Congratulations to the following recipients:

For his dedication, leadership and commitment to his colleagues and student-athletes, Manager of Sports Marketing, Communications & Fan Experience Satbir Singh, is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Satbir has played a critical role in launching innovative social media campaigns that significantly increased student engagement and visibility for recreation and varsity teams. His expertise in media and marketing has helped promote the college’s athletic events, resulting in record-breaking attendance and fostering a stronger connection between the student body and athletics. His tireless work ethic is demonstrated in the long hours he devotes to ensuring the success of every event, from game-day operations to athlete recognition ceremonies. Satbir’s creative vision is not only seen in marketing materials but also in the way he collaborates with colleagues across departments. Whether he is generating material, collaborating with students and the community, or running an athletic event, he puts his full focus, energy, and expertise into his work.

Congratulations Satbir!

For her exceptional support and guidance, Manager of Student Affairs Operations, Leanne Draksler is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Every day, Leanne is a hero to so many with her “Sure We Can” attitude. She provides exceptional support and guidance to a variety of college employees, and with each interaction, others feel valued and supported. Leanne leads with a kind and caring demeanour and always ensures the Students and International teams meet timelines and goals. Leanne manages a variety of student projects including the Here to Help orientation desk where thousands of students feel they belong within our college community from day one and beyond. Not only does she live the college’s values in all she does, but she has also been an invaluable asset to our college since the day she started.

Congratulations Leanne!

For her exceptional support and guidance, Student Success Advisor Hayley Hopkins is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Hayley is a tremendous resource on the Student Success Advisor (SSA) team and within her academic department. She is highly knowledgeable about Mohawk policies, processes, and resources. She is also a strong communicator and provides clear and supportive guidance in helping students understand the next steps within their academic plan and the campus resources available to them. With the large student population and high volume of student requests in the School of Business, she prides herself on improving ways in which she communicates with students, responds to their inquiries, and finds efficiencies in tasks and processes. 

Hayley’s love of technology and learning means that she is often testing out new tools to see how they can support her work with students. She is also seen as the tech wizard on the SSA team. Team members will often reach out to her for support to help them navigate their technology concerns. Hayley recently became a member of the Board of Governors for Mohawk College, bringing her knowledge and expertise in student success to strategic conversations at the Board level. Her passion for supporting students and her commitment to continue learning and growing within Student Affairs are admirable.

Congratulations Hayley!

For his leadership in updating the materials lab, Technologist, Building & Construction Sciences Tyler Sowden is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Shortly after joining the research team, Tyler took the lead in transforming the materials lab to prepare it for CCIL certification. He led the renovation and reorganization of the lab—removing unused items, building new workbenches, rearranging equipment, and ensuring utilities were functional—resulting in a professional, industry-standard construction materials lab. Tyler also developed a tracking system for equipment inventory and maintenance, quickly learning how to operate and calibrate specialized lab equipment. His efforts, along with the completion of a Quality Manual, led to Mohawk College becoming the first post-secondary institution in Canada to receive CCIL certification in 2023. This achievement now enables students to gain hands-on experience with real construction material testing, expanding research opportunities and industry collaboration. Tyler’s dedication, diligence, and support for students and instructors have been instrumental in both this success and in the daily preparation of surveying and materials courses.

Congratulations Tyler!

For her leadership in materials testing, Professor, School of Engineering Technology & Aviation, Irene Amog is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

As an emerging researcher, Irene recognized the potential and opportunity in Materials Testing. She led the college's efforts to become the first Canadian post-secondary institution to receive certification from a national testing body, highlighting our expertise in this field and showcasing both our student talent and the strength of our academic programs. Irene worked tirelessly to revamp labs at the Fennell Campus and personally mentored the students and staff preparing for the certification exam. Her leadership in advancing our profile in sustainable materials continues as she leverages her industry connections to host an on-site symposium focused on green materials for the construction industry. Irene embodies Mohawk's values of being student-focused, committed to excellence, engaging with our community and showcasing our leadership in climate action.

Congratulations Irene!

For her willingness to always help out, Customer Service Assistant for the School of Engineering Technology & Aviation, Sarah Bradt is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Sarah operates the front desk for the School of Engineering Technology and Aviation, assisting students, faculty members, guests, the leadership team, co-workers, and anyone else who has contact with the office. She is incredible at explaining processes and procedures to students who are not always familiar with them. Her triage skills are outstanding. Sarah listens to the students and is inclusive and empathetic in her approach. She repeatedly jumps in to help with anything that is going on. In the unplanned absence of her co-workers, Sarah has often saved the day. Sarah has no expectation of recognition or rewards. She significantly contributes to the character of both the School and the College. Her colleagues have said it’s a pleasure and a privilege to work with her.

Congratulations Sarah!

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For going above and beyond to serve the community, Coordinator, Sustainability Programs and Services Ashley Packer, is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Through her 9 years coordinating local food programs in the Sustainability Office, Ashley has made a positive impact. The programs Ashley coordinates are beloved by the college community and increase Mohawk’s profile as a sustainability-focused, inclusive college. In addition to supporting our students and employees on campus, Ashley regularly volunteers to act as an ambassador for the college, leading tours, participating in community events, appearing in publications and videos, and passionately sharing her knowledge with other colleges and community partners looking to establish similar programs. 

Examples of programs where Ashley has played a key role include the 51-plot community garden, the local food farm stand, the City School Sprouts after-school program, and the campus bees. Ashley also actively collaborates with the Grounds team to implement native and pollinator-friendly planting, tree planting and other transformative greening initiatives around campus. Through the programs and events Ashley coordinates, participants gain hands-on experience growing their own food, experience its benefits, and support local farmers and essential pollinator habitats. In the community garden, Ashley supports more than 300 annual participants annually. Working with a summer student, Ashley maintains and manages the garden and its resources, coordinates volunteers, and helps participants develop new skills and a lifelong passion for growing food. Ashley is also an incredible mentor to student employees. Many of the students she has supported have gone on to lead sustainable food programs in the community.

Congratulations Ashley!

For keeping projects moving forward, Project Manager, Enterprise Project Management Office David Lambden is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Dave's work on the Banner Business Transformation (BBT) project has been exemplary. He has consistently kept the project moving forward, engaging stakeholders, and looking for and anticipating future stakeholders, all to ensure the project leads to a successful outcome. His ability to keep a birds eye view on all components of the BBT project and adapting that knowledge to the individual streams has proven great. As one stakeholder noted, “His work has been critical to my particular stream. I'm juggling my departmental work alongside the BBT work, and Dave has kept me on track, working with my schedule and ensuring my capacity is not overburdened.”

Congratulations David!

For being especially helpful to colleagues, Instructional Designer & Part-Time Faculty Vishal Pathareddy Appanah, is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Vishal is always a positive presence. He always goes above and beyond the call of duty to assist his colleagues. No request is too minor or too major for him. He will meet in person or virtually and will spend as much time as needed to resolve any issue. He is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to technology.

Congratulations Vishal!

For being a supportive team member, Professor – Curriculum and Program Quality Consultant Alison Dunn is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Alison is a highly dedicated, effective and supportive team member who consistently steps up to support the team and fill gaps despite a full workload. Aligned with Mohawk College's commitment to student-focused excellence through innovation, and inclusive practices, Alison has recently led a collaborative development of an AI Workshop Series that strives to support faculty AI literacy, to provide resources, build awareness of challenges and ethics, to ultimately support students with AI literacy and future-ready skills.

Congratulations Alison!

For being a supportive team member, Professor – Curriculum and Program Quality Consultant Shantal Woolsey is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Shantal rejoined the team in Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation at a time of change. Not only did she rise to the challenge, but she exceeded it! She jumped into the work immediately, playing detective to fill gaps in processes. She went above and beyond to find the answers, which demonstrates her commitment to excellence. She is also positive and supportive as a team member and never says no to helping a colleague in need.

Congratulations Shantal!

For being a supportive team member, Professor – Curriculum and Program Quality Consultant Judith Orogun is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Armed with an unfailingly positive attitude, Judith helped navigate the Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation's Academic Quality team through a period of challenge. She went above and beyond to ensure work got done during a period of transition. She never says no to a challenge and makes sure the rest of her team believes in their own abilities. She volunteers with external organizations like the Curriculum Developers Affinity Group, to ensure her team stays on top of new challenges facing curriculum developers. She is the definition of someone who is committed to excellence!

Congratulations Judith!

For being a supportive team member, Professor – Curriculum and Program Quality Consultant Dawn Danko is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Dawn doesn't just go above and beyond in her role—she takes it to a new level. She is a mentor to many in our department and works tirelessly to ensure we leave no stone unturned when it comes to program quality. She is 
always there to support her colleagues, whether it's a friendly ear or to offer advice on improving program quality. She does all this while juggling an incredibly busy workload, but never fails to help those of us who need it. She is committed to excellence in everything she does, including diving into new Degree development and spearheading the process.

Congratulations Dawn!

For being committed to excellence, Report Writer Ridhima is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Ridhima might be new to the role of Report Writer, but she has jumped right in! She came into the role at a time when circumstances had caused a delay in the Program Review process. She went above and beyond to not just learn the role, but also make Program Review reports better than ever. She started as a Mohawk student, but is now an employee who exemplifies the college's values with a commitment to excellence. She is eager to learn more about the process and is always responsive and helpful. 

Congratulations Ridhima!

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For going above and beyond to support students, Director of Student Experience & Global Engagement Francesca Hernandez is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

As an example of her dedication, one day after regular hours, Francesca recognized that a student in the hallway was in need of support. Francesca stopped and talked to the student, learning they were in need of food, while also facing family and financial challenges. Addressing each need, Francesca provided some food essentials, listened to their family struggles and offered support, encouraging the student to reconcile with their parent. In doing so, the student not only felt safe, but they were able to have confidence to advocate for themselves. Four months later, the student came forward and thanked Francesca for stopping in the hallway to chat with them that day. In this one moment and her work every day, Francesca inspires her team and co-workers with her kindness and generosity, motivating and inspiring empathy in others.

Congratulations Francesca!

For keeping projects organized and always looking for better solutions, Marketing Traffic Coordinator Cindy LeBlanc is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

As an example of her dedication, Cindy advocates on behalf of her colleagues when facing issues with the Marketing ticketing system, Optimizely. She has gone above and beyond to ensure the company provides satisfactory solutions to issues that the team may be facing with the platform. She is a wealth of knowledge and is a great person to go to for advice when starting a project. She asks great questions and thinks about different scenarios for executing the project in the best way possible. She handles any potential roadblocks with clarity and ease, whilst keeping projects on track. 

Congratulations Cindy!

For going above and beyond to support her team, Special Events and Office Assistant Jacqueline Stillman is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Jacqueline strives to integrate an understanding of big picture strategies and goals, and is always eager to try something new, especially if it benefits the Mohawk community. Jacqueline is dedicated to improving the college’s event registration process, making it as easy as possible for community members, students, employees and partners to sign up to participate in events and initiatives. Her team often refers to her as the “JACQUELINE of all trades” for her extensive knowledge of college systems and processes. She always finds the positive in unpleasant situations and is constantly making those around her laugh with her incredible sense of humour. Jacqueline strongly believes that those you surround yourself with make all aspects of your life better.

Congratulations Jacqueline!

For his calm professionalism and dedication to capturing moments, Photographer and Videographer Josh McGurk is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

Josh works everywhere across the college supporting the college mission, communications and celebrations. Whether the silent photographer or videographer in a busy crowd, or talking 1:1 with nervous subjects in his reassuring and calm way, he does it all with ease and professionalism. He never makes the work about him; he is always focused on others. Josh has supported the Indigenous Student Services department and done stellar work on many special events, student interviews and Pathfinder Youth Camp stories, taking professional student headshots for LinkedIn profiles and shooting and editing a Trafficking Awareness video that is already attracting kudos and appreciation across the country and within the sector. Josh has proven to be a great ally and friend to Indigenous Student Services team. 

Congratulations Josh!

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For her support of colleagues, Program Support Scheduling Officer, January Coward  is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

As an example of her dedication,  in the fall of 2023 January covered for her colleagues when two of three schedulers were off due to unexpected medical leaves. It was at a critical point in the semester for scheduling deadlines and January agreed to help to make sure deadlines were met. Without January’s willingness to help winter semester prep would have stalled. In addition to being excellent at her job, January is a ball of positive energy and spreads it around to her office. Whether it is dressing up as a dinosaur or bringing in costumes for team building, January loves to spread joy to co-workers. 

Congratulations January!

