The Teaching Assistant Award was established in 1998 to recognize the important contributions to the university by teaching assistants, seminar leaders and lab demonstrators. Since 1998, three additional awards (the Novice TA Award, the International Graduate TA Award, and the Graduate TA Award) have been created to recognize and celebrate excellence in teaching demonstrated by teaching assistants at Brock.
Visit the 2023-24 Award Showcase to learn about the current Brock teaching award recipients.
Nomination Information
Nominations for the TA Awards can be made by members of the Brock Community including Senior Administrators, Deans, Directors and Chairs, faculty members, teaching assistants, staff, and former students.
Nominations require collaboration between the nominator and the nominee to create a compelling nomination package. Nominees should consult the award criteria below for guidance on constructing their dossier. Nominators should consult below for tips on writing a persuasive nomination letter.
Candidates are only eligible to receive one Teaching Assistant award within a 5-year period. Nominees are eligible to submit applications for more than one award in an academic year.
Award Criteria and Eligibility
The TA Award is presented to a teaching assistant in recognition of an outstanding contribution to teaching and learning at Brock. This award is sponsored by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation.
Award Amount: $500
Eligibility
Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar/tutorial leaders and/or lab demonstrators who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals. Eligible candidates will have one or more years of experience as a TA. Teaching experience includes teaching positions at other post-secondary institutions.
Award Criteria
TAs may demonstrate a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals through:
- Inclusive instructional design and practice
- Providing meaningful and engaging learning opportunities for students
- Creating teaching and learning environments that encourage student engagement
- Seeking out and responding (as appropriate) to student feedback
- Providing effective feedback to students
- Participation in professional learning (e.g. workshops, communities of practice, etc.) and the Brock teaching and learning community
- Commitment to learning about creating and maintaining accessible and inclusive teaching practices through course materials, instructional design, and student interactions and support and working to implement those practices
- Reflection on their own teaching practice and growth as an educator over time
- Supporting students in their learning
The Novice TA Award is presented to a teaching assistant who shows promise in the field of teaching. This award is sponsored by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation.
Award Amount: $500
Eligibility
Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar/tutorial leaders and/or lab demonstrators who have limited experience in their roles but who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals. Eligible candidates must have less than one year of experience as a TA. Teaching experience includes teaching positions at other post-secondary institutions.
Award Criteria
Novice TAs (those with fewer than 12 months of experience) may demonstrate their promise in the field of teaching through:
- Participation in professional learning (e.g. workshops, communities of practice, etc.)
- A commitment to exploring and implementing strategies to create inclusive instructional design and practice
- Providing meaningful and engaging learning opportunities for students
- Learning about and working to creating teaching and learning environments that encourage student engagement
- Seeking out and responding (as appropriate) to student feedback
- Providing effective feedback to students
- Commitment to learning about creating and maintaining accessible and inclusive teaching practices through course materials, instructional design, and student interactions and support and working to implement those practices
- Reflection on their own teaching practice
The Graduate TA Award is presented to a graduate student teaching assistant who shows promise in the field of teaching. This award is sponsored by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Award Amount: $500
Eligibility
Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar/tutorial leaders and/or lab demonstrators who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals. Eligible candidates must be current graduate students.
Award Criteria
Graduate TAs may demonstrate promise in the field of teaching through:
- Developing approaches and strategies for inclusive instructional design in their practice
- Providing meaningful and engaging learning opportunities for students
- Creating teaching and learning environments that encourage student engagement
- Seeking out and responding (as appropriate) to student feedback
- Providing effective feedback to students
- Participation in professional learning (e.g. workshops, communities of practice, etc.)
- Commitment to learning about creating and maintaining accessible and inclusive teaching practices through course materials, instructional design, and student interactions and support and working to implement those practices
- Reflection on their own teaching practice
The International Graduate TA Award is presented to an international graduate student teaching assistant who show promise in the field of teaching. This award is sponsored by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation.
Award Amount: $500
Eligibility
Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar/tutorial leaders and/or lab demonstrators who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals. Eligible candidates must be current international graduate students.
