Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Employee Award Recipients

2023 recipients

Susan Silver

Faculty of Community Services

Dr. Susan Silver has dedicated her 28-year career at TMU to advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring all have voice and opportunity. Her research, teaching, and service have been guided by social justice. Susan has established a legacy of hiring Social Work faculty with diverse and intersectional identities including race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. As Co-chair of the Employees with Disabilities Community Network and Co-chair of the Late Career Faculty Group, she continues to tirelessly promote accessibility, accommodation and inclusion. She truly deserves the Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award for Faculty.

Yu-Ching (Jean) Tsai

Student Wellbeing

Jean has been a key leader in building out robust pathways of care for Black-identified and Indigenous students. She has been an instrumental stalwart in the collection of equity data to better understand the experiences and service needs of equity deserving student for the purpose of reducing service barriers and increasing their quality of care. She has led the CSDC through a transformative EDI change process which has included the creation of equity focused counselling positions, an innovative partnership with Indigenous Student Services, and EDI changes to hiring processes. This has led to a more equitable CSDC for students/staff.

Anti-Asian Racism Awareness Team

Janet Lum, Josie Lee, Wincy Li, Yumi Numata, and Melissa Yu Vanti have worked tirelessly to lead in the fight against Anti-Asian racism, and in the celebration of Asian-Canadian identities, culture, and history at the University. They have been central in the creation of networks of support and affirmation within the TMU community, and they have striven to support inclusivity and understanding in highlighting historical context (both the good and the troubling) and for problematizing anti-Asian racism sentiments to the wider University and even local community. Their efforts truly embody TMU's values of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

• Gabriel Ciufo, Office of the President
• Josel Angelica Gerardo, Faculty of Arts
• Josie Lee, Office of the General Counsel and Board Secretariat
• Wincy Li, Studdent Affairs
• Janet Lum, Faculty of Arts
• Yumi Numata, Faculty of Arts
• Melissa Yu Vanti, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion

The Tri-Mentoring Program Team

Founded in 2001 as one of the first resources for equity-deserving students, the Tri-Mentoring Program promotes retention of racialized students as they navigate various systems at the university. The mission and priority is to mentor students through their individual experience to find a sense of belonging on campus. Over the last 21 years, the TMP has evolved from Peer to Peer Mentoring, adding Career Mentoring and Group Mentoring as opportunities for students to succeed. In its history, 30,000+ students have benefited from this program.

• Rena Jennifer Barcelona, Studdent Affairs
• Shailee Koranne, Student Affairs
• Tashana Mcdonald, Student Affairs
• Eboni Morgan, Student Affairs
• Rudhra Persad, Student Affairs
• Samantha Tome, Student Affairs

Past recipients