For his commitment to students, Technologist - Aviation, Adam McIntyre  is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

As an example of his dedication, Adam is always coming to work early and staying late to help out his fellow coworkers with events such as the President's Breakfast, Student Orientations, and Open House to ensure students have a great experience during their education at Mohawk College. He goes the extra mile to assist students and making sure they have the proper tools and safety materials to get the job done right. Adam’s charismatic attitude and ability to adapt create an inclusive/friendly environment that make coming into work enjoyable at the aviation campus. 

Congratulations Adam!

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For her commitment to going above and beyond for her students, Program Coordinator and Faculty Member, Carla LaBella is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

As an example of her dedication, Carla regularly goes out of her way to provide additional support and resources both within and outside of the classroom to help her students achieve their goals, such as offering workshops outside of class time that promote personal growth, wellness, and resiliency. Alongside being an advocate for her students, Carla is also a mentor to her colleagues. She is always willing to lend a listening ear, offer guidance, and share her expertise with colleagues. Her mentorship has had a lasting impact on countless individuals, helping them to grow both personally and professionally, with students regularly updating Carla with their achievements that she has helped motivate and inspired them to set and reach. 

Recently, Carla added published author to her list of accomplishments with the release of her book on positive psychology: The WOW Book ~ Ways of Optimizing Well-Being. Both research-oriented and inspiring, her book further solidifies her reputation as a leader in the Positive Psychology space and is a wonderful reflection of her commitment to excellence and lifelong learning. 

Congratulations Carla!

For their commitment to creating innovative solutions for students, Jaime Harris and Allison Stewart are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. 

Allison, working in the Registrar's Office at the time and Jaime, working in the Co-op Department at the time, collaborated together to revolutionize the Campus Student Employment Program (CSEP) by leveraging the Career Ready portal. The change allowed students to easily access CSEP opportunities and streamlined the process for hiring managers to access and review resumes. Through Jaime and Allison's dedication to this initiative they were able to quickly make these changes to improve the student and employee experience.

Congratulations Jaime and Allison!

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For her commitment to keeping the Fennell Campus clean and safe, Afternoon Shift Housekeeping Supervisor, Alejandra Genest is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  

As an example of her dedication,  Alejandra supported the health centre re-opening and COVID-19 operations. She is the one called upon when high-risk encounters occur and quick clean ups are needed to keep operations going. Alejandra is always there to help with the worst messes in the college. When the health centre was reopening she provided suggestions on supplies and exam room set up, to ensure the spaces could easily be cleaned and disinfected. She gives advice from a place of caring for employees and students. 

Congratulations Alejandra!

For her commitment to keeping the Fennell Campus clean and safe, Housekeeper, Maral Barsoumian is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. 

As an example of her dedication, Maral disrupted an attempted theft of an expensive tool from one of the college's Automotive labs. The thief would have succeeded if it weren’t for the dedication and awareness of Maral. Maral noticed a garbage pail was heavier than usual and went above and beyond to investigate. In the garbage was the missing piece of equipment. Every day Maral is always friendly, cheerful and extremely pleasant to work with. 

Congratulations Maral!

For her commitment to serving student and supporting her colleagues, Tracey Bailey is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. 

As an example of her dedication,  Chief Advancement Officer, Tracey is the ‘go to’ person whenever members of her team are faced with a difficult challenge. Tracey listens, helps dissect problems and formulates solutions. Once apprised of the barriers within student awards and its funding model, Tracey tackled this issue by gathering background information, identifying issues, researching a solution and engaging the parties involved to ensure a successful outcome. Tracey’s efforts and leadership led to hundreds of students receiving increased funding for their awards.

Congratulations Tracey!

For his commitment to research and supporting internal and external relationships, Director of Strategic Advancement Initiatives Frank Castiglione is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. 

As an example of his dedication, Frank Castiglione has provided exceptional insight and guidance to the donor strategy for the Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship. Frank has led many discussions, pushed ideas and re-invented approaches for how the school can grow its donations and build partnerships with individuals and industry. Frank also supports industry partners to ensure the college has lasting relationships.  Over the past year, the school has received or will be receiving significant donations due to Franks efforts.

Congratulations Frank!

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For his instrumental role in the creation and installation of new signage and graphics at the Stoney Creek Campus, Engineering Services Officer Jeremy Dowling is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Jeremy worked with a small team on a tight deadline to plan, design, and install fresh new graphics and signage at the campus. With his guidance, the project was completed with minimal impact on campus operations and the student experience while the painting, installation, design and modification of designs was conducted.

For her commitment to creating new signage and graphic imaging at Stoney Creek Campus, Communications Coordinator Meaghan Drury is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. In her role at the time in the Marketing department, Meaghan was instrumental in developing, designing, and installing updated graphics and signage at the campus within very short timelines. Taking ownership of the project and working closely with a small group, she offered creative suggestions and additional ways to elevate the campus and student experience. The result was a bright, fresh environment that aligns with college branding and values.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For her commitment to supporting students in her role as the Buyer/Accounts Payable Coordinator for Campus Stores, Melissa Mellor is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As an example of her dedication to students, Melissa voluntarily set up a help center in the temporary bookstore space to better assist them during semester start-up. She managed this additional service while maintaining all of the tasks in her daily role, benefiting students, faculty, and staff during a busy and stressful time of the academic schedule.

For her commitment to Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE) program students, faculty and staff, Training & Investigation Officer Amanda Anderson is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Amanda understands this student population and provides support for the CICE team, the students and program with her compassionate approach, her collaboration with the team, and by guiding and by supporting uniformed officers who attend to our students needs. She also presents to CICE classes so students can build positive relationships with security and reach out for support when and if they feel the need. She always goes above and beyond for our students and program.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For being an incredible people manager and an amazing advocate for students, Pearl Mendonça is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager, Career and Student Success Advising, Pearl inspires her team of Student Success Coaches and Career Advisors to go above and beyond in everything they do. She is respectful and caring. She considers every scenario, every issue and every concern from a student’s perspective. She questions the impact of decisions on students and always finds a way to make their academic journey easier and more successful. She is an incredible leader known for her ability to forge deep connections and drive positive change across the college.

For everything he does to support students through his work on the Counselling team, Don Jamieson is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Don is student-focused everyday, helping students navigate their way through Mohawk, and even showing up at Convocation to celebrate their success. With rising concern for mental well-being of students in postsecondary, the role of a counsellor is critical. Don's superior listening skills, ability to build rapport and be empathetic, and his sense of humour, make him a highly valued point of support for students. Don is the first to support in a crisis, leads his practice with his wisdom, and provides mentorship to other counsellors. He brings a wealth of experiential knowledge and skill to the Counselling team and is a fantastic colleague to collaborate with as the team works towards growing the important infrastructure that supports the well-being of Mohawk College students. 

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For her outstanding contributions to the Student Recruitment team, Jenny Hall is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Jenny has been a valuable member of our team from the first day she joined the team. Her dedication and commitment to helping students and her colleagues is exceptional. She is always willing to jump in and help with anything and everything the team needs, she never complains and is always eager to help. Her willingness to go beyond her role and comfort zone is an inspiration to her colleagues. Jenny is also a great team player, always contributing to group conversations and providing suggestions on how to improve the services we offer to better support students. Her positive attitude and strong connection with students makes them feel comfortable, supported and cared for. Jenny is patient. She is also kind, considerate, and willing to help anyone. No matter how complex or frustrating the problem is, Jenny will work to solve it and help put a student’s mind at ease. Jenny is committed to our students, and her warm-hearted nature is reflected in the support she provides to them.

For their passion and dedication to supporting international students throughout their journey the International Market Specialist Team are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. The International Market Specialist team is a dynamic group of individuals who are passionate about Mohawk College and supporting international students achieve their educational goals to study in Canada. Many are former international students, immigrants, and new citizens themselves, giving them a unique understanding of the challenges, students, families and partners face when pursuing studies, and moving their lives, around the world. The team often goes above and beyond to support students outside traditional business hours. They help create social connections with other expat students, ensuring students feel welcomed and supported. The team also works within their communities as volunteers and advocates. Always trying to find ways to connect and give back to their communities both personally and professionally. Most recently a member of the team led efforts to mobilize support for the Ukraine, sending supplies overseas with the local community centre. Many times, their activities go unnoticed or unacknowledged, because it is just what they do – without being asked. But these actions are the ones that are most impactful, and resonate the most here in Hamilton and oversees.

Congratulations to the following team members:

• Ricardo Rivera
• Nathan Tran
• Vinay Joshi
• Breska Ulhaq
• David Thompson
• Nancy Pitman
• Arkadiy Zhidelev
• Lana Belau
• Sabrina Andrade

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For everything she does to support students, Abby Taylor is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Abby is a Student Success Advisor for Creative Industries and Liberal and Administrative Studies. With an extensive portfolio and hundreds of students requiring program advising, Abby is exceptional at helping students to progress academically to achieve their educational goals. She is student-focused and committed to excellence by ensuring students always receive prompt responses to their questions and concerns and doing so in a way that alleviates the confusion and stress that students feel. Abby always provides clear options for students when their studies don’t progress as planned, and does so with welcoming and supportive words. Abby connects students to resources and ensures that internal staff are aware of students’ needs so that we can all help students succeed together. Abby is integral in creating a cohesive, transparent, and positive experience for students from their first semester to graduation.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For the tremendous support he provides to the Stoney Creek campus, Ed Cipriani is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Director, Facilities Operations at the college, Ed provides leadership and support for a range of facilities projects at the college. His ability to address challenges and engage the Stoney Creek campus team in meaningful and supportive consultation has been an asset to the campus. He always comes to a meeting positive and solution-focused, an approach has strengthened the team’s relationship with facilities and enabled them to work collaboratively on many projects. Ed goes above and beyond to ensure the team understands key technical elements, vendor implications, and provides important background and experience that supports strategic decision-making.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For always going out of his way to support students and for the quiet leadership he provides to the International team, Jinhyung Kim is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Jin is a Mohawk graduate of Mohawk’s Computer Technology program and is also a former International student. As a student, Jin supported the Centre for Teaching and Learning and International teams with his technical skills, enabling the teams to grow their reporting functionalities. Following graduation he continued to work with the International team, and is now the Enrolment and Information Management Specialist. Jin is a subject matter expert in the development of complex multi-layered reports to support market development, enrolment forecasting and trending analysis. As a lifelong learner, he is always looking for ways to grow his skills and improve the experience for students and colleagues, including modernizing data analysis and identifying ways to automate workflows to reduce manual tasks. Jin has worked in the community, going out of his way to support international students settling in Hamilton, using his journey to Canada as a guide, and acting as an advocate in both the college and community. Highly respected amongst his peers, Jin is a quiet leader with a big impact – always using an intentional approach to his actions whether it relates to his work or personal aspirations. Team members feel at ease with his big smile and dry sense of humour, and his ability to solve any AV problems. A common phrase in International is “Because of you it works and because of Jin it works.”

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For her dedication to supporting our students, Carissa Bird is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Carissa is a member of the International Student Services team where she is temporarily filling the role of Support Officer to cover a vacancy. In addition to this, Carissa continues to work on advancing her postsecondary education. Carissa’s ability to develop and foster relationships has been a tremendous asset to the International team. She is diligent in her work, committed to supporting her team and to the students she serves. Her positive nature, student focus and collaborative spirit is an inspiration to everyone she works with. Thank you for making Mohawk a better place to learn and work, Carissa.

For everything he does support students living in residence, Paul Reifenstein is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Paul is the manager of our student residence. His kindness and care for his team and our college students is evident. He is always willing to support any request, and is collaborative in all decisions. Throughout the pandemic, Paul was instrumental in creating plans to keep learners safe, and he worked diligently to ensure individuals in residence continued to have a positive experience. His quiet nature and gentle manner are well received by all who work with him. Paul is well respected by all and deserves to be recognized as an Everyday Hero.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For their leadership and support for the appointment booking system within the Registrar’s Office, Steven Wegman, Michelle Senior and Tracey Knowles are Mohawk College’s newest Everyday Heroes. Implementing the appointment booking systems is a key part of the service model for the Registrar’s Office and was essential to navigating a return to in-person service in 2022. Appointments provides students the flexibility to meet with a staff member at a time that is convenient for them, and appointments can be in-person or over the phone. The implementation of this system involved considerable effort and coordination with different areas of the college, and has made a significant impact to service delivery for students.

