The Office of the Dean of Students oversees two awards for staff and faculty that recognize their important contributions to students' success.
Forces AVENIR Committed Staff Member Award
**Applications are currently closed.
About the Award
The Committed Staff Member Award recognizes a member of staff who, outside the context of a course or research program, is involved with students who are engaged in community actions, here or elsewhere in the world. The category recognizes a member of staff whose engagement has had an impact on the educational institution’s mission and the development of more socially-conscious, responsible, active, and persevering citizens. Recipients will have distinguished themselves by their ability to inspire engagement among both students and community members.
Eligibility
- Must be a member of staff at 51Թuniversity
- Must not not be a former recipient of a Forces AVENIR award
Applying
Interested staff members can open an application on the.
The application includes:
- A 250-word summary of the candidate’s career path, engagements, and qualities as a citizen
- A 200-word essay for each selection criterion (criterion available on FA application portal)
- A detailed curriculum vitae
- Ten colour photographs of the candidate demonstrating their engagement
Please email the Office of the Dean of Students at deanofstudents [at] mcgill.ca (deanofstudents[at]mcgill[dot]ca) if you have any questions.
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising
**Applications are currently closed.
About the Award
The Dean of Students Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising was established in collaboration with the ESAAC Subcommittee on Undergraduate Student Advising (SUSA) in January 2015. The award aims to recognize the integral and valuable contribution that academic advising makes to undergraduate student life at McGill.
Advisors provide timely and accurate guidance to students, assisting them in making informed academic choices in light of their learning, career, and life goals. Advisors provide coherent information about University regulations and program requirements, and work, as appropriate, with other University services and resources. Evidence of excellence in the role of undergraduate academic advisor may be demonstrated through specific examples of the nominee’s recent achievements in advising support to students, service to or involvement in the University and advising communities, and/or innovative approaches to the role of academic advisor.
Eligibility
- All job categories are eligible.
- For the purposes of this award, the definition of undergraduate academic advisor is broad and inclusive.
- Nominees should have a significant and recognized role in academic advising that guides students in the completion of their programs through to graduation and in which they are wholly accountable for the advice they dispense.
- Any academic or administrative staff member whose position includes a significant academic advising role in which they are authorized to deliver advising on academic issues to undergraduate students may be nominated for this award, regardless of whether the term “advisor” is in their official job title. This includes, but is not limited to, Faculty advisors, Department or School advisors, program administrators and student affairs officers or coordinators, provided that one of their main roles is undergraduate academic advising.
Applying
Please submit two (2) letters of support (500-word limit) for the nominee, along with a . Anyone with knowledge of the advisor’s work may write a letter of support including the nominator(s), a student, a colleague or a supervisor.
Letters should go beyond personal experience (if possible) and include the capacity in which the letter-writer has known the nominee, a description of the significant advising role of the nominee and an explanation of how the nominee has demonstrated excellence in their role as an undergraduate academic advisor.
Nominees will be notified, nominations made public and winners announced in May.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to deanofstudents [at] mcgill.ca (deanofstudents[at]mcgill[dot]ca).
Previous winners
2024
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
David Wees
Faculty Lecturer and Associate Director, Farm Management and Technology Program
Adelina Lameiras
Student Affairs Administrator, Schulich School of Music
2022
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
Curtis Sharman
Student Advisor, Faculty of Science
Paul Olioff
Student Advisor, Faculty of Science
2021
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
Samuel Sewall
Faculty Lecturer/Director of Undergraduate Studies; Dept. of Chemistry
Nellie Voudouris
Faculty Adviser, ASAP Supervisor; Faculty of Arts
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Nominees
Nada Abu-Merhy
Student Advisor; Faculty of Education
Ryan Bouma
Student Advisor; Faculty of Science
Giosina Rota
Student Advisor; Faculty of Law
Rolando Del Maestro
Professor Emeritus, Director Neurosurgery Sim. Res. Centre, Brain Tumor Research Centre
Vanessa Hansen
Advisor; Faculty of Science
Wendy Somerville
Coordinator; Faculty of Dentistry
Brandy Jugandi
Career Advisor; Faculty of Arts
Curtis Sharman
Student Advisor; Faculty of Science
Lisa Stanischewski
Student Advisor, Institute for the Study of International Development
Paul Olioff
Student Advisor; Faculty of Science
Rhonda Turner
Financial Aid Counselor, Student Services
2020
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
Lyudmila Parts
Professor/Undergraduate Advisor and Dir. of Undergraduate Studies; Dept. of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Chantal Grignon
Senior Administrative and Student Affairs Coordinator; Dept. of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Nominees
Nada Abu-Merhy
Student Advisor; Faculty of Education
Ryan Bouma
Student Advisor; Faculty of Science
Romantha Descartes
Administrative Coordinator, Faculty of Dentistry
Prof. Allan Hepburn
Professor; Dept. of English
