Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues–November 2025, Issue 1
We are thrilled by the incredible response to the launch of Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues! In just over three months, we have received a total of 131 submissions.
Because of this tremendous response, we will continue to share submissions through upcoming issues of Campus Connector. Read the first set of submissions for November (organized in alphabetical order) below.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your stories and celebrate your colleagues. It is inspiring to see our community come together to shine a spotlight on the people who go above and beyond every day.
Submissions for next month are now open! Share your note of recognition by the last Friday of the month, and let’s continue celebrating the amazing colleagues who make our campus shine. For more details about the program, including links to past issues and details on how to make a submission, please click here.
Emi Abou Wafia, Marketing and Production
Emi is so wonderful at making sure that everyone she works with feels valued and seen. She’s brilliant at her job, and her work with our Recruitment and Admissions teams is fantastic. The products her team produces make UPEI look wonderful! I could go on at length about her talents and insights, but mostly, Emi is everyone’s biggest cheerleader. She sees the humanity in each of us and works so hard to ensure we know our value and our strengths. Her kindness is remarkable, and being in meetings with her is always a highlight of my day.
Ashlee Bernard, Accessibility Services
Ashlee is a remarkable contributor to supporting the success of students and her colleagues in Accessibility Services and other student support service areas. She steps in WHEREVER help is needed and does it with a smile and a calmness that reassures all involved that she has it under control. Her support in hosting Soup for the Soul, assisting Testing Services during some very busy periods, and ensuring students who need accessibility advising, learning strategy support, or adaptive technology support get the assistance they need has made a tremendous difference for all who have had the opportunity to engage with her. She truly goes above and beyond by not only knowing what to do but also in calmly stepping up to do it. Thanks for all you do, Ashlee!
Inara Bhalesha, Student Culture
Inara worked really hard during the recent Open House. She was there first thing in the morning making sure everyone was okay and ready. She brought prizes and bags to the Link lab and checked in on the Admissions team throughout the day. She did a great job with so many tasks leading up to the Open House to make it run smoothly.
Ahmet Demirbas, Procurement Services
Ahmet has been fantastic to reach out to with procurement inquiries and requests. He replies promptly with clear guidance and support, provides quick follow-ups, and has gone out of his way several times to help expedite time-sensitive PO requests. His reliability, helpfulness, and consistently positive approach are greatly appreciated.
Jessica Field and Cassie Driscoll, Human Resources
Jessica and Cassie are doing such great work on campus—the new onboarding resources and performance review work in particular. These two areas have long been gaps at UPEI and such a big beast to tackle. The consultation and transparency around the creation of these new resources and processes are welcome from an input standpoint but also meeting and connecting with colleagues from across campus. Well done, Cassie and Jessica! Your work is so valuable!
Dr. Yuqin Gong, Institutional Research, VPAR Office
Yuqin is an exceptional manager who handles complex and a vast amount of data with integrity and gives a thoughtful analysis that elevates the quality of our University’s reporting at various platforms. Thank you, Yuqin, for your expertise, professionalism, and steady support you provide to every project.
Christine Greening, Registrar’s Office
As Chair of my department, I communicate frequently with Christine about student course records and other registration or grading issues. Through these interactions, I quickly learned that Christine is incredibly competent, and that I can confidently expect my requests to be handled, or my questions answered promptly and in a clear and detailed manner. I have so much respect for Christine’s consistency, reliability, and professionalism. She is truly remarkable! - Dale Sorensen
Cinthya Guzman, Faculty of Arts
After a recent conversation with some of her senior students, Cinthya got to work developing and launching a new event to help encourage Arts undergraduate students to consider graduate studies. It is clear she cares deeply about her students, and this shone through every aspect of the event and its overarching supportive messages. The event was impactful, and the energy and care Cinthya brought to it made it enjoyable for everyone to be in the room. Cinthya pulled together a small organizing team to turn the idea into reality. Working with her on that team to host the event was such a pleasure. Her collaborative spirit in the organizing of the event made that work immensely enjoyable.
Jeremy Heartz, Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship
Jeremy has been absolutely crucial to the Centre’s success since joining our team. His leadership was on full display during our recent Pitch Battles, a program he leads with exceptional care, creativity, and organization. Jeremy is always looking for new ways to support students, strengthen their entrepreneurial experiences, and make the Centre more engaging and welcoming. His dedication, reliability, and genuine passion for student success have made a remarkable impact on our community, and we are grateful for all he brings to the Centre.
Kenny Hopkinson, Facilities Management
Kenny can always be seen buzzing around campus! Between picking up and dropping off for all the departments or on campus clearing snow, he helps everyone out. He is a great worker and is always lending a hand!
