Employee Recognition

Kari Godlonton, Art & Design
Action
We wanted to express our sincere gratitude for your amazing assistance with the food and clean-up at the Grad Art Show. Your willingness to jump in and tackle these tasks made all the difference in ensuring the event's success. Your hard work and dedication didn't go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate all that you did to help out. Thank you for your outstanding contributions!

Heather Stahl and Shawn DeGreeve, Business Administration
Action
Heather and Shawn worked tirelessly with the Business Ambassador Students club to produce a business conference for students. Over 125 students attended with 13 speakers from Medicine Hat. It was a tremendous success and only successful because of their effort and enthusiasm. Thank you so much for all the work you do! We appreciate you!

Heather Stahl, Business Administration
Action
Heather is the faculty lead for the Bookkeeping club at MHC. She voluntarily teaches our business students to complete tax returns for other students and for non-profit clients in our community. To date, Heather and her team of students have completed over 100 tax returns. This week, she, and her team head to the Root Cellar to complete tax returns for their clients. All we can say is WOW!! You are changing lives.

Dillon Batsel, Business Administration
Action
Dillon is the co-faculty lead for the case club in the School of Business. Dillon has worked hard all year with the case club students teaching them how to analyze cases and how to develop the financial projections for their recommendations. This year, Dillon took groups of students to 2 competitions: Alberta Deans of Business and BVC Accounting Case Competition. Dillon drove on scary, icy roads, stayed up late into the night practicing with the teams on their presentations and always, always, stayed calm and supportive, and cheered the students on. Thank you, Dillon. You make us better!

EmJ Neigum-Witzke, Mental Health & Counselling
Collaboration and Action
EmJ can see the future! EmJ is always on the look-out to better understand how to support students. Whether it’s creating crisis resources, sitting with students in the cafeteria or networking with community partners, you can find EmJ working hard to create a safe and inclusive space for our students. Thanks for all you do.

MHC Cafeteria Staff
Collaboration, Action, and Authenticity
They are the best. They care about people. They are pleasant and helpful. They will work with specific dietary needs as if research projects! I love going to the cafeteria to have a little chat. I have a very nasty digestive condition. Authenticity: They worked to understand it. Collaboration: Cafeteria staff collaborated with me about what I could/could not eat. Action: They invented the best croissant sandwich in the world.

Judy Hildebrand, Facility Operations
Collaboration, Action, and Authenticity
Judy is absolutely amazing. She works incredibly hard and always has a positive, fun, upbeat attitude. She is respectful and patient with an awesome sense of humor. Thank you, Judy, for taking care of MHC and being the definition of a real team player. You are great.

Heather Stahl, Business Administration
Collaboration and Action
Heather Stahl, guiding business students in providing tax filing services for fellow students. This year the bookkeeping club expanded to significantly impact the community, especially for those at the Medicine Hat Women's Shelter. One inspiring moment occurred when a student completed a tax return for a woman from the shelter, revealing a $2,000 refund, which led to tears of joy. The refund meant she could leave the shelter and secure an apartment and a step toward her growth and success. This story encapsulates the many lives the “Tax Clinic” is having on students and community.

Landon Heilman, Admissions & Recruitment
Collaboration, Authenticity, and Action
Landon will be leaving Admissions & Recruitment to pursue another opportunity at Medicine Hat College, and I am very sad to see him go. Landon has been an absolute pleasure to work with, not only does he excel at his job, he excels at being a human being. Best of luck Landon in your new role, you will be missed!.

Facility Operations Department
Collaboration and Action
I cannot tell you how many times I call on Facilities for different events (sometimes on very short notice), and they always go out of their way to be accommodating and so helpful. From keeping our campus beautiful, to setting up/taking down, to booking rooms (and rearranging everything), to dealing with the unexpected, they are amazing! We are very lucky to have such a fabulous group to work with.

Kristina Hyde, Athletics & Recreation
Collaboration, Authenticity, and Action
Kristina excels in multitasking while also providing support to our student-athletes, teaches in the classroom and volunteers consistently. Her warm demeanor, constant smile, and genuine understanding create an atmosphere of acceptance and authenticity. Beyond these admirable qualities, she consistently demonstrates a sense of teamwork, embodying the spirit of collaboration and unity. We are lucky to have her on our team!

Lana West, Student Services/Registrar’s Office
Collaboration and Action
Lana annually leads the Academic Calendar process and it is truly remarkable what she manages and organizes. This year we had 175 individual course changes, 18 programs with changes, and countless wording edits. Leading the charge on an integral institutional document is no small task. Thanks, Lana, for all that you do.

Crystal Martens, School of Health & Community Services
Action
Crystal does so much for our program and is willing to lend a hand in so many ways. She helped us book a space and order pizza for a special classroom event this week. Crystal is such an important part of the MHC team and we appreciate her so much!

Sarah Duenk, Registration Services, Brooks Campus
Authenticity, Collaboration, and Action
In the short time Sarah has been at the Brooks Campus, she's made a huge impact on both staff and students. Her warmth and willingness to tackle any project are matched by her creative flair. From revitalizing spaces to transforming the former mailroom into a bookstore, her contributions are both tangible and transformative. Through themed displays and engaging holiday activities, she fosters a sense of community among everyone on campus. Sarah's proactive attitude and dedication are invaluable assets to the campus, making her a cherished member of the team.

Odencio Yabut, Facility Operations, Brooks Campus
Collaboration
Despite covering extra responsibilities over the past few months, JoJo has remained dedicated and cheerful. Thanks JoJo, we appreciate you!

Sarah Duenk, Registration Services and Chelsea Reid, Registration & Records 
Action
Both Chelsea and Sarah took on some extra projects for the Scheduling office this week that helped immensely with preparing information for the upcoming academic schedule. Their willingness to help out and attention to detail is SO appreciated!

Nicole O’Neill, Admissions & Recruitment
Collaboration & Authenticity
Nicole recently went over and above to support an applicant who was concerned about their ability to meet admission conditions. Not only did she speak directly with the prospective student, she also collaborated with adjacent departments to make sure she was providing the most appropriate support, showing the prospective student just how much we care about our students at MHC.

Holly Cursons and Suellen Hallworth, Registration & Records
Collaboration & Action
Holly and Suellen have both helped to scan and file various documents from the Transfer Services Office over the last week. Thank you for helping clean up the documentation so we can better access information and serve students!

Chelsea Reid, Registration & Records
Collaboration & Action
Chelsea helped the Transfer Services Office do an initial assessment of incoming student transcripts for possible transfer credit. An initial stack of 257 transcripts to be reviewed is now down to 185. Thank you, Chelsea, for lending a hand!

Karol Bojorquez, Kate Squires, Erin Murdoch, School of Health & Community Services
Action
SHCS regularly receive invites to participate in recruitment events that require faculty to go above and beyond. In this case, Karol, Kate, and Erin participated in a RhPAP Virtual High School recruiting event in early March, where they shared their excitement, enthusiasm, and insights about rural healthcare. These events provide high school students opportunities to learn about the paths open to them, ask questions, and plan for their future. Thank you for making time for them!

Brenda Smith, Human Resources
Authenticity and Action
Brenda is always willing to help me with any inquiry I have. She is always prompt, professional and friendly. We are lucky to have you here at MHC Brenda!

Crystal Martens, School of Health & Community Services
Collaboration
Crystal recently updated the transfer credit evaluation form to make it easier for faculty to fill. This is above and beyond Crystal's responsibilities. Thank you so much, Crystal, for helping the Transfer Services Office improve our tools!

Kim Dirk, Help Desk Technician
Action
On a very regular basis, Kim exceeds expectations. Every time she answers the IT "hotline", I know I'm going to get fast, friendly, and competent service. She is amazing at her job and deserves to be recognized.

Jennifer Stuart, Administrative Coordinator
Authenticity and Action
Jen, I admire your positivity, your patience, and your helpful nature. You always go the extra mile to ensure people know they can ask you anything and, in doing so, you have created a positive work environment. Thank you for your wonderful team spirit, which keeps us inspired and enhances our output. You are so appreciated and admired!

