2011 E-Award Winners

Congratulations 2011 E-Award Winners!
Inspiring Culture Award	Barbara Comes - Barbara is a founder of InterAction, a group of Mount Royal students and faculty who meet weekly to discuss their faiths, beliefs and values in a respectful and open setting. By facilitating discussion between people of different religious backgrounds, Barbara hopes to build a community of cooperation and understanding.
Deanna Cardinal Memorial Award	Melissa Thomas - Melissa is a volunteer for the Native Student Centre and the Iniskim Centre. In addition to helping with information sessions and tours for prospective students of the Aboriginal Education Program, she was a representative for Mount Royal through the Native Ambassador Post-Secondary Initiative.
Beyond Disabilities Award	Paula Larsson - As a Learning Aid, Paula has worked with Accessibility Services to help students with disabilities participate fully in their education. She has done note-taking and exam-scribing for her clients, and promoted disability awareness by acting as a resource and role model for her clients’ classmates and instructors.
Gender and Sexual Diversity Award	Lucas Hill - Lucas has volunteered for Pride Centre events including the Hate Crimes Awareness event, the Montreal Massacre Memorial, Pride Week and World AIDS Day activities. In all his volunteer efforts, he aims to connect Mount Royal students by promoting discussion and celebration of all gender and sexual identities.
Athletics Award	Lauren Schmidek - During her time on the Mount Royal University Golf team, Lauren has shown commitment to her sport and pride in her school. She has been a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and a volunteer at the Mount Royal Cougar Classic. She is in the process of establishing a student golf club.
Citizenship Award	Kristine Joy Sia - Kristine is a founding member of a project dedicated to promoting community among Filipino immigrants who have recently moved to Calgary. As a leader of planning and outreach for the organization, Kristine connects clients with the resources they need to find food, housing, counselling, and educational opportunities.
Citizenship Award	Catharine Smart - Catharine is the co-president of Mount Royal’s Future Alumni Network, where she has worked on events including U-Fest and New Student Orientation. She is also an avid volunteer off-campus, where she has worked with the AIDS Calgary Awareness Association and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada.
Green Earth Award	Michelle Slade - As a Sustainability Centre volunteer and executive of the Student Sustainability Club, Michelle strives to leave Mount Royal more sustainable than she found it. Her past projects include Recycled Funk and the Where to Find Festival. Currently, she is working on a campaign to ban the sale of bottled water on campus.
Committed Learner Award	Tiffany Beks - Tiffany has a passion for exploring the origins and treatments of mental illnesses. Currently enrolled in Mount Royal’s Psychology program, she is the founder of In Sight and In Mind, a campus-wide campaign committed to reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.
Committed Learner Award	Angela Bladon - Angela has overcome many challenges during the pursuit of her Honours Psychology degree, which she will complete this year. Balancing motherhood with her work as a Research Assistant, Peer Tutor and Distress Centre volunteer, she demonstrates courage, commitment, and a drive to achieve her goals.
Experiential Studies Award	Krizia Carlos - During her nursing practicum in the Peter Lougheed General Hospital’s hematology unit, Krizia had the opportunity to put faces to the illnesses she had studied in the classroom. By connecting with people with a wide variety of backgrounds and diagnoses, she was able to become a part of her patients’ stories and recoveries.
Experiential Studies Award	Troy Keller - Troy, an Environmental Sciences student, completed his Directed Field Studies at the Alberta Newsprint Company, where he collected and reported on wastewater. His experience gave him the chance to gain valuable professional skills as he worked on a Conservation and Efficiency Planning project for the Water for Life program.
Part Time Studies Award	Anna Stuewe - Anna, an Open Studies student, sees part-time studies as a way to pursue her educational goals while maintaining the flexibility required by her job and family. A dedicated learner, she is also a volunteer for Mount Royal Peer Educators. In the future she plans to promote community health by working as a Registered Nurse.
