Here are the winners of the English Department's Award for Outstanding Performance in an English Course, which is awarded each term to undergraduate students who have done exceptional work in an English course. The award may be given for an exceptional paper or other assignment, for outstanding improvement in the quality of work over the course, for outstanding contributions to class discussion or community over a term, or for a combination of these efforts. Only one award can be given out for each class section. Congratulations to the winners!
This page lists nominees from the current academic year. To see nominees from previous academic years, see our Previous Outstanding Course Performance Awards page.
Winter 2026
| Student | Course | Instructor | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Andreatta | ENGL 320 | Danielle Deveau | Allison was an engaged student and an excellent peer-instructor throughout the term. She wrote 3 near perfect media theory exams. Exceptional work this term! |
| Boluwatiwi Asaba | ENGL 119 | Jessica Van De Kemp | I am so happy to recognize Tiwi for the great energy he brought to our morning class! He was a standout when it came to our discussions, always willing to jump in and share his thoughts. Having a student who is so open to sharing is refreshing and I am very glad to celebrate the wonderful impact he had on our class community. Thank you! |
| Eugene Baek | ENGL 108F | Alysia Kolentsis | Eugene was an outstanding student in an exceptionally strong class. His written work was exemplary and his contributions to class discussions thoughtful and illuminating. For the final project, Eugene presented on the Gwangju Rebellion. The presentation and accompanying poster effectively connected theories we studied in the course, historical information, and contemporary understandings of rebellion. It was truly innovative and impressive work. |
| Maximilian Bartoszek | ENGL 119 | Jessica Van De Kemp | It is a pleasure to award Max for his consistent excellence and growth! He is a natural leader whose charismatic personality is rooted in kindness toward others, making him a positive role model in our classroom. I was especially impressed by his confident public speaking during the group poster presentation. Bravo! |
| Vanessa Boyce | ENGL 108G | Andrew McMurry | Vanessa is a terrific speaker and writer, who possesses a deep, incisive intelligence. She is an excellent classmate and discussant. She reads texts carefully and observantly. I learned a lot from her about some of the horror stories I'd been teaching for the last several years and which I'd thought I knew inside and out. There were many "Okay, I hadn't thought of that" and "Okay, I wish I'd thought of that" moments for me as a result of her contributions. She totally merits the Outstanding Course Performance award for English 108g. |
| Jack Brown | ENGL 192 | Heather Love | For an insightful and well-researched final project, strong collaborative leadership on a semester-long group project (as described by multiple teammates), and engaged participation in all class activities. |
| Ivy Co | ENGL101A | Blaze Welling | Despite some necessary absences due to conflicts in her schedule, Ivy contributed meaningfully to class discussions and her assignments showed passion and comprehension for literary study. Her observations and questions enlivened our lectures and her supplemental reading assignments showcased committed and critical engagement with course readings. Ivy’s work ethic is commendable and her presence was so valued in ENGL101A. |
| Emma Devine | ENGL 315 | Shelley Hulan | Emma was deeply engaged in this online course, and it showed in all the work she did. I have rarely encountered a final examination essay as well written as the one she turned in for the 315 (in-person) final. Whatever she was writing for the course, her contributions reflected real curiosity and appreciation of Canadian Modernist literature combined with a healthy critical approach to it. |
| Victoria Duscio | ENGL 208E | Carol Acton | Victoria's written work far exceeds expectations at the undergraduate level. Her writing is beautiful and she engages with the texts with insight and a sophisticated level of analysis. She contributed that insight to class discussion throughout the term, had a 100% record of attendance, and received the highest grade in the course I have ever given. |
| Hana Eisa | ENGL 109 EL | Danielle Deveau | Hana produced grammatically exceptional and engaging writing throughout the term, including on the final exam. |
| Teagan Kennedy Gray | ENGL 109 EL | Danielle Deveau | Teagan was a highly engaged student throughout the term. Despite starting the course a very strong writer, they still found ways to improve steadily on each written assignment. Teagan capped off the term with an exceptional essay on the final exam. |
| Yu Xiang Huang | ENGL 109 EL | Danielle Deveau | It was great to have Ian in this course this term. He engaged deeply with the material and remained consistently motivated to refine his writing. It was a pleasure to see his skills develop throughout the term. |