Joan Mew, Teaching & Learning
Collaboration
Joan has gone above and beyond with her support of faculty. We had new faculty that required support, and Joan gave so many hours, calmly and patiently teaching our systems to the new instructor. Joan, you are so graceful and thoughtful and giving. Thank you for your patience and understanding! You have no idea how much you helped.

Carolyn Main,Business
Action
Carolyn jumped in when we had a crisis with a class. She has her own workload, but she said yes and helped out students and faculty to ensure that their learning continued. She put in triple the office hours required in order to better support the students in crisis. Carolyn is so calm and supportive; the students stopped us in the hallway to say thank you and what wonderful instructor she is. Thank you Carolyn, you are amazing!

Rick Robinson, Business
Action
A Bookkeeping class needed extra support for learning and Rick volunteered so many hours of his time supporting the instructor and students. He co-taught with the instructor, he coached students, he helped make the exam and exam prep materials. Rick, you exemplify an empathetic leader and are so amazing and giving. Thank you. You make us better!

Carla Hemeon, LINC, Brooks campus
Collaboration
During a time of transition in the LINC program, Carla went above and beyond to show extra support to her colleagues. She was instrumental in making the transition as smooth as possible and reducing stress for her fellow teachers. Thanks, Carla!

Chelsey Ehresman and all involved with C4i
Collaboration and Action
Chelsey and the C4i Team, thanks for organizing the C4i Impact Symposium. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to participate, and I wanted to recognize your efforts and how much I appreciate being involved. It is a great feeling to get to work alongside professionals such as yourselves! Keep doing great things.

Penny Ziel, LINC
Authenticity
Penny brings authenticity to her work, showcasing steadfast dedication in assisting LINC students. Her energy and commitment are highly valued. Well done, Penny!

Jim Kuehn, School of Trades and Technology
Action
Congratulations to Jim Kuehn for being selected as a projection artist for the Calgary Chinook Blast Festival. Projecting at Arts Commons, MAPPERZ will shine local artists’ renditions of the northern lights onto the exterior of the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Jim, you are so inspiring!

The Registration & Records Team, Medicine Hat and Brooks campuses
Action
It has been incredible to witness the Registration and Records team through the first 4 weeks of the semester. They have assisted students in navigating their academic journey since we started the new year. From managing the onslaught of students needing to register and modify their class schedules and processing tuition payments, to now calling students to make sure we have the necessary information for tax forms, it's been incredible to witness their patience and dedication.

Rene Hemenway, Centre for Innovation and Teaching Excellence
Authenticity and Collaboration
A huge thank you to Rene Hemenway, for consistently being just a phone call away, even during vacations, to provide assistance, resolve issues and take the stress off. Your dedication and reliability make a significant difference and we truly appreciate you!

Dylan Seitz IT Services
Collaboration
A big thank you to Dylan Seitz for going above and beyond during the December final exams. In the midst of technical issues in the exam centre, Dylan maintained an incredible level of professionalism, kindness and composure while calmly working to resolve many issues. Dylan's efforts and quick response to our many calls for help played a crucial role in a successful exam process. We appreciate you Dylan, and we are fortunate to have you as a colleague!

Rene Hemenway, Centre for Innovation and Teaching Excellence
Authenticity, Collaboration and Action
How can I choose just one story of recognition for Rene? Impossible when there are so many! "Medicine Hat College’s greatest strength is the care and dedication that faculty and staff have for our students" (MHC Mandate). Rene lives and breathes this statement but not just for her students, the attention and support she provides to faculty is second to none. Rene has gone over and above in every interaction I have shared with her. My email box is full of video proof! Rene, I would not want to do my job without you. Thank you for being you!

Melissa Neurauter, Student Services
Collaboration
Melissa went above and beyond to find a way to create and manage registrations for the upcoming Alberta Student Services Conference by using our current non-credit system. Thank you, Melissa, for eagerly taking up this challenge and finding an amazing solution!

Iris Plain Eagle, School of Health & Community Services
Authenticity
Thank you creating such a safe and open environment to learn about Indigenous culture and experiences. I enjoy being in meetings and listening to you share. Keeping teaching us the way you are, you're making an impact.

Colleen Whidden, Teaching & Learning
Action
Colleen spearheaded the college faculty and staff choir this year and it has been something I have really looked forward to (even in this busy time). We need more joy at work! Colleen is such a kind human who sees the best in others. Thank you for bringing this gift to so many at the college this year Colleen.

Joria Wright, Student Recruitment
Collaboration and Action
Big shout-out to Joria in Student Recruitment who, in addition to her regular day-to-day duties, collaborated with the marketing team to design and create two all-new newsletters; one for prospective students and one for high school counsellors. The new format and design not only looks fantastic, but is another step forward in terms of engagement with students and stakeholders. We couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out and to have Joria as part of the team! Amazing work!

Desa-Rae Laurent, School of Business & Continuing Studies
Collaboration and Action
Desa-Rae started in her role as the new Canine Studies Program Assistant at the busiest time in our year and hit the ground running. She never hesitates to take on a task. Her dog knowledge, confidence, problem solving skills, and ability to connect with other resources has been an absolute asset to our team. You're a rockstar Desa-Rae!

Matt Fosen, LINC - Brooks Campus
Collaboration
Despite having plenty of his own work to do, Matt cheerfully put everything aside for a short time to help out a colleague in need. He is always ready to set his own schedule aside to assist others whenever he can. Thanks Matt.

Peter Kelly, School of Trades and Technology
Authenticity, Collaboration and Action
Big shout-out to our Department Chair at the School of Trades and Technology! 🌟 Peter's unwavering support and genuine care for the team are truly remarkable. His contributions to our school are too many to list, but what stands out the most is how he makes everyone feel heard and valued. A heartfelt thank you, Peter, for all that you do! Your impact doesn't go unnoticed. 👏 #ThankYouPeter #SchoolHero

Carolyn Main, School of Business & Continuing Studies
Action and Authenticity
Carolyn noticed last year how stressed out her students were with the course material. She was inspired by a PD Event on Journaling, and decided to incorporate this into her senior level accounting courses. Carolyn's students have said, "thank you" for giving them the reflective assignment; that it helped them focus and reflect on their studying habits. Thank you, Carolyn, for making our students feel supported and for helping them reach their goals. That is what a great teacher does! Amazing.

Ahmed Abdalla, Facilities Operations, Brooks Campus
Action
Ahmed has been working at the Brooks Campus for over 20 years and is always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone and everyone. The campus has undergone a lot of changes over the past few years and Ahmed adapted very well to the changes. And he does so with a positive attitude. If he ever sees someone needing assistance, he's the first to jump in and lend a helping hand. He's also great at identifying and communicating when he sees safety or mechanical issues. It's a pleasure to work with Ahmed, and the campus has been lucky to have him all these years!

Holly Cavanagh, Student Recruitment
Collaboration and Action
Every time I work with Holly, I reflect on how fantastic she is. Holly is always helpful, cheerful, energetic, and a doer. She is full of action and making things happen. This was again the case with the latest project of having business professionals go into classrooms to share a "day in their life". We were not selling MHC, community members were sharing their stories to help inspire students future aspirations. Holly made this project a reality and helped make it so smooth that the community members had no idea of the hard work behind the scenes. Thank you Holly, you are fabulous!

Randi Dunham, Academic Advising
Collaboration
Randi has been a terrific addition to our hallway. She is a collaborative member of the S Wing who consistently communicates with others to make sure department and student needs are met, regularly going above and beyond to resolve issues. We are lucky to have her as our advisor!

Jen, Emma, Katie, Kaitlind, Bella, and Hayley, students of the Campus Peer Support department
Collaboration and Action
These students make themselves available to students all week long and have been assisting with events on campus to engage with students. They are a dynamic group of students, and we are lucky to have them working with us! Thank you Jen, Emma, Katie, Kaitlind, Bella, and Hayley, you guys are amazing!

