2015

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Jamie Bramburger

Pembroke Campus

Take a trip down memory lane with us to Friday, November 27, just days before the 103rd Grey Cup. The entire Ottawa Valley was getting ready to settle in for the weekend and tune in to one of Canada’s premiere sporting spectacles.

But all was not quiet at Pembroke campus. No rest or relaxation for Jamie Bramburger! Jamie was busy booking flights, booking hotels, buying tickets, taking media calls, picking up packages, and driving frantically down to Ottawa, trying to get a team of lumberjacks to ‘The Peg’ to watch (what we hoped would be) the REDBLACKS taking home Albert Grey’s trophy.

And if sorting out those logistics did not sound like enough complication – trying to get a team of five, plus Jamie, plus their logging equipment to a packed sporting match some 2,000 kilometres away on two days notice – then try to imagine the look on the team’s faces when the rug got pulled out from under them! Just as the Lumber Joes and Jill were getting ready to r-r-r-rev up their chainsaws in support of our REDBLACKS, the CFL informed the team their offer to perform on the sidelines had been rescinded.

Thankfully, some more back and forth exchanges took place that Saturday – including media interviews from the airport with dramatic admissions that the students were about to board the plane not knowing of the disappointment awaiting them in Winnipeg – and, eventually, a compromise was reached. The loggersports team was allowed to stand on the sidelines at Investors Group Field. Plus, the team’s skills were featured nationally on TSN and a variety of other sympathetic news outlets.

This brief writeup barely scratches the surface of Jamie’s efforts to get our Loggersports team to the Grey Cup, and does not even begin to acknowledge his outstanding above-and-beyond efforts every day on behalf of Pembroke campus and Algonquin College. However, we were determined that the work behind the scenes on this particular effort would not remain an untold story. Jamie’s efforts on behalf of our student loggersports team were both commendable and praiseworthy, and the passion he brings to his work every day is inspiring. Thank you Jamie for all you do!

Nominated by: Phil Gaudreau
Presented on: December 9, 2015

Jennifer Vanderburg

Library – Student Support Services

On Friday, July 10, 2015 a student came up to the Library front desk at 3:50pm. The student said he saw the lights flicker (a sign the library is closing in 10 minutes). Jennifer and another staff member explained that the Library closed at 4pm on Fridays in the summer and directed the student to the posted hours of operation signs around the Library. The Student informed Jennifer he had just started an online test at one of the computers in the Library and if he logged out he would not be able to log back in to complete the test and he would get a zero.

Jennifer consulted with colleagues and our acting key contact as our Manager was away on annual leave. Jennifer personally decided she would stay after the Library closed to allow the student the hour he needed to complete his online test. She was not directed to do so and the idea to resolve the situation in this manner was hers.

I personally believe Jennifer acted in line with the College’s core values and supported the student beyond what was expected of her to ensure the student had every chance at success moving forward.

Nominated by: Joel Nethercote-Devlin
Presented on: November 30, 2015

Robert More

“Above and beyond the call of duty” and “Service with a smile”

These statements sum up Rob More’s attitude to Here2Help. For me, like most of us, a cranky laptop or a temperamental operating system is the low point of my day, unless of course, I am lucky enough to get help from Rob, a Technical Client Service Representative in ITS. Rob makes having an IT issue a joy, … well, almost. Regardless of the size of the challenge, the ridiculousness of the question or the urgency of the matter, Rob finds a solution with patience, humour and good cheer. Every time, all the time.

“Above and beyond” are regular occurrences for Rob. Of special note is the extra support that Rob continues to extend to a learning partner on contract with the College. An outsider, she is often challenged by the quirks of her loaner laptop or our internal systems – Outlook, VPN and the like. Rob is her go-to guy; he never fails to provide service which is courteous, attentive, responsive, efficient and supportive. The impression he has made on her has been profound.

Folks in our service areas represent the face of the College to many – students, contractors, fellow employees. Algonquin always looks pretty fantastic when Rob is that face!

It is my honour to nominate Rob More for a President’s Star Award.

Nominated by: Anonymous
Presented on: November 26, 2015

Catherine Morris

Catherine saved the day for four students and myself last week during a midterm. The particulars involve Catherine responding to my call asking for 30 minutes of her time and if she was available. She did not ask for details, just said ‘Yes, I can help you’. During that time, she delivered exam sheets to CSD for me while I headed to the classroom to deliver the midterm. The reason for the mix-up was a one time problem but none the less, a problem. I could not have been in two places at once and she saved the day. I was so impressed with her can-do attitude, which is exactly what the students (and I) needed at that moment. Thank you Catherine for being you!

