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Recognizing Experiential Learning at U of T

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Recognizing Faculty and Staff 

If you are or know of a faculty or staff member who has undertaken an exceptional experiential learning project, you might consider a nomination for one of the many awards that recognize teaching excellence at the University of Toronto. To learn more about awards you may be eligible for, visit the Teaching Awards & Grants Database. 

Highlight on Awards

The Northrop Frye Award (Faculty) recognizes the excellence of an individual faculty member, an individual librarian / staff member, or a team who have undertaken a teaching and learning project within the last five years that significantly enhanced the undergraduate student learning experience. This could include (but is not limited to) curricular innovations, co-curricular learning opportunities, and instructional / pedagogical innovations.

Recognizing Students

If you know an outstanding student who you feel should be recognized for the impact they have made as part of a curricular Work-Integrated Learning or Co-op opportunity, consider nominating them to represent University of Toronto for the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada and / or Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO) Student of the Year Awards.

The Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee collects nominations from academic divisions and works to identify the most qualified students to put forward for each of the awards.

You might also review Award Explorer, a database that will help you to explore the diverse award and funding opportunities available.

Award Description

Each year, CEWIL’s Student of the Year awards celebrate students from across Canada who have made a significant impact on industry and community partners, as well as their educational institutions, through their commitment to work-integrated learning (WIL). Post-secondary institutions are invited to nominate one candidate for the Student of the Year for Co-operative Education at a University award, and one candidate for the Student of the Year for Other Forms of Work-Integrated Learning at a University award. Student winners receive $1000 from CEWIL in recognition of their contributions.

Nominations for individual students, as well as for students who worked as a group (i.e., via group-based WIL activities) will be accepted.

Since the University of Toronto can only put forward one nomination per category, the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee identifies the most qualified students across all received submissions.

Eligibility

Please note this is the eligibility criteria for 2023 and is subject to change.

To be eligible for the 2023 Student of the Year awards:

  • A student (or students) must be an undergraduate, diploma, or postgraduate student registered full-time in a recognized post-secondary work-integrated learning program at a CEWIL Canada Member institution throughout the period from January – December 2023.
  • A student (or students) must be nominated by a CEWIL Canada institution member with support of the partner organization. A CEWIL Canada institution member may nominate no more than one (1) candidate per award type (Co-op or Other Forms of WIL).
  • Each nomination must focus on one WIL experience in 2023, even if the student (or students) participated in more than one. Candidates may not be nominated twice in two consecutive years for a work-integrated learning experience that spans two calendar years.
  • The work-integrated learning must fall under one of the 9 WIL categories as per the CEWIL WIL Definitions and must be curricular in nature (this means that students participating in a Work Study position or an RA position are not eligible).

Submission Criteria

  • Students who impacted their workplace – did they achieve something extraordinary? Were they chosen to represent their organization in research, industry, or other public domains?
  • Students who were impacted themselves – did they show evidence of learning through their work-term / WIL experience by producing top-notch assignments or making decisions based on their experiences? Did they show extraordinary commitment to participating in Co-op or WIL?
  • Students who impacted their educational institution – how have they helped promote Co-op / WIL to peers or academic units? Have they used workplace learning or professional connections to enrich learning back on campus?

Note: you must first submit your nomination to the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee who reviews all nominations from across the University of Toronto and selects the nominees to be sent on to CEWIL and EWO.

To submit your nomination to the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee: 

  1. Review the eligibility criteria for the CEWIL and EWO Student of the Year Awards to confirm the student(s) you wish to nominate is eligible for these awards.
  2. Gather the nomination package material required for the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee. Nomination package must include:
  • Nominator Statement: A brief statement providing context for why you have chosen to nominate this student (or students), ideally this will speak to their impact on industry/community partner(s) and their educational institution. 500 words maximum.
  • Student’s Resume, clearly indicating where and when they completed their 2023 WIL or Co-op experience for which they are being nominated and including extra-curricular activities.
  • Student’s Personal Statement: The personal statement should be written by each nominee (student) and should outline the student’s involvement in Co-op/WIL, including why they participated and what they gained from the experience, how the experience impacted their career, academic and personal development, as well as the impact they had on the external organization with which they engaged. 500 words maximum.

Note: If you are nominating a team, please collate the resumes and personal statements of all nominees in the team. Please upload them as a single file in the online nomination package.

  1. Complete the online nomination package.

Award Description

EWO’s Co-op/WIL Student of the Year Awards are presented to students who have showcased exceptional job achievement, extra-curricular involvement, academic achievement and a strong contribution to Co-operative Education, Work-Integrated Learning, or Experiential Learning. Post-secondary institutions are invited to nominate up to two candidates in each of the three categories. Student winners receive an award of $750 from EWO.

