The VPS Employee Awards celebrates VPS employees who have made exceptional contributions to our community and in advancing the goals of the Student Strategic Plan.
All VPS staff were invited to nominate one or more colleagues who, in their view, have achieved excellence in one of the award categories.
The 2025 VPS Employee Award adjudication committee reviewed numerous submissions and after careful consideration, we would like to extend congratulations to the following 2025 Vice-President, Students Employee Award recipients.
Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence
Lady Dia Ewila, Academic and Career Advisor, Academic and Career Advising (UBCO)
Carly Stanhope, Director, Investigations Office
The Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Award celebrates an individual who has made substantial contributions to advancing Truth and Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and/or Anti-Racism related priorities and initiatives.
As an Academic and Career Advisor, Lady Dia is a dedicated advocate for students, offering guidance and support to undergraduates across all faculties at UBCO.
Their commitment to fostering a sense of belonging has been instrumental in developing the Black Student Space programming at UBCO, where they host weekly advising drop-ins which serve to bridge the disconnect between Black students and the academic and career advising resources that are available to them.
Beyond one-on-one advising, Lady Dia plays a vital role in supporting Beyond Tomorrow Scholars and is actively working to build a Black Community Network on campus— connecting Black students, faculty, and staff with the resources they need to thrive.
Using an interdepartmental approach, Lady Dia partnered with Residence Life and the Black Student Success office and began the Ubuntu Gatherings. Feedback has been positive, noting that the Gatherings offer a dedicated space for community-building and are a part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the support, resources, and shared experiences of the Black community at UBCO. Behind the scenes, they are laying the foundation for a Black Resource Center at UBCO, ensuring future generations of Black students, faculty and staff have a space to gather, grow, and succeed.
As Director of the Investigations Office, Carly has been a champion for equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering a culture where learning, dialogue, and diverse perspectives are valued. She models curiosity and cultural humility, creating an environment where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth rather than failure.
Under Carly’s leadership, the IO has made significant strides in cultural safety and trauma-informed practices. She and her team have developed educational materials, including a process flowchart, to improve understanding of UBC’s Discrimination Policy and make its procedures more accessible. She has also championed the expansion of culturally appropriate, adaptable resolution options for discrimination and sexual violence, including the launch of an Indigenous Peacemaking Circle.
Carly has expanded outreach to Indigenous, Queer, and international student communities, ensuring they feel represented and supported in IO processes. She has also prioritized appointing investigators with lived experiences of discrimination by building internal and external networks of IBPOC investigators to bring diverse perspectives to the office’s work.
Through her unwavering commitment to equity, Carly has helped create a more inclusive and just university environment. Her efforts ensure that all individuals engaging with the IO—regardless of status or influence—are treated with fairness and respect, advancing meaningful change both within the office and across the University.
Enhancing the UBC Experience
Shanda Williams, Manager, International Student Experience, International Student Development (UBCV)
The Enhancing the UBC Experience Award celebrates an individual who consistently provides exemplary service to those they support and regularly goes beyond the expectations of their role in service to others.
Shanda Williams exemplifies the spirit of this award through her exemplary leadership, innovative approaches, and unwavering commitment to service. Her contributions have significantly transformed the experiences of students, staff, and the broader UBC community.
Through her strategic initiatives, Shanda has streamlined operations between faculties and the Mastercard Foundation, ensuring scholars receive seamless support. Her efforts have fostered exceptional relationships with UBC Housing, resulting in smooth transitions for scholars arriving from five African countries. These include airport pickups, prepared accommodations, and welcome meals with alumni, setting a tone of community and care from the moment scholars arrive.
Beyond her work with Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Shanda is an advocate for African and international students. As co-chair of the CBIE SACE Professional Learning Community and a member of the ISD, she played a pivotal role in securing visa approvals during a critical period of denials, ensuring 30 African scholars successfully arrived at UBC in one year.
Shanda’s leadership extends to fostering strong teams and communities. She organized a team retreat to drive new programs forward with energy and purpose, and she co-initiated the Black Women at UBC Luncheon, a now quarterly gathering that cultivates connection and support.
Shanda embodies the essence of the UBC experience. She not only advocates for her students and team but also supports their well-being and sense of belonging. Her contributions have left an indelible mark on the UBC community both staff and students alike.
Exceptional Colleague
Millie Chong, Financial Processing Specialist, Finance Operations, Athletics and Recreation (UBCV)
The Exceptional Colleague Award celebrates an individual whose dedication, kindness, compassion, and respect for others makes the workplace significantly better for their colleagues. They are someone you hope never leaves UBC because they are so wonderful to work with.
Millie Chong is an exceptional team member, exhibited through her reliable, thoughtful, considerate and supportive efforts with her colleagues.