For always putting students first in everything she does, Michelle Datzkiw is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Throughout her 20+ year career at the college, Michelle has been a tireless advocate of Mohawk College, and Hamilton. Michelle is committed to student success. She encourages students to get involved with campus and community activities, and she goes above and beyond to support students who are in distress or facing hardship. As part of the college’s International team, Michelle provides exceptional support for international students through her calm and gentle approach, and ability to create a welcoming environment. She takes the time to get to know students, making connections with their families, and finding unique solutions to the challenges they face. She really does make Mohawk home to so many students. She is humble, drawing little attention to herself, although her actions have such a big impact. She is fiercely loyal and a respected leader, and she always makes time for her co-workers, to listen and share, with a positive approach and bright smile. Outside of the office, Michelle has a passion for Mohawks place in the community. Michelle a True Hamiltonian who lives the values of Mohawk College every day.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For her positive attitude, patience and ability to deliver on a tight deadline, Maggie Makar is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Maggie is an extremely talented graphic designer from the college’s Marketing department who is always a joy to work with. She is able to take an incredible amount of content and transform it into something that looks amazing and clearly communicates the intended message to the appropriate audience. Aside from her creative abilities, Maggie not only welcomes design feedback, but she also invites people into the design process to discuss their thoughts and suggestions. Colleagues appreciate Maggie’s positive can-do attitude, her patience, and her ability to deliver on tight deadlines. She is deserving of this recognition, not only for her technical abilities, but also for her interpersonal skills and for being an incredible person to work with.

For his strong work ethic, passion and commitment to quality, Ken Wong is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Ken demonstrates Mohawk’s values in everything he does. His willingness to learn and to take more responsibilities, while continuing to help others is an inspiration to many. One of the things Ken is known for is making the training sessions he runs fun for the participants. During a recent web audit, Ken has received a lot of praise and gratitude from colleagues throughout the college, demonstrating how much his support and expertise is valued and appreciated.

For the support he provides to students who need OSAP funding for their education, Ian MacMillan is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Ian is a Support Officer in the Financial Assistance department where he is responsible for the administration of financial need programs, such as the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), Tuition Fee Policy (TFP) and other government equivalent programs. Ian works collaboratively with a large number of college stakeholders to support their efforts in providing proactive, student-focused services in a variety of formats. He is an incredible source of knowledge in the Financial Assistance Office and the Registrar’s Office related to financial aid administration, student awards and other government programs. Ian’s work is critical to students who depend on OSAP funding. He anticipates student needs and concerns and looks for ways to add value beyond their immediate need. For the work he does every day and his dedication to our students, Ian is an Everyday Hero.

Alexandra Rodriguez	Debra Clinton

For everything they do to support students and promote financial literacy, Debra Clinton and Alexandra Rodriguez are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. Debra and Alexandra lead the college’s Mo’Money Financial Literacy Centre. This dynamic duo continues to find new ways to engage with our students, whether through the Mo’Money newsletter or bringing in new partners to deliver workshops. Deb and Alexandra understand that staff are key to supporting students on their journey to becoming financially literate, and are committed to ensuring students have access to the resources and supports they need to tackle saving for school, creating and sticking to a budget, understanding credit, investing, making major purchases and planning for life after school. The work, dedication and support provided by Debra and Alexandra within Mo’Money is tremendous, which is why they are deserving of this Every Day Hero award.

For going above-and-beyond to support Indigenous students, Amanda Aitchison is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Amanda is the Indigenous Awareness Programmer within the Indigenous Student Services team. Her role is to create and support a variety of programming and events within the department, such as Pathfinder, TIPS, food supports, etc. Although this support is a part of Amanda's role, the connections and supports she provides to students is exceptional. Amanda is a collaborative and forward thinking member of the team. She is integral key to the college’s Pathfinder program, from helping students navigate the application process to the completion of the program. During the pandemic, Amanda worked to ensure that these students had the same experience, supports and connection to Mohawk College as they would have if the program was in-person. Amanda also coordinates the annual Indigenous Student Awards ceremony, which has been delivered virtually over the last two years. She has worked hard to create a meaningful experience for recipients by arranging for dinner to be delivered to them, and sending them packages with banners and posters to celebrate their award. She also went above-and-beyond to include a personal, hand-written, congratulatory message  to each recipient. Amanda is dedicated to her team and to students and is very deserving of this Mohawk College Everyday Hero Award.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For going above-and-beyond to ensure a smooth registration process for Continuing Education students, Barbara Reynolds is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Barb was instrumental in getting the college’s new Destiny One Registration system for Continuing Education up and running. Throughout the implementation of this system, she provided continuous updates to the Continuing Education team always going above-and-beyond to ensure the best possible experience for students. The project took many months of dedicated commitment to bring to fruition. Some examples of the way Barb supported her team include providing a step-by-step guide to the configurations you need to complete inside Destiny One, creating a Web Registration Teams site that explains all the new functionality of Destiny One and Program Web Pages directions and instructions to assist staff for a seamless transition.

For always going the extra mile to ensure students receive the necessary funding for their academic journey, Katrina Bryce is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Katrina is collaborative and innovative in the way she matches students with specific awards, a process that can be very difficult and time-consuming to complete. Yet, Katrina does it without complaint and always puts students first. She continually identifies ways to better profile financial opportunities for our students. A Mohawk Alumni, in the role of Awards Officer, Katrina truly demonstrates that at Mohawk College students and learning really are at the heart of all we do, and the team she works with feels privileged to work with someone who is truly passionate about our students needs.

For always going above-and-beyond for his colleagues and customers at the campus store, Brandon Rodriguez is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Brandon is hardworking and genuine, always willing to assist with any challenges that arise. At the Campus store, the team is committed to helping students achieve their goals and no one does that better than Brandon. He is always patient and takes pride in providing amazing customer service. Any student who deals with Brandon leaves our stores feeling confident that they have the proper resources for success. Brandon always brings an upbeat infectious positivity into the workplace. He can often be found singing and dancing in Buy the Book while processing student orders.

For her can-do attitude and positive demeanor, Alexandra Culp is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. When Alexandra joined the HR Department, she quickly established herself as a supportive team member that is always ready to take on new projects and initiatives.  Alexandra sets and meets the highest level of client service standards and takes initiative to support her colleagues whenever possible. She knows how to anticipate the needs of others and is always looking for efficiencies and improvements that will make a positive impact on Human Resources procedures and the employee experience. Alexandra has been instrumental in the college asset audit in HR, as well as the enhancement of employee onboarding procedures.  She is the first point of contact in HR and represents the team with a friendly demeanor, professionalism, integrity, respect and empathy. 

For his humble nature and the way he inspires confidence in others, Kyle Raymer is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Programmer Analyst supporting the Enterprise Systems Strategy (ESS), Kyle has made invaluable contributions to many projects that are transforming the way the college supports student success. Kyle played an instrumental role in the Destiny One project, which replaced the registration system for Continuing Education in March 2022. He ensured every aspect of the student experience was considered during the development, testing, launch, and post implementation phases of the project. With and attitude of “everything is possible” and a thorough knowledge of the Mohawk technology ecosystem, Kyle brought forward many creative solutions to complex issues being tackled by both internal and external experts. He never turned away from a challenge and took it upon himself to learn as much about our business needs as possible coming forward with possible risks and solutions and bringing numerous benefits to students and staff. As a colleague, Kyle is a collaborative team player who focuses on customer service and responsiveness without compromising on quality.

For his dedication, commitment, positivity and enthusiasm, Jason Spittles is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a solution architect on the ESS team, and in particular for the Destiny One CE Registration project, Jason Spittles is highly deserving of an Everyday Hero Award and is a true asset to the college. From his in depth business knowledge of the college’s higher ed systems, to his highly developed technical skills, Jason is a rare individual who can bridge both worlds and communicate complex information. He has a rare and unique ability to communicate highly technical concepts to others who are non-technical, and always strives to understand deeply the input of others. As an individual, Jason is warm and friendly, extremely positive, enthusiastic and incredibly committed.  He inspires those around him to be focused and creative, and to find solutions that enable them to achieve their goals. 

For always being the first to step forward to help with a project or join a committee, Allison Sinclair is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Allison is always the first to volunteer for a committee or new initiative. An Excel guru, she has been responsible for tracking the college's PPE inventory throughout the pandemic, helping to ensure Mohawk was proactive in its response to the ever-changing crisis. She is tireless in her commitment to helping her colleagues, and is quick to respond with assistance and advice, no matter how busy her schedule gets.

For the incredible support she provides to the Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery project at Mohawk and beyond, Adrienne Madden is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As the staff person assigned to the Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) project since its inception in 2020, Adrienne is a powerhouse. C2R2 is an important component of Mohawk’s leadership in supporting government, climate action and recovery. At this stage, only a handful of staff have been involved in the project, and Adrienne has taken a strong position in support of it. She is always very proactive and she is a pleasure to work with.

For being someone who makes everyone feel calm and validated and for ensuring no student is ever left behind, Keaghan Cowell is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.  Keaghan served as a member of the college’s Student COVID-19 Response team throughout the pandemic. On daily basis, she worked with 1-1 with students who were impacted by the pandemic, offering them health service navigation and compassionate support. She also provided direct assistance to those with questions about, or problems with, the college’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements for campus access. Keaghan reviewed thousands of vaccination statuses, and her attention to detail and investigative approach to challenges proved her ability to get to the heart of issues. Keaghan assisted students who were not only struggling mentally and emotionally with the pandemic, but also those who were impacted by the pandemic in other ways. She works day and night to ensure our students and our campus stays healthy and accessible.

For always putting the needs of others first, Bill Steinburg is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Bill is a communications professional that adds value to every discussion. He sees the bigger picture in everything he is involved with at the college, and can always be counted on to bring helpful experience to any discussion. Bill is genuinely humble in his manner, and goes about his business quietly behind the scenes, always thinking about how he can help his colleagues achieve their goals. He is a team member that can be trusted with any assignment, with the best interests of the college and its students, always in mind. Bill is committed to good health, and is a quiet inspiration to others with similar interests.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For everything she does to support applicants and students, Kayla Jenkins is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Kayla builds rapport and trust with Mohawk applicants and demonstrates general concern for their wellbeing. She is also readily available to support our indigenous learners, working closely with our Indigenous Student Services team to support learners as they transition into post-secondary studies through our Homeward Bound program. She also supports the delivery of sessions on the supports available to help students with registration and with beginning their studies at Mohawk. She also remains available to students throughout their studies, helping them to navigate processes and supports. Students know that Kayla is committed and dedicated to their studies as it shows in each interaction she has with them, for that, she is an Everyday Hero!

For serving great food and always doing it with a smile, Michael Williams and Ryan Jackson are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. Michael and Ryan are the magic behind the Urban Fork, a popular on-campus food service location run by the Mohawk Students’ Association (MSA) at the Fennell campus. Thank you Michael and Ryan, and to the MSA, for the amazing food and excellent service you have provided to students and employees over the past two years.

For being a wealth of knowledge for her team and for always going above-and-beyond to support Field Placement Specialists in the School of Health and Community Studies, Kim Beaul is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Database Specialist, Kim is an integral part of the Field Placement Specialist team in health and community studies. If there is a problem, Kim will find a solution. She is always ready to offer guidance, reminders, next steps, and support, and she is always looking for new and better ways to help the team perform their tasks. She is supportive and ready to listen to any idea, and she knows what to do to make an idea work. Kim approaches her job with patience and professionalism and she always embodies Mohawk’s values of a commitment to excellence, inclusivity and accountability.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For always being ready to help with an answer, a solution or information, Maxine Poulsen is a Mohawk  College Everyday Hero. In 2021, Maxine was a leader in the Core cashiering system installation project was rolled out across the college. She tested the system and resolved the “bugs” that inevitably popped up along the way.  Now that the system is installed and in use, Maxine provides help and guidance to everyone who uses the system, which is not easy to do with many colleagues working remote. Her expertise, approachability and availability have ensured that problems are resolved quickly and that student payments are processed without delay- meaning that students can then register or move forward with their application process with no delays.  Maxine always puts in the extra effort and she does so quietly and graciously. Maxine is a role model and exemplifies the values of the college in all of her work and interactions.

For always going above and beyond to ensure students have the information and resources they need, Nick Massi is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As the college’s Lead Financial Assistance Advisor, Nick has created new resources for students and staff to ensure that they have the information needed to navigate OSAP applications and their academic journey. Nick is always reviewing how his team completes their work, critically assessing what is working or what could be done differently. He has created rubrics to support the many different roles that can receive questions from students regarding their OSAP or other financial inquiries. He also works to ensure there is clarity between service areas and positions on how and when students are supported. Nick is always available to the team when they have questions or feedback, and he has developed amazing partnerships with other service areas, all from the lens of ensuring our students have what they need to start and continue their studies. Nick has been an amazing addition to the Financial Assistance team and has excelled in this position.