Nominated by: Moira McDonald
Presented on: November 26, 2015

Helena Merriam

Library and Information Technician Program

As part of re-elevating Academic Advising as a key priority for 2015-2016, several training sessions were offered from August 24 to September. Part of this training was to review the use of the Algonquin Student Tracking System ACSAS. Helena who has made really good use of the system and knows it quite well, took the time out of her schedule to deliver this component to all the sections at Woodroffe. She was extremely generous at a time of the year when she had many other duties to complete in order to get ready for the start of the academic year. She was pleasant, funny and precise. She made a significant contribution to this institutional priority and she deserves to be celebrated for it.

Nominated by: Michel Savard
Presented on: November 23, 2015

Bryan Sangster, Scott Liu, Patrick Lambert, Cam Davis and Brad Pick

ITS /Card Services Project Team

Planning projects with multiple departments in the college can, of course be challenging, partly because stakeholders haven’t worked together before, and have different expectations. The College/OC Transpo U-Pass project involved stakeholders from the Registrar’s Office, Card Services, Finance, ITS and the Ancillary Services Marketing Group. We believed we had identified every deliverable, and all the risks had been captured and logged, however, very close to the printing and distribution of the U-Pass cards for the students it was discovered, through testing, that one critical piece of software had been omitted and was vital if the data was to be shared with the application that printed the cards. It happens sometimes, despite rigorous planning, that there are “unknown unknowns” in projects and what can determine the caliber of the Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) is how well they deal with this unexpected event in a time-sensitive project. These guys were phenomenal.

Bryan Sangster from Card Services, Scott Liu and Patrick Lambert from the IT Applications Group, Cam Davis and Brad Pick from Infrastructure Services Team, pulled the stops out and spent several days figuring out how to configure a new piece of software and test it between two recently installed applications. It was a tense experience, overtime was necessary, and they became very tired but at no time did they give up. They all displayed the very spirit of Algonquin College by working as a strong team in a respectful manner with a single purpose – to get those cards printed for the students – and they succeeded. What made it so incredible is that they hadn’t worked together before yet still performed to the best of their abilities, and this is why I am nominating them all.

Nominated by: Cinds Chapman
Presented on: November 23, 2015

Martine Plouffe

Centre for Continuing and Online Learning

At the beginning of September 2014, Martine became a successful candidate to fill a maternity leave position of Administrative Coordinator in CCOL commencing the first week of September. This is the busiest time for CCOL in all areas but especially in both of Martine’s roles, her position as the Student Success Specialist in CCOL and the new role of the Administrative Coordinator. Martine took on all tasks with a professional, positive manner and unfailing dedication to student success. Martine spent many hours past the College usual business hours attending to all of the tasks in her new role to meet all of the requirements of that position. At the same time, she still fulfilled her responsibilities as the Student Success Specialist meeting with students in person and via Skype to meet all of their needs. I often hear Martine speak with students and she n! ever ceases to amaze me. Even in most difficult situations Martine’s manner is extremely positive and professional, she always goes above and beyond of what may be required to ensure that the students’ needs are met. She doesn’t just process their program/course enrollments, she makes sure they understand what is required and makes sure they have all of the information and resources to make them successful in their studies. Martine provides students with encouragement and helps them make sound academic and, often, life decisions. Martine is also very engaged with Program Coordinators liaising with them on all matters concerning students’ academic success.

As a colleague and office mate, Martine is always cheerful and willing to help wherever needed. Martine continues to successfully fulfill both roles for over two months as her position has just been filled and the replacement will begin on November 17th. It is a pleasure to work beside her.

Nominated by: Krystyna Rybczynska
Presented on: October 7, 2015

Lisa Roots

PPSI

Lisa has lead the Spread the Net student challenge for three years in a row . She was the one who brought this challenge to the attention of the college in the first place, and spear-headed the first year’s win. She went on to lead students in the second win as well, and we will learn the results of this year’s campaign very shortly (although, by the time you read this submission, I’m sure you will already know that the team was again successful!!

Lisa has gone above and beyond in her dedication to this cause, and in her leadership and engagement with students in the Police Foundations Program. She has been recognized for her efforts in dozens of ways, and I’m sure others have submitted Star nominations for her….but I thought I would do my part with a nomination as well. It is deserved. I’m impressed by her tenacity and dedication to this event.

Nominated by: Cat Baron
Presented on: October 7, 2015

Catherine Lee

Ancillary Services

Be like a duck – above the surface look composed & unruffled; below the surface, paddle like crazy.

Catherine Lee personifies this sentiment that underlines her email sign off. As the Course Materials Planner and e-Text Buyer in our Campus Connections store, Cathy is paddling like crazy to support students and faculty to ensure that they have the resources required to realize success. Over the past few years, with little fanfare and even less recognition, Cathy has been a pivotal player in the execution of the e-text initiative at the College, sorting out snags and clearing bottlenecks to ensure that students have the resources they require.