Laura Gunn, Library Services
Action
Laura displays excellent internal customer service. Every request is met with a "can-do" response and followed up with quality work. Specifically, I have appreciated her work in gathering research in a timely and friendly manner. Thank you for your excellence service Laura.

Marcella Van Slyke, School of Business & Continuing Studies
Action
Marcella has gone above and beyond her work responsibilities with her help with calendar changes. Marcella gave hours and hours of her time to help get the calendar changes organized and vetted (we seemed to have 50!). Marcella, this task would have been impossible without your help. Thank you so much.

Dayna Felesky, School of Business & Continuing Studies
Authenticity
Dayna's Sports and Event Marketing Management (SEMM) students feel so connected to her and the SEMM program, that they made Dayna a SEMM t-shirt and all signed their names to it. This shows the strong relationship that Dayna has created with her students. Congratulations Dayna!

Miranda Davies, School of Business & Continuing Studies
Action
Miranda is an outstanding leader in her classroom. She spends a lot of time with her students outside of class time to prepare for a major assignment. She continuously demonstrates her true leadership skills to both students and faculty through her dedication to the quality education at MHC.

Melissa Neurauter, Cynthia Matthews, Sandra Price, & Shannon Maass, Registration Staff
Collaboration
This team has been so supportive of our department. They are quick & responsive and provide guidance & support as we develop processes for our department. In the last few months:
• They have helped us to create new digital badges for our Certificates of Completion
• Registered numerous continuing studies and conservatory students
• Provide clarification on features available within the registration system.
• Helped us align registration practices to streamline them with other services on campus.
They have made our jobs easier, and we are truly grateful.

Sydney Bolak, Nathalie Gillespie & everyone who contributed to the successful placement of the Canine Studies newest SDiT recruits!
Action and Collaboration
Nathalie and Sydney diligently readied and placed Service Dog in Training recruits with first-year Canine Studies students in October. In a bustling week, they collaborated with the rest of the CNST team and school of business colleagues to ensure a seamless experience. The placement week brought new, urgent tasks, but Nathalie and Sydney promptly addressed them, ensuring smooth operations. Amid what might seem like a chaotic procedure, the Canine Studies team displayed remarkable cohesion and teamwork.

Janis Stolson, MHC Students’ Association, Brooks Campus
Collaboration
Janis is truly amazing at her job. She works hard and is always finding ways to help students by organizing events, being involved and supportive on campus. Her creativity and collaborative approach is so appreciated and valued! The faculty, staff, and students are lucky to have her on campus! Thanks for everything you do Janis!!

Olena Mitsuk, School of Business and Continuing Studies
Collaboration
Olena has been instrumental in setting up the School of Business for Open House. Olena has created posters, videos, scrolling pictures, and all this with many more projects on her desk. Olena is also volunteering hours of her time to help out at Open House. Olena always has a smile and a kind word for all of us. Thank you so much for being so wonderful Olena! We appreciate you!

Jennifer Nabess, Facility Operations
Collaboration
I am so grateful for your patience and your helping me with all my room bookings for my different (ABLE) programs and classes! You are so quick to help and respond when I have questions or need support. You are the best! Thank you!

Brian and the Team from Facilities
Action
The whole team in facilities are great! In this case, Brian came and made sure that the set up for the Social Work Agency Poster display was correct. Without facilities staff, this great event would not have been possible. Thank you so much!

Rick Robinson, Academic Chair, Business/Instructor
Authenticity
Rick is a great chair. Feedback from his coordinators is that when we have questions for Rick, even if he does not know the answer, he will find out. Rick is always encouraging. He frequently does check-in's and supports us when needed. Rick is a calming presence amidst a busy schedule and even though he is busy, you never feel as though you interrupt him. Thank you Rick, we appreciate you!

Kim Dirk, Help Desk Technician
Action
Kim jumped into action and helped us get computers/internet up and running for a midterm exam on a moment's notice. She was calm, knowledgeable and helpful. It was a stressful situation and Kim handled with professionalism and kindness. Kim took a lot of stress off of us and was reassuring to the students. She even took the time and called us after the exam to be sure everything went smoothly. We appreciate you, Kim! Thank you!

Morgan Blair, Dean, Business & Continuing Studies
Authenticity
Morgan fosters positive culture. She is authentically excited to be a part of the business team and wants to build community and share in our successes. Morgan has demonstrated this by paying attention to the little things: starting a Potluck Soup Friday this semester, organizing a Pizza and Puppies night with the canine pups, and developing a wall of community pictures. Thank you, Morgan, for making this team better!

Andrew Strange, Part Time Instructor
Collaboration
I really value Andrew's openness and willingness to collaborate. We worked on a solution for Andrew's students and Andrew took the time to understand my perspective and went above and beyond to make sure we both had positive outcomes in the solution. Andrew's collaborative attitude made it a joy to work together!

Lesley Mackie, Instruction & Research Librarian, Laura Gunn, Library Assistant - Copyright, Sara Percy, Library Assistant, and Natalie Hamilton, Writing Specialist
Collaboration
I have had various members of the library and the writing specialist come into my classes this semester and as always they are knowledgeable and amazing. MHC is very lucky to have such great resources and skilled people! You help students succeed and should be proud of the great work you do.

Kerry Douville, Instructor, Shannon Maass, Associate Registrar, and Rose Paulgaard, Manager, Marketing & Communications
Action
Kerry, Shannon, and Rose did an amazing job launching the Supportive Care Assistant Program in a relative short window! There is a nationwide shortage of Health Care Aides, and this program - funded by the Government of Canada and Administered by CICan - reached 20 learners, strengthened relationships with employers, and most importantly, led to more students enrolling in the Health Care Aide program who are eligible for a tuition bursary. It was a wonderful team effort to address a community need.

Jessica Surgenor, Manager, Brooks Campus Service & Engagement
Action
Jessica is always going out of her way to problem solve on the Brooks Campus. Her leadership, hard work and friendly personality keep this campus going! We couldn't be more thankful for what she does for the Brooks team.

Shelby Denman, Administrative Assistant and Rebeca Rothfus, Executive Director
Action
Shelby and Rebeca have been working hard to navigate through the student health and dental opt-in/out process. Despite the busy times, they have remained positive and were able to successfully get through this period of time. Thank you for always being your best for students!

Lindsay Heier, Counsellor
Collaboration and Action
Lindsay stepped up to assist with the Residence welcome back BBQ. He prepped and planned all day to ensure all our resident students had a satisfying meal. Thanks Lindsay for helping out when needed.

Shawn DeGreeve, Instructor
Collaboration
Shawn has a passion for teaching and always reaches for amazing learning opportunities for his students. This year, Shawn is working with Miranda to conduct a COIL project with Fontys University. His students will research what Gen X's think of Miele's Retail environment. Shawn's students will work with Fontys University students in the Netherlands to discover the difference between European and North American purchasing patterns. This takes a huge amount of time and effort to collaborate with online partners. Thanks Shawn, we appreciate the work you put in.

Helio Colaco, Instructor
Authenticity
Helio is often affectionately referred to as the "fun uncle" in BEET. His energy in the class is infectious, and his desire to see students succeed underlines everything he does. A wonderful example of his outside-the-box thinking and energy is recent PD activities related to acting for teachers. Looking forward to you keeping us on our toes, and fun in the classroom Helio!

Camillia Lawrence, Administrative Assistant
Authenticity, Collaboration and Action
You are an outstanding employee, it’s rare to come across people who are so dedicated to their profession. I want to thank you for always being willing to go the extra mile to deliver impeccable work. You are always proactive, accountable for your work, and willing to support those around you when needed. You took a challenge head on this summer without batting an eye, and you crushed it!! This exhibits how you always step up even if it takes you out of your comfort zone... all for the students.