For always being ready to lend a hand or provide a second set of eyes on a project, Heather Bridge is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Heather is always available if you need an extra hand on a project or just a second set of eyes. She volunteers at startup because she is excited to help students fall in love with Mohawk as she did. Whenever someone in the Marketing department is looking for support, she is more than willing to jump on a call or take a moment to be there. Heather brings new ideas that excite the team and the placement students she works with, and she is able to balance her workload like a conductor of a symphony.

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For her always looking for new ways to improve services and engage students, Victoria (Vicky) Wylie is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Vicky uses a wide range of technology and platforms to improve the services offered through the Learning Support Centre. One example of this is the virtual Escape Rooms Vicky created to promote study skills. The escape rooms were very successful earning rave reviews from students and even getting a mention in a Maclean’s Magazine article on how Canadian colleges and universities were using technology during the pandemic. Each semester, more than 6,000 students use Vicky’s Study Smart curriculum, which is embedded in the college’s e-learning platform, MyCanvas. Always the first one to take on a new project or to offer support to a colleague or student, Vicky is a true leader and someone her colleagues depend on. She is tireless in her commitment to excellence and we are proud to have her on the team.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For always going above and beyond to help team at the Centre for Community Partnerships and Experiential Learning with their human resources needs, Lisa Malekmanesh is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Lisa is committed to keeping everyone informed about requests while providing excellent advice and timely responses to departmental needs. Recognizing that the Centre for Community Partnerships and Experiential Learning is unique in its structure and delivery, Lisa continuously strives to learn about the many project details and offers clear, concise, and positive solutions. The team is grateful for Lisa's constant support and her dedication to the department's success.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For always going the extra mile to support her colleagues, Deanne Paez is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a member of the Payroll Services team, Deanne is quick to respond to questions and is always supportive in her approach. Deanne always ensure that clients have the clarity and information they need. She is an amazing member of the Payroll team who always goes above and beyond to support her customers at the college.

For the expertise and guidance he provided during the launch of two successful partnerships in 2021, Owen Murray is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager Enrolment Systems and Services, Owen is responsible for ensuring that data continues to flow smoothly between the various systems and processes used at Mohawk and its partner institutions. Owen recently played a key role in the successful launch of partnerships with triOS College and OCAS International Application System. On these projects, Owen’s knowledge of Mohawk’s systems, how data flows and the impacts of changing processes proved valuable to the successful launch of these partnerships. Owen provided support to both projects in addition to the work that he does every day as the Manager Enrolment Systems & Services.

For everything she does to ensure the people and teams she works with feel supported and are able to complete tasks on time, Leanne Draksler is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Leanne brings a positive, calm, and professional approach to everything she does, ensuring that the team is well supported and we complete the work regardless of the timeline. Her openness to try new ideas makes her a great team player and because of that many of our projects have been successful. Regardless of the workload, Leanne is ready to jump in and help to ensure our students are provided with the information they need.

For everything he does to keep our campus grounds looking great year-round, Chris Hunt is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As the lead hand of the grounds team, Chris oversees a small and dedicated team that takes great pride in the appearance of our campus grounds. For every person coming to the college for the first time, the grounds are the first impression and under Chris’s leadership the college has been recognized by the City of Hamilton on numerous occasions with the Trillium Award. Chris is always willing to lend a helping hand and has been a huge help over the years with my projects. Chris is very deserving of this recognition.

For always going above and beyond for her colleagues, other departments and students, Eugenia Nuta is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Eugenia is always first to offer help and support and is willing to share her knowledge no matter how busy she may be. She has taken the lead in student appreciation days, volunteers her time for all open houses and creates a quarterly newsletter for the Community Studies department. Eugenia's attention to detail, meticulous record keeping and strong work ethic, make her the go-to person for many throughout the college. To top it off, she does all of this with a grateful heart and smile on her face.

For her support and leadership of the college’s Enterprise Systems Strategy, Deborah Calarco is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Director, Business Change Manager, Deborah ensures there is shared understanding and collaboration to move deliverables forward. In working to address a problem or challenge, she is committed to giving all stakeholders a voice in the process and an opportunity to address concerns and come up with ideas. Because of her knowledge of college systems and processes, she understands what needs to be done and how to accomplish it. She is an amazing resource and partner at the College.

For always going above and beyond to help students, faculty and staff, Miranda Jongeling is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Miranda always makes it a priority to help students, faculty and staff with their questions about the college’s registration, convocation and grading systems and processes. Her dedication to her colleagues and students is evident during start-up and Convocation every semester. Her attention to detail is complimented by her caring nature, and she listens and responds to specific questions, and works hard to find solutions. The Registration/Convocation Team, including Miranda, has sealed and packaged 16,428 credentials during the pandemic. She is amazing!

For always being there to help students, faculty and staff with their questions about the college’s registration, convocation and grading systems and processes, Catherine Byron is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Catherine is the go-to person for questions on how the systems work together for all convocation-related activities. From the Application to Graduate Form to grad clearing to preparing the required reports, she is always quick to respond and provide accurate information. Catherine always returns messages in a friendly and helpful way, not only answering the immediate problem, but also offering advice on contextually important issues that may have been overlooked. She goes above and beyond to ensure students are supported. The Registration/Convocation Team, including Catherine, has sealed and packaged 16,428 credentials on campus during the pandemic. Thank you, Catherine.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For being the glue that holds Community Partnerships and Learning together, Vanessa Crawford is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Vanessa manages the administration for City School by Mohawk, Dual Credits and other program that needs her support. She always takes on new challenges with a smile and is always looking for the best way to do things. Vanessa keeps the best interests of students at the core of everything she does, working from a strong foundation of policy compliance and forward thinking and planning. She is a great communicator, always making sure that the whole team is aware of our long-term plans and working towards a common goal. Vanessa is a behind-the scenes star at City School, which would not be what it is without her diligence and attention to detail.

For her commitment to students in the Paralegal program, Rosemarie Ortiz is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Former students describe Rosemarie as the glue that holds the paralegal program together. Students can be confident that when they approach her with a problem or a question, they will receive a prompt, empathetic and thoughtful response. Rosemarie’s coordination and ability to maintain positive professional relationships with industry contacts creates many opportunities for students to access experiential learning in law, which in many cases has led to full-time employment in the field. Rosemarie takes a special interest in all her students and devotes countless hours of her own personal time to their success in the program and post-graduation.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For going above and beyond to make sure her courses are engaging and fun for students, Monica Almas is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. A faculty member in the college’s Health Studies department, Monica works hard to ensure class material is as engaging as possible and to develop ways for course content to be delivered that is fun and easy to understand, through real world applications and examples. Knowing the demands of virtual education Monica has made sure to include mindfulness activities and Fun Music Tuesdays at the beginning of classes to reduce zoom fatigue. She also makes sure her classroom is inclusive and accessible, working to ensure each student feels comfortable in their own identity and delivering course material in a variety of formats so every student can succeed. She also does frequent check-ins with students to make sure they are not struggling.

For always going out of her way to support her students, Christine Sager is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. A professor in Mohawk’s Social Service Worker program, Christine is always there to support and guide her students. Last Christmas, at the height of the global pandemic, Christine took time out of her Christmas day to host a Zoom call for students who were away from family or who were self-isolating. She done similar things to support students throughout the year such as holding extra Zoom calls to make sure students fully understand assignments. These examples show the amount of sympathy, compassion and effort Christine puts forth for all of her students.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

For his commitment to being a strong advocate for International students, Hussam Eldib is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Hussam has worked as the International Student Career Advisor for the past four years. When he started at the College, it was a brand new role, and Hussam has taken a lot of time and effort to make the role his own. He works collaboratively with both his Student and Grad Employment teammates, as well as his colleagues in International to provide relevant, informative and helpful career development information to students, especially International students. His weekly workshops throughout are well-attended, and he is well-respected by the students. Hussam is a strong advocate for International student career needs, and he is passionate about helping employers see the value in hiring International students.

For always taking the time to understand an issue and for being a trusted leader that everyone can count on, Christine Sheldrake is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager Academic Operations, Planning and Reporting, Christine is called on to help resolve issues that are often complex and time sensitive. She always takes the time to understand an issue and the needs of the people she works with. The people she works with can always count on her to explore and understand the broader implications of an issue, and to bring forward new ideas and information to help resolve the issue at hand. In short, Christine makes it easy to get the work done, and for that, she is a valued member of the Mohawk team.

For everything she does to support our international students arriving in Canada during the pandemic, Kimberly Mikalauskas is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Wellness Care Coordinator, Kimberly supports international students from the time of their arrival in Canada until the end of their quarantine. Kimberly is not only great at what she does, and highly organized, but also, she continuously and proactively looks for better and more efficient ways to address emerging issues and support international students. Kimberly recognizes that international students have unique needs due to language barriers, financial concerns and the stresses that come with being in an unfamiliar place. She goes out of her way to support the students, working weekends to book vaccine appointments, exploring available financial support options for students in need, and even personally making and delivering a care basket to an international student who did not have access to proper food. Kimberly makes our international feel welcome and supported while at the same time helping to ensure they stay healthy and safe.

For everything she does to support the college’s registration and convocation teams, Mary Male is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As the Co-ordinator, Registration, Records and Convocation, Mary is always there to make sure everything to do with registration and convocation goes smoothly, while always bringing a smile to everyone’s face. Mary has a wealth of knowledge. She is very patient, and provides the best possible support to everyone she encounters and is always taking care to be thoughtful and thorough in the help she provides to others. The team is forever grateful for her expertise and support. Thank you, Mary for all that you have done for the team and Mohawk College.

For her deep commitment to the teaching and learning process and continuously striving to develop innovative teaching tools that promote student and faculty success, Professor Lisa Pender is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. In recent years, Lisa assumed co-course coordinator duties for First Year Foundations course in the Liberal Studies Department, a course delivered college-wide to build the analytical, creative, and practical skills of students. Lisa was selected to participate in the Instructional Skills Workshop Certificate program, an intensive multi-institutional professional development series designed to enhance teaching effectiveness. Also, most recently, Lisa partnered with the Digital Wellness Institute to run a series of Digital Wellness webinars for students and faculty at the college. 

For her extraordinary commitment, resilience, talent and humility, Sharon Baptist is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As the Accreditation Support Officer for the School of Health & Community Services, Sharon had the near impossible task of successfully planning, organizing and supporting a very complex, tri-site BScN accreditation submission and site visit, and doing it all during a pandemic. The BScN accreditation process and program is complex at the best of times. It was a monumental task to pull together people, documentation and evidence at a time when everyone is facing many competing priorities. Sharon went above and beyond to see it through and is very deserving of this recognition.

For keeping our campus grounds safe and looking beautiful no matter the time of year, Neil Allen is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a member of the grounds team, Neil sets the example for his college. He takes pride in his work and it shows in the exceptional way which our campuses are maintained and looking their best, winter, spring, summer and fall.

For everything she has done to support the successful launch of Indigenous focused courses across the college, Jessica Pearce is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Curriculum Development Specialist, Jessica has been instrumental in the launch of several Indigenous courses across the college. Jessica has supported the implementation of intellectual and cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples through curriculum and learning approaches. Specifically, she supported new faculty as they worked to develop and deliver courses within the General Arts & Science Indigenous pathway and General Education Electives. Jessica provided 1:1 assistance and guided faculty to supporting resources across the college. In response to the pandemic, she assisted with quickly converting in-person courses to on-line delivery and continued to provide a high level of support throughout the delivery of these courses. Jessica has made herself accessible and available consistently from the first day of class to the final submission of grades. Her dedication has ensured that Mohawk College is responsive in developing courses and materials that reflect an Indigenous perspective. In the first year of academic delivery, more than 700 students have experienced these courses. Jessica’s work is helping to ensure the college continues to support an increase in understanding and reciprocity among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, both at the college and within the local community.

For working tirelessly to provide a comfortable and professional learning environment for students, Tiffany Iles is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Tiffany providers a welcoming team-based approach to her colleagues as the Coordinator of the PSW program. She has been pivotal in the PSW intensive program rollout, working with, and coordinating hundreds of new students and numerous team members, while at the same time, developing integrated digital simulations and engaging interactive lessons for the regular stream of PSW students. Tiffany shows tremendous dedication to her team, the college, and her students. She is always attentive, understanding and ready to support the great ideas that are brought to her by her team.

For her ongoing dedication to the Nursing program throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Beth Morris is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Beth has been hands on since the day the college first closed its campuses in March 2020. Beth is dedicated to student success. Since March 2020, she has worked tirelessly with community partners to secure placements for more than 300 nursing students, even working holidays to secure placements for Nursing and PSW students to ensure their studies were not interrupted. Beth has also worked hard to ensure her team of more than 100 faculty sand staff have been kept up to date despite the ever changing situation with the pandemic.