Excellence in Community Service Award	Students in Free Enterprise - The Students in Free Enterprise club is passionate about contributing to the Calgary community. SIFE has hosted programs on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and environmental responsibility, including Green Thumbs and Minds, Inventions Business Camp and SIFE Works Consulting.
Excellence in Membership Services Award	Psychology Student Society - The Psychology Student Society has shown a true commitment to providing their members with enriching opportunities. In addition to organizing volunteering and network opportunities, the club has offered academic workshops and guest speakers on Psychology-related topics.
Reflector Award	Kaylene McTavish - Kaylene strives to create community through effective communication and professional relationships. In 2010, she was voted Resident Advisor of the Year, and she now works as the Community Advisor to East residence. She is also a Sustainability Centre volunteer and co-president of the Future Alumni Network.
Outstanding Student of the Year Award	Amy Woermke - Amy has pursued her Business Administration Diploma with commendable enthusiasm. She has worked tirelessly as both a student and a leader, achieving a flawless 4.00 GPA. As the Vice-President of Marketing and Promotions for the Students in Free Enterprise club, she has devoted countless hours to fundraising, planning and executing projects which benefit the whole community. Her commitment and dedication are an inspiration to all those around her.
Gold Award	Serena Navarro - Serena believes that active involvement is essential to creating social change. She has worked as a Peer Facilitator with Mount Royal’s Stepping Up program, a student representative on the Office of Student Conduct Board, a member of the Student Sustainability Club , and Co-Vice President of the Psychology Student Society. In all her endeavours, Serena aims to promote understanding and celebration of the diversity among the Mount Royal community.
Silver Award	Julia Koziell- Balancing single motherhood with a full-time course load, Julia has been active in the Student Sustainability Club, the Environmental Science Advisory Committee and the Green Calgary Association. One of her initiatives has been helping to organize and implement the University Community Garden. Through volunteer involvement, she aims to educate others and to contribute to society on a local and global scale.
Silver Award	Maeghan Smulders - Maeghan is the President of the Students in Free Enterprise Club, a network dedicated to creating a better world through volunteering and entrepreneurship. She has organized discussion panels and school competitions, and also launched the Snatch the Pebble project, which taught local women the skills they needed to begin their own business ventures. Her passion for creating change has impacted her campus and the community beyond.
Bronze Award	Christine Levy - Aiming to create an environment of sharing and support for her fellow nursing students, Christine became President of the Student Nursing Society in 2010. Since that time, she has organized an open house, Food Bank Volunteer days, a scavenger hunt and nursing clothing sales. By listening to the stories and concerns of her fellow students, Christine strives to make their University experiences more enjoyable.
Bronze Award	Nicole Brady - Nicole’s campus involvement has benefited her peers on both an academic and social level. She has worked as a Peer Tutor and an Academic Aide through Accessibility Services, as well as with MRU’s Stepping Up program, a dating violence prevention project. As founder and President of the Sociology Society, she has advocated for textbook accessibility while also organizing a lecture series and food drive.
Outstanding Councillor of the Year	Jennifer Langille - As Commissioner to the Vice President Academic, Jennifer has developed her leadership skills while sitting in on meetings of the General Faculties Council, Academic Student Caucus and Calgary Student Caucus. She has been active in the Students’ Association’s committees and events, engaging with students everywhere from the hallways to the Annual General Meeting. Jennifer will continue acting as a voice for Mount Royal students as next year’s VP Academic.
Teaching Excellence Award	Tara Renkas - Tara makes each of her students feel valued and respected. Tactfully and skillfully navigating difficult situations, she was able to address concerns in her Nursing clinical while still empowering her students to strive for excellence.
Teaching Excellence Award	Gerry Taft - As a mentor to SIFE students and the MRU Dean’s Case Team, Gerry has devoted countless hours to student pursuits. Focusing on the ethical and environmental issues that all businesses face, he inspires his students to think outside the box.
