Awards and Recognition

Do you know someone who has left their mark on OACUHO and the Housing profession? You should help OACUHO to recognize these individuals and the great work that they do!

OACUHO gives awards out each year to recognize our members, but we rely on you to nominate your colleagues. We know that there are amazing things happening on every campus. Nominating your colleagues for an OACUHO Award is a great way to show your appreciation for all of their hard work and dedication. It is also an amazing way to showcase the great things happening on your campus.

Nomination Process
In your nomination, it is imperative that you provide context to how the nominee meets the specific criteria established for the award you are nominating them for. In addition, please provide a brief description as to why you believe this individual or institution is deserving of the award and be specific with examples that highlight the criteria established.

Evaluation Process
The Membership Engagement Committee will review all nomination packages. Using established rubrics, nomination packages will be marked and assessed based on established criteria for the awards. The purpose of this is to ensure transparency and promote a fair process for all nominees. Once the nomination packages have been scored, the Membership Engagement Director will bring forward the recommendations for award recipients to the OACUHO Board of Directors for final approval.

OACUHO is proud to recognize individuals and/or institutions that go above and beyond to strengthen their campus communities and the Housing profession. We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to submit a nomination on behalf of someone you feel has made a significant impact

 Information regarding the 2022-2023 award nomination process will be updated shortly.

OACUHO AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: The OACUHO Award of Excellence is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated a high level of commitment and outstanding leadership in the field of housing at their institution and/or within the OACUHO organization while also providing exemplary service to students. 

NOMINATION CRITERIA: Individual must be in good standing with the OACUHO Organization
Must have identified participation in the association through committee work, conference attendance, session facilitation, and/or task forces etc.

Participation in home institution through committee work that promotes the values of the association and their home institution.
Recipient will have provided exemplary service to students above and beyond their job description.

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

• 2023 - Allison Keyes
• 2021 - Anica Dang
• 2019 - Brandon Smith
• 2018 - Ife Kolade, Carmen Law, and Dirk Rodricks
• 2016 - Brittany Reifenstein
• 2015 - Chris Dodd
• 2014 - Victoria Gadon
• 2013 - Ashley Wall
• 2013 - Debbie Kee
  

OACUHO INNOVATION/VISION AWARD: The Innovation/Vision of the Year Award is given to an individual who has set forward a new vision/initiative and taken their organization through change.

NOMINATION CRITERIA: Individual must be in good standing with the OACUHO Organization. Vision/Initiative must be a new approach for their intuition to an ongoing problem/concern. Vision/Initiative demonstrates a proactive approach rather than a reactive approach to an ongoing problem/concern. Evident that the individual nominated participated in leading their organization through change with respect to the vision/initiative.
 

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

• 2023 Rachel Cabunoc
• 2022 Laura Mammone
• 2021 McMaster University Housing & Conference Services Team-Karen Bigeye, Elsa Dupont, Denise Nacev, Marta Prancho, & Ann Richards
• 2019 McMaster University Housing and Conference Services Team (for the adaption of Lean Sigma Six)
• 2018 Sean Beaudette
• 2017 Ian Crookshank, Valerie Bruce, Tiffany Tam 
• 2016 Molly Raffan
• 2015 Tara Herriot
• 2014 Dan Cantiller
• 2013 Jessica Charboneeau

OACUHO PROGRAM/SERVICE OF THE YEAR AWARD: The program/service of the year award is granted to an institution that has implemented a program or service that is responsive to a need within the housing field.

NOMINATION CRITERIA: Institution in good standing with the OACUHO Organization. Program/Service is associated with an identifiable need in the Housing field. 

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

• 2023 Western University's Housing and Residence Life Leadership Team (Mark Mariner, Erica Fearnall, Mel Chaffe, Rachel Cabunoc)
• 2022 Samantha King, Erin Peterson, Monica Khoshaien, Jacob Clarke, Alisha Moosajee (Western University) for Affinity Based Programming
• 2021 Brian Ingoldsby, Patrick Kelly, Hayley McNamara, Marina Pereira, Daniel Brisebois, Stewart Traill, Andrea Pape, Brittney McManus, and Shannon Rush, Julie West. Johanna O'Hatnick. Sarah Mau, Melanie Bowman for the Gryphons Nest program
• 2021 Lauren Goming & Simone Schwartz for the Virtual Residence program
• 2019 Brittany Reifenstein, Holly Gibson, Monica Palkowski, Karen Bigeye from McMaster University for the Organic Waste Pilot Program
• 2018 Umbrella Project (Algonquin College)
• 2017 Michele Sparkes 
• 2016 Natalie Allan, Jordon McLinden 
• 2015 Energy Challenge (Andrew Quenneville & Angela Treglia - Western University)
• 2014 Patrick Alain, Chris Alleyene, Jennifer Ashenden, Mitch Campbell, Angela Treglia, University of Western Ontario
• 2013 McMaster University

