Dean's Service Award Recipients

2025 recipients

Nicola (Nick) Bellissimo

Faculty of Community Services

Dr. Bellissimo is dedicated to exceptional service within TMU and the nutritional sciences community. His contributions have been multifaceted, spanning various committees and leadership roles. He founded the Nutrition Discovery Labs dedicated to experiential learning opportunities for TMU students and outreach activities within the community. He has actively contributed to the School of Nutrition Department Hiring Committee and TMU's 2025-2030 strategic research plan. Beyond TMU, he chairs the Canadian Nutrition Society's awards committee, provides expert guidance to the Washington D.C. Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutritional Sciences, and serves on the editorial board of several high-impact nutrition journals.

Konstantinos Georgiou

Faculty of Science

Dr. Konstantinos Georgiou has made outstanding contributions to theoretical computer science while elevating the reputation of the Department of Mathematics and the university. His leadership in organizing prestigious international conferences, such as the 34th Canadian Conference on Computational Geometry and the upcoming 32nd International Colloquium on Structural Information and Communication Complexity, reflects his commitment to advancing the field. Additionally, his editorial roles and chairmanship of major program committees demonstrate his influence on academic discourse. His work on AI ethics and public engagement initiatives has further strengthened ties between the university and the broader community. Dr. Georgiou exemplifies exceptional academic service.

Trevor Hart

Faculty of Arts

Sexual and gender minoritized people, including 2-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and transgender (2SLGBGTQ+) people, have historically been underserved in both healthcare and research. To address these disparities, Dr. Trevor Hart created the HOPE (Health Outcome Promotion and Engagement) Centre in 2022.  The HOPE Centre has since grown dramatically, holding over $3,000,000 in funds and holding multiple community and TMU events. In 2023-2024, the HOPE Centre received funds for a 2SLGBTQ+ Counselling Training Hub, which will allow the HOPE Centre to build community supports for 2SLGBTQ+ people by training health and social service providers in evidence-based 2SLGBTQ+ affirmative counselling methods.

Martha Priscylla Monteiro Joca Martins

Lincoln Alexander School of Law

Professor Joca's dedication, passion and leadership inspire her colleagues and students while advancing the law school's mission. Beyond her exemplary academic service, she regularly engages domestic and international audiences in critical conversations about pressing social issues, combining exceptional intellectual rigor with an energetic search for practical legal remedies. Her scholarship and advocacy work reinforce the school's reputation as a forward-thinking, globally engaged research institution committed to justice and equity. Her innovative teaching likewise empowers her students to tackle these issues, positioning the school as a leader in transformative legal education. Professor Joca embodies the spirit of the Dean's Service Award.

Janice Neil

The Creative School

Professor Janice Neil exemplifies service and dedication at Toronto Metropolitan University and has for many years. Through her contributions to our Academic Integrity Office, she has demonstrated her dedication to upholding institutional values and fostering a fair academic environment. Through her leadership in several national journalism organizations, she has helped to provide mentorship and professional development to many journalists in this country. There is no doubt that Professor Neil has served both our university community and the wider Canadian journalism industry with tireless commitment and integrity. She would be an exceptional candidate to be recognized with a Dean's Service Award.

Caron Phinney

The Creative School

Professor Phinney's dedication to diversity and inclusion, particularly for Black students at TMU, is commendable. Her leadership skills have brought together students, faculty, staff, and community members to promote an inclusive environment. Since founding the Black Fashion Student Association (BFSA) in 2019, she has actively created support systems and opportunities for Black students, addressing challenges in fashion education and the industry. Through events, resource allocation, and industry collaborations, Professor Phinney exemplifies her commitment to fostering equity and empowerment for all students, reflecting her unwavering support for Black and other equity-deserving groups.

Daria Romaniuk

Faculty of Community Services

I want to start this citation statement by emphasizing how compelled I feel to make this nomination, as I strongly believe that no one is more worthy of the Dean's Service Award than Dr. Daria Romaniuk. In her role as Associate Director of the Collaborative Nursing Program, Daria showed up every single day and for every single situation to lead this very challenging and complex program with unmatched commitment, dedication, vision, and grace. Daria's positive attitude and patience enabled her to position the program for success through major milestones such as approval and accreditation processes, curriculum redevelopment and enrolment expansion.

Wayne Smith

Ted Rogers School of Management

Dr. Smith has provided significant service to TMU, the academy and the greater community.  In the past year, he has served TRSM as the Faculty Council Chair, sat on hiring committees for the Associate Dean and the Eaton Chair, and served on the Curriculum Committee (both TRSM and School of HTM levels) along with several other appointments.   Dr. Smith has served the academy/industry by sitting on four volunteer boards at both national and international levels.  He currently sits on six editorial boards for journals across the globe. Finally, Dr. Smith frequently engages the media, with over 30 media appearances.

Kristin Vickers

Faculty of Arts

Dr. Kristin Vickers is an exemplary leader and dedicated professional who is known for her collegiality and loyalty to her colleagues and students. As Undergraduate Program Director in Psychology she has ensured the smooth operation and continuous improvement of the Faculty's largest undergraduate program at a time of shrinking resources. Dr. Vickers has spearheaded transformative initiatives including the Honours Designation and the Co-Op Program for the Psychology BA, enhancing student opportunities in profound ways.  Her unwavering commitment to student support, program excellence, and community building makes Dr. Vickers a most deserving recipient of the Dean's Service Award.

Dongning Yu

Ted Rogers School of Management

Dongning Yu has demonstrated dedication to service in the Accounting Department, the Ted Rogers School of Management, and Toronto Metropolitan University. As the Accounting Academic Coordinator at the Chang School, Dongning has significantly enhanced curriculum alignment and student engagement. Her service on multiple committees, including the Accounting Contract Lecturer Appointment Committee and the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, has contributed to recruiting top educators and modernizing academic programs. Dongning's efforts in fostering academia-industry partnerships and promoting impactful research have elevated TMU's reputation. Her commitment to service embodies excellence and has made a lasting impact on students, faculty, and the broader community.

Past recipients