunchPad Integration Team | Rose Campbell Courtney Johnston Charissa Lee Omar Elkadijanbeih Ashish Jhamb Denise Lillejord Tony Mallette Mary Marier Roxanne Nelson Sara Rama Liam Riley Dan Wong Kristene Coller Nazia Viceer Jayme Bennett Erin Wordie Yuko Simms Andrew Julio Ken Pacheco |
| Tout Awn Sawmbl | Walking Together in a Good Way (The DINAM Program Team) | Julie Mooney Blake Kanewischer |
| International Student Support Team | Zuzana Ritzer Qi Chen Viviane Trudel Erika Kadar Andrea Macrae Dania El Chaar Ana De Leon Mary Polychronis Shannon Erwin Jessie Shen |
| SADT Leadership Team | Amos Ngai Jessica Ager Kim Noble Omar Wahdan Carla Marioni Shon Noda Andrew Stevenson Ali Moussa Roderick MacIntosh Subrata Biswas Jessica Whiting Banks Odole |
| Individual contribution to a team — Finance | Maricel Balagtas |
| Individual contribution to a team — International Centre | Erika Kadar |
| Individual contribution to a team — School of Construction | Penelope Shrive |
Registration is full due to event space restrictions, but additional standing room on the second and third floors of Stan Grad as well as a virtual live stream link will be available to ensure everyone can participate.
Star Award categories
Ralph T. Scurfield Award of Excellence
This award honours an instructor who exhibited consistent excellence in teaching and has had a significant impact on the personal and academic growth of students.
It’s awarded to an individual who:
- has adapted their teaching styles, methodologies or materials to fit student needs and available resources
- has shown a consistent and sustained commitment to student success and to developing supporting methodologies, materials and processes
- had a recognized and positive impact on students (such as contributing to employment or completion rates), peers (through professional development or project leadership) and SAIT overall by building the organization’s reputation in a subject area
Oracle Corporation Award of Excellence
This award honours a staff member who assists the learning process either directly or through a supporting SAIT activity. Nominees will be in non-management and non-instructor positions.
It’s awarded to an individual who:
- made a recognizable and positive impact on helping learners through high-quality support services or significant improvements to the learning process
- demonstrated exemplary performance of duties and has contributed overall to SAIT through involvement on committees, volunteer work, etc.
- showed creativity in meeting challenges within available resources
Faculty/Staff Volunteerism Award of Excellence
This award honours a SAIT faculty or staff member who has generously given their time by volunteering to assist with SAIT events and programs.
It’s awarded to an individual who:
- has volunteered for a variety of SAIT events or programs
- has been an exceptional role model
- has demonstrated leadership, creativity, cooperation and hard work in reinforcing SAIT’s core values
Team Award of Excellence
This award honours a SAIT team that has made an exceptional contribution toward meeting a SAIT goal.
It’s awarded to a team who:
- recognizes and values member diversity
- used team synergy to produce a service or product
- has had a recognized and substantial impact on improving or enhancing SAIT’s business processes
- has shown a consistent and sustained commitment to continuous quality improvement
Staff Innovation Award — Technical Implementation
This award honours superior technical implementation of a new concept, process or idea.
It’s awarded to an individual who:
- has applied new and/or improved methodologies and/or technologies relating to a specific project
- has demonstrated measurable value or benefit to SAIT or its clients
Staff Innovation Award — Trailblazer
This award honours visionaries and outside-the-box thinkers who have overcome adversity to make a difference.
It’s awarded to an individual or team who:
- charted new territory and demonstrated thinking “outside of the box”
- has inspired and/or encouraged others to make positive changes
- has overcome adversity in order to make a difference
- has demonstrated measurable value or benefit to their department and SAIT
Staff Brand Award — Maker
This $1,000 award honours an employee’s commitment to reflecting SAIT’s brand through utilizing creativity and curiosity. They display a celebration of our energy and talents.
It’s awarded to an individual who:
- is a maker in the work they have done in the past year by celebrating SAIT’s know-how, energy and talents
- used curiosity to contribute fresh ideas and best practices
- displayed creativity through initiatives and bold solutions
- committed to connection within their department and SAIT
Staff Brand Award — Original
This $1,000 award honours an employee’s unique approach in their work, exhibiting SAIT’s brand through connection and citizenship.
It’s awarded to an individual who:
- is an original in the work they have done in the past year by inspiring connection and always seeking out diverse perspectives
- makes a positive impact within their department and SAIT
- demonstrated extraordinary citizenship to SAIT and the community through involvement on committees, volunteer work, etc.
Staff Brand Award — Shaper
This $1,000 award honours an employee’s commitment to helping SAIT’s brand excel through critical thinking and creativity, and utilize an approach to their work that demonstrates SAIT is driving the future.
It’s awarded to an individual who:
- is a shaper in the work they have done in the past year by demonstrating how SAIT is a one-of-a kind place where we care and truly shape new paths
- utilized critical thinking to add measurable value or benefit to their department and SAIT
- inspired others to use creativity in their thinking and approach
Inclusion Champion Award
This award honours a champion who makes SAIT a more inclusive place to work and study through their attitude, actions and advocacy. Awarded to an individual who meets the following criteria:
- A valued SAIT staff or faculty member committed to embedding equity, diversity and inclusion into the DNA of the institution
- Sparks positive change by inspiring and encouraging others to contribute to a more inclusive environment
- Overcomes challenges to make a real difference, transforming adversity into opportunities for growth
- Demonstrates measurable value and benefits, not just within their department but to the entire SAIT community
Milestone Awards
Congratulations!
SAIT employees who achieve five or more years of service (at five-year increments) receive special recognition for their dedication in serving SAIT students.
Milestone employees receive:
- a certificate of appreciation signed by the President
- recognition from their peers at the Star Awards each June
- a small gift as SAIT’s way of saying thank you.
Choose your gift
Select one of the two milestone awards:
- a cash payment on your pay (taxable benefit), or
- a donation to SAIT student scholarships
When you reach a five-year milestone, Employee Services will invite you to make your reward selection.
The above article was originally published to saitnow.ca in May of 2024. Please view the original article here.