Nine members of the Niagara College community were recognized with Awards of Excellence recently for their exceptional service and accomplishments.
Presented at the College’s annual Niagara Day event on the morning of October 25, the highly coveted awards are presented to faculty, support staff and administrative employees in celebration of the impact they have on students, colleagues, and the college at large. This is the third year a team award was also bestowed upon a group of employees in recognition of their outstanding collaborative work.
All award winners receive a dedicated parking spot on campus.
InsideNC caught up with this year’s recipients to learn more about their contributions to the College.
Administration Award: Carol Phillips, Dean, Community Services, Justice and Fitness Studies
Over a 20-year career, Carol has become known for her respectful approach to students and colleagues alike. She fosters a sense of ownership and accountability in others by sharing experience, balancing perspectives and demonstrating informed decision-making processes.
Carol has developed, supported or contributed to a number of trailblazing initiatives, including a partnership with the Age-Friendly network, and she’s led teams who have received the President’s Award in Innovation and Student Success in the past two years.
Carol has demonstrated commitment to NC’s Global Reach, actively nurturing international partnerships in Thailand, the Philippines and Ireland that have contributed to impactful student experiences including global field placements. She also contributes to many community boards; she served as the Chair of Volunteers for the 2022 Canada Summer Games where she recruited and placed more than 4,000 volunteers.
Q: What does it mean to you to be recognized by your colleagues and the College with this award?
A: To receive this award on the 20th year of working at the College was extra special. The recognition is a gift to which I am very grateful for and humbled by. I have been very fortunate to work with so many amazing individuals and teams who are reflected in this award as well.
Q: How does it feel knowing you have had such a positive influence on so many NC students and employees?
A: Regardless of my role at NC, it has always been my intention to be a positive influence on students and colleagues, so it feels good to know I have been on the right track! Working in the post-secondary sector provides so many opportunities to change people’s lives and I have never taken that for granted.
Q: What do you consider to be the most rewarding aspect of your work?
A: The most rewarding aspect of my work is watching students and staff discover their individual passions, gifts and talents.
Q: Do you have a quote that you live by?
A: I don’t know the author, but this quote has always resonated with me: “Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect, mirror what you admire.”
Support Staff Award: Charmaine McNeil, Administrative Assistant, Student Services
“Consider it handled,” is Charmaine’s catchphrase. Known for her helpful and collaborative nature, she’s responsible for onboarding new hires and dedicates much time and expertise to supporting new student staff, particularly those who complete co-op work terms in the department.
Charmaine’s patient manner and sensitivity to the needs and perspectives of others is behind her empathetic and supportive approach to interacting with our diverse student body.
On multiple occasions, Charmaine has stepped up to fill temporary gaps in staffing, both in her department and across the broader Student Affairs division, demonstrating the collaborative spirit on which NC prides itself. She was also critical in transitioning the service model to fully online during the pandemic and provided exceptional support and training to colleagues.
Charmaine is solution-oriented, resourceful, and consistently helpful in troubleshooting, researching and connecting with other service areas to seek input, feedback, and to develop shared processes. She’s the face of the Academic Advising and Career Services team at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus, and for many people who visit, she’s also the face of the College.
Unable to attend Niagara Day in person, Charmain was notified of her win while she was in Costa Rica on a Be World Ready trip.
Q: How long have you worked at the College?
A: Just over 12 years, since August 2011.
Q: You are known as a helpful person with a collaborative nature. What approach do you take when working with others?
A: Recognizing that we are all here with one common goal: to help students succeed. I am mindful to consider others’ opinions and work strategies that may be different from my own. I take each situation as a learning opportunity, whether I am teaching someone something new or they are teaching me.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part about working at Niagara College?
A: I really enjoy my work at Niagara College. Knowing I am a part of a student’s success, no matter how small or insignificant, is really rewarding. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with great people every day.
Faculty Award: Lora Miani, Professor, School of Liberal Studies
Lora is a student-focused educator known to strive for excellence in creating learning experiences that embody NC’s focus on the Wholistic Student Experience, Academic Excellence, Social Inclusion, and Global Reach.
This individual has been a faculty member and program coordinator at Niagara College. For nearly two decades, Lora has been a member of the faculty and a program co-ordinator at the College, and she’s well-known for having a passionate dedication to the field of education and a commitment to lifelong learning.
As a coordinator, Lora takes a leadership role in curriculum development and renewal and works with students to ensure their pathway aligns with their educational and career goals. Committed to team building, she fosters a team dynamic and encourages widespread participation in orientation and open house events and organizes social events to bring colleagues together.
