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Usha George Faculty Recognition Award

Usha George award winner Kathryn Church displays her framed award alongside Associate Dean Jennifer Martin.

The Usha George Faculty Recognition Award recognizes full-time faculty members in the Faculty of Community Services who have demonstrated excellence in two of the following areas:

  • Administration
  • SRC
  • Teaching
  • Service

Candidates are passionate and exceptional in the performance of their integrated roles as a faculty member. They are dedicated to all aspects of their work and academic role and have made an outstanding impact in the areas in which they are being recognized.

Eligibility

  • Nominees must be full-time tenure and tenure-track faculty members in the Faculty of Community Services. This includes academic chairs, directors and associate deans
  • Nominees must have at least three years of experience within the Faculty of Community Services
  • Individuals who have received the award within the last five years are not eligible for nomination

  • Students, faculty and staff in the Faculty of Community Services can submit a nomination
  • Self-nominations are not accepted

  • Nominees must demonstrate exemplary contributions within their department, faculty and/or university
  • Specifically, nominees must demonstrate excellence in two of the following areas:
    • Administration
      • Excellent leadership, administrative effectiveness and governance through communication, collaboration and implementing transformative ideas
      • Contributions to the development of practices, processes and procedures that enhance the effectiveness of a department, faculty, university and/or project
      • Demonstrated ability to motivate and mentor faculty members
    • Scholarly, Research and Creative (SRC) Activities
      • Outstanding scholarly, research and creative activities (supported by external grants) with a demonstrated impact in their field
      • Evidence of community impact, innovative, and/or transformative qualities will be strongly considered
      • Evidence of knowledge translation and dissemination
    • Teaching
      • Advancing teaching and learning through innovative teaching/learning strategies
      • Enhancing the student experience with evidence of student engagement.
      • Demonstrated ability to motivate and mentor students in their academic and professional career
      • Outstanding contributions to the development of teaching programs and educational practices, textbook writing, creating teaching materials, teaching innovation
    • Service
      • Contributions to the university and/or community beyond the “call of duty”
      • Outstanding dedication and excellence in providing services, participating and leading teams (i.e. committees, projects) that make an impact on academic life and/or community
      • Promoting the reputation of the program, faculty or university to the broader community and/or profession
  • Excellence will be based on the following demonstrated qualities and characteristics:
    • Innovative
    • Transformative
    • Impact(ful)
    • Excellence in leadership and mentorship
    • Excellence in team building

  1. Obtain the nominee's permission
  2. Complete the nomination package as described below
  3. Submit the nomination package via the Online Nomination Portal

A completed nomination package includes:

  • A nomination brief (750 words) which clearly outlines the nominee’s excellence in two of the following areas:

    • Administration

    • SRC

    • Teaching

    • Service

  • A citation brief (max 150 words) suitable for public release

  • Two letters of support

    • Each letter should address one of the two areas of excellence

    • One letter must be from a faculty member in the Faculty of Community Services

If candidate is being nominated for their teaching excellence, we will accept up to two additional letters from students

A selection committee will evaluate nominations for the Usha George Faculty Recognition Award. The committee is composed of the associate dean and a representative from each of the following:

  • Learning and Teaching Committee

  • SRC Committee

  • Dean’s Council Group

  • previous year’s award recipient


The committee may determine not to present the award in a particular academic year.

  • Nominations open from February 3rd to March 4th

2023-24

  • Nicole Land, Early Childhood Studies
  • Esther Ignagni, Disability Studies

2021-22

  • Pamela Robinson, Urban and Regional Planning

2020-21

  • Henry Parada, Social Work

2019-20

  • Thomas Tenkate, Early Childhood Studies

2018-19

  • Kathryn Church, Disability Studies

Awards, Recruitment and Events Coordinator
Name: Angeline Cheung
Email: angeline.cheung@torontomu.ca