Brock Prof. Sandra Peters was recently honoured by the Faculty of Graduate Studies for her role as a supervisor of graduate students.

Brock Prof. Sandra Peters and associate Prof. Joe Engemann were recently honoured by the Faculty of Graduate Studies for their roles as supervisors of graduate students.

They are the 2014 winners of the Graduate Mentorship Awards – Engemann, Faculty of Education, was selected for supervising master’s students while Peters, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, received the award as a supervisor of both master’s and doctoral students.

Each winner receives $1,000 to assist with ongoing graduate student mentorship activities.

The awards were presented April 7 during the Mapping the New Knowledges Graduate Student Research Conference.

Each year the Faculty of Graduate Studies invites graduate students to submit nominations. This year a total of 11 nominations were received. Nomination packages require a mentor’s CV, a student nomination letter and up to four letters of support.

Winners are chosen by the Senate Graduate Studies Committee’s awards sub-committee and two graduate students, who haven’t made nominations themselves.

“I am so honoured that my students took the time to put together this nomination and write such moving testimonials,” says Peters “This award will always be incredibly special to me, and I am very grateful.”

“It is a tremendous honour to receive the graduate mentorship award,” says Engemann, “but it could not have happened without the dedication and enthusiasm displayed by the students with whom I have worked or without the guidance afforded to me by so many of my exemplary faculty and university colleagues.”

Also nominated were:
Dirk De Clercq, Goodman School of Business
Maurice Feldman, Faculty of Social Sciences
Leah Bradshaw, Faculty of Social Sciences
Stefan Brudzynski, Faculty of Mathematics and Science
Stephen Cheung, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Ann-Marie DiBiase, Faculty of Education
Kimberley Gammage, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Thad Harroun, Faculty of Mathematics and Science
Dolana Mogadime, Faculty of Education

The award recognizes the investment that graduate faculty make day-to-day to encourage and support the success of Brock’s graduate students, Mike Plyley, Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, told the crowd that gathered for the awards presentation.

“The fact that all nominees were outstanding, and the nominees put together convincing packages made the task of selection difficult indeed,” he said. “The students expressed their genuine sense of admiration and appreciation to supervisors for their support and guidance in helping them become the best they can be as researchers, teachers, and leaders in their communities.”

The letters of support for the winners overflowed with praise from current and past students.

Engemann was described as motivating, supportive, and inspirational – “as students, we are impressed by his intellect, captivated by his experience, and motivated by his enthusiasm for our work.”

One student testimonial in support of Engemann stated that he “possesses the quality all good educators cherish – belief in his students. He believes we can achieve greatness. He believes we can alter lives. He believes we make an impact through our studies.”

Peters was described as making an “amazing personal investment” in her role as mentor and allowing students the independence to learn and grow as researchers.

A student testimonial for Peters stated that she “embodies something in which I imagine to be imperative to all successful mentors …. I have been taught never to fear failure ….”

Brock associate Prof. Joe Engemann was recently honoured by the Faculty of Graduate Studies for his role as a supervisor of graduate students.