Awards and Recognition

The prestige and reputation of the Ted Rogers School is built on the hard work, dedication and success of our community. Members of our school have received awards and accolades within the university and beyond. Our faculty members have been named to prestigious lists, our students have won competitions, our staff have been recognized for the support they provide and our alumni have been honoured for their community work. These achievements enhance the renown of the Ted Rogers School and are cause for the entire community to celebrate.

Best Wellness Initiative Award

Students help students with food insecurity program

The Ted Rogers Students’ Society (TRSS) received the Best Wellness Initiative Award by the Canadian Association of Business Students (CABS) for their program to support Ted Rogers School students in need.

CABS is a not-for-profit organization that represents over 70,000 business students from 23 universities in Canada. Its annual awards program celebrates excellence with business students and business student associations. The Best Wellness Initiative Award is given to a CABS Member Society judged to create a meaningful initiative that promotes wellness to students, bringing the most incremental value to its business school student community. The 2024 award went to the TRSS Food Insecurity Project.

Read more about the Food Insecurity Project

The TRSS Food Insecurity Project was introduced to address a pressing issue among university students today who struggle to find affordable food options. This initiative aimed to provide “5-Meal Pack” passes, each valued at $75, to 100 students facing immediate food insecurities.

After the TRSM Student Engagement team conducted outreach to students who showed need through AwardSpring, students completed a form, and were contacted if they were a successful applicant for this program and their OneCard was loaded with meal pack swipes. These meal packs, designed to cater to nutritional needs and various dietary restrictions, are redeemable at TMU dining halls in an All-You-Care-to-Eat (AYCTE) manner. The automatic funds being loaded on the students’ OneCard also meant that it took away the stigma that comes with food insecurity.

“Recognizing the prevalent issue of food insecurity on our campus, this initiative is a crucial response by TRSS to the growing need for support,” says Husnaa Zamarai, TRSS president. “The unique aspect lies in the seamless process of loading the meal pack directly onto student OneCards and using back-end financial need indicators through the AwardSpring database, ensuring student privacy and minimizing stigma.”

Within four days, over 200 Ted Rogers School students applied for the support. The first 100 students were transferred meal packs, and the remaining students were given Ted’s Kitchen gift cards provided by the TRSM Office of the Dean through donor funds.

“It’s an honour to be recognized by the Canadian Association of Business Students for this project which showcases TRSS’s commitment to addressing the urgent issue of food insecurity among our students,” says Zamarai.

Photo: TRSS President Husnaa Zamarai (right) accepting award at CABS event.

Canada's Most Powerful Women

Three Ted Rogers School community members receive WXN Top 100 Awards

The Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards by the Women's Executive Network (WXN) celebrate the professional achievements of female leaders across Canada in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. In 2023, three outstanding leaders from the Ted Rogers School received awards:

Atty Mashatan

Dr. Atefeh (Atty) Mashatan

Canada Research Chair, associate professor and director of the Cybersecurity Research Lab

Dr. Atefeh (Atty) Mashatan, a Canada Research Chair and associate professor and director of the Cybersecurity Research Lab was selected in the Executive Leaders category, which recognizes women who not only exemplify what it means to be a great leader, but also build confidence and champion others.

Mashatan’s expertise at the frontlines of the global cybersecurity field was recognized by SC Magazine in 2019, when she was named one of the top five Women of Influence in Security. Most recently, she received the recognition of Top 20 Women in Cybersecurity in Canada for her efforts in advancing cybersecurity research and training highly qualified personnel in the field.

Victoria Granova

Victoria Granova

PhD student in Ted Rogers School's Cybersecurity Research Lab

Victoria Granova, a PhD student of Dr. Mashatan’s at the Ted Rogers School, was selected in the BMO STEM category, which celebrates the female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math roles who are challenging the status quo for knowledge and female empowerment.

