About the awards
The Vice-President, Students Portfolio Employee Awards established by the Office of the Vice-President, Students, were created to provide formal recognition of VPS employees and to serve to support the work being done towards the advancement of the Student Strategic Plan, and in alignment with the StEAR Framework, Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP), and the UBC Focus on People Framework.
Each year, the VPS Portfolio Employee Awards celebrate the VPS employees who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to advancing the goals of the Student Strategic Plan. Award recipients are nominated by their colleagues and each award recipient will receive $1,000.
List of awards
Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Award
The Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Award celebrates an individual who consistently promotes inclusive excellence and has made substantial contributions to advancing Truth and Reconciliation, Equity Diversity and Inclusion, and/or Anti-Racism related priorities and initiatives.
Criteria for consideration
The nominee meets most or all of the criteria.
- Demonstrates a commitment to promoting Inclusivity, Equity, Truth and Reconciliation, Anti-Racism and/or Social Justice within the university
- Exhibits an unwavering commitment to the principles of anti-racism. Their actions and initiatives actively work to eliminate racism, bias, and discrimination in all forms
- Initiates and/or supports initiatives that foster a more inclusive and equitable campus environment
- Develops and/or supports innovative strategies, programs, or initiatives that have proven effective in addressing racial inequities and fostering a culture of belonging
- Made a significant impact through their advocacy, education, and awareness raising efforts
Workplace Wellbeing Award
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.
Criteria for Consideration
The nominee meets most or all of the criteria.
- Create opportunities for others to increase their knowledge, skills and awareness of individual, community or organizational wellbeing
- Embeds wellbeing in projects and initiatives within their area of influence
- Creates or supports the development of welcoming physical or virtual spaces to nurture an increased sense of community and collaboration
- Encourages community members to foster connections and create networks of care for themselves and each other
- Demonstrates dedication to workplace health, safety and wellness and contributes to tangible improvements in workplace environments, employee wellness, safe work procedures and practices, and accident prevention and reduction
Enhancing the UBC Experience
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.
Criteria for Consideration
The nominee meets most or all of the criteria.
- Seeks the continuous improvement of the quality and efficiency of the services they provide
- Maintains a consistently high quality of service for the clients they serve, whether students, staff, faculty, alumni or guests
- Anticipates clients’ needs and potential problems and proactively resolves issues as they arise
- Develops and/or improves processes and procedures through creativity and innovation, resulting in positive impacts in service delivery
- Demonstrates a professional, respectful and positive manner to colleagues and clients at all times, and consistently gives their best at work
Exceptional Colleague Award
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.
Criteria for Consideration
The nominee meets most or all of the criteria.
- Recognizes the contributions of others and regularly shows appreciation towards colleagues for their efforts
- Develops and cultivates genuine and close relationships in the workplace based on mutual trust, respect and thoughtfulness
- Builds camaraderie through their positive energy, kindness, generosity and demeanor, regardless of the circumstances
- Excel during collaboration opportunities, and always make a meaningful contribution
- Consistently motivates and supports their teammates. Leads by example, and contributes to a positive work environment, inspiring others to reach their full potential and fostering a culture of mutual support
Student Employee of the Year Award (SEOTY)
The SEOTY celebrates a current student employee in the VPS Portfolio who has an impeccable record of workplace excellence and contributions. They have gone above and beyond expectations, have demonstrated initiative, and have positively impacted their unit and the university community.
Criteria for Consideration
The nominee meets most or all of the criteria.
- Highly dependable, and completes projects and assignments successfully in a timely manner
- Excels in their work over and above their job description, and consistently produces work of a high quality
- Maintains a consistently high quality of service to their clients (students, staff, faculty, etc.) and have embraced UBC’s values of excellence, integrity, respect, academic freedom, and accountability
- Approaches projects in a creative way, and provides original or innovative contributions to the workplace
- Exhibits leadership qualities that empower their team members, helping to create an atmosphere of trust and respect
Staff eligibility requirements
The awards are open to any VPS Portfolio full-time or part-time employee on our Vancouver and Okanagan campuses with at least one year of service in the VPS/AVPS Portfolio.
Current VPS Portfolio student staff on our Vancouver and Okanagan campuses may only be nominated for the Student Employee of the Year Award. They are not required to have worked a certain amount of time to be eligible.
How to nominate a colleague
All VPS staff are invited to nominate a colleague online by 11:59pm on Friday, January 31st, 2025.
You’ll be asked to provide a 400- to 600-word description specifying how the individual fulfills the award criteria, including:
- Nominee’s contributions to the award category
- What made their contribution(s) exceptional
- Who their contributions helped
- Results of their efforts
- Specific examples and details
Awards process timeline
Date | Description |
January | Award nominations opens. |
January | Award nominations close at 11:59pm on Friday, January 31st. |
February | Awards Committee reviews nominations and selects award recipients. |
March | Successful recipients of the awards will be notified. |
April | Awards event to honour award recipients and nominees. |
Awards Committee Membership
The committee is chaired by the Associate Vice-President, Students and the Director of HR, VPSO, and includes the Associate Director, Organizational Development and Learning, VPSO. The VPS Portfolio Employee Awards Committee is made up of representation from across the VPS portfolio, which includes past recipients and others from across the VPS portfolio.
Past recipients
Learn more about past recipients.
If you have questions
Please contact vpsassist@mail.ubc.ca for more information about the awards.