The School of Graduate Studies Awards for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship recognize senior and early career faculty who have had a significant impact on graduate student achievement. The award honours extraordinary mentors who inspire and challenge their students toward excellent and creative scholarship; support their students’ development of critical skills and professional competencies; and encourage their students to disseminate their research to audiences within and beyond the academy.

Eligibility – Outstanding Mentorship Award (Senior Mentors)

Candidates for the Outstanding Graduate Mentorship Award (Senior Mentors) must have been active members of a Trent University graduate program and, have a record of at least nine or more years of experience as a graduate student mentor. This award can only be received once; previous recipients are ineligible for nomination. Candidates for the 2024-2025 award must have been employed by the university as of July 1, 2024.

Eligibility – Outstanding New Mentor

Candidates for the Outstanding Graduate Mentorship Award for New Mentors must be active members of a Trent University graduate program, and have a record of no more than eight years of experience as a graduate student mentor. This award can only be received once; previous recipients are ineligible for nomination. Candidates for the 2024-2025 award must have been employed by the university as of July 1, 2024. 

How to Nominate

How to Nominate:
Nominations will be accepted for a two-week window at the conclusion of each academic term:

Nomination Window 1: December 5-17, 2024

Nomination Window 2: March 10-28, 2025

» Online Nomination Form for Outstanding Mentorship Award (Senior Mentors) 

» Online Nomination Form for Outstanding New Mentor

What should your nomination include?

Complete the "Nominator Information" and the "Candidate Information" sections on the Nomination Form.

In the section on “Candidate Qualifications,” explain how your nominee has had a significant impact on graduate student achievement. The strongest nominations will present specific details of how the nominee has inspired and challenged their students toward excellent and creative scholarship; how they have supported their students’ development of critical skills and professional competencies; and how they have encouraged their students to disseminate their research to audiences within and beyond the academy.

Please see “How to Write a Strong Teaching Award Nomination” for guidance on writing your nomination as well as annotated examples of high-quality nomination letters.

Selection Process

Nominations will be gathered and collated by Centre for Teaching and Learning staff, who will remove nominators’ identifying information except for whether they are faculty, staff, students, or alumni. All eligible nominations will be considered by an ad-hoc award committee of the Graduate Studies Committee. Recipients will receive $500 and a framed certificate of their achievement.

Previous Winners

2023-2024

Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship for Senior Mentors: Dr. Neil Emery

2022-2023

Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship for Senior Mentors: Dr. David M.K. Sheinin

Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship for New Mentors: Kateryna Keefer

2021-2022

Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship for Senior Mentors: Dr. Jonathan Bordo

Award for Outstanding Graduate Mentorship for New Mentors: Dr. Wesley Burr