Granova’s PhD dissertation focuses on the psychology of cybersecurity, but with a human-centered approach that incorporates aspects of psychology and business studies. She is also an instructor at TMU and two other universities, teaching enterprise cybersecurity and financial data privacy. In addition, Granova is a security technical program manager at Amazon Web Services, managing global vendor security, and the founder of CyberToronto, an edtech startup.

Rochelle Atizado

Rochelle Atizado

(Global Management Studies '11)
Senior advisor, partnerships and special initiatives, United Nations Foundation

Rochelle Atizado, a Ted Rogers School alumna (’11), was selected in the Amex Emerging Leaders category. She works as a senior advisor, partnerships and special initiatives at the United Nations Foundation.

A master connector, Atizado leads social impact partnerships with purpose-driven companies, creative community, civil society, young people and the UN to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. She is also a UN-published writer.

Sales Leadership Program seals the deal with top honour

The Ted Rogers Sales Leadership Program (TRSLP) is the first Canadian program to be named the Associate Member Sales Program of the year by the University Sales Center Alliance (USCA).

Dr. Karen Peesker, the founding director of the TRSLP, expressed gratitude for the achievement. “This success is a testament to our sales faculty, our fantastic corporate sponsors, sales advisory board, mentors and alumni, and above all, the incredible hard work and remarkable achievements of our sales leadership students.”

The USCA, an accreditation organization of 85 universities with dedicated sales centres and programs across various countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, carefully evaluated the TRSLP against rigorous criteria. The executive committee made the selection, assessing the program’s industry exposure, innovative initiatives, experiential learning opportunities, adherence to USCA standards, promotion of the alliance’s mission and values and level of involvement within the community.

Read more about TRSLP

“We have seen the enormous response from industry partners to the program and the talent of the graduates, and we congratulate Dr. Peesker and the students on meeting critical industry needs,” says Brian Segal, chair of Ted Rogers Leadership Centre and co-founder of the TRSLP.

The TRSLP was established in 2018 as Canada’s premier English-speaking sales leadership program. Accredited with the USCA in 2021, it has been dedicated to advancing sales education and research, offering experiential learning experiences to students and preparing them with industry-relevant skills to positively impact Canadian business.

Dr. Karen Peesker standing beside Dr. Lenita Davis while smiling and accepting an award

From left: Dr. Karen Peesker is presented with the award by Dr. Lenita Davis, Executive Director of UWEC Professional Sales and Sales Management Program.

Celeste Saddler

Celeste Saddler receives international award for community building

Celeste Saddler, a community builder dedicated to helping introduce the Ted Rogers School to Black and Indigenous students, was recognized with an International Women Achievers Award in 2023.

Saddler, a student recruitment, community outreach and retention coordinator at Ted Rogers School, works to empower young people in the Black and BIPOC community in Toronto and beyond.

Saddler co-chairs the Anti-Black Racism Awareness Committee, a standing committee of Ted Rogers School’s Faculty Council, which works to increase awareness about the obstacles faced by Black students and eliminate systemic barriers they may encounter during their university journey.

Read more about Celeste's work

As a student recruitment, community outreach and retention coordinator, Saddler works with young people, encouraging and empowering them. She is a great resource for youth, high school students, incoming students and the community at large. “I don’t see myself as a recruiter,” she says. “I see myself more as a community engagement specialist, engaging my community, speaking to people on a level that they understand.”

In addition, Saddler started engaging with the Black community in the GTHA, volunteering for Saturday morning programs with the Black Business and Professional Association. She’s also a member of the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce, WorldWide Women’s Association (WWA) and Federation of Black Canadians.

“I want my community to have champions like myself, people who they can call on, people who they can talk to, people who look like them, to see the path that we have taken to know that there is a possibility that they can do this, too,” Saddler says.

Submission accomplished: Student recognized globally for research papers

Law and Business student Rayane Belateche had the rare distinction of having two of his papers recognized by the Global Undergraduate Awards in 2023.

Belateche chose two of his strongest papers from his coursework and submitted them to the awards, figuring it was worth a shot. He was one of 10 students from TMU to be recognized.