IT Support Team
Action
Thank you, thank you IT Services! This entire team has been above and beyond in its responsiveness and action. After a long summer of getting the campus ready for the 2034/24 year they have not flinched or hesitated when it came to supporting last-minute troubleshooting, classroom reorganization, and equipment installs. Special thanks from BEET for your tireless work to keep our classes running and working for our students!

Facility Operations
Action
This week students came into a ridiculously hot classroom. Within minutes of being notified of the problem, Facility Operations was investigating (failed heating valve discovered) and notified us of plan to get it resolved. Thanks for the quick action - students certainly appreciated it!

Lorne Jeal, Instructor
Action & Collaboration
With the advent of ChatGPT and other AI tools, it is impossible to keep up. Lorne has shared his expertise and passion for such things to help our school navigate the challenges that come with LLMs.

Miranda Davies, Coordinator/Instructor and Kim St.Yves, Academic Advisor
Action & Collaboration
This fall, our Business Administration program had more students than seats … what a wonderful problem to have. Miranda & Kim worked tirelessly for the first week of the semester to make sure there were places for everyone!

April Williams, Administrative Assistant 
Authenticity
This lady saved our office, from being exceptionally well with our students/conference guests to always picking up the administrative duties in the residence office. Some days were extremely tough, but she always came in with a huge smile, and brighten my day! The administrative support, and true team work I received form her during the busy times, while being short staffed, I cannot thank her enough! We will miss her at her new role at MHC, but also know she will provide amazing support to her new department!

Jaynette Dueck, Penny Zeil, Carla Hemeon, Mathew Fosen, Marian Izzo, Heather Morrissey, Michael Austin, LINC
Action, Authenticity, Collaboration
LINC teachers/staff have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the program. They have cultivated an inclusive environment, prioritized individualized learning and support, and constantly seek innovative ideas to improve the program. LINC teachers/staff are dedicated to ensuring their students have the best educational experience possible. As an entry-level program, this ensures student retention and creates pathways for them to continue on their educational journey.

Camellia Lawrence, Administrative Assistant
Action
Camellia took on additional responsibilities over the summer in the midst of some staffing transition which ensured an ex excellent and smooth move-in for our students in Residence this fall. The extra effort is appreciated and noticed! Great work!

Shawn DeGreeve, Adrienne Lattery, Lorne Jeal, Dayna Felesky, Marissa Jordan, Dillon Batsel, Heather Stahl, Morgan Blair,  Miranda Davies, Carolyn Main, Angela Guest, Rick Robinson, Sam Jagt, Natalie Gillespie, Kim St. Yves, Kendra Kobley, Alison Clark, Landon Heilman, Darren Howes
Collaboration
New Student Orientation is only as successful as the team that makes it happen and the School of Business had an amazing day, all thanks to the many efforts of those named above. From organizing all the events, communicating with the students, creating the ice breakers, developing the breakout rooms, working the scavenger hunt, speaking at the event, and simply making it a success. Thank you. We are amazing because you care about the student experience.

Kim St. Yves, Academic Advisor
Action
Kim is extraordinary. This last week, he has been inundated with students needing changes and additions to classes. Kim always has a smile and never seems to get frustrated. Thank you, Kim, for everything that you do. 

Colleen Copeland, Scheduling Administrator
Action
Colleen is so calm and positive. There have been so many changes and email sent to Colleen. All of them require attention and large amounts of work, yet Colleen always has a smile. Thank you Colleen!

Facility Operations and Food Services
Action
Huge shout out to the Facility Operations and Food Services employees for doing such an amazing job on College Day. This is a busy time of year for both teams so thank you for all that you did both leading up to the event as well as during College Day. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. You rock!

Erin Murdoch, Academic Chair, Health
Action
Congratulations Erin on passing the Canadian Certified Nurse Educator exam. This year of hard work represents a national mark of excellence in the field of teaching and learning related to nursing theory and practice. Achieving this designation while handling all your other Chair responsibilities models how much you care about teaching quality, Nursing education, and the student experience. Use your new CCNE designation with pride! This is a big and important achievement.

Rose Paulgaard, Manager, Marketing & Communications 
Collaboration and Action
Rose has put in countless hours in the past year working to create opportunity for stakeholder consultation to shape the new site, listening, and tuning the development to meet the needs of site users. And, she’s worked with the team in her department to be ready for the new site, and expanded the number of trained content authors on campus that can manage parts of the site. The work extended to the external team that brought top-level expertise to the project. All this collaboration lead to action. The site has been launched, and the ongoing work to deliver on the opportunity the site offers us can proceed. Thanks Rose! 

Sandra Price, Registration & Records Coordinator
Authenticity
Sandra is awesome! She is a true team player and is always lending a helping hand. Sandra is super friendly and is always willing to help an area in need. Thanks Sandra for being a breath of fresh air in Student Services!    

Dustin Angle, Library Assistant
Action
Dustin is a current student in MHC's Education program, a Student Ambassador, and works at MHC in our Library and Student Recruitment departments. He continues to demonstrate a willingness to provide a high level of customer service to current and future students. He is intuitive in assessing when others need help and offers support above and beyond the expectations of his role. Last week, students visiting MHC were looking to connect with support services as Dustin was passing through the hallway, he noticed the students were confused. He stopped to assist the students and connected them with staff who would be able to offer further support. We appreciate his work at MHC and his willingness to support other students and staff.

Melodie Krasnuik, Administrative Assistant
Authenticity
I thoroughly enjoy working with Melodie due to her exceptional qualities as a colleague and friend. She demonstrates attentive listening, unwavering honesty, and an impressive ability to provide timely and accurate solutions to various inquiries. Her strong character and outstanding capabilities make her an invaluable asset to our organization. 

Heather Stahl, Instructor
Action
Heather goes above and beyond for her students. She is SO positive and is an amazing member of the Canine Studies faculty. She worked with students to help them succeed in her spring semester course and had students eager and engaged in their learning. We appreciate you Heather!

Colleen Copland, Scheduling Administrator
Collaboration
Colleen is the scheduler for MHC. The School of Business has over 27 part time instructors, each with their own full-time job elsewhere. That means when we hire a part time instructor, their time requirements for a class are different than each other. Colleen is amazing and kind and patient! We send Colleen emails asking for her to change a class time for us and she has to find classrooms and check 35 student schedules to see potential conflicts and provide options. Colleen does this all with a smile. Thank you so much Colleen, we appreciate you!

Tara Pasco, Student Placement Officer

Action
Tara is the placement officer for the School of Business. She came into her position with zero policies or procedures built and urgent placements needing to be filled. Tara is a whirlwind of action and did not show her stress! She successfully placed all our students and has now created student handbooks for the upcoming academic year. Thank you, Tara for always taking the initiative and for making us a better program. We appreciate you!

Ricardo Gamero, Programmer/Analyst

Action
Ricardo consistently shatters expectations when it comes to finding solutions to complex problems. He approaches technical tasks with the mindset of “what’s possible” and is always cool under pressure. Ricardo translates our decidedly non-technical requests and turns them into effective tools that make us more efficient and effective in our work. Truly an invaluable colleague and asset to our institution.

Jessica Hirsekorn, Administrative Assistant; Corey Rogers, Lab Aide; Keon Clift, Instructor; Chad Schulz, Instructor

Action
I needed a bit of help with my vehicle. The team in the Trades department were all quick to act and lend a hand. I appreciate your initiative and taking the time to help me solve my issue. You Rock!

Amanda Solar, Registration & Records Assistant

Action
Thank you to Amanda for all your hard work for graduation. It would not happen without you preparing all the parchments for the students.

Sharon Frederick, Accessibility Services Assistant and Kelly Young, Administrative Assistant, ARC

Collaboration
Sharon and Kelly work together in a seamless manner on a daily basis to ensure that students receive the approved exam accommodations. The number of students registered with Accessibility Services continues to increase rapidly. Sharon and Kelly collaborate to ensure that the available seats in both testing centres are assigned to students based on their specific needs. They also work together to support instructors and to ensure the integrity of each exam. Despite the explosion of students accessing the testing centres over the past few years, along with extremely limited space and resources, Sharon and Kelly continue to successfully manage the caseload. Thank you both so much.