Nominations for individual students, as well as for students who worked as a group (i.e., via group-based WIL activities) will be accepted.

Since the University of Toronto can only put forward two nominations per category (where possible, from different programs), the tri-campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee identifies the most qualified students across all received submissions.

Eligibility

Please note this is the eligibility criteria for 2023 and is subject to change.

To be eligible for the 2023 EWO Co-op Student of the Year award, a student must:

  • Be nominated by an individual from an EWO member institution or a participating co-op employer.
  • Have completed a co-op work terms that meet EWO’s Definition of Co-operative Education.
  • Be a full-time student in an undergraduate, graduate, diploma, advanced diploma, or certificate program at the institution.
  • Complete the nominated work term within the calendar year.

To be eligible for the 2023 EWO WIL Student of the Year award, a student must:

  • Be nominated by an individual from an EWO member institution or a participating co-op employer.
  • Have completed WIL that meet EWO’s Definition of Work-Integrated Learning and that is curricular in nature (this means that students participating in a Work Study position or an RA position are not eligible).
  • Be a full-time student in an undergraduate, graduate, diploma, advanced diploma, or certificate program at the institution.
  • Complete the nominated work term within the calendar year.

To be eligible for the 2023 EWO EL Student of the Year award, a student must:

  • Be nominated by an individual from an EWO member institution or a participating co-op employer.
  • Have completed EL that meet EWO’s Definition of Experiential Learning and that is curricular in nature (this means that students participating in a Work Study position or an RA position are not eligible).
  • Be a full-time student in an undergraduate, graduate, diploma, advanced diploma, or certificate program at the institution.
  • Complete the nominated work term within the calendar year.

Submission Criteria

  • Students who have showcased exceptional job achievement, extra-curricular involvement, academic achievement, and a strong contribution to Co-operative Education, WIL, or EL.

Note: you must first submit your nomination to the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee who reviews all nominations from across the University of Toronto and selects the nominees to be sent on to CEWIL and EWO.

To submit your nomination to the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee: 

  1. Review the eligibility criteria for the CEWIL and EWO Student of the Year Awards to confirm the student(s) you wish to nominate is eligible for these awards.
  2. Gather the nomination package material required for the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee. Nomination package must include:
  • Nominator Statement: A brief statement providing context for why you have chosen to nominate this student, ideally this will speak to their impact on industry/community partner(s) and their educational institution. 500 words maximum.
  • Student’s Resume, clearly indicating where and when they completed their 2023 WIL, EL, or Co-op experience for which they are being nominated and including extra-curricular activities.
  • Student’s Personal Statement: The personal statement should be written by each nominee (student) and should outline the student’s involvement in Co-op/WIL/EL, including why they participated and what they gained from the experience, how the experience impacted their career, academic and personal development, as well as the impact they had on the external organization with which they engaged. 500 words maximum.

Note: If you are nominating a team, please collate the resumes and personal statements of all nominees in the team. Please upload them as a single file in the online nomination package.

  1. Complete the online nomination package.

Previous Award Recipients

Alyssa Nurse (2022)

ARCGIS Story Map (2021)

Selina Quibrantar

Selina Quibrantar (2020)

CiQuinya Morton

CiQuinya Morton (2020)

Frequently Asked Questions

The CEWIL Nomination Awards Committee at U of T aims to include broad representation from U of T in the selection process. If you would like to be involved in the process, please feel free to email: el.vpiue@utoronto.ca.

Current members of the Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee at U of T include:

  • Tegan Mannisto, Teaching Initiatives Coordinator, Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education 
  • Christine Ovcaric, Experiential Learning Coordinator, Faculty of Arts and Science
  • Nabeela Rahman, Co-op Coordinator, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering
  • Arjuna Thaskaran, Student Development Coordinator, Finance, Management Co-op, UTSC 
  • Stephanie Vega, Manager, Experiential Education, Experiential Education Unit (EEU), Office of the Vice-Principal Academic and Dean, UTM 
  • Julie Witt, Integrated Learning Experience Team Lead, UTSC 

The Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee at U of T uses a rubric based on the CEWIL and EWO criteria, respectively to identify the most qualified students to put forward each year. If you would like to be involved in the process, please feel free to email: el.vpiue@utoronto.ca.

The Tri-Campus CEWIL and EWO Nomination Awards Committee at U of T will review all submissions and will select the nominees to be put forward by early January. If your nominee is selected, you would be responsible for gathering the additional submission requirements by the deadline dates for CEWIL and / or EWO (end of January, specific deadlines are TBD).

Contact Information

Thank you for working with us to recognize the incredible contributions of U of T students participating in work-integrated learning and co-op opportunities!

If you have questions about these awards, please feel free to reach out to us: el.vpiue@utoronto.ca.