For always going above and beyond to support faculty, Graeme Douglas is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Graeme is an Educational Technologist and even though he works exclusively with faculty, he is always mindful that the assistance he provides will impact learning outcomes for students. Graeme has been a valuable resource for faculty navigating the college’s MyCanvas learning system for the first time. Graeme has a unique blend of qualities that allow him to excel in his role. He is extremely proficient with the technology, readily answering questions and solving problems. He is always quick to respond, which is important given the time-sensitive nature of some of the problems faculty face. But what really stands out is Graeme’s approach to dealing with people. He was always pleasant and cheerful, which helps to reduce anxiety and lighten the mood. He is empathetic and supportive and can always be counted to help when it is needed most.

For everything she has done to support employees through the pandemic, Angela Esposto is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Human Resources Services Consultant, Angela has worked closely with other areas of the college since the pandemic began to ensure employees were able to access the college using newly established processes and procedures. She has been instrumental in helping to organize and streamline processes and procedures in both her current and previous roles, and she has been described as being a gem to work with, tackling every job fully and professionally, and always with a view to improving how things are done.

For consistently going above and beyond to provide the college community the highest level of client service, Joanne Fliss is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Joanne is a collaborator in every sense of the word. She always finds the time to help others, and is a true partner to anyone in search of a resolution. Joanne looks for efficiencies in processes, and is a willing participant and leader in the implementation of change. Her smile and positive attitude is infectious, and she brightens the day of everyone she comes into contact with. Joanne's knowledge and experience is a true asset to the Human Resources department, and to the college as a whole.

For always being one step ahead, Grant Hodson is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager, IT Data Analytics, Grant receives numerous reporting requests on a daily basis, yet he always makes everyone feel that their request is a priority. Grant goes above and beyond to ensure he fully understands each request and is always prepared to offer advice to ensure the areas he works with get the information they need. Grant is really good at anticipating people’s needs and coming to meetings having fully mapped out every possible scenario. Grant is a delight to work with, always positive, truly engaged in the work, and excited to help Mohawk achieve its goals.

For the impact he has on many successful projects with the Enterprise Project Management Office, Long Dam is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Long has always demonstrated exemplary leadership and astounding commitment to the college. He has been instrumental to the successful completion of many projects in the EPMO including the CareerReady Experiential Learning Implementation, the Degree Works (MAP) Upgrade, Digital Student Engagement, Enterprise Class E-Signature Solution Implementation, and Enterprise Intake System, to name a few. With his exceptional support and contributions, Long was very instrumental in transitioning the Project Management Office (PMO) into an Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO). In addition to this, Long worked to develop processes and frameworks that emphasize best practices. Long has exceeded all expectations and contributes immensely to the advancement of the department, the college and the community.

For her willingness to step up, learn new skills and take on new assignments, and all with a smile on her face, Lauren O’Hare is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Lauren goes and above and beyond to assist her colleague and ensure they feel supported. In a year filled with pivots and challenges, she has repeatedly stepped up, learned new skills and techniques (and then taught others) and taken on new assignments, all while maintaining a positive attitude. No matter how busy she gets, Lauren will always offer her time to help others, even if it means working extra hours to do it. Lauren is highly responsive to the current, everchanging climate. She always acts with integrity, and she is supportive and welcoming to every Mohawk team member.

For going the extra mile every day in support of our students, Scott Green is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Counsellor with Accessible Learning Services, Scott supports some very complex and multi faceted situations which he always approaches with a unique perspective, directly impacting the success of our students. This often results in supports for students that bridge gaps in accessibility and inclusivity in very meaningful ways. Scott is student focused. He listens to and supports his colleagues, works collaboratively, and raises others up with his encouragement and devotion to their success. Many innovative supports come from working with Scott. He is inclusive and committed to excellence. Scott is an amazing advocate for our students and is a champion for their rights, needs, and success. He treats others with compassion and imparts knowledge and wisdom that are always beneficial. 

For his commitment to supporting his team, students, faculty and colleagues, Toby Merritt is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager, Accessible Learning Services, Toby is known for his commitment to excellence. He is well respected by the Accessible Learning Services team and is viewed as an outstanding manager. He is very patient, and is able to look at situations with an unbiased perspective to provide the best support to his team, students, faculty and college employees. He is very thoughtful in his responses and ensures that everyone feels validated when helping creating solutions to challenging situations. Toby is always engaged in tasks involved with Accessible Learning Services, no matter how big or small. He has a strong moral compass and steers the team in the best direction. Toby truly deserves recognition as an Everyday Hero.

For her everything she has done to support the college’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Allison Hallman is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager, Student Wellness & Counselling, Allison has been instrumental to the college's response and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her highly collaborative nature has led to many process improvements that have increased the college's ability to respond to the pandemic. While her involvement in the pandemic response has dominated her time over the past year, Allison has also contributed to the ongoing success of the college in other areas of her portfolio.

For always going above and beyond to make sure our students feel supported, encouraged and engaged, Julie Farnand is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Co-op Specialist in the college’s Co-operative Education department, Julie works hard to foster new relationships between departments. She recently worked with faculty from the college’s Human Resources Management program to develop mock interviews for Co-op students. The interviews helped the Co-ops develop their interview skills prior to applying for Co-op positions, while at the same time helping the Human Resources students gain valuable, practical hands-on experience in a skill that is critical to their field.

For going above and beyond to support the work of the Centre for Community Partnerships & Experiential Learning, Joanne Stephen is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a financial analyst supporting Mohawk’s City School and Experiential Learning activities, Joanne works closely with the team on several complicated financial grant agreements and reporting, often against tight deadlines requiring a quick turn-around. Joanne’s ability to provide clarity to team members on funding guidelines related to project scope and execute financial reporting documents with ease demonstrates her problem-solving ability and strong communication skills. Joanne consistently goes above and beyond to assist her colleagues and is essential to their success. Not only is she talented in her role but she also does is with a friendly and approachable demeanor. The team is forever grateful for her expertise and support.

For her leadership in navigating the complex financial management and reporting systems connected with provincial and federal grants, Mirna Matulovic is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Throughout her time at Mohawk College, Mirna has continued to demonstrate leadership in her ability to navigate complex financial management and reporting systems for ongoing provincial and federal grants. Mirna’s analysis of funding guidelines, and her support to the division in reporting successful financial outcomes year after year contributes to the success of the Centre for Community Partnerships & Experiential Learning. On a regular basis, Mirna has to pivot from one project to the next to support tight deadlines for both internal and external stakeholders. Mirna’s ability to manage these large multi-million-dollar projects is integral to Centre’s success.

For always being available to answer questions, provide clarity on process, and make recommendations and get people the answers they need, Elvis Geziqi is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Financial Planning Analyst with the college’s Finance Department, Elvis always takes the time to make sure his team fully understands a situation or process. He can always be counted to provide the information needed when there is a pressing deadline looming and he is always positive, professional and collaborative. Elvis goes above and beyond in every interaction he has with the team and is very deserving of this recognition.

For his dedication to providing prompt, professional expertise and communications best practices to colleagues from a wide variety of academic and administrative areas, Sean Coffey is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. His guidance, as the Communications Coordinator in Public Affairs, is always pleasant and considerate of the audience being addressed. Sean drafts official communication for the college community and assists senior leadership with messages and remarks. The fast pace and continual changes have intensified communication efforts over the past year due to the pandemic. His work has included memos, website copy, signage and training modules, to mention a few of his recent projects. Sean can be counted on to step in with a hand whenever called on. He is an asset to the Public Affairs team and to Mohawk College.

For always thinking of our applicants and students first, Lindsay Nero is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Lindsay always makes it a priority to be connected with both Student Recruitment and Marketing. From the beginning, she has formed strong connections with key individuals that support the messaging and tactics of the registrar’s office. In addition to her daily responsibilities, she takes the time to get involved in recruitment events, but more importantly she takes a proactive approach to managing relationships with our applicants and responding to their inquiries. Lindsay provides input and feedback on communications, develops responses for complex application scenarios and keeps the Marketing and Recruitment teams informed. Her attention to detail, is complimented by her caring nature. She listens and responds to specific questions, and works hard to find solutions. Lindsay consistently makes time to listen, ask the right questions, and then to provide clarification, that assist applicants with pursuing their college dream.

For always going above and beyond to help her peers, faculty and students, Susan Spurr is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Susan's dedication to her colleagues and students was evident during the start-up to the Winter 2021 semester when she spent much of her Christmas holidays working to ensure a smooth start up for apprentices at the Stoney Creek campus. Susan helped redo all of the Apprenticeship training schedules as a result of the new rules set out by the provincial lockdown that began on December 26. This work included manually assigning students to blocks for all Apprenticeship programs and creating manual class lists for each faculty. It was a tremendous amount of work that needed to be done in a very short period of time. This is Susan’s second Everyday Hero Award. She first received the award in 2019. 

For everything he does to support the team at IDEAWORKS, Gregor MacLean is Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager, Funding Proposals Gregor is always on the lookout for opportunities to access funding to the innovative research work of the students and faculty in IDEAWORKS.  Gregor takes the time to understand the projects he supports which makes a significant difference when it comes to securing funding for those projects and ultimately providing valuable work experience for students.

For her enthusiasm and professionalism in supporting applied research, Andrea Johnson is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Andrea is a strong advocate and champion of the applied research at the college. She works hard to foster relationships with industry, build stronger networks for the IDEAWORKS team, and create marketing and communication content to showcase innovative research.

For always being there to help faculty and staff with their questions about the college’s Learning Management System (LMS), Reny Malley is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Reny is a first point of contact for faculty and staff learning to use the LMS. She is always quick to respond and provide accurate information. This was especially helpful to faculty and staff as the transition to the new LMS came at the same time that many courses were forced entirely online due to the pandemic and many were still adjusting to the new system. Reny always returns messages in a friendly and helpful way, not only answering the immediate problem, but also offering advice on contextually important issues that may have been overlooked. She goes above and beyond to ensure students are supported. 

For being a valuable contributor to course design, Amy Cook is an @MohawkCollege Everyday Hero. Amy is a non-teaching faculty member in the Centre for Teaching & Learning who can always be counted on Amy to offer sophisticated feedback and ask the right questions to get to the core issue. In collaboration with her teammates, Amy is committed to working with faculty to develop solutions and never shies away from a challenge. Her intelligence and dedication helps to make her colleagues jobs easier and ensure the college is effectively supporting its students.

For going above and beyond to support Electrical apprentices during their studies at the college, David Campbell is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. A full-time, licensed Electrician by day, David spends his spare time tutoring apprentices in Mohawk’s Electrician Construction and Maintenance program. He has been tutoring in his spare time for close to 10 years and when the pandemic required that learning shift to an online format, David offered to continue to tutor students virtually, juggling his own work schedule with that of the students in need of additional support. His experience and knowledge have helped many apprentices understand difficult concepts when reviewing their work outside of class. His dedication to Mohawk and his willingness to help students in his spare time speaks to his commitment to student learning and success at Mohawk. Thank you, David.

For her dedication to ensuring the service students receive is to the highest standards, Krista Welsh is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Krista is the Director of Service Integration within the Registrar’s Office. She is relentless in the pursuit of streamlining processes and systems to ensure that her team can go about serving students efficiently and without hurdles. When there is a problem, Krista is the one that will solve it. She easily mobilizes her team to enact change that is always student and staff focused, ensuring a better experience for all. Krista has been integral in moving student services online during the pandemic. Krista has led numerous employee engagement efforts during the pandemic to ensure that the highly engaged team of student services professionals feel supported in their day-to-day work while working remotely.

For always going above and beyond to support students and her colleagues, Donna Drywood is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Student Success Advisor, Donna is always the first to step up when someone from her team needs help with reaching out to student and is also the first to ask her colleagues if they are okay if she notices they seem a bit quiet on a zoom call.

Everyone who works at Mohawk College is eligible to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award. Nominate someone today, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/employees/employee-recognition/mohawk-everyday-hero

For going above and beyond to provide exceptional HR support the teams that she works with, Sarah Post is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Human Resources Consultant, Sarah uses her expertise to provide HR guidance and support to various departments at the college, including the Stoney Creek campus and Retail Services. She is considered an integral part of the management team, and during the turbulent times of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has gone above and beyond to ensure her teams receive the support they need. Sarah will always take your call, email, or text, and she works tirelessly to support and share her knowledge. She is honest, insightful and supportive, and she is always willing to walk through different scenarios or just simply listen. Mohawk College is lucky to have Sarah as part of the team.