Cathy’s involvement in College activities extends beyond the walls of the Campus Connections store. For a number of years, Cathy has been involved with the College’s annual United Way campaign, volunteering as a tireless campaigner for Ancillary Services. In recent years, she has served on the UW Planning Team to coordinate up to 50 campaign canvassers across the College. Her efforts have supported campaign fundraising in the tens of thousands!

As if this all wasn’t enough paddling, Cathy is a founding member of the College’s Live Laugh Learn Employee Newsletter. Published electronically 4 times per academic year, this publication strives to “provide a platform that fosters a sense of employee engagement and community while cultivating a positive and enthusiastic workplace.” Cathy has contributed to every edition, meeting on her lunch hours with the little editorial board to plan and execute the newsletter.

To know Cathy is to know how much she is like a duck … always professional, supportive and calm on the surface while underneath it all, she is involved and engaged, and always, always focused on student and employee success.

It is my honour to nominate Catherine Lee for a President’s Star Award.

Nominated by: Anonymous
Presented on: July 22, 2015

Robert Parniak

Career & Academic Access Centre

Rob is a dedicated employee who spends his days helping students in need at the Career & Academic Access Centre as a Academic Referral Advisor. Rob is a caring person who takes the time to know his clients and try and help them full-fill their goals and ultimately help change the course of their life through education.

Rob is also a help outside of his role at the Career & Academic Access Centre.
Last Friday I found myself after hours in the parking lot with a completely flat tire. Now I consider myself a strong independent woman but lets not kid ourselves, I know nothing about changing tires. After running to the automotive department and finding no one there I attempted to change the tire myself.

While down on the ground on a yoga matt ( who new they had other purposes?) trying to wedge up my car along come Rob on his bike. He immediately came over and proceeded to jack up my car and change my tire without hesitation. All the while instructing me on best ways to do it myself if I was ever in need.

This sounds like a small gesture but for me it was huge. I had had a long hard week and his help restored my faith. Thats what I love about this place. Everyone is here to help in their own small ways. These little acts of kindness really shape Algonquins culture and for that I think he deserves a Big Gold Star!

Nominated by: Stephany Castilla
Presented on: July 22, 2015

Edna Sebag

Registrar’s Office

In my opinion, Edna represents every quality and positive characteristic that an Algonquin member should strive for. Recently, I was transitioned into a new role as Coordinator of HRAC (at the start of a September intake no less). No doubt one of the busiest times of the year and Edna has and continues to go out of her way to provide a level of service and instruction to help me, help my students day to day. Her level of professionalism and care are second only to her efficiency and effectiveness. She continuously seems to set new standards in truly serving her clients, namely me. I can’t imagine how the last 8 weeks would have gone without her to assist and would not want to imagine the College community without her there to share so unconditionally her knowledge and Corporate depth. Edna goes out of her way to make things easier for the students. In one case, I had a student who had to withdraw due to an injury. Edna coordinated all of the paperwork, the process and liaised with finance to make a very strong case so that the student’s funds could be deferred to the following semester when he could return. I can’t imagine how the last 8 weeks would have gone without her to assist and would not want to imagine the College community without her there to share so unconditionally her knowledge and Corporate depth.

I consider her to be one of my closest colleagues whom I’ve never met nor would I even know where to find her!!

Nominated by: Ken Hill
Presented on: June 18, 2015

Cathy Collyer

Financial, Office and Legal Studies/School of Business

As Coordinator of the Office Administration – General certificate program, Cathy continues to provide excellent and tireless support to full-time and contract faculty, to students in various stages of the program: prospective, currently enrolled, continuing education, and those interested in entertaining the online version. Cathy spends countless hours meeting and corresponding with students to assist in their success, including attending every college function that services students such as Open Houses and Information Forums.

Cathy is driven by ensuring the program continues to meet industry standards, is open to continuous change, and is always available to support those who need her assistance. She sits on every hiring committee for our faculty and chairs and is constantly meeting with students and their parents. She has developed a series of email responses for students and faculty dependent upon the query they have, and she is willing to share this information.

Faculty and students look to Cathy for her leadership and adherence to the College mandate and policies. Cathy is constantly assisting in redeveloping courses in the program that she is not teaching, and working on PLARs for students to quality for second-year programs that have certificates but have been out of college for a period of time.

In the classroom, Cathy provides quality instruction and strives for perfection from her students. She is a role model for success. She organizes the Orientation and goes class to class to ensure students are settled and aware of necessary information for their success.

Cathy never complains; she smiles and carries on. We have been very fortunate to have Cathy on our team for over 20 years!

