2006-2007

News Release

REF NO.: 225

SUBJECT: New award recognizes exceptional community service

DATE: July 18, 2007

Memorial has established a new award to honour the community service efforts of its staff and faculty members. Nominations are currently being accepted for the President's Award for Exemplary Community Service to recognize employees who have demonstrated outstanding community service.
Faculty and staff at Memorial are involved in their communities by helping with scientific and scholarly expertise, by working with community groups, and by volunteering their time to worthy causes, among other things.
The award is just one of several Memorial's president already hands out each year to acknowledge the dedication of the university's faculty and staff. Awards for distinguished teaching, exemplary service to the university, and outstanding research have been presented for several years.
Each award category underlines Memorial's mission of innovation and excellence in teaching and learning, research and scholarship and service to the community.
“Memorial University's mission encompasses service to the community and I am proud that the university has a very strong record of supporting communities throughout this province," said Memorial President Dr. Axel Meisen.
“This award will recognize faculty and staff who have made outstanding contributions to an important aspect of our mission. The award fits well with the teaching, research and exemplary service awards that we currently present to our employees for contributions and achievements in those areas.”
The new exceptional community service award will honour employees whose contributions go beyond what might normally be considered academic or professional service, and must have had a significant impact upon those organizations or on the communities.
Nominees must be full-time employees with a minimum of five years of continuous service and have made the cited community contributions during their time at Memorial.
An advisory committee has been set up to accept and review the nominations. Members include Greg French, legal counsel, Faculty Relations; Dr. Andrea Rose, a professor in the Faculty of Education; Heidi Janes, a curriculum development specialist with the Division of Degree Studies and Research at the Marine Institute and a member of Memorial's Alumni Association's executive; and Ivan Muzychka, associate director (communications) with the Division of Marketing and Communications.
The award will consist of a personalized scroll and a monetary award of $1,000.
Nominations can come from any member of the university community or general public. They must submit a nomination file including a letter from the nominator detailing the exceptional nature of the nominee's contributions and the significance of that contribution; the nominee's resumé (not to exceed five pages); and up to three letters of support which address the exceptionality and significance as well as the scope, time-commitment and impact of the nominee's contributions.
The package must also include relevant documentation in the public domain (including media reports) which provide additional evidence of the significance of the nominee's contributions (these materials are not to exceed five pages).
 
As well, written consent of the nominee must be received in conjunction with the nomination.
Nomination files can be forwarded to:
 
The Chair of the Advisory Committee, President's Award for Exemplary Community Service
c/o the Division of Marketing and Communications
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Room A-1024
Arts and Administration Building
230 Elizabeth Avenue
St. John's, NL A1C 5S7
 
The deadline is noon on Monday, Sept. 17, 2007.
Nominations will be assessed by the advisory committee, which will make its recommendation to the president.
Winners will be recognized at a special ceremony later this year.
More information about the President's Award for Exemplary Community Service is available at www.mun.ca/president/awards.php.

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