The first paper, “Promoting Corporate Accountability for Human Rights – The Necessity of a Binding International Treaty on Transnational Corporations,” was highly commended. In this paper, Belateche delved into the issue of human rights violations by transnational corporations, focusing on Nestlé’s alleged involvement in child slavery in the Ivory Coast.

Read more about Rayane's research

“I sifted through countless legal documents, international treaties and journal articles, with my research culminating in a comprehensive international framework, including robust national legislation and a binding treaty, to address these challenges,” Belateche explains.

The second paper, “Canada’s Rape Shield Law and the Protection of Victims’ Rights,” was recognized with a regional award – the top-performing Highly Commended entrant for the USA & Canada region. The paper was originally for his Criminal Law course, and examines the complexities of balancing the rights of the accused with the support for victims of sexual assault within the Canadian legal system.

Regional winners in the Global Undergraduate Awards were recognized with a certificate of recognition, publication of their submission in the The Global Undergraduate Awards Library, access to the Undergraduate Award alumni network and the opportunity to attend the UA Global Summit in Dublin, Ireland.

Rayane Belateche

Highlights

On good merit: MBA grad recognized for community work

Ted Rogers MBA alumnus Brandon Arkinson (’21) attended a special honours ceremony in spring 2024 to receive two medals from the Governor General in Ottawa. He received the Meritorious Service Medal for his efforts to address the issue of homelessness and support vulnerable members of the downtown Toronto community. He also received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for his work to save hundreds of affordable student housing units.

In addition, Arkinson received an Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship in 2024. The medal represents the second highest honour awarded by the province and recognizes individuals whose exceptional volunteerism has helped drive positive change and made a lasting impact in their communities and across the province. He was honoured for his exceptional civic leadership and volunteerism in helping marginalized communities.

Brandon Arkinson wearing his medal and posing with his family

Brandon Arkinson (second from right) wearing his Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship at the awards ceremony.

Atty Mashatan

Atefeh (Atty) Mashatan named Top 25 Women of Influence+

Dr. Atefeh (Atty) Mashatan, founder and director of the Cybersecurity Research Lab, was named a Top 25 Women of Influence in 2024 by Women of Influence+, a global organization dedicated to promoting gender equity in the workplace. The annual awards recognize the achievements and contributions of women who have made significant contributions in their respective fields, driving meaningful progress and change in business and society.

Mashatan is recognized as a leading expert in cryptography, blockchain technology, information security and privacy. She is also an advocate for women in the cybersecurity field and volunteers at events for women in STEM.

Taking the stage at Salesforce Education Summit

The Ted Rogers School’s innovative integration of Salesforce to maximize graduate employment outcomes took centre stage at the 2024 Salesforce Education Summit.

Olivia Menonte (business analyst) and Medhat Sedarose (senior manager, Ted Rogers Co-op) from the Business Career Hub had the unique opportunity to present at the summit, representing one of just two Canadian schools selected.

The pair presented on the communications framework they built using Salesforce products to efficiently collect and measure Ted Rogers Co-op graduate outcomes. This allows the team to celebrate the program’s success, while also ensuring a seamless data transition for Alumni Relations and Advancement to drive engagement and build new partnerships.

Olivia Menonte and Medhat Sedarose near a podium and ready to present at the Salesforce Conference

Olivia Menonte (left) and Medhat Sedarose (right) at Salesforce Education Summit.

Marisol Rivera

Student receives JLL Women in Real Estate award

Real Estate Management student Marisol Rivera was named a JLL Women in Real Estate 2023-2024 Recipient. JLL is a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company. Its awards celebrate female students in commercial real estate who are pursuing a career in the industry.

Think globally, Enactus locally: Students recognized for innovative solutions

Enactus TMU, Ted Rogers School’s largest social entrepreneurship group, was named one of the country’s top four social innovators at Enactus Canada’s 2024 National Exposition for its two pioneering projects.