Lora has leveraged her experience as a high school teacher to effectively contribute to the development of the School of Academic and Liberal Studies to best meet the needs of incoming students and prepare them for success. She was instrumental in the launch of the highly successful Online Pre-Health Certificate and Diploma program and the development of free online educational resources, which lowered barriers to entry for students. Lora also developed and launched the innovative “Go Global, Live Local” course, which allows students to earn credit for experiential learning in another country.
She’s a mentor and resource for students and faculty, showing empathy, passion, and care, and she’s a faculty member who goes above and beyond to support students in NC’s Pre-Health programs.
Q: What class(es) do you teach at the College?
A: I teach Biology and Anatomy & Physiology to our Pre-Health Sciences and RPN students at the Welland campus, as well as various General Education Electives (Biology of Cancer, Academic & Career Preparation).
Q: What does it mean to you to be recognized by your colleagues and the College with this award?
A: It is truly an honour to be recognized–completely unexpected, but an honour nonetheless! There are so many faculty who are equally deserving of this award and acknowledgement. I work among a dedicated and professional team of faculty, support staff and administrators who show excellence every day in their classrooms and on campus to support our students and deliver a high-quality education. They bring about the best in me, challenge me to grow and adapt to the changing educational landscape and support my professional development. They truly have NC DNA!
Q: What’s your secret to connecting with students and supporting them to be successful on their academic journey? How do your students inspire you?
A: It is gratifying when students connect and appreciate the discipline you love to teach. I try to connect curriculum to everyday events and discoveries that may apply to their lives. It is important to recognize that every student learns and acquires knowledge differently, so it is important to support curriculum with interactive labs, group work and hands-on activities. Students learn best when they are involved in their learning. Also, it’s wonderful to get to know your students beyond their academics. I am most inspired when students trust you enough to share with you their personal stories, journeys, triumphs, struggles, highs & lows. I’ve met countless students who have had the most extraordinary stories to tell, and I am inspired and appreciative of the opportunity to be a part of their journey, however great or small. It’s the little things – the comments of praise, little pieces of advice or guidance, even a smile in the hallway, that makes a big difference to students. Many times, you’ll never know the impact your presence and words will have on students. It’s this invisible influence that makes teaching the best profession.
Q: What do you consider to be the most rewarding aspect of your work?
A: I teach in competitive programs where students are under immense pressure to earn high grades to maintain their program status or to gain admission into future programs. The most rewarding aspect of teaching is when you see your students’ progress throughout the term; when you see them struggle, yet never, ever give up. They are resilient in achieving their goal, their dream in life. It is most rewarding when students finally recognize and understand how they learn best- what works for them and what does not. When students get to this point of their academic journey, they will be able to study any subject matter and excel. Guiding and motivating students to this point in their academics is the most rewarding part of my work.
Q: Do you have a quote that you live by?
A: Years ago, when we were creating Be World Ready experiences in South Africa for NC students, I had the most fortunate opportunity to work with a remarkable colleague and esteemed mentor of mine, Jos Nolle, in the International Department at NC. Prior to departure on our trips abroad, his final piece of advice was: “Expect the Unexpected.” I still live by those words.
Team Award: Nursing Lab Team: Carmel Andrews, Shannon Gervais, Richele Martinello, Brenda Milne, Brittany Schell, and Catherine Tirone
The Team Award of Excellence recognizes the collaborative spirit of Niagara College and the incredible amount of cross-functional teamwork that is the backbone of NC.
The Nursing Lab Team exemplifies a collaborative nature and a dedication to teamwork and to student success. As a functional unit, they’re each responsible for supporting teaching and learning and delivering practical skills training and assessments.
A student nominator poignantly described the team as lifeguards at the pool of practical learning, who allow students to begin to swim in their profession while providing the comfort of knowing that, should they begin to drown, they’ll help students back to the surface.
The Nursing Lab team keenly recognizes the anxiety that can come with skills demonstrations. Together, they excel at employing strategies to create an environment where students feel supported and at ease to ask questions and receive feedback, and to build confidence as they practice needed skills for program and professional success.
The team has built a well-organized, warm, inviting, courteous and professional lab space. Working closely with faculty, they ensure labs are equipped and ready for faculty and students and have developed procedures that ensure students are safe and supported in stressful testing situations, and during emergencies like the pandemic. Their technical expertise is critical to the smooth operation of labs, and their community- and service-oriented approach helps them collaborate seamlessly with health care professionals and demonstrate a composure and commitment that reflects the standard of care for which NC trains its students.
Q: What does it mean to you to be recognized by your colleagues and the College with this award?
CA: It is a unique experience to be recognized so publicly. My first thought was my gratitude to those who took the time to notice and then want to nominate us.
I have felt very supported and appreciated for the job we all do every day to make this place ready for the students to come and be a” nurse for a couple hours” and put everything they have learned up to this point into practice.