OACUHO MENTOR OF THE YEAR: The Mentor of the Year Award will be awarded annually to an individual who continually encourages the development and growth of another member(s) of the association.

NOMINATION CRITERIA: Must be in good standing with the OACUHO Organization. Identified participation in the success and career development of other member(s) of the association. 
 

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

• 2023 - Stu Grunwell
• 2022 - Amanda Luongo
• 2021 - Brian Cunha, Rachel Cabunoc
• 2019 - Kate Murray
• 2018 - Jessica Charbonneau
• 2017 - Brittanie Walker-Reid 
• 2016 - Glen Weppler
• 2015 - Chad Nuttall
• 2014 - Chauncey Kennedy
• 2013 - Mike Plumton

OACUHO PRESIDENT'S RECOGNITION AWARD: The OACUHO President’s Recognition Award is awarded to an individual(s) who has demonstrated outstanding qualities within their role and go above and beyond expectations. *Board members in the Presidential track (President, President-Elect and Finance Director and Past-President) cannot be considered for this award during their term of office.*

NOMINATION CRITERIA: A person who has demonstrated a continuously motivating and supportive work ethic. This person goes out of their way to have a positive impact on the people they interact with. A person who, on a regular basis, goes above and beyond their daily job description. Individual must be in good standing with the OACUHO Organization
 

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

• 2023 - Mel Chaffe
• 2022 - Natalie Allan, Becky Shillington, Delores Lanni 
• 2021 - Julie Tam, Mark Mariner, Elizabeth Fletcher 
• 2020 - Jonna Spadafore, Brian Ingoldsby, Laurie Ham
• 2019 - Kristin Lennan, Michael Cheung
• 2019 - Shaun McCracken 
• 2018 - Savannah Sloat 
• 2017 - Jasmin Dalton
• 2016  - Mary Stefanidis
• 2015 - Amanda Ziegler, Jennifer Ashenden
• 2014 - Brandon Smith

OACUHO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: The OACUHO Lifetime Achievement award is given to an individual who has been involved as an institutional member of OACUHO for at least 20 years and/or served a minimum of 2 terms on the Board of Directors in any position and/or had significant, ongoing service to OACUHO through conference presentations, hosting events, mentorship efforts, or a member of a network or working group. The recipient will have left a significant legacy/mark on the organization and the field of housing as a whole.

NOMINATION CRITERIA: Individual must be in good standing with the OACUHO Organization (at the point they left housing or retired). Nominee is no longer working in the field of student housing (ie, retired or have moved to another field. Served a minimum of two years in any position on the board of Directors for OACUHO
 

NOMINATION PROCESS: At least three letters of support from OACUHO members in good standing required from different institutions.
Letters must be compiled into one PDF document and emailed to info@oacuho.com by the nominations deadline.

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

• 2022 - Julie West, Jamie Fleming
• 2021 - David McMurray
• 2019 - Peggy Wakabayashi 
• 2018 - David Hare
• 2017 - David Sterritt
• 2016 - Susan Grindrod, Cathie Miller
• 2015 - Norma Jean Newbold
• 2013 - Lynn Burritt
• 2011 - Mike Belanger
• 2005 - Chris Lindsay
• 2002 - Alan McInnes

OACUHO 20 YEARS OF SERVICE AWARD: The OACUHO 20 Years of Service Award will be presented to all those who have dedicated 20 or more years of service working within the field of Student Housing.

