Photography by Nicole Njagi
Story by Laura Rosen Cohen and Andrea Smitko
Operations & Real Estate Partnerships (OREP) celebrated its staff and their achievements this week with the 10th Annual BBQ and Awards presentation. On Tuesday, August 12, over 750 members of the OREP portfolio gathered in the sunshine of University College’s quad to acknowledge and toast each other’s hard work over the past year.
The Spaces & Experiences (S&E) team was heavily involved in bringing this event to life. Attendees were treated to a delicious BBQ lunch, catered by the Food Services team, and Campus Events organized all logistics. Raffle prizes were provided by Trademark Licensing, and the S&E marketing and communications team was busy photographing the event.
An enjoyable afternoon with friends and colleagues, Scott Mabury, Vice President, OREP, presented several employee awards in recognition of Individual Impact, Service Excellence and Teamwork. The Spaces & Experiences team is pleased to announce the following award-winning staff members from the S&E portfolio:
Michael Fagan, Assistant Director, Retail Operations, Food Services (Individual Impact Award)
Michael is a dedicated member of the Food Services team. During his relatively short tenure, he has strengthened the retail business. His creative approach to the retail market and solid business acumen have greatly contributed to the revitalization of the food landscape at the university, and he has been pivotal in modernizing food concepts, new branding and creating menu options. His breadth of experience and personable demeanor has helped him navigate the relationships between internal and external departments and stakeholders, and learn institutional processes while prioritizing operational demands.
Michael Fagan
Dana Burke
Manager, Admissions and Housing Services, University Family Housing
Dana Burke, Manager of Admissions and Housing Services, University Family Housing (Individual Impact Award)
Dana joined the team at University Family Housing (UFH) in 2023 and immediately left her mark by taking a leadership role on many initiatives. She has played a pivotal role at UFH in a time of intense change and restructuring. She has led extensive team-building and visioning exercises, and in doing so, has created a strong sense of team identity, increased engagement of her staff, standardized processes and positioned the work of her teams within the broader picture of UFH operations.
Amanda Chapman, Administrative and Logistics Supervisor, Food Services (Service Excellence Award)
Amanda oversees the daily operations of the culinary department’s administrative systems. With dedication and efficiency, she coordinates the distribution of food across campus, and provides students access to ingredient information for thousands of menu items, ensuring they can verify their dietary requirements. She is also the primary support for the department’s chefs, making sure they have all ingredients and tools needed to create delicious menu items. Amanda consistently sets a high work standard for her colleagues, and significantly contributes to the overall success of the university’s culinary operations.
Amanda Chapman
Administrative and Logistics Supervisor, Food Services
Aisalyn Templin
Administration and Communications Assistant, Chestnut Residence
Aisalyn Templin, Administration and Communications Assistant, Chestnut Residence (Service Excellence Award)
Aisalyn Templin has made outstanding contributions to the Chestnut Residence throughout her nine-year tenure. She consistently brings her positive spirit to every task she sets her mind to—from organizing teambuilding events to launching communications campaigns to better connect with students, Aisalyn approaches each challenge with enthusiasm and determination. She is a trusted and approachable presence in the Residence Life Office, and her empathy and dedication is evident in her daily interactions with students.
Amy (Maria) Javier, Housing Admissions Assistant, University Family Housing (UFH) (Service Excellence Award)
Amy (Maria) Javier works with the University Family Housing team to get as many student families housed as possible every month. Her strategic thinking and foresight help the management team anticipate future availability trends while simultaneously accommodating current applicant needs. As a longstanding member of the team, Amy plays an integral role in welcoming new team members. She is quick to bring levity to challenging moments and brings this same personal touch to ensure students have the information and resources they need to understand their housing options and the application process.
Amy (Maria) Javier
Housing Admissions Assistant, University Family Housing (UFH)
Tyler Watson
Point of Sale Coordinator, Food Services
Tyler Watson, Point of Sale Coordinator, Food Services (Service Excellence Award)
A dedicated member of the Food Services team, Tyler works to develop back-end programming for Meal Plans and the Mobile App platform. His inherent problem-solving skills has led him to create workable solutions to aspirational ideas, providing great benefit to leadership and operational teams. Tyler also advises on the possible impacts of programming decisions. His work has had a direct positive impact on the entire Food Services team and he has been instrumental in the success of the business.
The annual SVP Staff Award was also recently announced. This institution-wide award recognizes staff who work in service of the President’s Office, the Division of the Vice-President & Provost, a Vice-Presidential Division (where the Vice-President is a member of Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidents), or the Office of the Governing Council.
Recipients of this award are required to demonstrate one or more of the university’s institutional competencies to advance the university’s mission in support of the academic community, and/or provide exceptional service to enhance the university experience for students, alumni, faculty members, librarians, and/or staff.
This year, S&E is pleased to announce that Arielle Bérubé, Assistant Director, Campus Events, Spaces & Experiences, University Operations & Real Estate Partnerships, is a winner of this prestigious award.
Arielle has been a defining member of the Campus Events team for eight years. A strong leader, Arielle organizes multiple events on campus each year and manages a dedicated team of managers and coordinators, providing sound direction and guidance. A constant professional, her expertise and cordiality shine through when collaborating with clients. Arielle’s commitment to her role and the growth and success of Campus Events has reinforced the university’s reputation as a world-class institution of research, excellence and achievement.
Spaces & Experiences congratulates all of this year’s award winners. We thank each and every one of our staff members for their hard work and commitment to enhancing and elevating the campus experience for our U of T community.
