All graduating students are eligible to apply themselves or be nominated by any Michener student, staff, or faculty member, including clinical coordinators.
Potential candidates must be eligible for the June 2024 convocation and have a history of positive involvement in campus and community activities. They should also be comfortable speaking in public or before an audience.
All applicants/nominees will be equally considered based on the following criteria:
- Academic Contribution while at Michener (e.g., engagement, perseverance, contribution to learning, etc.)
- Michener Involvement (e.g., student groups/clubs, student support, student government, athletics, special events, volunteering, etc.)
- Community Involvement while at Michener (e.g., volunteer work, coaching, etc.)
Applicants/nominees must be in good academic standing. This information will be confirmed through the Registrar’s Office.
2025 Applications/Nominations open in 2025 and will be accepted until 11:59pm Saturday, March 15.
What is the nomination and selection process?
Tips for Nominations:
- inform nominee of intent to nominate
- connect with members of Michener’s community (students, faculty, clinical coordinators, etc.) for additional information
- confirm criteria information with the nominee
Tips for Applications:
- a good application contains lots of examples
- tell us why you want to be the Class of 2023 valedictorian
- ask a friend or family member to read it; did they like it; did they understand your intent
Applications and nominations must be submitted via the online form. A scoring rubric is available upon request, please email convocation@michener.ca.The Selection Committee (representatives from student, faculty, and administration) will convene to review all applications/nominations. The Committee will create a shortlist and these individuals will be contacted and requested to provide a brief outline of the remarks they would make if chosen. The Committee will convene again to discuss and choose a single individual. All applicants/nominees are notified of the Committee’s decision before it is made public.
Examples (posted with permission)
Academic Contributions
- Excellent since he arrived here. Comments from clinical coordinators: “Sam was noted to be very engaged, willing to help complete a variety of tasks, & very accountable for his academic requirements. He proactively communicates with preceptors to clarify instructions, follow up if he missed anything (eg ‘did anything happen on break?’), and asks appropriate questions” & “Sam has performed routine diagnostic testing with minimal supervision. Sam hit the ground running. One of his first questions was whether we’re using the most recent 2017 ATS DLCO test standards; I was pleasantly surprised. He has updated me on one eligibility criteria in the Exercise Assessment for home O2. Sam’s maturity & assistance has been appreciated by myself and the staff. He has consistently displayed professionalism. He has shown that he can work independently when the technologists were busy testing other patients. He’s organized, works diligently, & has strived to improve in all areas of his PFT rotation”.
- Kristina helped to organize her class and put together a Mock OSCE during the Summer semester of her 2nd year (2017). She approached faculty for the use of supplies, equipment and use of the Chiropody Clinic. This level of commitment to her academics, her classmates, and what will translate into the profession of Chiropody, shows the hard work she is willing to dedicate.
She was the recipient of The Academy Foot and Orthotic Clinic Scholarship for Student Excellence in 2016. Watching her in clinic there is no doubt why she was awarded it.
Advocating for the profession by assisting local Chiropodists with public talks and discussion. This can be a very daunting task for Registered Chiropodists, so being able to promote a profession she is only a student in, is quite commendable.
Michener Involvement
- Sam was a rater in 2 MMI sessions in 2016. He contributed to our program by participating in Spring Fling in 2016 and 2017, providing tours of the Respiratory Therapy floor and speaking to potential students. This event also supported Student Enrollment. He was one of the ‘performers’ in the student RT week video in October 2016 which went on to win the video competition with the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists. He baked a large, sought-after selection of items for the student RT week bake sales in 2015, 2016, and 2017 (brought in items the day before as he was out on clinical rotations) assisting to raise funds for Respiratory Therapists without Borders. When requested he graciously created a posting for Michener’s Blog about attending the 2017 CHEST conference. Agreed to be a “program ambassador” for Michener’s Viewbook and other publications, providing quotes about his Michener experience and a photograph. He was selected by faculty for this role.
- Kristina applied to be a 3rd year Chiropody Mentor for 1st & 2nd year students. As a mentor it means Kristina does not see as many patients as she would if she were at a CHC, private practice etc. It also means she needs to be very confident with not just her hands on skills, but her didactic knowledge as lower year students have loads of questions in the clinical setting. This means I can always find Kristina assisting students with patient care, and also challenging students to practice certain hands on skills to prepare them for OSCE’s, performance tasks and clinical evaluations.
She even has brought in her study “Bible” for students to leaf through and admire, just don’s try and walk off with it!! She will not let that book out of her sight! I swear she has a gps chip in it!
She volunteers with a local Chiropodist in Windsor in order to keep herself current with skills and didactic knowledge. Lending support to Julie Fraser DPM at nursing homes and house calls.
Community Involvement
- Sam volunteered for his Michener community as stated above, and externally by helping to raise funds for Respiratory Therapists without Borders for three consecutive years. In second year, from those who applied, Sam was selected by faculty to be Michener’s student representative for the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario (CRTO) Council. This was a big volunteering commitment, involving attending an orientation session, a full-day education program with the CRTO council and non-council members and 4 full-day council meetings.
Sam also volunteered over Christmas and other times with Red Door Shelter, his former employer. He has maintained a strong connection with this organization. He provided support to classmates leading tutorials & shared his study sheets. Further, in his clinical year, he tutored 3rd year medical students in ABG and EKG techniques. He accepted my request to mentor a 1st year mature student unsure about returning to school. - Aside from being a 3rd year mentor, Kristina is quite involved with tutoring as well. She has been a tutor since first year in Chiropody in assisting her own classmates, and now lower year students in anatomy, physiology and any other courses students may require assistance in. It is amazing to know a student who spends her clinical days mentoring and essentially tutoring lower year students, still finds the time and energy to tutor outside of these clinical days.
Kristina has taken her passion for Chiropody and has used it when she is back home, by helping to run the “Foot Health Sideline Stations” for the Windsor Pinoy Athletics. They provide assistance with taping, stretching and first aid for injuries sustained during basketball tournaments.
Anything Else
- Another clinical coordinator comment: “His initiative, self direction and enthusiasm were present for each shift. Able to build on his skills and fine tune his practice. Comments from preceptors: he was self directed, an effective communicator, dedicated, thorough, and independent but still able to recognize limitations and ask for assistance”. Also, during all three years, Sam was very responsible for his learning with a strong commitment to preparation, e.g. creating study sheets compiling info from multiple courses to use in a particular environment during simulated clinical. Also, Sam voluntarily participated in an Interprofessional Collaboration Education course in patient safety and quality for 5 weeks, 2 hours/ week offered at his base site during his clinical year, finishing it with a group presentation using mock scenarios. Sam is very bright. He engages in a really lovely, kind way with all those he meets. He’s turned personal adversity & loss into a way to care for others.
- I’ve been in my role for some time now at the Michener. I have seen some great students, but Kristina isn’t just great, she’s exceptional. She’s the type of student who brings her “A” game each and everyday. She expects nothing less than that of herself and it ensures we as her educators and mentors expect nothing less either. It is always such a great feeling watching your students go from being timid and unsure of their skills to confident and so sure of themselves. Kristina was a very different student. She has always been a confident student, and that’s because since day one, she put in the work. She took responsibility for her own success, but was never scared to ask for help when she needed it.
She is going to make a fantastic Chiropodist, the profession is going to be very lucky to have her.