PREVIOUS WINNERS: 

• Erik van Dijk
  Tom Antonopoulos
• Carolyn Temple
• Chris Bumbacco
• James Dunkin
• Robert Gough
• Susan Grindrod
• Heather Lane Vetere
• Peggy Wakabayashi
• Brent Harwood,
• Ward Illsley
• Joanne Mead
• Leanne Caron
• Barb Robbins
• Julie West
• Josephine Saunders
• Richard Normand
• Monique Boucher
• Kate Murray
• Laurie Shea
• Natalie Allan
• Arlene Clement
• Anna Di Vito
• Rosetta Linklater

ACUHO-I CONFERENCE BURSARY

The ACUHO-I Conference New Professional Scholarship was established to provide new professionals with financial support to attend the ACUHO-I Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE). The recipient of the scholarship will receive up to $1500 USD toward registration, transportation, lodging, and meals for the conference. The scholarship will be given at the Fall Conference.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: For the purposes of this award, “new professional” is defined as someone with five (5) years or less full-time experience in housing and residence life. Undergraduate and graduate experience does not count toward the five (5) year limit. Eligible individuals are either part of a OACUHO member institution or hold an individual OACUHO membership.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: A complete scholarship application will include:

• A descriptive letter of interest from the candidate. The letter should address why the scholarship is important to the candidate and how it will support their growth as a professional within the field of housing and residence life
• A statement of support written on behalf of the candidate. Someone other than the candidate must submit a brief written statement of support (250 words or less) on behalf of the candidate that includes information about the candidate’s strengths/skills and potential in the field of housing and residence life.

Application materials must be emailed to info@oacuho.com  by the award nomination deadline.

The scholarship recipient must write an article for the fall edition of the Soundings and for the August or September edition of the Pulse about their experience at the ACUHO-I Conference.

To learn more about the ACUHO-I conference: http://www.acuho-i.org/events/ace?portalid=0 

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

• 2021 - Will Durward, (Humber College) 
• 2018 - Ann Le (Ryerson) 
• 2017 - Andrea Pape (Seneca College)
• 2016 - Hilary Jandricic (Carleton University)
• 2015 - Sara Wills (Carleton University)
• 2014 - Elizabeth Wong, University of Waterlo
• 2013 - Sam Wiebe, University of Waterloo
• 2012 - Sarah Memme, University of Toronto Mississauga
• 2011 - Phil LeGate, Humber College
• 2010 – Adam Fraser, University of Toronto Mississauga
• 2009 - Amir Solowiejczyk, University of Guelph
• 2008 - Sean Kinsella, Fleming College
• 2007 - Bronwyn Bonney, Bresica College, UWO
• 2006 - Jen Gonzales, University of Guelph
• 2005 - Sarah Burley, Georgian College

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT: As the successful applicant will require time away from their position to attend the conference, as well as support from their institution for any costs exceeding the $1500 USD, institutional support must be confirmed before the scholarship can be awarded. Your immediate supervisor will be contacted.

THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT: The recipient of this scholarship is responsible for arranging his/her own travel and accommodation and registering for the ACUHO-I Annual Conference & Exposition. When the recipient checks in at conference registration, a cheque for $1000 USD will be included in the registration package. This does require the recipient or the institution they work for to front the cost of the conference (conference registration fee, travel, accommodation, miscellaneous fees).

Award for New & Emerging Black, Indigenous and/or Racialized Professionals
The Award for New & Emerging Black, Indigenous and/or Racialized Professionals is awarded to a self-identified Black, Indigenous, and/or racialized professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in their role and has contributed to the advancement of either their department, institution or the field of housing. Nominees identifies as racialized professional with 5 years or less of experience. This individual has creativity and passion in their role and has had a positive impact on students or student staff. They exhibit leadership through collaborative work and exemplary service to the housing field. This professional is in the early stages of their career and demonstrates exceptional initiative and commitment to the housing field. A bursary will be provided to the recipient in the amount of $1000 CAD

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Must be in good standing as a member of OACUHO

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2023 - Tyron Thomas

Commitment to Inclusion and Equity Award
The Commitment to Inclusion and Equity Award is awarded to an individual or group of professionals who have demonstrated commitment and advocacy to advance equity, diversity and inclusion through their work and/or contributions to the field of housing. They need to have demonstrated advocacy of and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion practices. This individual or group advocates for equity-deserving students and addresses systemic barriers to inclusion on their campus through demonstrated initiatives and/or anti-oppressive practices. They are continuously creating best practices at their institution and to the profession.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: The nomination must include an example of an initiative or practice that speaks to the embodiment of this award. The nominee must be in good standing as a member of OACUHO.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2023 - Miranda Hueston