Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision and Mentorship

This award recognizes graduate-level supervision and mentorship that fosters intellectual, professional, and personal development of graduate students at the University of Victoria.

The Office of the Vice-President Academic and Provost administers the award in collaboration with the Division of Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation (LTSI) and the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS).

Eligibility

This award is open to:

• all faculty members as defined in the Collective Agreement
• those currently holding a regular faculty position and anticipate continuing in that position for the next academic year; and,
• have supervised graduate students for a minimum of five years at the University of Victoria.

Award criteria

Nominations will be assessed based on evidence of outstanding contributions in the following areas:

• Exhibits a comprehensive knowledge of the field of study/research
• Creates an environment that fosters critical thinking, creativity, scholarly rigour, engagement and dialogue, and provides constructive timely appraisal of students’ work
• Inspires and models enthusiasm for the field, excellence in scholarship and teaching, as well as collegiality, professional conduct, and integrity
• Fosters the development of professional skills and competencies including (but not limited to) written, oral and interpersonal communication to facilitate the transition beyond graduate studies
• Integrates students into the culture of the discipline and encourages them to share and disseminate their research and scholarly activities within and beyond academia
• Responds to the needs of their students to explore and fulfill their post-graduate career and future aspirations

Nomination components

Submit your nomination through the online form. Submit all the nomination components in one combined PDF.

Nominations may be submitted by a former UVic graduate student (not currently supervised by or enrolled in a graduate program with the nominee) or a UVic alum, faculty colleague or academic administrator, or by any combination of up to three co-nominators belonging to these groups, and ideally across groups. If the Department Chair is not a co-nominator, the Chair must review and sign to endorse the nomination.

Nominee bio

Include a summary of the nominee’s distinctive contributions, including their teaching practices and philosophy. This will be used to brief the adjudicators and for promotional purposes if the nominee is the successful candidate. (100 words maximum.)

Nomination letter

A signed written statement (500 words maximum) including:

• Teaching practices
• Teaching philosophy
• Impact of teaching on student learning specific to award criteria

One letter of support

• The letter of support must be written primarily by a faculty member and can include additional authors (students or faculty members). (500 words maximum) 
• The letter of support should address nominees' effective teaching practices (e.g., student engagement, student learning, value of the courses to their overall program, effective teaching strategies, creativity in course design, teaching inspired by research, student mentoring, and innovative or effective assignments)

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Must include:

• Education and other relevant experience
• Employment history
• Relevant teaching awards
• Courses taught

Additional supporting materials

You can upload up to 3 optional files, such as a teaching dossier, CES, course syllabi, additional letters of support, websites, media clips, or articles.
Supporting evidence should be referenced in the nomination letter and depending on the length of materials may not be thoroughly reviewed (e.g., books or manuscripts).