For his passion and commitment to helping students succeed, Jacques Heri Soares Da Silva is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Jacques is always very friendly and welcoming to students and staff at the college. It's clear that he's passionate about helping students achieve success and have positive experiences during their time at Mohawk. Jacques not only goes above and beyond to connecting students to the academic resources they need, but also he works hard to connect them with their peers and to encourage them to engage with the Mohawk Community. Jacques hosts frequent workshops and student group advising sessions. He ensures that students gain recognition for joining non-academic experiences outside the classroom. He also works hard to create valuable connections with other staff and departments, and has been a rock star when it comes to collaborating with the Student Life Department to use virtual student engagement forums to help students build their knowledge of resources and their Co-Curricular Record. In just one month, Jacques helped more than 20 students gain CCR recognition. Thank you to Jacques for always putting students first.

Everyone who works at Mohawk College is eligible to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award. Nominate someone today, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/employees/employee-recognition/mohawk-everyday-hero

For going and above to make sure the college community is kept up-to-date on the latest developments in the college’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Derek Shaw is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Derek is a Web Developer with the Marketing team who has been working closely with the Communications team since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March. He was instrumental in setting up the college's COVID-19 website and has provided ongoing support for it ever since, including posting important updates on short notice and often responding within minutes of receiving a request. This has been important to the college’s communication efforts as the updates are often linked in other communications. Derek's timeliness in posting this information has been greatly appreciated.

For always being there to support his colleagues in the Office Administration program, Adam Luyk is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Adam is a local hero in the McKeil School of Business. He possesses personal qualities of kindness, helpfulness, and positivity. No task is too daunting or too small for Adam to handle with his superior skill level in LMS, computer troubleshooting, and staff training. Below are some testimonials from colleagues in the Office Administration program:

“Every semester Adam patiently helps us to set up our eLearn accounts to help us ensure that our students experience a seamless introduction to eLearn at Mohawk. Behind the scenes, he works out the kinks to our links to external learning sites. His patience is boundless, and his nonjudgmental approach is greatly appreciated.”

“Adam is always willing to help with any issue that arises regarding software or eLearn. I wanted to take a paper-based theory test to an eLearn quizzes and had started creating the quiz. I had completed four questions in one hour.”

“When I spoke to Adam about a question I had about the process, he offered to finish the test for me. He had the entire theory test in the eLearn quiz format in less than an hour. What an impressive support he is to us. He is amazing with eLearn and is so knowledgeable about all kinds of IT issues. There is not one eLearn or computer-related problem I had that Adam could not fix.”

“Adam is amazing. He’s always helpful, always patient, and knows his stuff inside and out. I have worked with many IT personnel and no one compares to him. He is so patient and accommodating. Adam is an invaluable resource. He always has the answers to any questions we might have with e-Learn and computers in general. I could not work efficiently and effectively without him! Adam is an everyday hero who hides his super cape well!”

Everyone who works at Mohawk College is eligible to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award. Nominate someone today, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/employees/employee-recognition/mohawk-everyday-hero

For always going above and beyond for co-workers Mary Murphy is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. An employee of the college for 34 years, Mary’s dedication to her duties as well as to students is been nothing short of incredible. She always goes above and beyond for her co-workers, both inside and outside of her department, and faculty admire her dedication to doing everything in her power, even on her own time, to ensure they have the needed materials or solutions for their students. Mary's career has been dedicated to the betterment of the Mohawk College community, one co-worker, faculty and student at a time and we are proud to have her on the team.

For everything she does to support new International students, Thea Laidman is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Thea has worked round the clock to develop solutions and strategies to help International students who want to study at Mohawk. As Director of International Recruitment, Thea is committed to ensuring every student receives the answers and attention they need to make the life-changing decision to study at the college. She is compassionate and caring, and committed to excellence in everything she does. Thea has spearheaded innovative and exciting new ways for the college to reach potential International students including organizing a Virtual Campus Day, which drew more than 800 attendees. She also developed a Wednesday Webinar series, which offers live support and presentations, and the Future Student App, which addresses the most common questions students ask. Thea embodies Mohawk’s value of being student-focused. Shortly after the pandemic began, Thea worked with her colleague Elyse Pipitone, to launch the Helping Hampers program to provide food and other supports for International students in need. While COVID-19 has presented Mohawk’s International team with many challenges, Thea inspires her team to go the extra mile, all with a positive, winning attitude.

For always taking initiative and putting her expertise to work to develop creative solutions to issues and barriers facing college partners in Indigenous communities, Marina Capone is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Marina has worked with Indigenous education to include Indigenous-focused goals on her Performance Work Plan as a way to facilitate information sharing and navigate internal processes for her colleagues and Indigenous partners. Despite the challenges of the past eight months, Marina continues to go above and beyond with her dedication to her role. No question is too small or too insignificant. Marina makes the Liberal Studies department a more enjoyable place to work by recognizing special days and milestones, and by encouraging wellness through "body breaks" such as stretching, outdoor walks, and health and wellness challenges for her colleagues. Thank you, Marina for all your continued hard work.

For making sure a student’s needs are always met Nicholas Triantafillou is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Nick is an Accessibility Counsellor with Mohawk’s Accessible Learning Services team. He is the team’s most senior member and is known for his passion and dedication to students. Nick serves students at both the Fennell and IAHS campuses, where he goes above and beyond to ensure that their needs are being met. He is caring, compassionate and kind, and we are lucky to have him on the team.

For making Mohawk a safer place, Cathy O'Donnell is a Mohawk Everyday Hero. As Director of Security Services, Cathy's vision of training her teams to respond to any issue has been instrumental to ensuring the safety of Mohawk's students, employees and guests. This has been especially true during the pandemic. Cathy and her team are always available to answer questions or address concerns. She is always open to looking at better ways of doing things, and she has shown true leadership throughout this crisis. Mohawk College is fortunate to have Cathy leading our security team. President Ron McKerlie presented Cathy with the award during a Microsoft Teams meeting on October 21.

For her expert guidance on facility related projects, Julia Hansen is Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager of Planning at Mohawk, Julia works relentlessly to provide project management services to several key facility projects. Julia shares is always willing to share her knowledge and takes the time to educate others on building and architectural concepts to help the decision making process. Julia has been instrumental to the college during this time of great change, putting her skills and knowledge to work in ensuring that the college is ready and safe for our staff and employees to return to campus. Congratulations and thank you to Julia. Mohawk is lucky to have you on our team. President Ron McKerlie presented Julia with the award during a Microsoft Teams meeting on October 21.

For always making sure that offices, classrooms and labs are ready when they need to be, Dana Cavarzan is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Dana is a pleasure to work with and is always committed to ensuring that his customers are satisfied with the outcome of their project. He understands the impact he has on facilitating everyone else’s abilities to do their jobs, by having functional offices, classrooms and labs. Dana is often at the college at early or late hours ensuring a project is going as planned and does not hesitate to step in and take on tasks outside of his role to ensure a project is completed, even if that means moving or building furniture himself. Dana's ability to prioritize and balance competing projects across the college, while also dealing with external suppliers is commendable and he is an asset to the college.

Everyone who works at Mohawk College is eligible to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award. Nominate someone today, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/employees/employee-recognition/mohawk-everyday-hero

For always going above and beyond to help her colleagues Eryka Kaminsky is a  Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Eryka is the Program Support Officer for Health Sciences in the School of Continuing Education. Her professionalism and responsiveness have earned the admiration and respect of her colleagues who look to her for answers to their questions and to help solve problems. Eryka works closely with the CE faculty in her program areas to make their jobs easier and ensure they have the information they need to be successful. 

Everyone who works at Mohawk College is eligible to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award. Nominate someone today, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/employees/employee-recognition/mohawk-everyday-hero

For their focus and dedication to improving financial literary among students, Emily DiNardo and Jennifer Van Oosten are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. Emily and Jennifer run the Mo' Money program for Mohawk students. Their focus, dedication and amazing enthusiasm has transformed Mo' Money into an amazing partner within the College. They deliver events and workshops throughout the year to ensure students understand what financial literacy is all about, and they help students to better understand budgeting and all things money related. They also work with international students to help them understand taxes and other consideration for working in Canada. The team has also developed partnerships with amazing organizations in our community such as Merrit brewing, who came to speak to students about starting their own businesses. The work this team does is an important element of the college’s strategic plan, and ensures Mohawk students understand the resources and supports available to them.

For always putting the needs others fist, Antonella Badal-Badalian is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Antonella is the Fees Specialist in the Enrolment Services and Systems Division. She is responsible for all programming of fees, invoicing for students, and packaging of all communications sent from the Admissions office. Antonella is an absolute pleasure to work with. She is always positive, eager and friendly to all staff and students, and always places the needs of others above her own needs and interests. She is extremely dedicated and committed to the college, and she takes pride in ensuring that the generation of fee statements for all programs and semesters for every intake at the college are done accurately and delivered in a timely fashion. Antonella also plans for and packages more than 400,000 pieces of correspondence each year, often arriving in the morning far before anyone is at the college to get a head start on the day. Antonella is always gracious and appreciative of others. She practices this each and every day and is a positive influence for other staff in the department.

For his continued commitment to students’ wellbeing and success in life, Matthew Schnarr is a Mohawk College Every Day Hero. As coach of the Women’s Volleyball Team, Matthew inspires athletes to try their hardest and work together as a team. He mentors students both on and off the court, and provides guidance and leadership to many students each year. Matt also consistently delivers exceptional recreation programming for Mohawk students, and is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that students feel supported and appreciated. This year, he orchestrated the first Campus Recreation Recognition Event, honouring athletes who participated in recreation programming and intramurals. He goes above and beyond and always puts students first.

For being the glue that keeps the Accessible Learning Services, Counselling and Wellness teams together, MaryLee Barnes is a Mohawk College Everday Hero. The Counselling and Accessible Learning Services specialist for the in Counselling and Accessible Learning Services.

team, MaryLee’s colleagues describe her as being kind, caring, sensitive, funny and a good listener. She continually supports her team with a variety of requests, and always does it with a positive attitude. Under her detailed care, the Student Wellness budget has continued to find efficiencies that have allowed us to offer programs and supports for students who present with high levels of risk. MaryLee is responsive to the needs of each member of the team. Her passion for her work is apparent, and she never hesitates to share this passion with others by offering a helping hand. MaryLee is an amazing "behind the scenes" champion and hero for students and staff in Counselling and Accessible Learning Services.

For her passion and commitment to student success, Pat Pollington is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Pat is well known in student services as one of the most passionate and hard-working staff members who truly believes in student success. She demonstrates her commitment for students each and every day. She often deals with students who are stressed, upset and unsure about what they should do next. She always responds with empathy, insight, and knowledgeable recommendations on the best way forward. Her colleagues appreciate her thorough record keeping, her unbiased approach to the student history, and her approach to a positive outcome. When colleagues are looking for good guidance on a student issue, Pat is one of the first people they go to for advice.

For being there to offer support to students when they need it, Dan Pavic is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager of Financial Assistance, Dan is extremely knowledgeable and has a deep understanding the financial issues facing students. His expertise is extremely valuable, and he appreciates the timeliness of supports when unforeseen circumstances occur and has been able to support our students in times of crisis. If Dan does not know the answer to a question, you can count on him finding out. He is unfailingly supportive, kind and empathetic with our students, and displays a razor-sharp clarity about the ways in which Financial Assistance can, or cannot, support students, and even if Financial Assistance cannot help directly, Dan often has sound advice to offer students in addressing their financial concerns.

For always going above and beyond in everything he does, Sean Conners is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As part of the Sexualized Violence Student Working Group, Sean single handily led the Community of Consent Week activities at all three campuses, interacting with more 2,000 students. Sean also led the development of student focused educational events aimed at getting students to be part of the solution. Sean is always inclusive of others, thinks strategically with a "big picture" concept and is passionate about what he does. Sean understands how to connect with students in a positive and supportive manner. He is always reaching for new initiatives and concepts and his Male Allyship approach for the campus is something that is really catching on.

For being a wonderful, passionate, and dedicated professor in the Mechanical Engineering Technology program, Sabatino Parisse is Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Every day, Sabatino displays his love and interest for mechanical engineering, going out of his way to support students in and out of the classroom. A great example of this is Sabatino’s involvement in the Astronomy Club at Mohawk College, helping students with club duties, participating in various activities, and actively promoting the club. Despite his busy schedule, Sabatino always makes time to help students in his courses. He also is a strong advocate for encouraging students to participate and engage in the college community.

