Teaching Assistant Awards

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 have been created to recognize and celebrate excellence in teaching demonstrated by teaching assistance at Brock.

Award Categories & Past Recipients

Presented to teaching assistant in recognition of an outstanding contribution to teaching and learning at Brock.
Award Amount:  $500.00

Eligibility: Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar leaders and/or lab demonstrators who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals. Eligible candidates must have one or more years of experience as a TA.

This award is sponsored by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation.

YearRecipient
2023Oya Pakkal, Psychology
2022Bruna Fernandes (TA Award co-recipient) Shawna Hopper (TA Award co-recipient)
2021Zain Virani, Economics
2020Maysara Al Jumaily, M.Sc. in Computer Science
2019Nicholas Gadea, Applied Health Sciences
2018Talha Rafiq, Applied Health Sciences
2017Parthajit Mukherjee, Chemistry
2016Julie Domitrek, Biology / Women’s & Gender Studies
2015Andrew C. P. Kemble, Psychology
2014Kiel Ormerod, Biological Sciences
2013Christina Quintiliani, Education/Child and Youth Studies
2011Jo-Anne Sinnige-Egger, Child and Youth Studies
2009Divya Joshi, Community Health Sciences
2008Christine Goodwin, Child & Youth Studies
2007Jeff Reichheld, English Language & Literature
2006Elizabeth Ilnicki-Stone, Chemistry
2006Kirsti Van Dorsser, Psychology
2005Mandy Frake, Physical Education & Kinesiology
2004Frank Benko, Physics
2004Jacqueline Dix, Political Science
2003Michele Stairs, Geography
2002Jimmy Au, Mathematics
2001Donna Vukmanic, Chemistry
2000Caroline Stikkelbroeck, Communications, Popular Culture & Film
1999Ellen Maisson, Biological Sciences
1998Gail Neff, Chemistry
1998Marilyn Cottrell, Economics

Presented to a teaching assistant who shows promise in the field of teaching.
Award Amount:  $500.00

Eligibility: Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar 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.

This award is sponsored by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation.

YearRecipient
2023Alison Smoke, Health Sciences (co-recipient)
2023Rebecca Rios, Health Sciences (co-recipient)
2022Sara McCowell, Education
2021Felisia Milana, Political Science
2020Hope Eze, MA English Language and Literature
2019Monica Louie, Education
2018Hawa M. Conde, Applied Health Sciences
2017Francesca Patten, Classics
2016Miranda MacDougall, Education
2015Brodie Terence Hague, Geography
2014Phillip Wallace, Appied Health Sciences
2013Stephanie Lampman, Linguistics
2010Dana Mirshahi, Economics
2008Meaghan Wilkin, Psychology
2007Diane Hart, Communication, Popular Culture & Film
2006Shonesee Devereaux, Physical Education & Kinesiology
2005Antony Hunter, Recreation and Leisure Studies
2004Ryan Nery, Psychology
2003Cornelis Vandermeer, Political Science
2002Melora Cunliffe, Physical Education
2001Marsha Salmon, Psychology
2001Mike Boland, Communications, Popular Culture & Film
2000Randy Thompson, English Language & Literature

Presented to a graduate student teaching assistant who shows promise in the field of teaching.
Award Amount:  $500.00

Eligibility: Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar leaders and/or lab demonstrators who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals. Eligible candidates must be graduate students with one or more years of experience as a TA.

