Eligibility

Any current instructor of a non-credit course and/or in a non-credit program at Mount Royal, regardless of their employment status at Mount Royal, and who has taught for at least three consecutive years, is eligible for the Teaching Excellence in Lifelong Learning Award.

All candidates for this award must be nominated. Self-nominations are accepted.

An instructor may only be granted one Faculty Excellence Award in a lifetime.

Criteria

Nominees are assessed on the demonstration of excellence in one or more of the following:

• Teaching excellence
• Student impact and inclusive practices
• Innovation in teaching
• Community engagement
• Transformational educational practices
  
  

Teaching excellence

• Demonstrates exceptional skills in instructing diverse learners through engaging content and delivery.
  
  

Student impact and inclusive practices

• Receives positive student feedback.
• Contributes significantly to creating an inclusive and supportive learning community, consistent with Mount Royal's mission to provide meaningful and engaged learning opportunities.
  
  

Innovation in teaching

• Demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement both in their own professional development and in teaching practices.
• Develops creative and effective learning materials and opportunities for students in the classroom.
  
  

Community engagement

• Champions the development of well-rounded, critical thinkers in alignment with Mount Royal’s commitment to liberal education.
• Encourages cross-disciplinary learning and cultivates an environment where diverse viewpoints and ideas are explored and respected.
  
  

Transformational educational practices

• Engages with the broader community to promote Mount Royal students, programs and courses.
• Acts as a connector between external entities, such as employers, community partners and Mount Royal students, and is an ambassador for lifelong learning.

Nomination

Eligibility to nominate

Requirements

• Nominations should be accompanied by a statement that includes the reasons for the nomination (maximum 500 words). Specific reference should be made, where possible, to the nominee's qualifications relative to the criteria.
• Nominations should be submitted to the Office of the Provost and must be completed using the nomination form provided on this webpage during the nomination period.
• An mtroyal.ca email address is required to complete a nomination form. Anonymous emails or testimonials will not be accepted.

Application

Application process

1. All candidates for this award must be nominated.
2. The selection committee receives and reviews all nominations to confirm eligibility.
3. Eligible nominees are invited to apply for the award. They are supplied with detailed application instructions.
4. Applicants have approximately three to four weeks to submit their applications.
5. The selection committee reviews the applications and selects the award recipients.
6. All applicants receive a decision letter from the selection committee.
7. Award recipients are expected to be announced by mid-April.
   
   

Application package

Detailed instructions and an application form (in Google Forms) will be provided to nominees who are invited to apply. All application materials are to be submitted in PDF format.

The application package includes:

• Current curriculum vitae and/or resume
• A statement highlighting how the applicant meets the criteria of the award, with reference to supporting documentation (maximum 500 words)
• Supporting documentation that provides evidence of teaching excellence in alignment with the criteria for this award (e.g., teaching evaluations, examples of student work, etc.) (maximum 10 pages, as a single PDF)
• Two (2) signed letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee’s work and contributions at Mount Royal (e.g., student, colleague, or collaborator connected to their MRU role).

Raisa Alarakyia

Instructor
Education Assistant Extension Certificate
Faculty of Continuing Education

New students in the Faculty of Continuing Education’s Education Assistant (EA) Extension Certificate program often recognize Raisa Alarakyia on their first day of class; they’ve already met her. As a passionate ambassador for the program, Raisa frequently facilitates information sessions for prospective students, playing a pivotal role in their decision to register.

An instructor at Mount Royal since 2019, Raisa teaches five courses in the EA certificate program. It attracts a wide demographic of learners, including mature students, recent immigrants who may struggle with English as a second language and students with exceptionalities. Considering this, achieving learning outcomes in an online environment can be challenging. However, Raisa excels at creating an inclusive, diverse and respectful learning space that promotes and supports student success,” says program coordinator Pamela Karlenzig. “Without a doubt, her student evaluations are the best of any instructor in my portfolio.”

Raisa contributes to innovation within the program and advocates for inclusive online learning. She integrates experiential learning methods rather than simply explaining accessibility. In one example, Raisa asks her students to lip-read a spelling test, an exercise that reveals communication challenges and sparks deeper exploration of captioning, sign language and multimodal supports.

Jennifer Orr

Instructor
Speech Arts and Drama
Mount Royal Conservatory

With over thirty years of experience as an instructor and nearly as long as the program coordinator, Jennifer Orr has transformed the Mount Royal Conservatory’s Speech Arts and Drama program, ensuring the strength, relevance and quality it enjoys today.

Jennifer lives by her belief that speech arts is a vital art form, and she has developed programs that set the standard of excellence in speech and drama training. Her innovative programming development has elevated the speech arts and drama curriculum and expanded the Conservatory’s enrolment.

“Mrs. Orr is a remarkable educator whose passion for teaching, ability to inspire and unwavering dedication to her students and colleagues set her apart,” says Elizabet Rajchel, a Conservatory instructor who considers Jennifer her mentor. “Her leadership has not only shaped my career but the careers and lives of countless others.”

Among her many achievements, in 2024, Jennifer launched Words! Words! Words!, a Conservatory showcase featuring over 140 Speech Arts and Drama students, a result of her organizational skill, vision and dedication.

Jennifer’s impact extends beyond Mount Royal. As a leader of The Royal Conservatory of Music’s curriculum development team and its speech and drama specialist, she is influencing the future of the art form’s education programming internationally.

John Morgan

Artistic Director of Mount Royal Kantorei Choir
Faculty of Continuing Education

John Morgan would be the first to acknowledge the Mount Royal Kantorei choir community as the reason he has been selected for the Teaching Excellence in Lifelong Learning Award.

His journey with Kantorei Choir has been an extraordinary adventure, marked by significant growth and shared successes. Under his leadership, Kantrorei has evolved from an ensemble of 50 voices to a vibrant and diverse community of 85 members. John credits the cumulative effort, commitment and shared vision of Kantorei for the growth of the choir, underscored by excellence in innovation and adaptability, and a strong focus on inclusion and community engagement.

In addition to his success with Kantorei, John demonstrated remarkable resilience and creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic. His many innovative projects have ensured the continuity of education and inspiration for Mount Royal Conservatory students. Altogether, his extensive work has greatly enhanced the visibility of the Conservatory.

As one nominator stated, “John is a visionary leader and an incredible musician, and he brings his passion for music into every rehearsal.” John’s passion for lifelong learning embodies the spirit of this award, and he has left a lasting impact on the Mount Royal community.

Kristi Spencer

Associate Professor
Instructor in the Transitional Vocational Program and Adult Offender Education Program
Faculty of Continuing Education

Over the past 15 years, Kristi has worked as an Instructor in the Transitional Vocational Program, which provides opportunities for students with developmental disabilities to pursue post-secondary education and prepare for employment. There, she has focused on creating fun, meaningful and engaging experiences for many students who have faced challenges and barriers to learning.

She has since expanded her role to support the Adult Offender Education Program, which promotes the rehabilitation and successful reintegration of inmates into the community through relevant and meaningful life-skills-based programs.

Thanks to her expertise in curriculum development and teaching, Kristi has proven to be adaptable and knowledgeable, going “above and beyond” as she transitioned multiple courses from in-class to online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her commitment to working with diverse populations exemplifies the essence of a transformative education at Mount Royal. As a colleague says, “Kristi has an amazing ability to connect with a variety of learners from diverse backgrounds, and is able to make information accessible to students with a broad range of abilities and academic levels.”

Through her tireless work, Kristi has opened doors to education and instilled hope and dignity in those often marginalized by society, empowering them with the confidence and skills to learn, grow, and achieve their goals.