RM: Being recognized by my colleagues and the College for the Award of Excellence made me feel valued and appreciated for the hard work and dedication that our team puts into the Nursing & PSW lab every day to help provide the best experience for our students. Receiving this award made me feel proud that our ability to work well as a team does not go unnoticed and has created such a positive atmosphere for both the students and the faculty at Niagara College.
BM: To be recognized by our colleagues and the College for the Team Award of Excellence makes me feel humbled, proud and appreciative, for doing the job that I love to do.
Our Nursing Lab Technologist Team works very hard creating a safe space, with a positive, supportive working environment, that fosters our values of respect, inclusion, creativity and teamwork. We are passionate about the transformational role we play for our students, to apply nursing skills in a safe and patient centered way. To be recognized for this is an honour.
BS: To be recognized for this award was such an unexpected surprise! I feel as though everyone we work with puts so much thought and care into providing the students with valuable experiences that it is incredibly appreciated that our faculty and students feel the same about us.
CT: It is a great privilege to be part of the NC family, but to be recognized and given an award of excellence is an honour that touches my heart. I feel acknowledged, proud and encouraged by this achievement.
Q: How does it feel knowing your work has a such profound impact on students while the study at NC and beyond?
CA: It isn’t always easy to balance between what we know the students need to learn to be a great nurse and where they are at this moment. We want them prepared for any number of situations, but sometimes they just need time to have a good cry. I think it is very important to consider how what we say and do can impact our students. We want the best for them and enjoy seeing the progress in them from term to term. I have memories of teachers who had a profound impact on me, and it is an honour to hear I may have had a positive impact on a student.
RM: Hearing the student’s nomination during Niagara Day that described how supported they felt in the lab made me reflect on how important our role as Lab Technologists is to help guide and support students to be successful in the Nursing & PSW programs and to continue to be confident and proficient health care providers upon graduation.
BM: I take pride in making a positive impact on the lives of our students. Being able to facilitate, mentor and empower our PSW/Nursing students with the most relevant training with best practice insight is my passion. Guiding their journey to become compassionate, competent and confident health care professionals. Knowing that the students feel my passion is very rewarding to me.
Our students come to us, with goals of improving their lives and the lives around them. Helping them to achieve these goals “makes my heart sing.” I am honoured to be a part of their journey.
BS: The lab team is constantly striving to create more and more realistic experiences to prepare students for what they will experience out there within a safe environment. It feels so rewarding to know our students appreciate their experiences here.
CT: I’m thrilled to be able to share my knowledge and passion for nursing with our students. I’m deeply touched, and very proud when our students reflect back their passion for the art of caring. Knowing that we are a part of helping them achieve their dreams is very rewarding to me.
Q: What’s the best part about working as a collaborative team? How have you supported one another in your work?
CA: The best part about working as a collaborative team is seeing the changes made this past year. There has been a lot of momentum making changes to the program delivery, that has been exciting. Faculty has included us in the planning and with that support, there have been some interesting creative ideas to help meet our students’ learning needs. I feel there has been an appreciation to value what each of us brings to the job.
RM: The best part about working as a collaborative team is sharing your knowledge with one another. Within the lab team, we all have different experiences working as a Nurse whether it be in leadership, education, or in clinical settings. We continue to support each other in many ways however what makes the Lab have such an amazing team is the positive environment that we share and how every day we check in on each other and provide the opportunity to just listen to one another.
BM: Our Nursing Lab Technologist Team comes from many backgrounds and has many years of experience and expertise. We all share our passion for sharing our knowledge with our students. Our collaborative team thrives on our energy, motivation, creativity and dedication to the success of both our students and each other. We recognize and value each other’s insights. We innovate, inspire and support each other. We share the commitment to meeting the learning needs of our students, by creating a stimulating, engaging, effective and supportive learner centered environment. Knowing that our hard work contributes to our collective success makes us such an amazing team. I am so grateful to be a part of it.
BS: Working as a part of this team is one of my favourite parts of the job! Everyone is really supportive of each other; we brainstorm together, value each other’s opinions and are constantly checking in to see if help is needed. We come from different backgrounds of nursing and have different styles of teaching that I think really complement each other. I think we’d all agree that nursing is a team sport and we bring that belief into the lab every day.
CT: Working together for the success of our students is our common goal. We all come from different nursing backgrounds, and each one of us uses our talents and skills in cooperation to create a safe learning environment.
Each member of our team shows relentless effort and professionalism in our daily lab classes. Our commitment, hard work and dedication to our Nursing, PWS students and each other’s success is unwavering. I’m so grateful to be part of such a talented and motivated team. They never fail to make everyone’s day better with their upbeat welcoming attitude and infectious smiles. This team means the world to me.