Nominated by: Lynn Berry
Presented on: June 18, 2015

Mohammad Tabrez Arfin

Facilities, AC- Jazan

Tabrez is an excellent facilities employee who has taken a leadership role in his department. He is given tasks & takes them on willingly & without ever complaining. He is extremely resourceful & will look at all options related to broken equipment & will repair the items (often on his own) rather than invest in new equipment if not necessary. He takes early morning & late evening call outs without ever complaining & often without reimbursement. I know he was called one morning at 5:00 AM when a compound tenant realized they had no water. He responded quickly (driving across town) & fixed the problem of a malfunctioning pump & stayed to make sure all tenants had water to start their day. He worked tirelessly on completing the compound gym renovations & the children’s playground & always take pride in doing a top notch job.He is also a pretty good crick! et player. A fantastic employee who deserves this recognition.

Nominated by: Doug McLachlan
Presented on: June 16, 2015

Waseem Frieslaar

Algonquin College Jazan

Many local heroes go unnoticed.

I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Waseem Frieslaar for the President’s Star for his outstanding contribution to the Algonquin community. I have known Waseem for 4 years, during which he has played several roles and employed instrumental contribution to the success of the college. An Instructor, Student Activities Coordinator, Student Services Coordinator and a Marketing Manager, Waseem’s contribution can never go unnoticed. He is a real team player. Always the first to say “yes, I will do it”, as if the word, ‘No’ doesn’t exist in his dictionary. Specialist in organizing BBQ events; he has demonstrated remarkable administration, planning and organization skills.

People like being around Waseem. He brings with him enthusiasm and a positive attitude that is contagious. He can positively charge the atmosphere in a meeting or in one-on-one discussions. His positive outlook comes out all that he does and through his relationships.

Waseem is collegial and collaborative; he demonstrates a continual effort to stay on top of every job he is assigned to.

I have always enjoyed working with him. He always comes up with some innovative ideas. Whatever he does, this gentleman clearly demonstrates the College’s core values of Caring, Learning, Integrity and Respect.

I could have never found a better platform to thank Waseem for all the outstanding services he has arrayed during these years.

“Thank you” Waseem, you are the real STAR!

Nominated by: Iftekhar Ahmed
Presented on: June 16, 2015

Brenda Rothwell

Foundation

Brenda Rothwell is truly an Algonquin Star. For 12 years she has been Algonquin’s number one cheer leader. She is out in the community several nights a week networking and promoting the good work done by the College. In fact Brenda is an Ambassador for the College 24/7. Even when she is at the mall, the hair salon or attending a family gathering she usually finds a way to weave in the Algonquin story.

Brenda routinely goes above and beyond. She enthusiastically supports her Algonquin family and never misses an opportunity to send a personal note or make a phone call to congratulate or support a colleague. She is genuinely interested in the work of her peers and regularly facilitates connections to folks or initiatives in the community. It is not uncommon to receive a phone message from her on a weekend to report that she has just heard a fabulous choir that she thought would be great for the Hub. Brenda is passionate about helping students and pours her heart and soul into everything she does for the College. She has modelled our College Values impeccably, making Algonquin a better place for all of us. Brenda is a genuine, authentic person……. She is the real deal.

Nominated by: Shelley Styles
Presented on: April 10, 2015

Craig Delmage and Pat Ouelette

ITS / School of Advanced Technology

I would like to nominate Craig Delmage and Pat Ouelette for the work they did in creating and delivering the Cyber Security Day conference. These two individuals undertook this huge initiative in addition to their regular responsibilities at the College.

The event created new opportunities for our students and industry to collaborate and for the college to show off the Algonquin experience. Their vision allowed hundreds of students to participate in an industry event, to meet potential employers and make industry connections. The event maximized student involvement, through video creation, event management and company sponsored training.

The event also raised the profile of the College by securing well-known companies and experts as both speakers and sponsors including federal Minister Steven Blaney, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness as the keynote. Many high profile organizations also participated in the event, including the RCMP, Gartner, Cyber Security for the Province of Ontario and a multitude of industry partners and sponsors.

The event was a huge success and this was due directly to the efforts of these two individuals and their passion for cyber security, student learning, and community collaboration.

Nominated by: Laura Campbell
Presented on: April 7, 2015

Cindy Versteeg

Health/Nursing

Meet the nursing faculty’s ‘hummingbird’ Cindy Versteeg!

Cindy is a momma of five, a grandma of five, a professor and a coordinator who gives 110 percent to every day she lives. She is the professor who gives passionate lectures; the coordinator who bakes cookies for the masses, and who sits and listens to every student’s story. An incredible student advocate, Cindy fights with and for any student whose success is at risk. And to us, Cindy is the colleague and friend that always has an open ear, an open heart and an objective opinion -just when you need it most.