Jian Gao, Teaching Assistant, Assistive Technologist for Accessibility Services

Action
Jian goes above and beyond to meet with students according to their schedules. She often meets with students in the evening and on weekends so that they are best prepared for an exam the next day. At the request of some of the Faculty in Business, Jian made herself available to students in the Business wing so that they would not have to schedule in with her individually. Jian displays patience and empathy for students who are struggling. She is willing to spend as much time as she has available to help students to experience a sense of competency. Thank you, Jian, for all that you do!

Jessica Hirsekorn, Administrative Assistant and Erin Ferris, Program Administrator

Collaboration
Jessica Hirsekorn, supported by Erin Ferris, organized the First in-person Southern Alberta Regional Skills competition since before Covid. This was also the first time that the event was not organized by external partners. Jessica worked for months organizing technical committees, judges, sponsors, supplies, materials and other untold logistics at three different locations in Medicine Hat to pull off this event. Secondary school learners and industry partners from across our region came to the Medicine Hat College campus, McCoy High School, and Medicine Hat High School on Friday April 21st to participate in a variety of skilled trades and technology competitions such as culinary arts, hairstyling, automotive service, carpentry, and videography. Erin was invaluable and unwavering in her support for Jessica to help make this happen. This Skills event is part of a national body, Skills Canada, that actively promotes careers in skilled trades and technologies. Competitors from our region went on to compete recently at Provincial Skills in Edmonton last week, with some progressing to National Skills in Winnipeg later in May. Thank you Jessica and Erin for supporting learners in our region and being such passionate advocates for skilled trades and technologies!

Rene Hemenway, Instructional Designer, CITE

Action
During exam times, the testing centres tend to experience a variety of technical issues that we do have the authority to resolve. We quickly learned that Rene is our "go-to" person in these instances. She appreciates the need for a timely response and she always responds immediately. Her technical expertise and her enthusiastic and empathic personality allow our staff to assure students that the issue will be resolved. Rene's positive attitude is always appreciated. Mid-terms and final exams are a stressful experience for all involved. Rene's consistent professional response is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Rene, for all that you do for Accessibility Services and the students we serve.

Andrea Woods, Graphic Designer & Multimedia Developer

Collaboration
I was looking for some direction and support to make some changes to some forms in my program. Andrea brought so many great ideas and enthusiasm to the table. She is so great at her job! It was lovely to see someone so passionate about their work and willing to help others. Andrea you are a ROCK STAR!

Pam Plante, Accounting Assistant

Authenticity
Besides Pam's sense of humour, she is always so quick to help out and find answers if she doesn't have them at hand. Pam is prompt and knowledgeable and just a joy to interact with, even just by email.

Dr. Juan Aldana, Instructor & Russel Krasnuik, Instructor and Academic Chair, Science

Action
Last week we received notice our introductory biology course would no longer transfer to University of Lethbridge. As soon as we received notice, Juan immediately took action to find a resolution. He worked with our Chair, Russel Krasnuik, to set up a meeting with the faculty at U of L. Juan researched how the course has changed over the years, and developed a proposal for resolution. Juan and Russel travelled to U of L late last week to meet with the U of L faculty. By Friday, the problem had been resolved and BIOL 231 transfer to U of L BIOL 1010 was re-established. In 5 days a major problem was resolved. Thank you so much Juan and Russel for your quick action!

Rebeca Rothfus, Executive Director

Action
Everyday Rebeca goes above and beyond to serve the organization and the students it represents. Her genuine care for the students of the Medicine Hat College is apparent in the work she does. Her tireless efforts to create a better learning environment and enhance the overall college experience are truly appreciated and valued by all.

Kendra Kobley, Academic Advisor

Collaboration
Thank you, Kendra, for consistently being there! Your support means a lot.

Keeley Cyr, Program Supporter

Collaboration
Keeley is always willing to support a colleague, even those outside of her department! Recently, she took the time to help instructors in another department find remedial resources to meet the needs of their students. I have never heard her say that something is not her job. If she can help out students, any students, she will. Thanks Keeley, for your support.

Carla Hemeon, Instructor

Authenticity
Carla with LINC ESL in Brooks always displays a high level of patience with her students, despite having a student demographic that REQUIRES a particularly high level of patience. She willingly creates material from scratch in order to meet the specific needs of her students. She does this while balancing a teaching schedule of 400 hrs/year including every Friday night. Carla is a prime example of what it means to genuinely care about students and work towards their success!

Crystal Martens, Administrative Assistant

Collaboration
Crystal is always willing to go the extra mile for any who asks. She is professional, efficient, and courteous. We are so lucky to have her as a part of the Health and Community Services team. Crystal you are a ROCK STAR!

Colleen Whidden, Director, Teaching & Learning

Collaboration
Colleen took a big chunk out of her day recently to meet with the faculty of our program. She did an amazing job helping us to optimize our programming (Colleen is a great teacher!) Through a lot of amazing collaboration, discussion and education, the faculty felt heard, supported and inspired. Thanks Colleen!

Rick Michaluk, Facility Maintenance Generalist

Authenticity
Always willing to lend a helping hand, he is always smiling kind and polite. Thank you Rick for all of your hard work. It doesn't matter what you are asked to do, you always show up with a smile on your face.... you keep us ship shape. Thank you!!

Angela Ries, Educational Assistant (Math/Science)

Collaboration
As a tutor in the Academic Resources Centre, Angela is an outstanding asset to the students at the college and to instructors across a variety of programs. She works collaboratively with a many programs and is always so supportive when giving students the extra help they need when facing difficulties with their courses. Thank you for all of the help you provide to MHC students and staff!

Marcella Van Slyke, Administrative Assistant

Collaboration
Marcella, is a whirlwind of energy and kindness. She always has positive words to share and is always open to new ideas and new projects. Anytime you ask Marcella for assistance, she goes out of her way to make sure everything is perfect. Marcella is a master project manager: she has so many things on the go and keeps everyone organized. Thank you so much Marcella!

Rick Robinson, Department Chair, Business / Instructor

Authenticity
Rick, you are such a caring leader. You always have time to listen to your teams' challenges and wins. Your authentic leadership is inspiring. You have demonstrated over and over your operational knowledge and we continue to come to you for advice on solving new challenges! Thank you for genuinely caring about your team. We appreciate you!

Brenda Ives, Marissa Jordan, Michael Pin Chuan Lin, Jasmyn Bojakli, and Jean Prysiazny: The COMM 252 Super Team!

Collaboration
This Winter semester, we had 5 new instructors teaching 5 COMM 252 courses in Business. What a team! This team met every week for 1 hour to discuss the course structure and the weeks lectures. Every week, the instructors shared stories and wrote assignments together. This was one of the most collaborative teams I have worked with in years. It was such a pleasure to work with professionals who are passionate about student success and unafraid of change. Thank you super team!!!

Jill Wogrinc, Student Financial Aid Advisor

Authenticity
Jill loves to go the extra mile to make a difference in one of her colleague’s day. She is always surprising someone with gratitude cards, candy or homemade treats. She is so very thoughtful and is fantastic to have in the financial aid department.

Justine McKennie, Academic Strategist

Authenticity
Justine exerts positive energy in everything she does. Her inspiration and motivation to make every day the best is her ultimate goal. She thrives on helping students develop better habits and to find direction. One conversation with her will add a little bit of sparkle into your day.

Miranda Davies, Instructor

Authenticity

As a part-time instructor Miranda always takes the time to support me when I need help. Not only that, but watching her interact with students and the way she can work through issues, help students understand, is impressive. Thanks for not only being a great colleague but a great educator. I've learned so much from Miranda.

Abby Koch and Paige Meek, Food Services Workers

Authenticity
Abby and Paige in Common Grounds all year have always been very pleasant and go above and beyond. Every day I go there they are always smiling and very welcoming! They create and friendly atmosphere to the coffee shop.