Award Criteria
International TAs may demonstrate promise in the field of teaching through:
- Developing approaches and strategies for inclusive instructional design in their practice
- Providing meaningful and engaging learning opportunities for students
- Creating teaching and learning environments that encourage student engagement
- Seeking out and responding (as appropriate) to student feedback
- Providing effective feedback to students
- Participation in professional learning (e.g. workshops, communities of practice, etc.)
- Commitment to learning about creating and maintaining accessible and inclusive teaching practices through course materials, instructional design, and student interactions and support and working to implement those practices
- Reflection on their own teaching practice
The Nomination Dossier
Nominees should refer to our Creating an Effective Dossier resource when preparing their nomination dossier. The Educational Development team at the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation is available for consultation. Please reach out to cpi@brocku.ca and arrange an opportunity to discuss the accessibility of your nomination package with an educational developer.
The nomination dossier can be submitted in the format preferred by the nominee. This includes a PDF document, or website with multimedia components.
TAs submitting a nomination dossier should note that the length of a dossier is influenced by many things including the length of one’s teaching experience, access to Student Course Experience Survey date (or non-access), teaching role etc. Shorter dossiers (e.g. 10-15 pages) can do an excellent job of sharing your teaching practice.
Dossier Contents
Each candidate must submit an application package (i.e. dossier) to be considered for an award.
The dossier should include the following items:
- Nomination Letter(s): One nominator must be a faculty member/instructor for the Brock course for which the candidate served as a teaching assistant, seminar leader, or lab demonstrator. An optional second nominator may be a student, peer, or faculty member/instructor. Nomination letters should outline the nominator’s relationship to the candidate and why the nominator has chosen to nominate the nominee for the specific TA award being applied for.
- A narrative summary of the support documentation (i.e., a summary of the testimonial letters, teaching evaluation data, etc.)
- Supporting documentation is essential for consideration for the award(s). Documentation may include:
- a statement of teaching philosophy written by the candidate (1-2 pages),
- evidence of professional development in teaching (e.g. attendance at the TA Workshop Series offered by the CPI; participation in GRST 5P01: Theory & Practice of University Teaching graduate course;
- completion of the Instructional Skills Workshop; etc.);
- faculty evaluation of TA performance (if available);
- a summary of teaching evaluations (if available);
- testimonial letters/emails from sources other than the nominators (maximum of 6);
- a brief Curriculum Vitae (CV) that emphasizes the candidates teaching and learning experience.
All documentation is subject to verification by the selection committee.
Award Adjudication
Adjudication Committee
All application packages will be adjudicated by a selection committee consisting of cross-Faculty representation including students, faculty/instructors, and administrators. The selected candidate(s) will be presented with their award(s) at the TA Reception held annually in April.
Please note that the selection committee reserves the right not to select an award recipient in any given year or to select multiple recipients.
Previous Award Winners
Year | Recipient |
2024 | Sandra Kroeker, Faculty of Social Science |
2023 | Oya Pakkal, Psychology |
2022 | Bruna Fernandes (TA Award co-recipient) Shawna Hopper (TA Award co-recipient) |
2021 | Zain Virani, Economics |
2020 | Maysara Al Jumaily, M.Sc. in Computer Science |