On top of her usual give-it-all performance, this past six months Cindy has led the team through accreditation. Accreditation involved hours and hours of preparation to present our university of Ottawa/Algonquin College collaborative nursing degree program. The accreditors may be gone; however, Cindy remains busy writing responses to their review. At the same time, she leads the delivery of her annual ‘pet project’ – the student led flu clinic. Thanks to Cindy’s dedication and hard work, this year Algonquin College is a little bit safer with over 1600 AC community members vaccinated! And, 120 nursing students are beaming with pride and confidence at their accomplishment. Surely you have met one of the team, in the hallways encouraging you to ‘get the shot’!

The hummingbird, in the spiritual animal kingdom, is said to be capable of amazing feats (despite its small size) and has the ability to lift up negativity wherever it creeps. Cindy Versteeg, just like the hummingbird, encourages whomever she meets to be present, be resilient and to find joy in each and every day. We are so lucky this little bird flies amongst us. Thank you Cindy for all you do!

Nominated by: Sherry Poirier, Susan Eldred, Sue Ogilivie and Nga Nyguen
Presented on: April 7, 2015

Diana Partridge

General Arts and Science/School of Media and Design

As Coordinator of the Pre-Nursing Program in General Arts and Science, Diana teaches, counsels, advises, and prods her students to ensure that when they graduate they have a direction and a plan for going forward. She spends countless hours meeting one-on-one with students who are applying to nursing degree programs, choosing a career in a related health field, or dealing with the choices they must make when they don’t get into the program they want the most. She goes out of her way to show students how to make the most of the opportunities they are given and the options available to them.

What her students don’t know is how much work Diana puts into making sure that what they have achieved already is credited and recognized. When articulation agreements between her program and the university program her students aimed for were in jeopardy, Diana not only saved the agreements but also strengthened the bonds between the programs.

Diana compiled and analyzed statistical data to track graduate success in further post-secondary programs; she investigated instances when students had withdrawn from programs to identify their reasons for leaving; she liaised with Admissions and Registrar’s offices at both institutions; she reviewed entry requirements; she interviewed graduates and linked their next steps to the preparation that her program provides; and she met with officials to demonstrate the high success rate that has been achieved.

As a result, the articulation agreements were renewed, and students have much better options than they would have otherwise. They won’t know how much of this is due to Diana’s diligence, perseverance, and determination, but the choices they have now are better because of the work she does on their behalf.

Nominated by: Jean Timbury
Presented on: April 7, 2015

Cathy Duncan and Michelle McRae

Registrar’s Office

It is with great pleasure and admiration that we submit the following President’s Star Nomination for Cathy Duncan and Michelle McRae in the Registrar’s Office.

These two ladies maintain the Registrar’s Office askus email responses. This task is often daunting and challenging and they meet the daily challenge with grace, good nature and determination. With on average, well over 100 emails per day, these two ladies consistently meet our one to two business day response guidelines – 99% of the time within one business day. As with any client based service, sometimes clients are unclear about what they want or do not know how to express their question. Despite the fact that the process uses well developed and constantly updated templates for many responses, this is an intuitive task. It takes creativity, flexibility and patience to wade through multiple inquiries in a client request and craft a response that clearly and concisely provides the information the client needs. Cathy and Michelle manage to maintain a very low percentage of repeat inquiries and back and forth emails with clients because they consistently pay close attention to detail and respond correctly to the first inquiry contact. Clients are provided with thorough and complete information accompanied by any referrals required.

As Cathy and Michelle quietly and professionally complete this challenging daily task, it is clear that their work ethic and dedication constantly ensure accuracy and reliability for our clients and for the Client Service Representative Team – they truly are H2H within the College’s Core Values of Caring, Learning, Integrity and Respect.

Nominated by: Christine Berthelet and Christine Chatelain
Presented on: April 7, 2015

Elisa Provenzano

Financial Aid

It is with distinct pleasure and honor that we nominate our colleague Elisa Provenzano for the President Star Award,

Upon arrival to Financial Aid, Elisa made one of her first priorities a commitment to organize our office. Her suggested changes which were totally embraced by other FAO staff members, helped to make Financial Aid Services a cozy and inviting place for both staff and students.