Heather Hart, Office Assistant

Authenticity

Far from home and family, I found a gem of a person on my day one at MHC! Heather is friendly, welcoming and immensely thoughtful. Thank you, Heather!!

Carla Smith, Facilities Coordinator & Misty Parker, Manager, Facility Services

Action
Misty & Carla are absolutely amazing! They go above and beyond to help in any situation and deserve a BIG WOOT WOOT! Thank you for all you do!!

Shannan Hurlbut, Program Administrator

Action
Shannan is fantastic! She’s always there to help and go the extra mile for her colleagues and students!!

Amanda Hennessey, Coordinator/Instructor

Action
Amanda has enlisted her apprenticeship classes to help teach the electrical portion of the Career and Technology Foundations program for Junior high kids. This took a lot of work, but to see the apprentice's and students' faces as they work together is inspiring! What an amazing opportunity for mentorship.

Carolyn Main, Instructor

Collaboration
Carolyn is always willing to lend a helping hand and collaborate to enhance our program offerings. She is a wonderful and genuine instructor, mentor, and person.

Joanne Mokry, Technology & Resources Librarian

Authenticity
I have known Joanne for almost 7 years. For the college community, Joanne is knowledgeable, supportive and kind during her interactions. She treats everyone with kindness and always showcases a positive attitude in our library. As a previous supervisor, she is very supportive, kind, willing to listen and is always there when you need her. She is also super fun and I always enjoy our conversations. Thank you for everything that you do for the library and me!

Jessica Surgenor, Manager, Brooks Campus Service & Engagement

Collaboration
Jessica has been such a pleasure to work with at the Brooks Campus. Her ideas, innovation, collaboration, and leadership skills have made such a positive impact on campus. Her positive energy and enthusiasm is inspiring. Thank you for everything that you do Jessica, it’s such a pleasure working with you!

Caro Janzen, Hannah Schow & Kayley Scheibner, Practical Nurse Faculty

Collaboration
The Practical Nurse Faculty has gone above and beyond in their efforts to support the students and program. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such a dedicated team. Their commitment and hard work on a daily basis is both inspiring and exceptional. Their efforts have recently culminated in the full approval of our annual report, which is a testament to their dedication and hard work. Well done team! I am incredibly proud to work alongside of you!

Ruth Streifel, Instructor, Steamfitter/Pipefitter, Plumber & Dennis Stadnyk, Trades Assistant

Action
Thank you so much for the time that Ruth and Dennis have put in to get the Brooks Welding lab running again after quite a few years of it not being used. We are now able to run Pre-Employment Welding in Brooks as well as hopefully offer programming to the community there. Their support is greatly appreciated!

Carolyn Main, Instructor

Authenticity
Carolyn Main teaches senior level accounting courses and is the faculty lead on accounting placements. Our Advanced Accounting students are currently on their placements and news has reached us that students are talking about her, "we could never have succeeded without Carolyn's support, her teaching style is so clear and direct, I love how supportive and caring she is, I understand the material because of the way she teaches". Thank you Carolyn for being such an amazing instructor and for supporting and inspiring our students. We appreciate you so much.

Anna Dmytriv, Instructor

Authenticity
Anna is a new instructor in the School of Business. She has joined us from the Ukraine where she was a Marketing Professor. We are thrilled to have Anna with us! Anna is so creative and open to new ideas: this semester, she wrote an assignment getting students to use CHAT GPT and show the iterations to get great content out of the AI. They then were to design a commercial for the School of Business based on their collaborative work with the AI. Anna also worked with her students to create crossword puzzles to learn textbook definitions. The students created the crossword puzzles and then shared them with each other. Student feedback was fantastic! They enjoyed the project, and they opened their textbooks and learned what the definitions meant! We are so glad you have joined our team, Anna. Your creativity and passion for excellence makes us a better program.

Barbara Mitchell, Institutional Planning Lead

Collaboration
Barb does so many important things at the college - it can be hard to keep track! She is the lead of the Gender-Based Violence working group and she prepared, always solicits everyone's input and ideas, and generally makes the group a safe and inviting place. Barb is professional and kind.

Jocelyn Clarke & Danika Bowser, Library Assistants

Action
Jocelyn and Danika are the amazing individuals who keep the library running nights and weekends after everyone else has gone home. They are dedicated, knowledgeable, and so kind when you need assistance. Thank you, Jocelyn and Danika, for helping us with all of our last-minute multimedia needs and questions!

Jennifer Stuart, Administrative Assistant

Collaboration
It's such a pleasure to work alongside Jen. She goes above and beyond to help students, staff and faculty throughout her very busy days. She's so very positive and conscientious in making sure that the information she provides is timely, clear and accurate.

Alison Clark, Student Recruiter

Action
A HUGE THANK YOU to Alison Clark for an amazing job planning MHC's Open House! It was obvious the effort that Alison put into organizing the event and it is so great to see MHC buzzing with new students. Her commitment to making sure everyone was prepared to welcome students on campus was impressive. Thanks, Alison, for your terrific work!

Kendra Kobley, Academic Advisor

Collaboration
Kendra is always willing to jump in and help. Whether it is finding a solution to a problem, providing the best support for a student, or offering to do a task for fellow coworkers, Kendra always looks for ways to be of service. She is one of the hardest working people I know.

Darshini Patel, Administrative Assistant & Heather Hart, Office Assistant

Authenticity
Darshini and Heather exemplify authenticity at the college. They are often the first point of contact for students, parents, and community members, and they go above and beyond to provide support. These two deal with a variety of situations that can be challenging, and yet they are always kind, caring, and patient. They are determined to make sure people get the right answer in a timely manner. An interaction with Darshini and Heather will definitely brighten your day.

Brenda Smith, Payroll & Benefits Advisor

Action
Brenda is always willing to go above and beyond to help not only her colleagues, but everyone who comes into HR. Recently, a young lad and his parents were directed to HR for assistance connected to a phone call they received from MHC. Uncertain of where they needed to be, Brenda immediately jumped into action and took on the task to help these folks. After visiting various college departments, Brenda successfully solved the mystery and at the same time, provided excellent customer service to this family. This is just one example of the numerous ways Brenda puts aside her busy schedule to assist another. She does so willingly, always with a smile and always with her amazing attitude!

Heather Stahl, Instructor

Authenticity
A HUGE THANK YOU to Heather Stahl for the work she has been doing in the School of Business. Heather has started monthly activity nights for team members to get together and hang out, she has created the "let's eat lunch together" club, she has organized a student run tax clinic, and most recently has taken over the bulletin boards with Business in the News! Thank you, Heather, your enthusiasm and energy are fabulous and we appreciate you!

Dillon Batsel, Instructor and Head Coach, Golf

Collaboration
Dillon is the co-faculty force behind the Business Students Ambassador Club and the co-faculty force behind the Case Club and Case Team. Dillon truly understands that the College experience is not simply in the classroom, but in the extra-curricular experiences they have, Dillon works tirelessly to ensure students get the help they need and are involved in the College experience. Thank you to Dillon Batsel!

Linda Tooth, Instructor

Action
Linda Tooth is the co-faculty force behind the Business Students Ambassador Club and has been the driving force with bringing cats and kittens on campus to help students with anxiety and depression. The Kitten Cafes are so popular that they have raised over $1000 for the SPCA and students from the high schools have come on campus after hearing about the opportunity. Linda is also the co-founder of a podcast called 'Cats, Community and Conversation'. Linda brought her podcast show into her communication classes to have students actively learning and speaking with her. Thank you, Linda, for your energy and enthusiasm to making us a better program!

Dean Milne, Coordinator/Instructor

Collaboration
Dean is authentic, respectful, analytical and dependable. His approach with all the work he does at the MHC is collaborative and he is mindful to include others. He always has an optimistic outlook and has been a strong leader in his role. We very much enjoy working with Dean and appreciate his work ethic and approach to building relationships.

Carla Smith, Facilities Coordinator

Collaboration
With greatly increased use of the college this year, and lots of activity, Carla has kept a friendly, positive and collaborative attitude in helping people find rooms to book at the college. She is definitely concerned with doing a good job... and it shows!

