Guidelines for Awarding of the W.C. Winegard Medal

Award Background and Criteria

The W.C. Winegard Medal is the top convocation award presented to an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph. Named for former University President Dr. William Winegard, the medal is awarded in recognition of both academic achievement and contributions to the university and community life.

Eligibility

To be eligible, the student must either have convocated in most recent fall or winter semester or will convocate in the upcoming summer convocation ceremony at which time the medal will be awarded.

Process

 A Call for Nominations will be circulated to colleges through the University Secretariat, on behalf of the Senate Honours and Awards Committee, during the winter semester. Student Financial Services will provide a list of students eligible from fall and winter. College awards committees should be in close communication with departments in anticipating suitable June graduates.
Colleges may nominate a candidate for the medal but are not obligated to do so. Each College’s nominee will be listed in the June convocation program. The Senate Honours and Awards Committee will select the recipient and inform Senate of its decision.                                                              

Required Documentation:

The following items must be included as part of the submission, in order for the nomination to be considered by the Senate Honours and Awards Committee.

1.  Summary letter: from the college describing the candidate. This letter may be from the college Dean, or a designate, and should be from a person having personal knowledge of the candidate.
2.  Current C.V.: that includes academic awards, research, publications and level of contribution, extra-curricular activities, employment history, etc.
3.  Summary of biographical information: on the candidate which elaborates on the information provided in the C.V. and provides evidence of academic achievement and contributions to University and community life, and includes:

a.     Academic achievement; rank in college, academic awards, research or publications, etc., (do not provide transcripts, grades or cumulative averages[1]);

b.      Extra-curricular University activities;

c.      Extra-curricular off-campus activities;

d.     Employment history (distinguish between employment that is related to a student's area of study and that which is unrelated, as well as between paid and unpaid work);

e.     Description of candidate; indicate future plans and identify strengths, weaknesses;

f.      Description of candidate’s program; information about nature of the program/major in which the candidate is enrolled, time requirements, special requirements, etc.

       4.  A maximum of three (3) letters of reference, each no more than two pages in length, that are felt to best describe the candidate's accomplishments and contributions.[2]

The decision of the Senate Honours and Awards Committee will be based entirely on the information provided in the documents outlined above. Any information provided orally to the Committee, by members from the nominee's college, will be for clarification, in response to questions. A college may request that a candidate submit a letter describing him/herself to the College Awards Committee, however, such a letter is not to be supplied to the Senate Committee.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The University is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and to designing, reviewing, and rebuilding structures – including policies, programs, and practices – that are inclusive, equitable, and accessible to all. In keeping with this commitment, nominations of qualified individuals from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Colour; persons with a disability or who identify as differently abled; persons of all genders, and sexual orientations; and those with a demonstrable track record of confronting oppression and promoting belonging in their organizations and communities are strongly encouraged.