2019 | Nicholas Gadea, Applied Health Sciences |
2018 | Talha Rafiq, Applied Health Sciences |
2017 | Parthajit Mukherjee, Chemistry |
2016 | Julie Domitrek, Biology / Women’s & Gender Studies |
2015 | Andrew C. P. Kemble, Psychology |
2014 | Kiel Ormerod, Biological Sciences |
2013 | Christina Quintiliani, Education/Child and Youth Studies |
2011 | Jo-Anne Sinnige-Egger, Child and Youth Studies |
2009 | Divya Joshi, Community Health Sciences |
2008 | Christine Goodwin, Child & Youth Studies |
2007 | Jeff Reichheld, English Language & Literature |
2006 | Elizabeth Ilnicki-Stone, Chemistry |
2006 | Kirsti Van Dorsser, Psychology |
2005 | Mandy Frake, Physical Education & Kinesiology |
2004 | Frank Benko, Physics |
2004 | Jacqueline Dix, Political Science |
2003 | Michele Stairs, Geography |
2002 | Jimmy Au, Mathematics |
2001 | Donna Vukmanic, Chemistry |
2000 | Caroline Stikkelbroeck, Communications, Popular Culture & Film |
1999 | Ellen Maisson, Biological Sciences |
1998 | Gail Neff, Chemistry |
1998 | Marilyn Cottrell, Economics |
Year | Recipient |
2023 | Alison Smoke, Health Sciences (co-recipient) |
2023 | Rebecca Rios, Health Sciences (co-recipient) |
2022 | Sara McCowell, Education |
2021 | Felisia Milana, Political Science |
2020 | Hope Eze, MA English Language and Literature |
2019 | Monica Louie, Education |
2018 | Hawa M. Conde, Applied Health Sciences |
2017 | Francesca Patten, Classics |
2016 | Miranda MacDougall, Education |
2015 | Brodie Terence Hague, Geography |
2014 | Phillip Wallace, Appied Health Sciences |
2013 | Stephanie Lampman, Linguistics |
2010 | Dana Mirshahi, Economics |
2008 | Meaghan Wilkin, Psychology |
2007 | Diane Hart, Communication, Popular Culture & Film |
2006 | Shonesee Devereaux, Physical Education & Kinesiology |
2005 | Antony Hunter, Recreation and Leisure Studies |
2004 | Ryan Nery, Psychology |
2003 | Cornelis Vandermeer, Political Science |
2002 | Melora Cunliffe, Physical Education |
2001 | Marsha Salmon, Psychology |
2001 | Mike Boland, Communications, Popular Culture & Film |
2000 | Randy Thompson, English Language & Literature |
Year | Recipient |
2024 | Richard Trotter, Faculty of Education |
2023 | Nwakerendu (Kay) Waboso, Child and Youth Studies |
2022 | Megan Magier, Health Science |
2021 | Ehsan Nayeri, Business |
2020 | Jessica Salvagna, MA Recreation and Leisure Studies |
2019 | Jennifer Roters, MA Graduate TA Award, Psychology |
2019 | Caitlyn Gallant, PhD Graduate TA Award, Psychology |
2018 | Malcolm Matthews, Humanities |
2017 | Harrish Aggarwal, Applied Health Sciences |
2016 | Stephanie Culp, Classics |
2016 | Dinara Salaeva, Community Health Sciences |
2015 | Eleftherios (Terry) Kyprianos Soleas, Education |
2014 | Regan Fitzgerald, Psychology |
2013 | Kathleen Moore, Education |
2012 | Deborah Jehu, Community Health Sciences |
2012 | Jacob Bernam, Biology |
2011 | Alison Innes, Classics |
2010 | Samantha Dear, Recreation & Leisure Studies |
2010 | Tarah Csaszar, Classics |
2009 | Joseph Brown, Computer Science |
2009 | Kerry Ransom, Community Health Sciences |
2008 | Bethan Kingsley, Physical Education & Kinesiology |
2007 | Bonita Gracey, Physical Education & Kinesiology |
2006 | Sarah Johnson, Physical Education & Kinesiology |
2005 | Trudy Tattersall, Communications, Popular Culture & Film |
2004 | Joanna Sheppard, Physical Education & Kinesiology |
Year | Recipient |
2024 | Huma Khalid, Faculty of Education |
2023 | Thien Bao Le, Biology (co-recipient) |
2023 | Zihang Bu, Child and Youth Studies (co-recipient) |
2021 | Esther Wainaina, Education |
2020 | Philip Dwomoh, MA Geography |
2019 | Yihong Bai, Economics |
2018 | Evans C. Boadi, Mathematics and Science |
2016 | Chimaobi Amadi, Mathematics |
2015 | Oksana Pichugina |
![HLSC-TAs3 Health Science teaching assistants showcasing their awards and certificates](https://brocku.ca/pedagogical-innovation/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/HLSC-TAs3.jpg?x67866)