When Elisa came to the financial aid office, she immediately immersed herself into the procedures attached to how bursaries were dispersed, particularly the Student Assistance Bursary. This bursary is Financial Aid’s largest bursary program; thousands of students apply and receive this bursary every year. In the past, it could take between 6-8 weeks for the Student Assistance Bursary to get to our students. The adjudication and cheque production process was an all manual process. Elisa, with her inquisitive, solution driven mind changed a number of procedures so that students could have their Student Assistance bursary funding in less than 4 weeks. Once these changes were accomplished with the Student Assistance Bursary, Elisa then turned her attention to other bursaries administered by Financial Aid Services, particularly the manual, paper driven Donor Bursary area. She was not satisfied with the status quo; instead, in an always respectful manner, she questioned long! held procedures and practices. As a result, quite a number of other bursary processes were changed. Elisa’s enthusiasm for thinking out of the box became contiguous within Financial Aid Services as other staff members also brought forward suggestions on how procedures could be changed so as to have a positive impact for our students. Elisa, in all her actions and deeds within Financial Aid Services exhibited the true meaning of caring, learning and integrity, “what is best for the student” “how can we help the student”

Elisa has a “can-do” attitude and a willingness to help out wherever she is needed. She is the first one to step up to the plate and offer her expertise. Thank you Elisa for your significant contribution to student success and retention.

Nominated by: Mathew St. Germain
Presented on: March, 2015

Jeff Ross

Construction Trades & Building Systems

I would like to nominate Jeff Ross for a President’s Star award.
Jeff is a dedicated professor, mentor and program coordinator within the department of Construction Trades and Building Systems.

Jeff’s knowledge, ability and experience make him a “prime” candidate for this award. He consistently demonstrates Algonquin’s core values of caring, learning, integrity and respect for students, faculty and staff. His relationships with the student are all about “success” with a focus to the “student’s needs and wants”. Students enjoy Jeff’s theory and lab classes, you can “feel it in the environment” around him. His expertise in the welding program plays a significant role in helping students adjust to college life. Jeff constantly demonstrates total commitment to the students which will lead to lifelong career success.

Jeff puts his whole heart and dedication into his job here at Algonquin. He is always willing to help others out both in his professional life and within the community.

Jeff was instrumental in reaching out to the Canadian Welding Association in hopes of obtaining information and initiatives to share with the students. The results were excellent. Seven students received bursary funds each in the amount of $2500.00. Going forward there are ample opportunities for the students in the welding industry with special consideration towards female students.

Let’s not forget the Kiwanis Bed Races! Jeff was the lead hand in collaboration with the welding students to build twelve new beds for this year’s bed race.

Jeff is a valued trainer in the upcoming Skills competition scheduled this May in Waterloo for the Welding program. His devotion of time will be an valuable asset to our student competitors.

All in all, Jeff is a true star for this award.

Nominated by: Lisa Lamb
Presented on: March 30, 2015

Stephen Heckbert

Faculty of Arts, Media and Design

The best part about working at Algonquin College is the number of talented, driven people who want to see their students, peers, and school succeed. Today, I am nominating one of those people for going above and beyond.

Professor Stephen Heckbert has co-delivered employee media training with me since January 2013, as part of a pilot program. In that time, we’ve trained over 50 College employees, and have developed a number of resources to assist those preparing for media interviews.

Stephen has volunteered countless hours out of his busy teaching schedule to assist in training his fellow faculty, support staff, and College leaders, recognizing the importance of building media literacy and communications skills within the College community. His experience and stories make our training program one of the best in Ottawa, and the reception from our students has been overwhelmingly positive – thanks to his contributions!

Stephen has also been providing industry mentor support to me, encouraging and supporting me in a number of personal and professional growth initiatives. Though I never took Stephen’s program – the best Public Relations program in the country! – I know I am benefiting greatly from his wisdom and experience. Thank you Stephen for all the work you do to help both me and the College community.

Nominated by: Phil Gaudreau
Presented on: March 19, 2015

Bradley Mosely-Williams

Faculty of Arts, Media and Design

Bradley Moseley-Williams has shown incredible dedication and care to his colleagues and students. When a student in his class began to choke in the middle of class, he quickly performed the Heimlich maneuver, potentially saving the student’s life. He further demonstrated his commitment to students by driving the student to the hospital, and staying with the student as the doctors performed tests. After finding out that the student was scheduled to work that day, he personally contacted the student’s place of employment as well. After spending most of that day alongside the student, he even drove the student home.

When he’s not busy saving lives, Bradley has been a great help to the Public Relations team. He is always eager to volunteer his students, and himself, to pitch in with the latest projects. When he’s out and about on campus, it is rare not to see him chatting up students and his fellow faculty about ways to help his students succeed (and he’s hard to miss!).

Thank you Bradley for your service to the College community, no matter the obstacle. You are a Star!

Nominated by:Takuto Shiota
Presented on: March 19, 2015

Jeff Iles

Centre for Students with Disabilities-ACOV

Jeff Iles is the part time counsellor for the Centre for Students with Disabilities at the Pembroke campus. In addition, he teaches Communication Skills for the Health and Community Studies department. In each capacity, Jeff focuses on promoting student success in a learning environment of respect, integrity and caring.

