The Symons Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes faculty and staff members who stand out from others in encouraging learning, bring unique experiences to the teaching space, challenge students to do their best work, serve as inspiration for students, and demonstrate exemplary concern for students. Full-time or part-time faculty and staff who were employed as of July 1, 2022 are eligible for nomination. Self-nominations are not accepted. This award can only be received once; previous recipients are ineligible for nomination.
How to nominate:
» Online Nomination Form for the Symons Award for Excellence in Teaching
Complete the "Nominator Information" and the "Candidate Information" sections on the Nomination Form, open December 20, 2023- January 31, 2024 at 4:00pm. Tell the story! Complete the "Candidate Qualifications" section by providing specific examples of how/why your candidate should be considered for the Award.
Make sure to review our list of previous award winners as individuals are only eligible to win the award once.
How is the award determined?
The recipient of this award is determined by the Senate Teaching Awards Subcommittee. An individual may be nominated for more than one award in an academic year. However, during any given year, recipients may be selected to win only one award. An individual may receive each award only once during his or her career.
The Teaching Awards Subcommittee’s decisions are based solely on the information that nominators like you provide. The strongest nominations provide specific details about a candidate's interaction with students, and clear examples illustrating ways in which this candidate fulfills the following award criteria:
- stands out from others in encouraging learning
- brings unique experiences to the teaching space
- challenges students to do their best work
- serves as inspiration for students
- demonstrates exemplary concern for students
The more clearly the Subcommittee can “see” the candidate in the role of exemplary teacher, the more highly the Subcommittee will rate that nomination.
For helpful information on writing strong nominations, including exemplars, please see the Centre for Teaching and Learning's How to Write a Strong Nomination for a Teaching Award page.
The Symons Award for Excellence in Teaching is named for the late Professor T.H.B. Symons, the Founding President of Trent University, and is made available through the generous support of Professor and Mrs. Symons.
The Award ($2,000, a Symons liripipe and a framed citation) is presented each year to a member of the Trent faculty or staff (full-time or part-time) in recognition of outstanding teaching in the broadest sense and, in the words of Professor Symons, "exemplary concern for students."
The presentation of the Award is made each year at Trent’s Celebration of Excellence.
Previous Recipients
2022-2023 Dr. Elizabeth Russell (Psychology)
2021-2022 Christine Goodwin-De Faria (Child and Youth Studies)
2020-2021 Shannon Accettone (Chemistry and Forensics)
2019-2020 Kathryn Chittick (English)
2018-2019 Wesley Burr (Mathematics)
2017-2018 Kelly Egan (Cultural Studies and Media Studies)
2016-2017 Deborah Kennett (Psychology)
2015-2016 Joel Baetz (English Literature)
2014-2015 Marg Hobbs (Gender and Women's Studies)
2013-2014 Mark Dickinson (Canadian Studies)
2012-2013 Keith Walden (History)
2011-2012 Tom Hutchinson (Environmental & Resource Studies)
2010-2011 Stephen Hill (Environmental & Resource Studies)
2009-2010 Paul Shaffer (International Development Studies)
2008-2009 Molly Blyth (Canadian Studies; English Literature)
2007-2008 Emilia Angelova (Philosophy)
2006-2007 Ivana Elbl (History)
2005-2006 Geoffrey Eathorne (English Literature)
2004-2005 Carolyn Kay (History)
2003-2004 Eric Helleiner (International Development Studies)
2002-2003 David Page (Ancient History & Classics)
2001-2002 Paul Wilson (Athletics Department)
2000-2001 Richard Hurley (Computing and Information Systems)
1999-2000 Sarah Keefer (English Literature)
1998-1999 Susan Wurtele (Geography)
1997-1998 Deborah White (Sociology)
1996-1997 Jim Sutclife (Biology)
1995-1996 Christl Verduyn (Canadian Studies)
1994-1995 David Poole (Mathematics)
1993-1994 Robert Campbell (Political Studies)
1992-1993 Stephen Brown (English Literature)
1991-1992 Alan Slavin (Physics)
1990-1991 Morton Berkowitz (English Literature)
1988-1989 Joan Sangster (Women's Studies)
1987-1988 Alan Wilson (History)
1987-1988 Deborah Berrill (Education)
1986-1987 Marion Fry (Philosophy)
1986-1987 Robert Carter (Philosophy)
1985-1986 John Milloy (Canadian Studies)
1984-1985 Robert Page (Environmental & Resource Studies/Science)
1983-1984 Constantin Boundas (Philosophy)
1982-1983 Fred Wheatley (Native Studies)
1981-1982 John Syrett (History)
1980-1981 Fred Tromly (English Literature)
1979-1980 Iswar Chakravartty (Mathematics)
1978-1979 James Jury (Physics & Astronomy)
1978-1979 Stuart Robson (History)
1977-1978 Michael Berrill (Biology)
1976-1977 John Wadland (Canadian Studies)