Posted May 30: 18 women honoured with Working at McMaster awards

The 2001 President's Working at McMaster Awards for Outstanding Service were presented May 28 to eight individuals and to two work groups. Under the President's Staff Awards Program, these awards have recognized 85 exceptional employees and team members since 1997. The program was renamed this year and the number of
awards for 2001 was doubled to 10, including two work-group awards. More than 100 nominations were submitted.

Profiles of each winner/team appear below.

Joanne Crossley, Faculty of Social Sciences

An “ambassador” for undergraduate education since 1982, Joanne Crossley has worked on almost every significant project involving undergraduate education, including liaison, admissions, publications and student advising. She transferred nine years ago from the registrar's office to the associate dean's office in social sciences. Here she plays an important role in helping to recruit the most qualified students while meeting enrolment targets. Joanne helped widen co-operative internships offered in the Department of Economics to other programs in the Faculty and began electronic grade submission.

Eva Incze, School of Graduate Studies

By maintaining an enormous archive of material, Eva Incze helps ensure effective and efficient operations for the dean of the School of Graduate Studies. She administers travel expense reports for recipients of travel awards and is the principal point of contact for all reviewers of graduate programs for the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies. Described as perceptive, dedicated and clever, Eva routinely takes great care in vetting and completing briefs submitted to OCGS through her office for periodic appraisals of McMaster's graduate programs.

Laurie Kennedy, School of Nursing

Since arriving at McMaster in 1988, Laurie Kennedy has played a key role in the development of students in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. As a primary point of contact for potential funding donors, she demonstrates excellent communications skills and a professional demeanour while conveying the goals and mission of the
School of Nursing and the University. She has been a role model through her involvement with the MacSOC program for the homeless, and oversees the operations of the Nursing Effectiveness, Utilization and Outcomes Research Unit.

Maria Paiva, Physical Plant

At McMaster for the past 21 years, custodian Maria Paiva is responsible for cleaning and maintaining most of the General Sciences Building. Visitors to the University and from other locations around the campus remark consistently on the cleanliness of the building. Maria works to exacting standards and responds quickly and professionally to calls for her services.

Elaine Riehm, Faculty of Humanities

Having begun as the first editorial assistant of Eighteenth-Century Fiction when it was launched in 1987, Elaine Riehm serves as managing editor of this humanities journal. She handles extensive correspondence with the more than 400 scholars who serve as readers of manuscript submissions. She has been a guiding force in all administrative aspects of a major, complex project that has enhanced McMaster's reputation in 18th-century scholarship.

Kathryn Ryan, Arts & Science Program

Hired as secretary to the planners of the Arts & Science Program in 1979, Kathryn Ryan is the only person who has been involved with the program throughout its history. She is usually the first point of contact for the public, especially for parents and prospective students interested in the program. Having earned a master's degree and several certificates while at McMaster, Kathryn demonstrates the continuous learning ethos of the program.

Anna Sciascetti, Faculty of Engineering

Anna Sciascetti has worked for 12 years in the Faculty of Engineering, where she is currently administrative assistant in the dean's office. She has been responsible for faculty/staff office moves, reception, assisting the Faculty business manager with financial agreements, backup to the dean's assistant and helping the Faculty advancement officer to hold events. As a testament to her popularity, courtesy and professional business manner, she received the inaugural Veronika Czerneda Staff Award for Outstanding Service.

Joyce Wignall, Athletics & Recreation

Joyce Wignall has worked in interuniversity Athletics for 38 years and is a champion of athletics at McMaster. As co-ordinator of interuniversity athletics, and as program co-ordinator for eight varsity sports, she has been a friend, confidante, adviser and mentor to student athletes. She became only the second woman to be named Honorary Letterman by the Lettermen's Association, and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame as a builder in 1994.

HOPE Study Team, Faculty of Health Sciences

Jackie Bosch and Janice Pogue have jointly led the efforts of the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) team of the Canadian Cardiovascular Collaboration at McMaster. They organized, ran and assisted in the analysis and reporting of the HOPE study from 1994 to 2002, working with more than 250 centres in 19 countries to establish an efficient network of health professionals. Both staff members played a central and substantial role in the success of this important clinical trial, one that garnered national and international awards for several of its investigators.

Payroll Team, Payroll and CIS

The effort and dedication of this team — Donna Farion, Maryanne Stinson, Mary Wass, Judy Moore, Nancy White, Yvonne Wade, Lorna Thomas (all of Payroll Services) and Helen Dietsche (CIS) — from Payroll Services and CIS had a positive impact on employees across campus in 2001. The team had to develop creative solutions to meet extraordinary challenges posed that year by the McMaster labour dispute. The team members' dedication to the job ensured that all payroll-related commitments made to staff were honoured.

PHOTO: The President's Working at McMaster Award Winners for Outstanding Service are: FRONT ROW (Left to Right) Maria Paiva, Eva Incze, Laurie Kennedy, Kathryn Ryan. SECOND ROW (Left to Right) Lorna Thomas, Judy Moore, Nancy White, Anna Sciascetti. THIRD ROW (Left to Right) Yvonne Wade, Joanne Crossley, Mary Anne Stinson, Donna Farion, Elaine Riehm, Helen Dietsche. FOURTH ROW (Left to Right)Joyce Wignall, Jackie Bosch, Mary Wass, Janice Pogue, President Peter George

Photo by Ron Schleffler