This award is sponsored by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

YearRecipient
2023Nwakerendu (Kay) Waboso, Child and Youth Studies
2022Megan Magier, Health Science
2021Ehsan Nayeri, Business
2020Jessica Salvagna, MA Recreation and Leisure Studies
2019Jennifer Roters, MA Graduate TA Award, Psychology
2019Caitlyn Gallant, PhD Graduate TA Award, Psychology
2018Malcolm Matthews, Humanities
2017Harrish Aggarwal, Applied Health Sciences
2016Stephanie Culp, Classics
2016Dinara Salaeva, Community Health Sciences
2015Eleftherios (Terry) Kyprianos Soleas, Education
2014Regan Fitzgerald, Psychology
2013Kathleen Moore, Education
2012Deborah Jehu, Community Health Sciences
2012Jacob Bernam, Biology
2011Alison Innes, Classics
2010Samantha Dear, Recreation & Leisure Studies
2010Tarah Csaszar, Classics
2009Joseph Brown, Computer Science
2009Kerry Ransom, Community Health Sciences
2008Bethan Kingsley, Physical Education & Kinesiology
2007Bonita Gracey, Physical Education & Kinesiology
2006Sarah Johnson, Physical Education & Kinesiology
2005Trudy Tattersall, Communications, Popular Culture & Film
2004Joanna Sheppard, Physical Education & Kinesiology

Presented to an international graduate student teaching assistant who show promise in the field of teaching.
Award Amount: $500.00

Eligibility: Individuals eligible to receive the award are teaching assistants, seminar leaders and/or lab demonstrators who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals. Eligible candidates must be international graduate students with one or more years of experience as a TA.

This award is sponsored by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation.

YearRecipient
2023Thien Bao Le, Biology (co-recipient)
2023Zihang Bu, Child and Youth Studies (co-recipient)
2021Esther Wainaina, Education
2020Philip Dwomoh, MA Geography
2019Yihong Bai, Economics
2018Evans C. Boadi, Mathematics and Science
2016Chimaobi Amadi, Mathematics
2015Oksana Pichugina

Eligibility

Brock teaching assistants, seminar leaders, and lab demonstrators who have demonstrated a commitment to assisting others in reaching their educational goals are eligible to apply for the Teaching Assistant Awards.

Candidates are only eligible to receive one award within a 5-year period.

Deadline

Application packages must be submitted to the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation (CPI) by the first Friday in March annually.

Application requirements

Each candidate must submit an application package (i.e. dossier) to be considered for an award. The dossier should include the following items:

  1. One nominator must be a faculty member/instructor for the 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.
  2. Nomination letter(s). Nominator(s) must submit a letter outlining:
    1. their relationship to the candidate
    2. why they have nominated this person
  3. A summary of the support documentation (i.e., a summary of the testimonial letters, teaching evaluation data, etc.)
  4. Supporting documentation. Supporting documentation is essential for consideration for the award(s). Documentation should include:
    1. a statement of teaching philosophy written by the candidate
    2. 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.)
    3. faculty evaluation of TA performance (if available)
    4. a summary of teaching evaluations (if available)
    5. testimonial letters/emails from sources other than the nominators (maximum of 6)
    6. a brief Curriculum Vitae (CV)

All documentation is subject to verification by the selection committee.

Suggestions

Types of teaching. For the purposes of these awards, the following types of instruction will be considered: classroom instruction, lecturing, seminars, tutorials, online facilitation, and lab demonstration. Teaching experience includes teaching assistant positions at other post-secondary institutions.

Letter and supporting documentation. Letters and supporting documents should address how the candidate has made a contribution to teaching rather than how great a person he/she is. For the purposes of this award, the following may be considered:

  • Availability to students
  • Student mentoring
  • Marking and evaluation
  • Ability to respond to student needs
  • Methods of delivering instructional material
  • Contributions to course development and modification
  • Developing an effective and positive learning climate

Supporting documentation from a variety of sources is preferred (students, faculty, peers, administrators).

SELECTION COMMITTEE and AWARD presentation

All application packages will be adjudicated by a selection committee consisting of cross-Faculty representation including students, faculty/instructors, and administrators. The selected candidate will be presented with their award 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.

Questions?

For more information about the Teaching Assistant Awards or if you wish to discuss your application package, please contact a member of the Educational Development team at cpi@brocku.ca

Health Science teaching assistants showcasing their awards and certificates