Teaching Excellence Award	Cynthia Gallop - Cynthia is a role model, demonstrating what social workers are capable of achieving personally and professionally. A powerful resource and empathetic instructor, she inspires students by engaging with them on a personal level.
Teaching Excellence Award	Nathan Ackroyd - Nathan, a Chemical and Biological Sciences Instructor, is always willing to lend students his assistance and expertise. With patience and commitment, he helps students to overcome academic obstacles and achieve their fullest potential.
Teaching Excellence Award	Douglas Murdoch - Douglas, a Psychology instructor, structures lectures in a way that encourages deep understanding of the material and its applications. He encourages students to think critically, and supports his students, both past and present, in achieving their academic goals.
Champion Award	Ian Sherrington - Ian, a dedicated Physical Education and Recreation studies instructor, inspires students with his humour, intellect and efficiency. Teaching his students to appreciate the diversity of thought among their academic peers, he acts as both a role model and a friend.
Champion Award	Vance Gough - A mentor to the SIFE club and the MRU Dean’s Case team, Vance has donated his time and advice to students in need. He teaches his students to be positive influences in their communities by developing realistic solutions to complex problems.
Champion Award	Linda Fountain - Exceptionally knowledgeable and approachable, Linda is a mentor and resource for students in the Social Work department. Taking the time to connect with each student, she works tirelessly to connect each individual with the opportunities and resources he or she needs to succeed.
Champion Award	Evelyn Field - By allowing students access to honest, helpful feedback, Evelyn—a Psychology instructor—gives her students the chance to achieve their best. Intelligent, humorous and caring, Evelyn is truly dedicated to helping students succeed at Mount Royal and beyond.
Champion Award	Dave Marshall - Dave’s commitment to students has enabled Mount Royal to focus its resources towards teaching and learning, while placing the student front and centre in many of Mount Royal’s research projects. Simply put, Dave has helped build a rare commodity—a University built to respond to the needs of students in the 21st century.
Laurence Decore Scholarship	Maeghan Smulders
Laurence Decore Scholarship	Cheri Konsmo
Laurence Decore Scholarship	Collin Semenoff
Laurence Decore Scholarship	Tommy Lieu
Laurence Decore Scholarship	Fadwa Khourieh
Laurence Decore Scholarship	Michelle Dennis
Honorary Students’ Association Member Award	Richard Roberts - With a keen ability to spot and leverage market trends, Richard—Mount Royal’s Chief Financial Officer—has provided effective and strategic financial stewardship to our institution. Due largely to Richard’s successes, Mount Royal students continue to enjoy some of the lowest fees in many areas of post-secondary funding in Alberta. Because of this, countless students are able to better plan for their futures.
Honorary Students’ Association Member Award	Cathy Williams - As Chair of Mount Royal’s Board of Governors, Cathy has helped Dave Marshall and his team to establish Mount Royal as a University. Focusing on governance and strategic use of resources, she helped make our campus the community we knew it could be. Her charismatic, professional, and determined approach has helped Mount Royal remain the most transparent and inclusive post-secondary community in Alberta.
Honorary Students’ Association Member Award	John Giesbrecht - John, the outgoing Vice-Chair of Mount Royal’s Board of Governors, is dedicated to Mount Royal’s focus on teaching, learning, and of course, its students. With an unyielding smile and sincere desire to serve, John has provided an invaluable level of calm and resolve on the Board of Governors as Mount Royal positioned itself into the spot it finds itself today – the best University in Alberta, and soon to be, Canada.
Honorary Students’ Association Member Award	Dave Marshall - As our President, Dave has made immense contributions to Mount Royal. Aside from his instrumental role in transforming the campus from a College to a University, Dave has renewed and energized our campus by instilling a vision of Mount Royal as the premier Undergraduate Institution in Canada. Mount Royal University (and especially its students) will forever remember the indelible stamp Dave has left on its culture, vision and community.
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2011 E-Award Winners

Congratulations 2011 E-Award Winners!