Elizabeth Lefebvre
Career Advisor; Faculty of Medicine
Giosina Rota
Student Advisor; Faculty of Law
Sophie Roy-Lafleur
Director- Career Development Office; Faculty of Law
Olivia Sanalitro
Undergraduate Program Adviser; Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
Dr. Kevin Schwartzman
Professor; Dept. of Medicine
Nellie Voudouris
Faculty Adviser, ASAP Supervisor; Faculty of Arts
2019
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
Jane Hawes
Michelle Maillet
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Nominees
Andy Catalano
Undergraduate Program Manager & Student Advisor; Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Arts OASIS Advising Staff
Student Affairs Advisors & Coordinator; Faculty of Arts
Jane Hawes
Student Adviser & Assistance to Nicole Allard, Director of Advising Services, SOUSA
Lesley Morin
Student Affairs Advisor & Records Officer; Faculty of Engineering
Marlene Brettler
Student Affairs Coordinator; School of Physical & Occupational Therapy
Michelle Maillet
Undergraduate Advisor; Dept. of Geography
2018
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
Alice Cherestes (Academic Staff)
Teresa Zatylny (Administrative Staff)
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Nominees
Academic Staff
Dr. Alice Cherestes
Interim Director of Freshman Program; Freshman Adviser; Senior Faculty Lecturer; Dept. Bioresource Engineering; Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Mathieu Blanchette
Associate Professor Computer Science; School of Computer Science
Dr. William Minarik
Faculty Lecturer and Undergraduate Adviser, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Administrative Staff
Angela Blasi
Student Adviser, B.Com Program; Desautels Faculty of Management
Giosina Rota
Student Affairs Consultant and Adviser (Upper years, Academic Programs, and Student Records); Faculty of Law
Jane Hawes
Assistant to the Director; Student Adviser; Faculty of Science
Lesley Morin
Student Affairs Adviser/Records Officer; Faculty of Engineering
Michelle Maillet
Undergraduate Program Adviser; Department of Geography
Nancy Nelson
Undergraduate Adviser; Department of Biology
Teresa Zatylny
Administrative Student Affairs Coordinator; Department of Mining and Materials Engineering
Vanessa Smith
Internships and Student Affairs Officer; Faculty of Education
2017
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
Kathy Roulet (Academic Staff)
Mary Lanni-Campoli (Administrative Staff)
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Nominees
Academic Staff
Prof. Anna Berman
Undergraduate Program Director, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Paola Carvajal
Chief Academic Advisor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Alice Cherestes
Freshman Program Advisor, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Kathy Roulet
Program Advisor, 51ԹSchool of Environment
Administrative Staff
Ryan Bouma
Interdisciplinary Programs Adviser, Faculty of Science
Giulia Campofredano
Associate Director, BCom Program, Desautels Faculty of Management
Vittoria Catania
Student Affairs Officer, Department Anatomy and Cell Biology
Nancy Czemmel
Director of Student Life and Learning, Faculty of Law
Sabrina Fanelli
Senior Administrative and Student Affairs Coordinator, Faculty of Engineering
Chantal Grignon
Undergraduate Student Affairs Coordinator, Department of Pharmacology
Mary Lanni-Campoli
Professional Program and Student Advisor, School of Architecture
Michelle Maillet
Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Geography
Vanessa Morelli
Student Affairs Consultant, Faculty of Law
Sonia Viselli
Undergraduate Student Affairs Officer, Department of Physiology
Teresa Zatylny
Undergraduate Coordinator, Department of Mining and Materials Engineering
2016
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Winners
Lia Sanzone (Academic Staff)
Ruth Kuzaitis (Administrative Staff)
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Nominees
Academic Staff
Pete Barry
Chief Academic Adviser, Faculty of Science
Dr. Alice Cherestes
Freshman Program Advisor, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Prof. Benoit Cousineau
Chief Academic Advisor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Prof. Christopher Green
Honours Advisor, Department of Economics
Prof. Miranda Hickman
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of English
Dr. Julie Major
Academic Advisor, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Lia Sanzone
BSc (N) Advisor, Ingram School of Nursing
Prof. Dirk Schlimm
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Philosophy
Dr. Samuel Sewall
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Chemistry
Administrative Staff
Nada Abu-Merhy
Student Advisor, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education
Vittoria Catania
Student Affairs Officer, Department Anatomy and Cell Biology
Ronald Critchley
Student Adviser, Desautels Faculty of Management
Egidia DeMichele
Senior Administrative and Student Affairs Coordinator, Schulich School of Music
Chantal Grignon
Undergraduate Student Affairs Coordinator, Department of Pharmacology
Robert Guirguis
Program Advisor, School of Continuing Studies
Kate Hooton
Internships and Student Affairs Officer, Faculty of Education
Ruth Kuzaitis
Faculty Adviser, Faculty of Arts
Mary Lanni-Campoli
Professional Program and Student Advisor, School of Architecture
Della Maharajh
Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Department of Political Science
Prema Menon
Student Advisor and Undergraduate Programs Administrator, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Claire Michela
Administrative and Student Affairs Coordinator, Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies
Nancy Nelson
Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Biology
Paul Olioff
Academic Adviser, Faculty of Science
Joanne Terrasi
Administrative and Student Affairs Coordinator, Department of Sociology
Sonia Viselli
Undergraduate Student Affairs Officer, Department of Physiology
Nellie Voudouris
Faculty Adviser, Faculty of Art