Enactus Canada is a social entrepreneurship network with chapters in universities and colleges across the country. The student-led projects operate like business startups innovating solutions to the world’s biggest problems.

In March 2024, Enactus TMU’s Project BITS, a financial literacy program designed by and for students, was named Regional Champion in Enactus Canada’s Desjardins Youth Empowerment Challenge. Project Terra-Plast, a revolutionary biodegradable polymer made from potato starch, was the Runner-Up in the Canadian Tire Corporation Environmental Sustainability Challenge.

Enactus members holding award

Making our case

Ted Rogers School students have owned the podium at several national and international case competitions over the past year. Here are a few of their victories:

2023 Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition

Ted Rogers Undergraduate Sales Team (TRUST) won overall university champion at the 2023 Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition.

2023 STR & ICHRIE Global Student Market Study Competition

Hospitality and Tourism Management students Xinyi Tan, Kaitlyn Washbrook, Brian Vuong, Audrey Yip, Libby Worden and Edward Su placed 9th in the world at the virtual 2023 STR & ICHRIE Global Student Market Study Competition.

2024 ACHIEVE Case Competition

Accounting students Dennis Chen, George Chibukhchyan, Benjamin Cohen and Ontario Tech University student Abu George Kuttenchirayil took home first place at the 2024 ACHIEVE Case Competition.

2024 Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition

Ted Rogers School students Jerry Gao, Payten Cervini, Kieran Gibson and Jack Scanlon came in third at the 2024 Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition (SG-FECC). Scanlon also received a Best Presenter Award at the event.
Case competition students holding a large cheque
Family Business Institute members holding award with their thumbs up and smiling

Toronto Metropolitan University Award recipients

Teaching and Education Awards

Oliver Okafor

Oliver Okafor

Program director, Professional Master’s Diploma in Accounting, associate professor, Accounting & Finance

YSGPS Outstanding Contribution to Graduate Education Award

Ellen Choi

Ellen Choi

Assistant professor, HR Management & Organizational Behaviour

Dean's Teaching Award - Faculty

Naïma Cherchem

Naïma Cherchem

Assistant professor, Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Dean's Teaching Award - Faculty

Ryan Wilock

Ryan Wilock

Dean's Teaching Award - Contract Lecturers

Scholarly, Research and Creative (SRC) Activity Awards

Burcu Bulgurcu

Burcu Bulgurcu

Assistant professor, Information Technology Management

Dean's Scholarly, Research and Creative Activity Award

Laleh Samarbakhsh

Laleh Samarbakhsh

Associate professor, Finance

Dean's Scholarly, Research and Creative Activity Award

Service and Leadership Awards

Dan Cantiller

Dan-Arwin Cantiller

Decision support analyst (as part of the Positive Space Faculty and Staff Community Network)

Alan Shepard Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Employee Award

Sana Mulji

Sana Mulji

Senior advisor, external relations and inclusion

Julia Hanigsberg Make Your Mark Staff Award

Tom Griffin

Tom Griffin

Associate professor, Hospitality and Tourism Management

Dean's Service Award

Kiana Basiri

Kiana Basiri

Assistant professor, Real Estate Management

Dean's Service Award

2024 Awards Gala celebration. View of the room with people at sitting at round tables.
Dr. Laleh Samarbakhsh accepting her award beside Dr. Cynthia Holmes at the 2024 Awards Gala celebration
Dan Cantiller with other award recipients on the stage at the 2024 Awards Gala celebration
Sana Mulji standing beside Saeed Zolfaghari, Vice-President, Administration and Operations at the 2024 Awards Gala celebration
Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano, provost and vice-president and Mohamed Lachemi President & Vice-Chancellor, TMU at the 2024 Awards Gala celebration
Sean Sedlezky standing beside Saeed Zolfaghari, Vice-President, Administration and Operations at the 2024 Awards Gala celebration

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The content of this report covers July 2023-August 2024.

In April 2022, the university announced our new name of Toronto Metropolitan University, which will be implemented in a phased approach. Learn more about our next chapter.