Greg Bechtold, Manager, Facility Operations

Action
For managing numerous projects, tasks, and associated details. Greg and his small team handle many behind the scenes tasks that keep our campuses comfortable and inviting places to be.

Tracey Seitz, David Borella, and Shane Lanz, ITS management team

Action
For working above and beyond, in rapidly changing and challenging circumstances to support the IT needs of students, faculty, and staff.

Spencer Krawczyk, Budget & Reporting Analyst

Action
Spencer is always quick to respond and incredibly patient to work through any questions or issues. This action focus helps get things done and makes all the process and issues around budget that much easier. Thank you for your continuously helpful and positive attitude!

Financial Services Staff

Collaboration
I would like to acknowledge the entire staff in Financial Services. They have had to endure some very difficult circumstances with the launching of the new ERP system and staffing changes. They have embraced all the changes with such grace and positivity and always put the students and staff of the college first in everything they do. They support each other and are an amazing team! MHC is lucky to have them.

Lorelei Neal, Administrative Assistant

Action
Lorelei's number one priority is ensuring students have the best experience while attending MHC and especially the Brooks campus. She's always willing to lend a helping hand will go above and beyond to support students. For the staff, she's the organizer of all things - whether that be someone's birthday or running a social club, she's focused on building a positive culture for staff and students. Thank you, Lorelei!

Colleen Copeland, Scheduling Administrator

Action
For a brand new scheduler, replacing a 30+ year veteran, you are rocking the scheduling office!

Shingayi Bamhare, Systems Analyst and Ricardo Gamero, Programmer/Analyst

Action
Financial services would be lost without you! Thank you for all you do for us. :)

Pam Hole, Financial Analyst

Collaboration
Pam is an all-around great team player. She always offers assistance, even when she's busy, and is a wealth of information for all the new finance folks. Thank you, Pam!

Jamie Weatherhead, Jody MacKenzie, Rakesh Kaushish, Lianne Kading, Gord DeBoef & Brian Williamson, POWE

Collaboration
There is so much good to say about this team. Most recently, they have had an instructor move on to other opportunities and the way they came together to make sure this was a seamless transition for the students was inspiring. The first thing stated by one of the team was, "Any decision must be made with the student's best interest in mind." The power engineering team is the very definition of how powerful collaboration can be with the right mindset. Thank you POWE!!!

Mike Stevens, Security Supervisor

Action
Mike - you always have a cheerful and lively disposition. You respond quickly to calls and address issues in a straightforward manner. I appreciate the level of safety I feel knowing that you are here.

Miranda Davis, Coordinator/Instructor

Action
Miranda is always ready to go the extra mile when it comes to giving students great learning experiences. Just when it looked like our business students weren't going to be able to attend case competitions, due to funding constraints, she found a way to make it happen!

Marissa Jordan & Samantha Jagt, Co-Chairs/Instructors

Collaboration
Marissa & Samantha coordinate the Canine Studies program together. The program involves puppies that require extra care and attention compared to the average student. Samantha, who lives on the west coast, handles the medical treatment, while Marissa deals with day-to-day needs & activities. They work closely together to ensure that their canine students are cared for, which takes significant collaboration and excellent communication. It even means taking a dog home from time to time!

Dayna Felesky, Instructor

Authenticity
Dayna joined MHC last summer as the coordinator of two new programs, Sustainable Innovation, and Sport Event Marketing & Management. Not only are these new programs, they also are delivered in the Flexible Learning Environment. During the inaugural year, she experienced learning and growing pains. Every challenge she has faced has been met with a professional, kind, and caring attitude about the experience of her students and the instructors in her program. Her genuine care for others and for the programs under her care is appreciated!

Linda Senecal, Library Assistant

Collaboration
Linda demonstrates all three MHC guiding principles, but most recently, she volunteered her time and knowledge when the Brooks Campus hosted the SATs on a Saturday last month. She's always kind, friendly and willing to support the campus in any capacity. This example shows this. She's welcoming and is always willing to lend a helping hand to the staff, faculty and students. She goes above and beyond!

Serena Cataldo, Department Chair, Community Services

Authenticity
Serena is a dynamic and conscientious faculty member. As Chair of Community Services, she provides an authentic leadership style which enhances the workplace and our programs. She is trustworthy and empowering. Thanks for your commitment and dedication to making our School the best it can be!

Michelle Robinson, Student Placement Officer

Collaboration
Michelle is diligent in her role as Student Placement Officer. She is well organized, collaborative in her interactions, and is always available to brainstorm and problem solve. She is an asset to MHC, and an absolute pleasure to work with. Thanks for all you do!

Ryan Fitzgerald, Admissions / Record Clerk

Action
Ryan received a communication from a student regarding a very time sensitive problem with a course. While this concern did not involve Ryan's department, he immediately took the time to speak to the appropriate departments, help investigate the matter and lead the student in the right direction. He even followed up to make sure the problem had been solved! What an amazing display of caring and service! Thank you Ryan for taking action when the student needed help!

Tracey Semko, Academic Advisor

Collaboration
Tracey, you are a wealth of knowledge. You are always willing to help others out and collaborate to create and streamline processes. Your ability to provide assistance whenever asked is admirable. I enjoy having the opportunity to work alongside you!

Chris Kessler, Library Assistant

Collaboration
Chris is an amazing addition to the library. He is always ready to lend a hand and is good at putting students and staff at ease when they need help. He's invaluable to the team and everybody in the library appreciates his friendliness, work ethic, and willingness to help out his coworkers. Thank you Chris!

Heather Emerson, Library Assistant

Collaboration
Heather is a shining light in the library. She always has the most positive attitude, shows up willing to help out, and does her best to help staff and students with whatever they need. We look forward to Heather showing up every day because she instantly spreads positivity and sunshine. Thank you Heather!

SD76, Grounds Crew

Action
Thank you to the SD76 Grounds crew for always having the sidewalks, roads, and parking lots plowed and sanded by the time we all get into work in the morning. We appreciate those early mornings!

Chaplain George

Collaboration
You can’t help but love Chaplain George’s passion and enthusiasm for student events. He is always eager to either join in or facilitate. Chaplain G. has been a great support and sounding board for many, students and staff alike. He was a shoulder and comfort, helping me to try and make sense and cope with a tragic loss of a young student. I will forever be grateful for your support and compassion during that time.

Jessica Surgenor, Brooks Campus Administrator

Action
Jessica takes a student-focused, action-oriented approach to her work at the Brooks Campus. The campus is brighter and fresher thanks to her smile, and the work she does.

Chelsey Toews, Megan Jesse, and Lori Fedechko, Instructors

Action
Congratulations Chelsey, Megan, and Lori on the completion of your Masters Degrees in 2022! Not only are you excelling in your field but you are all taking action to improve the educational experience for the students in the nursing program. What an honor to work with you all.

Cynthia Matthews, Student Systems Support & Records Administrator

Collaboration
Cynthia is always ready and willing to provide support to any Campus Vue user. She provides excellent instruction. She goes above and beyond to help meet our needs and we really appreciate the time she takes to fulfill our requests. Thank-you Cynthia!

Jacie Brusky, Administrative Coordinator

Collaboration
In my work with Jacie, she's always projected a spirit and enthusiasm that defines what we should all strive for in collaboration. In my time with her, I've seen Jacie take on some new and unfamiliar challenges and her positive attitude when faced with these challenges was the difference between just working together and true collaboration. I 've seen Jacie bring out the best in everyone, and that is something I just can't help but admire. Most of the projects that I've worked on in the last year or so just wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for Jacie helping me, so I wanted to give her a shout out and let her know she is appreciated!

Tina Juhasz,  Registration Clerk

Authenticity
Tina is awesome with students! She always has a smile on her face and always goes over and above to assist students. Tina always has an encouraging word to help students get through any situation.