He recognizes that often it takes a community to do this. Jeff extends himself far beyond his defined role, reaching out and helping students find a way to approach their learning simply and making full use of their talents. He implements creative and useful strategies in his classroom to make work easy to understand and complete. He helps students with diverse learning needs reach their full potential in the same manner.

In 2 short years, and in addition to his regular roles, Jeff has been innovative on our campus by securing funds through the Innovation Fund, leading as a First Aid Mental Health instructor, developing Social Media projects for our JEDI team, getting feedback from students on their orientation needs, and teaming up with Student Services co-workers to develop Success Planning initiatives and a Student Services PD workshop.

Most importantly, Jeff can often be found working one on one with a student, seeing beyond what might initially seem like an insurmountable problem and sparking solutions. He does all this with the utmost ease, in the most natural unassuming manner. He lets people shine (both students and staff) and for that reason he is a STAR – our STAR!

Nominated by: Shelly Waplington
Presented on: March 4, 2015

Allison Burnett

Human Resources

Allison joined the Human Resources team in June 2013 after working on the SPSP team with Jennifer Daly Cyr, and we have already established that we would like to clone her because she has been so awesome! I have been so impressed with Allison’s work ethic, attitude, and seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm for every project she is involved in, including the newly struck Wellness Committee and the 5 Days of Kindness Initiative. No matter how big her workload, Allison always finds time to volunteer and help out.

In the early days of the Wellness Committee, when responsibilities, priorities, and activities were still being established, Allison came to the table with a professional Wellness web page incorporating all of the items discussed in previous meetings. She had also done extensive research to incorporate best practices, and gone far above and beyond her responsibilities.

She also spearheaded the 5 Days of Kindness initiative that encouraged random acts of kindness from Dec. 2nd to Dec. 6th to help students and staff deal with the stress surrounding the exam and holiday period.

It’s hard to capture in words what Allison contributes to Algonquin College as a whole, and to Human Resources. She is one of those people you would count yourself lucky to know.

Nominated by: Connie Powers
Presented on: March 11, 2015

Hoda Atwa

Academic Upgrading

Hoda graciously accepted my request to help with Muslim affairs occurring in the Spiritual Centre last spring. Since that time, she has provided guidance and support in times of crisis and ongoing development particularly in the area of bringing Muslim representation from the Barrhaven area to the Spiritual Centre. She has been a Godsend in helping me organize the Spiritual Centre programming. Hoda and I didn’t know each other before the situation was becoming critical last year and there was certainly no obligation for her to help. She really has gone above and beyond and continues to be an exemplary leader at the College.

Nominated by: Sandra McCormick
Presented on: February 25, 2015

Marie Potvin

School of Health & Community Studies

Marie Potvin has been a dedicated, long standing employee at Algonquin College for over 26 years. Although Marie’s main position is Budget and Curriculum Support for Community Studies, Marie is always ready and willing to help in any situation. Her motto is “We are here to support the students”.

Marie is an integral part of the Community Studies team and is valued by the employees that she interacts with on a daily basis. She is efficient and effective in her role and goes out of her way to support the department.

Her student centered approach is evident in her willingness to advocate for and help answer questions of students who enter the doors of C230. Recently, Marie helped six students register into a Psychology class as a reach ahead option. These students were Practical Nursing applicants who were not successful in getting in. Although they had permission to take the course they were lost as to how to make it happen. Marie heard their story and connected with the appropriate coordinator and professor as well as the Registrar’s Office to get them sorted out. Marie does not officially support Nursing Studies, yet she was willing to assist so that the students are supported and have a positive experience.

Marie is a teacher at heart. She was integral in the smooth transition and orientation of new staff and faculty to both the Community Studies and Nursing departments. She is extremely knowledgeable and well connected to the larger community at the college which helps achieve goals in a timely manner which ultimately benefits the students. For example she helped set up the new PSW to PN program so students could register in a seamless way.

Marie is a very valuable member of our team in Health and Community Studies and a true unsung hero!

Nominated by: Alicia Gibson
Presented on: February 4, 2015

Dana Lennox

PPSI

Dana Lennox consistently demonstrates outstanding excellence both within and out of the classroom. From performing Humour Workshops to creating a cheerful work environment for those he works with, Dana is constantly modeling Algonquin College’s commitment to student success and our core values.

Dana is a positive, team-building member of the PPSI staff. At faculty meetings he is often the person who puts issues into perspective and makes sure there is a balanced approach to solving problems or taking decisions. As a colleague, Dana is supportive and encourages collegiality. He shares teaching resources, lends an empathetic ear when needed, and gives freely of his time to help out where needed.
One of the ways in which Dana exemplifies excellence is his ongoing commitment to the development of new faculty at the college. He has given up evenings and weekends to share his teaching excellence with new faculty in the Eastern Region as a facilitator at Focus on Learning. Dana creates a welcoming environment. He goes above and beyond by heading up social activities and delivering his popular workshop on group work.

