Awards

In 2015, the Learning Specialists Association of Canada’s membership voted to create a number of awards to recognize the contributions of our members and future members to their institutions, the profession, and to LSAC.

On the recommendation of an ad-hoc committee, the Board of Directors approved the creation of awards to recognize students, emerging professionals, distinguished professionals, lifetime achievement, and groups / teams. Nominations are accepted between national conferences and reviewed by an ad-hoc committee of LSAC members in good standing, and awards are presented at the following national conference.

Award winners will have their conference registration fee waived and will have their awards forwarded to them after acknowledgement at the AGM at the conference. As well, winners will be acknowledged on the LSAC website.

Nominations for 2023 awards are due no later than Tuesday, April 11(12noon Eastern).

Previous winners are listed below. For additional information, you may download a full description of the 2021 award recipients (.docx).

Emerging Professional

 

The LSAC Emerging Professional Award is presented to an individual who has worked in the learning specialist industry between two and six years at the time of nomination. The nominee may be either a full-time or part-time employee and is not required to be an LSAC member. The nominee must have demonstrated a novel or unique approach to learning skills programming, services, or research that resulted in a substantial impact at their institution.

The nomination may be submitted by anyone, including self nominations. All nominations require two letters of support: one from a professional member of LSAC, and one from anyone in the institution who was impacted by the nominee, ideally the person who has benefited from the nominee’s work.

Previous Winner

Nina Sulkin is one of the Student Success Facilitators within the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University.

Distinguished Professional

 

The LSAC Distinguished Professional Award is presented to an LSAC professional member who has worked in the learning specialist industry for six or more years at the time of nomination, and who also has contributed to the profession over the course of the nominee’s career. The nominee may be either a full-time or part-time employee. The nominee must have demonstrated either leadership (by developing effective programming or services) or innovation (by developing or improving tools, materials, or research that can be used outside their own institution) that resulted in an impact to further student success. The nominee must have also been actively involved in LSAC, for example, through presentations, volunteering, sitting on committees, or serving on the Board of Directors.

The nomination may come from anyone. Nominations require two letters of support: one from a professional member of LSAC, and one from the nominee’s supervisor or equivalent.

Previous Winner

Jenna Olender is the Manager, Learning Skills and Development at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Lifetime Achievement

 

The LSAC Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an LSAC professional member who is either close to retirement or who has retired at the time of nomination. The nominee may be either a full-time or part-time employee. The nominee must have contributed significantly to the profession through ongoing distinguished contributions to the development of learning skills programming, services, research, or the profession. Involvement in mentoring, evidence of leadership and manner in which their achievements have left a legacy are valued for this award.

The nomination must come from a professional LSAC member in good standing. Nominations require two letters of support: one from a professional member of LSAC, and one from anyone in the community who has benefited from the nominee’s work. Recipients may receive this award only once.

Previous Winner

Lyn Benn is the Director, Student Development & Success at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, UNBC.

Student

 

There are two subcategories for this annual award: undergraduate and graduate. The LSAC Student Award is presented to students who have had a positive impact on learning skills programming, services, or research at their institution.

The nominator must be a professional LSAC member in good standing as defined by the LSAC bylaws. Supporting documentation is not required, but may include testimonials and letters of support.

Previous Winners

Christine Kwong is the recipient of the 2021 LSAC Graduate Student Award. Christine has been a graduate student group facilitator at the University of Toronto since 2019.

Evgeniya (Jane) Tsekhovaya is the recipient of the 2021 LSAC Undergraduate Student Award. Jane has held several roles within the Academic Success Centre at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management.

Group / Team

 

The LSAC Group / Team Award is presented to a project, team, or group that has worked either on an outstanding project or within an outstanding centre that has met high standards of leadership, met the expected learning outcomes, and followed a culture of inclusion and collaboration. The project, team, or group may be either within an institution or across institutions, include either time-limited projects or ongoing services, and must contain at least one LSAC professional member in good standing. Nominations must provide evidence demonstrating learning outcomes or objectives have been achieved, for example, attendance numbers, qualitative feedback, or changes in grades.

The nomination can be submitted from anyone. Nominations require two letters of support: one from a professional member of LSAC who is not part of the project, team, or group, and one from anyone who has been impacted by the project, team, or group, ideally the person who has benefited from the nominee’s work.

Previous Winner

A team consisting of Sandra Smith (University of Fraser Valley) Ruth Silverman, and Julia Lane (both from Simon Fraser University), quickly and expertly expanded a single-day on-campus annual event to a week-long Canada-wide program called Procrastination Avoidance Week (PAW).

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