Dedicated Faculty and Staff to Receive Awards at 2012 Autumn Convocation

Vern Barrett

WINNIPEG, MB–In recognition of exceptional service, achievement, and distinction, The University of Winnipeg will acknowledge Vern Barrett, Len Cann, Grace O’Farrell, andKyle MacDonald for their outstanding contributions to the University and the broader community. They will be honoured at the AutumnConvocation ceremony on Sunday October 21, 2012 at 2:00 pm, to be held in UWinnipeg’s Duckworth Centre(Spence Street at Ellice Avenue).

Vern Barrett will receive the Clarence Atchison Award for Excellence in Community Service, for his inspirational efforts in the fields of education and community service. Barrett is a well respected teacher and consummate professional. He is also renowned as a pioneer, visionary, and internationally-recognized leader in the design and implementation of Service Learning Curriculum:an education program at UWinnipeg that integrates meaningful community service with teaching.

Kyle Macdonald

Grace O’Farrell has earned the Faculty of Business and Economics Chartered Accountants of Manitoba Excellence in Teaching Award. O’Farrell is a popular instructor who has taught for almost two decades in the Department of Business and Administration in the Faculty of Business and Economics, at UWinnipeg, her alma mater. Her diverse course load — which ranges from first to fourth-year courses — reflects her breadth of knowledge. O’Farrell’s love for teaching and commitment to her field of study is reflected in her student’s enthusiasm. She is renowned for her knowledge and availability and is continually recognized by her students for her excellence in teaching.

The 2012 Autumn Campus Sustainability Award is awarded jointly to Len Cann and Kyle Macdonald for working collaboratively to design and organize a campus-wide energy retrofit plan. Cann, Physical Plant Director and Macdonald, Controls Technician, found an innovative way to combine multiple sustainability objectives, helping UWinnipeg achieve its current greenhouse gas emission reduction targets – 6% below 1990 levels by the end of 2012 and 10% below 1990 levels by the end of 2016. The retrofit plan is a major part of the UWinnipeg Sustainability Strategy, passed by the Board of Regents in January 2012.