He has taught hundreds of new faculty techniques to aid them with preparing and evaluating group work in order that their students achieve success. Moreover, he is continuously taken up on his offer to help in delivering workshops to students across the college. He also willingly lends his materials and exercises to everyone who asks. Due to his generosity, hundreds of students are given the lifelong learning skill of being able to work well with one another.

He has been known to make multiple car trips after evening social activities in order that all participants arrive safely back to residence. He has also generously volunteered to facilitate Great Teaching for the Eastern Region. Dana also volunteers to mentor new faculty every year.

He continues to inspire those around him with his great sense of humour and unfailing generosity. No matter what challenges he is facing, he always has a smile and something inspirational to say that lifts the spirits of everyone he sees. Dana Lennox is an amazing role model for caring, learning, integrity and respect.

Nominated by: Cath Kenney, Dianna McAleer and Kevin Mallory
Presented on: January 30, 2015

Jeremy Atherton

TV Broadcasting Program , School of Media and Design

It was Sunday night. I had an urgent need for a videographer for a national award submission that was coming due, and the people I had lined up to film were all of a sudden not available. Jeremy to the rescue! Not only was he able to find someone to help, but he also graciously agreed to lend his program’s equipment so we could film.

But the story didn’t end there. There I was, ready to get filming underway, and the student was nowhere to be found (turns out there was a miscommunication on the meeting place). Who should happen to pop by but…Jeremy! He searches high and low for the student, and in the meantime I track down the student and we get the filming underway. And just as we’re about to start, who should happen to show up with the lights we just discovered were missing but…Jeremy, again! Talk about after sales service!

This is but one example I could share of Jeremy going above and beyond to help the PR team, and others, with video projects and other initiatives on campus. His team-player mentality, his enthusiasm for all things Algonquin and all things TV, and his willingness to go the extra mile are greatly appreciated. Thank you Jeremy for all you do for our community!

Nominated by: Phil Gaudreau
Presented on: January 28, 2015

Dan Pihlainen

Radio Broadcasting Program, School of Media and Design

As an alumnus working at Algonquin College, I have the privilege of working alongside those who were my mentors, and are now also my colleagues, in what I am working on at the College.

The number one way that Dan Pihlainen, the Coordinator of the Radio Broadcasting program, has helped me to be successful is that he never says no. Whether it is participating in my Media Training program (even when it involves reviewing the mock interviews of those he reports to!), by volunteering himself and his students to help with whatever initiatives I have going on that day, and by providing that wise (and occasionally sympathetic) ear, Dan has supported my growth at the College in tremendous ways.

If I had to narrow it down to just one moment where Dan went above and beyond, I would think back to one of my media training sessions. After some last minute hurdles and cancellations, Dan stepped in to conduct several staff mock interviews. I think that group was surprised (maybe a bit intimidated) to be on the receiving end of an interview from the host of Sunday Morning Blend on 580 CFRA! And I know they certainly had a better learning experience because of it.

For all you do for the Algonquin community, Dan, it gives me great pleasure to nominate you for this President’s Star.

Nominated by: Phil Gaudreau
Presented on: January 28, 2015

Wayne Turcotte

ITS – Perth Campus

Our Perth Campus, Community Employment Service agency is an offsite, storefront location that houses approximately 30+ computers, some of which are staff’s systems, while the remainder is for general public use. Over the years we’ve experienced our fair share of technical challenges that have typically been addressed and resolved within 5 business days. Wayne joined our Perth Campus team approximately 2 years ago and although he is truly a one man show and is in high demand by staff and students alike, Wayne makes himself available to address issues within typically 1-2 business days.

Over the years I recall intermittent technical issues, however; recently we experienced a major incident that literally shut down our operation as all of our computers (internet) and telephone service were off line. As a contract service provider for Employment Ontario we are mandated to offer a range of online resources, supports and services to respond to the career and employment needs of individuals as well as the skilled labour needs of employers. Our inability to communicate was very concerning from the perspective of our accountability to our funder (MTCU), as well as our credibility within the community we serve. Wayne spent two days at our office trouble shooting with ITS in Ottawa, and when that failed, he requested access to our space over the weekend to ensure that we were operational by Monday morning.

Needless to say, this is just one of many examples of the exceptional customer service and dedication we’ve received over the years by Wayne. Wayne is a consistent shining star and it is my privilege to nominate him for the President’s Star award.

Nominated by: Debbie Laut, Manager CES
Presented on: January 21, 2015