For always looking for opportunities to give students meaningful experiences and for the impact he has had on students in his program, Dr. Louis D’Orazio is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Louie has consistently maintained ties to industry and enriched his classroom with opportunities to solve real-world problems and make a meaningful impact on real businesses in his Lean Manufacturing and Capstone Classes. Louie serves as the faculty mentor for the student chapter of the Foundry Education Foundation (FEF) Canada. Every year, Louie’s efforts with this club lead directly to the award of student FEF scholarships for students in our program that allow them to continue their studies at Mohawk College. Louie always puts students first. He strives to bring new industry relevance and examples into his classroom. He is also an active male ally of the Women in Technology and Trades group on campus, and volunteers his time and energy to student centric events throughout the school year.

For going out of her way to continuously support new and graduating students as coordinator of the Mechanical Engineering Technology program, Elizabeth Martin is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Despite being busy with her own projects and work, Elizabeth helps students with extra curricular activities and helps run the WiTT initiative. In the classroom, she dedicates herself to giving students the best learning opportunities. She recognizes the difficulties students face and provides many resources to aid them in their academic journey. Some examples of this are being able to change the language in her eLearn courses, make multiple resources available, and providing videos of herself demonstrating practice questions.

Congratulations to our most recent recipients.

For regularly stepping in to assist colleagues with special projects and events and making time to volunteer and mentor others, Lauren Griffiths is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero.

Despite having several projects on the go at all times, Lauren still finds the time for the little things such as filling baskets for those in need at Christmas (or coming up with creative costumes at Halloween). She excels in her seconded role as an Experiential Learning Specialist and offers her time and energy to assist other projects in The Centre for Teaching & Learning. Recently, she jumped in to assist the Curriculum Development Specialists of the department at conferences outside of the city, while committing time to run multi-day PD sessions for other employees at the college about Mental Health First Aid. She has also offered to assist in filling the gap as the Educational Technology Specialist to assist with eLearn needs in CTL for January. Within her department, she has been considered a great mentor and role model.

Congratulations to our most recent recipients.

Rachel Alfano For ensuring students in Mohawk’s Motive Power program get valuable hands-on learning in their trade, Rachel Alfano is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Rachel is the project lead / coordinator for The Garage, an experiential learning micro-centre through which 50 Motive Power students were given the opportunity to work on real vehicles, under the direct supervision of registered mechanics and seasoned staff. Some of the services the students offered include: oil changes, inspections, tire rotations and tire changes.

Susan Spurr
For always being exceptionally organized and keeping her committee members informed and up-to-date, Susan Spurr is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Susan is the project lead for the Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship. She is responsible for overseeing the program activity steering and working committees, with an emphasis on providing timely communications and action plans, as well as clarity around roles and responsibilities, and measuring the success and progress of projects, including the development of a shred drive depository.

Amy Petsche
For her efforts to promote the value of Skills Ontario competitions to students and staff, Amy Petsche is a Mohawk College Everday Hero. Amy is the Operations Coordinator at the Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship at Stoney Creek. She is also the project lead for the college-wide Skilled Trades initiative. The mandate for this project is to increase awareness of and participation in the Skills Ontario competitions across the college, and to recognize and celebrate competitors. She is also responsible for a promotion plan that was rolled out this fall to encourage eligible students to participate in the competitions.

Louise Stallings

For taking a leadership role and making a significant contribution to the future of Ontario's Apprenticeship Strategy, Louise Stallings is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Louise is the Apprenticeship Engagement Specialist at the Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship in Stoney Creek. She was instrumental in the creation of an Apprenticeship Community HUB that engages industry, employers and apprentices.

Nick Petrella
For going above and beyond every day to ensure the success of his students and athletes, Nick Petrella is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Nick coaches the Women's Varsity Volleyball team. He is the co-founder of Mental Health in Motion, and he is a professor in the Health, Wellness & Fitness Program. As a coach, Nick has played a huge role in the personal success of his team members, supporting and coaching them on how to balance sports and school. Nick teaches his athletes coping strategies to deal with issues such as anxiety and continuously checks in to see how they are doing. Nick is always the first person to offer a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on to all of his students, athletes or anyone in need of assistance. He brings his dogs in to help students de-stress and presents his story to help end the stigma surrounding mental health. Nick is selfless, committed and engaged in the college and supporting the athletes and studentsEveryone who works at Mohawk College is eligible to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award. Nominate someone today, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/employees/employee-recognition/mohawk-everyday-hero

Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Natalie Reid

For making entrepreneurship approachable and achievable for Mohawk students and alumni, Natalie Reid is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Natalie's approach to developing programs and coaching students and alumni has been crucial to the growth and success of SURGE, Mohawk's entrepreneurship hub. SURGE has grown to serve more than 110 aspiring entrepreneurs, up from 15-30 a year ago, which is a remarkable 382% per cent growth in clients. Students frequently cite Natalie's support as being critical to starting and launching their business. Last year, her personal coaching of a SURGE client led to their business idea being awarded funding from the City of Hamilton's Starter Company Program. This year, one of her clients was the successful winner of the Niagara College Pitch Competition (which is open to Niagara and other post-secondary students). Her involvement in initiatives such as Creator Jam, Creator Camp and the Collective has elevated Mohawk's reputation for developing creative entrepreneurs, and she has been instrumental in establishing Mohawk as a destination for digital entrepreneurs. Natalie also launched Enactus Mohawk, which allows students to gain hands-on experience starting not-for-profit businesss focussed on solving one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. She also organized this year's sold-out Startup Crawl, which took 40 students on a tour of Hamilton’s Innovation Spaces, including the IBM Innovation Exchange and Innovation Factory.

Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Everyone who works at Mohawk College is eligible to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award. Nominate someone today, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/employees/employee-recognition/mohawk-everyday-hero

Muzeria Nuredini

For being an extremely valuable and integral team member of the Community Partnerships and Experiential Learning Team, Muzeria Nuredini is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Whether interacting with team members or internal stakeholders, or external partners, Muzeria consistently provides a highly professional and courteous engagement. For her, our students, clients, employers, community partners, are a first priority. Muz, as she is affectionately known by her colleagues, is often the first person that students and visitors meet when they enter the office looking for directions and seeking assistance, and she always welcomes them with a warm gracious greeting and offer of help. Numerous partners have commented on Muzeria's generous approach and consistently high level of service quality in their interactions. By any measure, the team has achieved notable success in engendering and sustaining strong community partnerships, and Muzeria can rightfully share in the recognition for this achievement. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Gabriela Soraggi

For always taking the time to understand her client’s needs and the skills they are trying to develop, Gabriela Soraggi is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. For the past few years, Gabriela has worked with various college departments to help them develop and administer Professional Development sessions for staff. Gabriela always works to ensure that she understands the skill a department is trying to develop and will come up with creative ways to develop the training to fill the need. She is open and honest in her approach. She will share concerns she may have on what we are trying to deliver, and is always ready with an idea to help move it forward. Employees know that when Gabriela is involved in a developing Professional Development session that they are going to be getting something that they can take back and apply in their day-to-day work. Gabriela is a true collaborator and partner within the College, she has made it a priority to understand the complex nature of the work and always ensures that the PD she develops is relevant to a department’s role. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Gloria Montes

For always going out her way to help a colleague solve a problem and for making the college a better place to work, Gloria Montes is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Gloria receives dozens of maintenance requests from across the college every day and must organize the facilities staff and available resources to make that each request is dealt with in a timely fashion. Gloria began her Mohawk career as a member of the Sustainability Office team where she founded the Environmentally Conscious Organization of Students (ECOS) group. ECOS is a student-led group focused on promoting sustainable living and increasing student engagement on sustainability. Gloria also helped the office run education and awareness campaigns for students on alternative transportation, water refill stations and waste and recycling. And prior to joining Mohawk as an employee, Gloria was a student and an active Mohawk Student Association board member from 2013 – 2017. She served a Technology director, and as the Vice President of Fennell Campus. Gloria has helped mentor and educate new generations of student leaders, and she continues to make students' and employees’ lives better by working to keep the campus clean and running efficiently. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

John Lewitzky

For going the extra mile to work and re-work Mohawk’s new ancillary fee structure so it aligns with the Ministry’s Student Choice Initiatives announced in January, John Lewitzky is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As the Financial Planning Analyst for Student Services, John worked long hours and late nights to work and re-work the college’s ancillary fee structure. Despite this, John managed all of his other priorities for Finance and did it during a very busy time of year for the department. Through it all, John’s can-do attitude and warm demeanor never faltered. He is always available to answer questions from budget managers, and is never too busy to sit down and explain financial budget items to those who ask. He is always patient, thorough and kind.Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Justin Green

When an employee accidently downloaded a virus to their computer, it was Justin Green who was called in to save the day. Justin worked quickly to remove the virus and offered helpful tips on how to prevent it from happening in the future. The virus-free computer was returned to the employee without the loss of single file. For being there when he was needed most, Justin Green is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Maria Theodorakidis 

For always going that extra mile for her colleagues and for the Mohawk College Foundation, Maria Theodorakidis is an Everyday Hero. Maria manages all of the gifts made to the Mohawk Foundation, and is a fountain of knowledge about the college and its history. She quietly goes about her business each day, never seeking the limelight. She is always willing to help a colleague with a question or a challenge, which has been very helpful for the new members of the Foundation team. Her desire to be a helpful member of the team is genuine, as is her passion for student success at the college. Her greatest attributes are her humility, her dedication to the Foundation team, and her proactive approach to doing better each day. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Ken Staruck

For always being there when he’s needed and knowing what to do to fix a problem, Ken Staruck is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As Manager of ITSM and Service Desk at Mohawk, Ken responds to all manner of questions and concerns related to Information Technology. Ken provides exceptional service to the areas he serves. He always takes the time to listen to people’s concerns, and makes sure their questions or concerns are dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Christine Boucher

For always going out of her way to make students have the information they need to succeed, Christine Boucher is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Christine cares about Mohawk students and their success. She goes out of her way to ensure that students are made aware of the resources and events available to them through Student & Graduate Employment services, as well as other services across the college. Many students return to see Christine again and again because of the support and guidance she offers. Christine's ability to foster relationships with employers spanning all areas of study has proven to be an invaluable resource for students. Over the past academic year, Christine has connected more than 2,100 students to 360 employers, helping students better understand how to prepare for their transition to the workforce. Christine also collaborates with many faculty members, offering employment related workshops to a host of students from different academic areas. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Tracey McLaughlin

For her amazing dedication to the college Tracey McLaughlin is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As a Student Services Representative at the Welcome Desk, Tracey is a familiar face to many students and visitors to the college. For many, she is often their first impression of Mohawk and this is not something she takes lightly. She is always professional, courteous and thorough in every interaction she has. She always makes sure that people have the information they need, and it is not uncommon for her to walk with someone to help them find their way to an appointment, an event or a classroom. Tracey models what we expect from our staff day in and day out by delivering excellent service to everyone she meets. Students have left her gifts, cards and stopped by after their convocation ceremony for a good-bye hug and a photo, and it’s all because of how thankful they were for her support during their time at the college. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Dr. Krissy Doyle-Thomas and Anne-Marie DePape

For always going above and beyond for students, Dr. Krissy Doyle-Thomas and Anne-Marie DePape are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. Krissy and Anne-Marie are both professors in Mohawk’s School of Community Studies. Both teach in the new post-graduate certificate Brain Disorders Management program, the first of its kind in Ontario. Anne-Marie also teaches and is the Coordinator for the Mental Health and Disability Management program. Krissy regularly organizes guest speakers to share information that is relevant and timely to the profession. Anne-Marie established several community partnerships to support field placements for her students and developed the majority of the curriculum in collaboration with other professors. Their passion and dedication for their profession is a shining example for the students in these programs. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero

Paula Rosati and Cara Leslie

For the exceptional service they provide to our college, Paula Rosati and Cara Leslie are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. Paula and Cara work in the college’s Accounting Services department, processing payments with outside contractors. The work they do requires careful attention to detail, and Paul and Cara always deliver excellent results, making sure the businesses who provide services to the college are paid in a timely fashion. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

David Smillie

For always going above and beyond for students, David Smillie is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. David has been working with Mohawk’s third-year journalism students to teach them how to live-stream coverage of events. Recently, David spent an entire weekend with the students at Hamilton Comic Con to ensure they had the best learning experience possible. He guided them through logistical, technical and storytelling issues so that they could learn this new skill. Afterward, the students were engaged, enthusiastic and ready to show off their new skills. Many reported that it was one of the best experiences they have had at Mohawk. www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Tina Zalac-Dimech

For everything she does to help people with their marketing and advertising needs, Tina Zalac-Dimech is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Tina is an effective communicator and never fails to give a clear and timely response to colleagues looking for guidance on all things related to marketing and advertising. Her cheerful and helpful manner while navigating extremely complicated and busy waters and meeting hard deadlines for a wide range of stakeholders is always appreciated and leaves people feeling confident that their needs are being met in an efficient and timely fashion. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Dave Santi