Academic Resource Staff

Collaboration
Going above and beyond to help students experiencing technological issues during an online midterm. Their help and positive attitudes contribute to student success.

Alex Zanidean, Research Analyst

Collaboration
Alex assisted finance in revamping an important report making it easier to use and understand. Thank you Alex!

Colette Michaluk, Food Services Coordinator

Action
Colette works tirelessly to bring others joy through her culinary gifts. With all of the events, regular day to day activities, it's so easy to take for granted how much others do for us to make our events successful, not only for Medicine Hat College, but for our community events as well. Recently on campus, a guest speaker said "it's the little things in life that bring joy to others. It takes special people to make a huge difference". Colette always ensures that each event is beautifully displayed and maintains a standard that is second to none. Your talent, hard work and dedication to your job is so appreciated. You are amazing at what you do, thank you!

Jason Openo,  Dean, Health & Community Services

Authenticity
Jason recently stepped into the role of Dean of School of Health and Community Services and has already done great works! His philosophical approach to difficult topics is inspirational. Jason has shown us all what it's like to be a true leader.

Denise Paul, Manager, Payroll, Benefits & Hris

Collaboration
I have witnessed on a continual basis how Denise demonstrates authenticity, collaboration and action with each person or department that she comes into contact with. Wearing a number of hats each day, Denise juggles multiple priorities, yet she ALWAYS makes the time to help out a colleague or customer regardless of the deadlines looming on her desk. And she does so with such patience, professionalism and compassion! Her customer service is exceptional - always "walking in her customer's shoes" to better understand their situation so that she can assist them to the best of her ability. She is a fountain of knowledge, an excellent teacher/mentor and a true team player! Thank you for the countless ways you make a difference each and every day!

Louise Berger, Part-Time Instructor

Authenticity
Louise always goes above and beyond to help her students. She actively works to include real-world examples in her lectures and labs to engage her students and ensure they have the skills to succeed in industry. Louise also puts in extra time helping students understand concepts or go over labs until they understand the material and feel confident in their abilities. Thank you so much for all you do, Louise. MHC is lucky to have you.

Lori Fedechko, Instructor

Collaboration
Lori has embraced her new role as the BN Coordinator and worked with the faculty, various departments, and collaborative partner - University of Calgary to submit a mandatory report to the regulatory body for nursing. Lori has accomplished great things for the School of Health and Community Services within a very short amount of time.

Erika Schofield, Academic Advisor

Collaboration
Erika always goes out of her way to help train new co-workers even when she is busy herself. She has been a friendly, positive light in the advising area.

Holly Lewis-Futrell and Stephanie Trepanier, Lab Assistants

Collaboration
Holly & Stephanie can always be found working together to ensure that the Sims for our department go off without a hitch. They are quick to not only help each other but also help the instructors. They work behind the scenes but without them none of the simulations would be possible. When one of them is running back to back sims, the other is there to collaborating to help wherever possible. These ladies rock!

Melodie Krasnuik, Administrative Assistant

Collaboration
Melodie is always quick to offer her advice, expertise and wisdom whenever requested. She is patient and kind. She is a pillar in our department. Without her, many of us would be lost. Love working with you Melodie!

Darrell Motz, Facility Maintenance Generalist - Team Lead

Authenticity
Darrell is very professional and action oriented. When he says he will do something, he does it and does it well. He has been a pleasure to work with and is always willing to go above and beyond when issues arise or when someone is in need of assistance. It takes every single employee for MHC to run as a team and efficiently, and Darrell is a big part of that. Thank you, Darrell, for making my work life enjoyable.

Kristopher Mayer, Systems Analyst, Enterprise Applications

Collaboration
Kris has worked tirelessly to move one of Facility Operations forms electronic. Kris has been incredibly responsive and patient through the build and testing phases, continually making tweaks to make sure it works just the way we need it to. When we eventually roll this form out, I have confidence it's going to work just the way we need it to because of the amount of time Kris has put into it. Thank you Kris!

Janessa Truscott, A.B.L.E. Program Coordinator

Action
Janessa is fantastic! She is so welcoming to our ABLE students, tutors, and instructors. She always has a smile on her face and makes sure everyone is comfortable, equipped, and satisfied. Thank you, Janessa, for all you do.

Debra Sureman, Human Resources Advisor

Authenticity
Walking in to the Human Resources Department, Deb is always ready and eager to greet people with a smile. Her kindness and patience with everyone who comes through the door is widely recognized. She is always willing to go above and beyond for all people no matter their questions or concern. She is an integral part of the human resources team, and plays an incredibly crucial role in communicating with all departments throughout the college. Transparency, honesty and respect are at the forefront of her role, and she is able to communicate in a way that shows her genuine care for all staff and students here at MHC.

Marian Izzo, Student Services Assistant 

Action
Many of our demographic of student are really hard to reach during the week. On more than one occasion, Marian sometimes rearranges her schedule in order to come into the office on a Saturday and spend hours reaching our students and potential students. She does this without being asked, simply because it is in the best interests of our students and our program. Marian is a shining example of what it truly means to put our students first.

Term 5 Team of Nursing Instructors

Collaboration
I am the NPCC of term 5 in the nursing program. I want to give a big 'shout out' to the wonderful team of nursing instructors I work with this year. Many of the instructors are new to the program, but have stepped up to help give the students the best experience possible. The nursing instructors are current in their practice by working in their field, and this means they work very closely with the biggest stakeholder of the program. This group of nurses works in collaboration with AHS, so they use the latest policies, and best practices, and follow the best evidence to pass their nursing passion and knowledge to the new generation of nurses. Thanks team. I appreciate your help!!

Kari Godlonton, Student Placement Officer

Collaboration
Kari inspires, motivates and supports all the students she works with, helping them believe they can achieve their goals. She is a champion of Medicine Hat College and the community of Medicine Hat, forming and maintaining partnerships and collaborating across multiple industries. She rises to the challenge and takes initiative in every aspect of her role and always puts students first.

Dean Milne, Coordinator/Instructor

Collaboration
Dean is the coordinator of, and instructor in the Child and Youth Care Counseling program at MHC. Dean is open and collaborative in connecting with other faculty members in support of his students and does not shy away from asking the tough questions, and having difficult conversations when needed. Dean is highly invested in student success and team work in all facets!

David Restoule,Indigenous Student Specialist
Chasity Cairns,Manager, Indigenous Engagement and Student Support

Collaboration
Thank you so much for organizing a wonderful event for the National Day for Truth and ReconciliACTION. I was so proud to be part of the MHC community as we recognized the day together.

Mike Handley, Information Technology Services, Client & Application Support Services
& Melissa Neurauter, Enrolment Services, Students Records

Collaboration
I work closely with both of these people and would not be able to do my job without them. Always willing to dig in and help when needed or brain storm with a new idea or help with reports or anything when needed.

Andrea Aarden, Student Supports, Student Employment & Career Centre

Action
Andrea has gone out of her way to make her new office neighbor feel welcome and included. She has initiated friendly banter, included him in the lunch group and been a true ambassador for MHC! It's been a privilege to witness.

Shelly Drefs, Student Supports, Student Employment & Career Centre

Action
Shelly is always supporting students with her friendly caring personality. She is always going the extra mile to help students and staff.

Jill Wogrinc, Student Financial Aid

Authenticity
I have had the opportunity to see Jill serving students, as well as answer questions from staff. Her polite demeanor, respectful nature, and kind heart always puts others at ease. Finance can be a touchy subject for students and is often a huge source of uncertainty for them, so seeing how Jill interacts with them with such compassion always makes me happy that they are in such good hands.

Lana West, Registrar’s Office/Chair of AUPE

Collaboration
Lana is not only an amazing employee/colleague she is a great AUPE representative. I appreciate her willingness to be transparent and bring concerns forward.

Darrell Risk, Security

Action
Darrell responded quickly to a student in need in my class. The efficiency and professionalism in which he assessed the situation while applying the appropriate action was remarkable. He showed genuine caring and concern for the student and aided them in getting the appropriate help.