Story by Laura Rosen Cohen
On Tuesday, August 20 the staff appreciation BBQ, sponsored by the office of the Vice President, Operations & Real Estate Partnerships, was held in the UC Quad on our beautiful St. George Campus. This annual event is an opportunity to recognize excellence among our dedicated and hard-working staff, and a chance to meet and greet fellow staff members from throughout the campus over good food and good conversation.
There are three award categories: Individual Impact, Service Excellence and Team Awards.
Both winners of the Individual Impact award this year come from our Food Services unit: Cafeteria Worker Nimo Ahmed and Catering Operations Coordinator Jeffrey Moore.
There were four winners of the Service Excellence award this year.
Meriem Ali, Catering Coordinator, Food Services has been an employee of the University since July 2016. She brings huge amounts of professionalism to her role, tempered with a wry sense of humour, which makes her a delight to have in the office. She is beyond dependable, and professional, a great role model to other staff, and a wonderful, collaborative member of the Catering and Event Services team.
Meriem Ali
Jerry Cabral, Maintenance Technician, University Family Housing, has made a measurable impact over the last 24 years as a skilled and committed maintenance technician with University Family Housing. His technical expertise along with his passion has supported the UFH community greatly during his time here especially during the pandemic. He always goes above and beyond to overcome all maintenance challenges and he is a big reason why tenant satisfaction with maintenance services provided is near 98% positive. His contribution to the University Family Housing is noticeable and appreciated by residents and our team.
Richard Aminez
Richard Aminez, Maintenance Technician, University Family Housing, is committed to maintaining a high level of satisfaction with the maintenance program at University Family Housing. His high-level and always positive attitude inspires and motivates others on our team. Richard is always willing to go the extra mile to help find solutions and maintain a positive environment. The University Family Housing maintenance program remained 24/7 during the pandemic, and Richard was instrumental in maintaining a very high level of resident satisfaction during that time. He plays a large role in providing a good living experience for the residents at University Family Housing
Michelle Thi Tran, Housing Admissions Assistant, University Family Housing, does exemplary work in the front-line service role of Housing Admissions. She shows exceptional dedication and empathy in managing the complexities of student accommodations, particularly in addressing rent arrears with a compassionate approach. She consistently goes above and beyond by proactively offering financial resources to student tenants and connecting them to university support services to help navigate financial challenges. Michelle often meets with student families in person, providing a personal touch that ensures each tenant feels heard and supported. She truly embodies the core values of our institution, making her an invaluable asset to our team and to the University.
The OREP Team Award was presented to four of our S&E staff teams:
Patrick Brennan and Lionel Cooper from the Commercial Property Management Team, Michael Wald and the Commercial Partnerships Team and Priscilla Guimaraes-Aviado and the Commercial Leasing team.
Spaces & Experiences congratulations all of our award winners.
We thank each and every one of our staff members for their ongoing great work and commitment to enhancing and elevating the campus experience for every member of our great U of T community.