For being a great collaborator, always thinking outside the box, making great connections and using the phrase, "Let's get crunchy with it", Dave Santi is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Since joining Mohawk in 2017, Dave has had a profound impact on the college. He is a collaborative leader who makes sure everyone’s voice gets heard. Never short on ideas, Dave is always thinking outside the box about what could be, and he isn’t afraid to push the envelope. If an idea is good, “Let’s get crunchy with it,” is Dave’s way of saying that it’s time to make it happen. And if you need help doing it, chances are he knows who to call. Dave’s strong connections to local industry help to ensure the college continues to serve the best interests of students, employers and the community. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Level 3 Electrical Technology Class

The 20 students in the Level 3 Electrical Apprenticeship program at the Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship demonstrated the true meaning of a hero as they came together to save the life of Mohawk faculty member, Jason Wilson. On November 7, 2018, Jason Wilson collapsed in the PLC lab. Jason’s students immediately jumped into action, beginning CPR. The students also contacted emergency services and made sure someone was there to meet the ambulance upon arrival and direct them to where Jason was as quickly as possible. Their quick and decisive action saved Jason’s life, and for this they truly are heroes to everyone at Mohawk, and especially to Jason and his family. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Tracey Knowles

For always being there when a colleague needs an answer to a question, Tracey Knowles is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Tracey is the go-to person for all the answers at The Square. No matter how busy she is, Tracey finds time to help make our student's experience the best it can be. She is always kind, helpful and thorough. One of her colleagues writes: “Tracey has definitely made my experience as a new employee at Mohawk great. I really appreciate all the times she has spent with me to answer questions about accounts, or explain where to go for more information. Because of her, The Square runs smoothly and efficiently.” Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Shirley Kuta

For giving 110% in every day, in every element of her job, Shirley Kuta is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Shirley oversee the transcript process at the college. When current or former students ask for a transcript, it’s Shirley’s job to make sure they receive it. No matter how far back the requests go (years or even decades), Shirley will use every resource available to ensure the student receives the information they need; microfiche, old catalogs or even going through boxes of old registration documents. She is always available, especially when the request is urgent, and goes out of her way to make sure it is completed, not just on time, but ahead of time. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Maria John

For always going above and beyond for International students, Maria John is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. As an International Coach at the college’s Stoney Creek campus, Maria works closely with students on a one-to-one basis to make sure that their needs are met and any issues are resolved. She is always supportive of her colleagues, and never shies away from additional work. One example of this is her work with the International Peer Mentor program, which she oversees in addition to her day-to-day work. Maria is always positive, and she never seeks recognition for all of the amazing work she does. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Sue MacKay

Beyond Sue MacKay returning Scantron results very fast every time, she jumps at at opportunities to be more helpful, without being asked. Sue offers to go the extra mile to settle confusion about student grades, fix mistakes made by professors and is always looking to ensure complete accuracy. When errors occur, she proactively re-runs the scans and lets you know she has found problems and corrected them for you. Again, no request is too much for her and she jumps to help. For these reasons and more Sue is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Art Domenicucci

In 6 short months Art Domenicucci has been instrumental in moving his department towards positive change and growth. His approach is very collaborative and he uses logic and good business sense, always keeping the success of the students and integrity of the programs at the forefront of his decision-making. If Art disagrees with a particular view, he does so respectfully and you always understand why. Art knows the strengths of his team and sees value in every person’s role. He inspires confidence and trust amongst his employees, and is always genuine in his delivery of appreciation. He takes an interest in his employee’s career goals, offering learning opportunities to support their endeavours and encouraging them to strive for excellence. It’s no wonder so many Associate Dean’s and other managers looked to him for guidance and direction. As busy as he is, he always offers to help. Art possess all the great leadership qualities of decisiveness, humility, empowerment and the list goes on. Even after retirement, he continues to give back to the college returning to offer his extensive knowledge and expertise to multiple academic areas. For these reasons and more Art is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Louisa Drost

For everything she does to support Mohawk students Louisa Drost is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. During her time at Mohawk, Louisa has provided leadership and direction to a number of department including Counselling (personal, academic, career), Accessible Learning Services (Counsellors, Officers, Learning Skills, Adaptive and Assistive Technology), and Health Education/Promotion – all in an effort to ensure the college provides the services and supports students need to succeed. From the moment she arrived at the college six years ago, Louisa became a driving force behind Mohawk’s renewed focus on wellness to create a ‘healthy campus community’. Since then, Louisa has provided leadership to some new, innovative college-wide student wellness initiatives, including Mental Health in Motion. She has also been instrumental in the development of awareness and prevention programming related to sexual assault and violence, and a variety of wellness education programming related to the Wellness4U team. These initiatives have proven to be highly successful – engaging students, staff and faculty in new and proactive peer-to-peer style awareness campaigns. Louisa is always kind, supportive and approachable., and her ability to connect with others on an emotional level is incredible. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Jay Robb

For going out of his way to make people celebrated and valued, Jay Robb is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Jay has been the chief storyteller at Mohawk for 13 years. Whether it’s a speech or a media pitch, he knows his audience and he knows what matters to them. One of Jay’s favourite quotes is from Mary Angelou who said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Jay makes people feel that they are appreciated and that they matter to the college. As Mohawk’s primary spokesperson for several years, Jay has been the face and voice of Mohawk through the good times and the bad. No matter what the news is, he always puts students first. Jay leaves Mohawk on November 24 for a new position with the Faculty of Science at McMaster University. We thank him for everything he has done for Mohawk, and we wish him well. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Regina Foisey

For always putting the College's best foot forward whether it is from a publications perspective, tours, community relations and events inside and outside the college, Regina Foisey is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Regina is always being pulled in many directions, often at the last minute, and no matter how challenging the deadline or difficult it will be to achieve the best outcome, Regina does it with professionalism and a positive, collaborative and supportive approach. Whether it’s organizing a last-minute tour of The Joyce Centre, developing the highest quality print materials or managing multiple partners with very specific needs, Regina is a driving force behind the ongoing positive reputation building for the college. There are many examples of how Regina has gone above and beyond for Mohawk such as the many events with media and our community for the recent opening of The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation and other successful opportunities with stakeholders on campus. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Rebekah Braun, Amy Cook, Karen Bacher, Jeff Rankine and Evan DiValentino

For making a new, first time instructor feel welcomed and supported, Rebekah Braun, Amy Cook, Karen Bacher, Jeff Rankine and Evan DiValentino are Mohawk College Everyday Heroes. Rebekah, Amy, Karen, Jeff and Evan do an amazing job of providing new instructors with everything they need to succeed in their courses. This is a team cares about the students and instructor needs. They are always positive, responsive and flexible no matter how busy they are. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Kate Flynn

For giving 100% to her job every single day and continually going above and beyond what is expected, Kate Flynn is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Kate is always willing to go the extra mile to help her staff, provide guidance, and teach those around her. Though she is new to her role, Kate has taken on her responsibilities with ease and her passion and dedication to making the college more sustainable is infectious. She strives to make impactful changes and is an expert at walking the talk. Always open to others suggestions, she creates an atmosphere where questions, learning, and ideas are encouraged and nurtured to build confidence and success in those around her.. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Debbie Kendall

For making Mohawk College a great place to work Debbie Kendal is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Debbie helped created an assistant's group, mapping out academic calendars, and creating processes and systems to support new Associate Deans. "Some talk to you in their free time, and some free their time to talk to you."—Debbie is known for creating a nurturing and caring environment. She is leader and many staff and faculty look to her as someone they can trust to listen and offer words of wisdom when needed. A solutions-focused problem solver, Debbie is always helping to resolve numerous day-to-day issues for students, staff, admin, and faculty. And through a number of Associate Deans over the past few years, Debbie has provided stability and consistency for her department in collaboration with other support staff and faculty. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Katherine Shirton

For making a great impression on more than 450 local high school students and community members, Katherine Shirton is a Mohawk Everyday Hero. Katherine led the planning, promotion and execution of the first-ever Music Career Day this past May. The event drew more than 450 high school students and community members from Peel, Haldimand, Brant County, Niagara and Hamilton. Music Career Day was an opportunity to network and learn from industry professionals through panels, workshops and presentations. The feedback was outstanding with everyone commending the organizers on running such an excellent event. On the feedback forms submitted by guidance counsellors, every one of them mentioned that this was an amazing opportunity for their students. The counsellors said they`d been waiting a long time for an event that offered students exposure to the various avenues in the music industry. Music Career Day helped to promote Mohawk’s two music programs and the City of Hamilton. It also highlighted all that we as a college have to offer students.

Rob Morrallee

For delivering outstanding customer service, driving innovation and living the college’s core values, Rob Morrallee is a Mohawk Everyday Hero. Rob joined Mohawk in 2012 and serves as the college’s Manager of Parking, ONE Card and Printing Services. Rob leads a team that issues over 40,000 ONE Cards annually, manages more than 3,000 long-term and 10,000 event and short-term parking permits and oversees a print shop and fleet of printers that make more than four million impressions a year. Mohawk’s ONE Card has won three awards for innovation among North American colleges and universities. Along with providing outstanding leadership, Rob was recognized by his colleagues for delivering exceptional service to visitors and special guests to the college. Rob was presented with his Everyday Hero Award by President Ron McKerlie and Chief Business Development and Ancillary Services Officer Troy Heath. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Shannon Gould

For setting colleagues up for success, lifelong learner Shannon Gould is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Shannon is a three-time Mohawk graduate who joined the college in 1999, working as an Information Technology Technician, Programmer Analyst, Systems and Management Information Analyst, Data Analyst and Corporate Research and Reporting Analyst. Shannon currently serves as the Manager, Business Analysis and Quality Assurance. While no longer working in the Data Analytics department, Shannon helps new staff successfully move into her former role. Shannon has documented the complex systems that underpin key college operations, including enrolment audits and grad clearing. Along with organizing departmental gatherings and team-building activities, Shannon introduced Treat Fridays, where staff take turns bringing in snacks for co-workers. Shannon has served on Mohawk’s Board of Governors as the Support Staff representative and is currently completing her Master of Education at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Shannon was presented with her Everyday Hero Award by President Ron McKerlie, Interim Chief Information Officer Kim Watkins and Vice President Corporate Services Alison Horton. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

Scheduling Team

For always keeping students top of mind, the Scheduling Team, managed by Leslie Keeping, are Mohawk College Everyday Heros. This team is constantly balancing capacity issues, faculty requirements and increasing enrolment to ensure students have a classroom and a professor for each of their courses - without timetable conflicts and in alignment with College policy. The team is always a pleasure to work with and encourages an atmosphere of collaboration and support. They are a great example of how nurturing strong relationships can make a difference in every day work. Thanks Scheduling Team - You make a very big difference in our world! Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.

For making sure the college always looks its best, Maggie Makar is a Mohawk Everyday Hero. Maggie joined Mohawk in the summer of 2016 and serves as a graphic designer with Marketing and Creative Services. Maggie designs everything from billboards in the community and wall wraps at the college to print and digital advertising, magazines, brochures, logos and student communications. Maggie is recognized for consistently turning out great work and being a pleasure to collaborate with while she meets urgent requests and juggles multiple projects for colleagues from across the college. Maggie was presented with her Everyday Hero Award during a Student Services Professional Development Day by VP Wayne Poirier, Director of Marketing and Creative Services Katherine McCurdy and Chief Marketing and Recruitment Officer Lori Morgan. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at

For making prospective, current and graduating students feel welcomed and appreciated, Lucy Lobodici is a Mohawk College Everyday Hero. Lucy joined Mohawk in 1995 and has served as a department secretary, administrative assistant and special events officer before her current role as Special Events Coordinator with Student Life. Lucy coordinates and helps run college and community events, including open houses, Destination College, citizenship ceremonies, International Education Week, Day One – College Welcome, the Mohawk Student Leadership Academy and Convocation. Last month, Lucy went above and beyond in helping with CODEfest for Grade 7 and 8 students in partnership with the Industry Education Council of Hamilton and Mohawk’s Community Access and Engagement Team. In all of her work, Lucy looks for ways to mentor students and help them achieve their full potential. Lucy was presented with her award during a Student and Alumni Services PD session by Vice President Wayne Poirier (left), Student Life Supervisor Brittany Lauton, Student Life Director Rochelle Reid and President Ron McKerlie. Recognize someone who's making a difference at Mohawk with an Everyday Hero Award at www.mohawkcollege.ca/everydayhero.