Millie is the go-to person in Athletics & Recreation, particularly for the Varsity units, guiding staff through the complexities of finance and expenses with patience and good humor. She has built a reputation for trust and understanding, making financial tasks less daunting. It’s often said that she is the glue that holds the department together.
Colleagues actively seek Millie out—not just for her expertise, but for the kindness and encouragement she brings to every interaction. Mistakes are met with guidance, support, and maybe even a joke or two. Millie’s good-humoured and consistent approach with her colleagues has enabled her to work through a long list of unreconciled UBC credit card expenses with the full support of staff.
Millie is always generous with her time. She readily trains new staff and offers a helping hand to anyone struggling with finance-related tasks. The finance team deeply values her contribution, and across the department there are few people she hasn’t supported in some way. Ultimately, Millie has helped create an environment where her colleagues can focus less on finance and more on creating the best experience for students, staff, and the community through campus sport and recreation.
Student Employee of the Year
Shiren Djorgee, Work Learn Project Assistant, Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Career Support, UBC Career Centre (UBCV)
The Student Employee of the Year Award celebrates a current VPS portfolio student employee with an impeccable record of workplace excellence and contributions. They have gone above and beyond expectations, have demonstrated initiative and positively impacted their unit and the university community.
Since joining the UBC Career Centre as a Work Learn student focused on the creation of career programming for Beyond Tomorrow Scholars, Shiren has brought enthusiasm, creativity, and initiative to her work.
She consistently participated in the training designed for our student career advisors to better understand best practices in career development and later integrated her learnings into the design of career programming for Beyond Tomorrow Scholars.
Her collaboration with fellow Work Learn student Sarah Lennon led to the creation of UBC Career Centre’s first peer mentorship program for Black students, positively impacting 36 Beyond Tomorrow Scholars.
Shiren played a key role in organizing the How to Navigate Your UBC Experience panel for first- and second-year students, from crafting interview questions to identifying speakers. She also led the development of a mentorship training module on Canvas, creating material for mentors and mentees to get the most out of their mentorship experience.
Beyond her assigned tasks, Shiren consistently found ways to contribute her talents. For example, she used her design skills to create a unique digital holiday card that showcased the Career Centre’s impact in a creative and engaging way for the wider campus community.
Shiren’s contributions have left a lasting impression on the Career Centre and her work will positively impact students for years to come.
Workplace Wellbeing
Jason Taylor, Accessibility Advisor, Disability Resource Centre, Wellbeing and Accessibility Services, (UBCO)
The Workplace Wellbeing Award celebrates an individual who has made a significant contribution towards a safe and healthy workplace and champions the social, physical, and/or mental health wellbeing of staff.
As an Accessibility Advisor in the Disability Resource Centre, Jason has worked diligently to create lasting and impactful change that positively impacts wellbeing in the DRC.
Along with a team of colleagues, Jason started the Wellbeing Committee which meets every two weeks to look at new ways to improve office wellbeing. This group has positively shifted workplace culture to incorporate more focus on the wellbeing of staff.
Jason has led initiatives to promote social, physical, and mental health such as lunchtime pickleball, walking breaks, and team participation in Walk for Joy and Sports Day events. He has also introduced wellbeing check-ins during team meetings, encouraging open conversations and support.
Jason has developed and cultivated two novel staff check ins – the ‘Celebrations’ and ‘Kudos’ that occur throughout the month in the office, acknowledging the strengths of team members and encouraging connections between DRC staff. Jason has gone above and beyond his job description in bringing these initiatives to the DRC, and they have benefitted everyone in the office.
Jason’s dedication to wellbeing and community has left a lasting impact on the DRC, making him an invaluable part of the university community.
The 2024 Vice-President, Students Award selection committee was comprised of the following staff from across the VPS portfolio:
- Samantha Reid (Co-Chair), Associate Vice-President, Students
- Keith Kawa (Co-Chair), Human Resources Director, (Office of the VP Students)
- Jen Dowdeswell, Associate Director, Organizational Development and Learning, (Office of the VP Students)
- Jose Jimenez, Operations Facilities Manager, UBC Parking (Student Housing and Community Services)
- Teneille Shea, Accessibility Advisor, Centre for Accessibility (Student Affairs)
- Cara Speakman, Manager, Administration and Projects, (Athletics & Recreation)
- Nick Thornton, Career Strategist, (Career Centre)
- Adrienne Vedan, Director, Indigenous Programs and Services and Sr. Advisor on Indigenous Affairs, (AVPS Okanagan)
- Thea Sheridan-Jonah, Substance Use Health Project Assistant, (Student Health & Wellbeing)
Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate their colleagues in recognition of the amazing work they do. Thank you to the 2025 Vice-President, Students Award adjudication committee for your efforts in considering submissions and selecting recipients. And finally, we want to extend our congratulations and our appreciation to the recipients for all that you do, and for your dedication to UBC.