| Chelsea Jaipersad | GSJ 410 | Fraser Easton | Chelsea made outstanding contributions to all course elements, but I especially want to recognize her substantive, pertinent, and well-informed contributions to class and group discussions. Her engagement with course readings and perspectives was outstanding. Well done Chelsea! |
| Mehar Joneja | ENGL 193 | Heather Love | For insightful analysis of scholarly and public science communication, strong team leadership on multiple projects, and consistently thoughtful contributions to class discussions. |
| Harsimran Kaur | ENGL 408a | Danielle Deveau | Harsimran made great improvements to their journalistic style over the term and did an excellent job applying their science knowledge and expertise in this writing intensive course. Harsimran's final portfolio was top of class! |
| Fardowsa Khalif | ENGL 201 | Shelley Hulan | Fardowsa's written work for ENGL 201 made the greatest improvement of anyone in this course. But more importantly, she was an effervescent presence in the class. Her contributions to class discussions expressed some wonderful ideas, and I truly appreciated the generosity with which she treated other class members. |
| Aadi Kulshrestha | ENGL 109 EL | Danielle Deveau | Aadi consistently gave peers thoughtful and insightful feedback, contributing to a positive learning environment. The effort and care Aadi put into writing and revising work resulted in papers that went above and beyond expectations. |
| Michelle Ma | ENGL 251 | Chad Wriglesworth | Every assignment that Michelle submitted for this course (including the final exam) was truly exceptional. Her work was consistently delivered with creativity, rhetorical precision, and clarity. Each assignment was illuminating and a pleasure to read. |
| Jackson MacMaster | ENGL 193 | Megan Selinger | Outstanding professionalism. Jackson was a professional in all aspects of the course. He came highly prepared to every lecture, often taking a leadership role within his group to ensure that everyone was able to participate. Jackson was mentioned by a number of his peers as a member of the class who contributed best to their academic success. It's clear that Jackson worked hard to both develop his own skill set throughout the term, while providing ample time to help support his classmates. Overall, a fantastic member of our classroom environment demonstrating professionalism at a graduate student level. |
| Arya Mandewalker | ENGL 109 EL | Danielle Deveau | Arya was an excellent and engaged student throughout the term. They wrote a truly exceptional final exam, including a near perfect essay. |
| Isabella Pacheco | ENGL 109 EL | Danielle Deveau | Isabella demonstrated great effort through out the course by showing consistent participation during class discussions and peer review on LEARN, always completing activities and assignments, and being proactive and prepared to seek feedback and clarification for assignments and course units. |
| Aderra Park | ENGL 210C | Bruce Dadey | Aderra repeatedly demonstrated her determination to thoroughly understand the techniques of both fiction and poetry and her willingness to experiment and take risks when applying those techniques. The resulting work was fresh, engaging, and thoughtfully crafted. Aderra was also a very active contributor to class discussions, making observations and asking questions that benefited the class as a whole, and she consistently provided generous and insightful peer feedback to her fellow writers in the class. Congratulations! |
| Lily Pinzin | ENGL 119 | Jessica Van De Kemp | Lily has been such a star this term! It was amazing to see her confidence grow alongside her skills. Her oral presentation video was a huge leap forward; she has a real knack for public speaking and kept her delivery so clear and bright. Seeing her level-up into such a compelling presenter was a proud moment for me. Way to go! |
| Kerris Sweet | ENGL 410 | Fraser Easton | Kerris was an outstanding contributor to class and group discussions and her work on course assignments was uniformly excellent. She showed deep engagement with class readings and perspectives, and was a uniformly strong class member. Well done Kerris! |
| Isabella Vignando | ENGL 104 | Rency Luan | Isabella has demonstrated profoundly thoughtful, critical, and intentional work this term in ENGL 104 (Rhetoric in Popular Culture). In class discussions, Isabella always goes above and beyond to share meaningful insights, drawing astutely from readings, personal experiences, and pop culture. Isabella's final project, a video essay on "Interview with the Vampire," is stellar. The video essay blends together a brilliant depth of rhetorical methods with sharp and witty social commentary on class and identity. |
| Marko Vucenic | ENGL 193 | Megan Selinger | For outstanding citizenship. Marko was an incredible member of the class this past term. He was highly engaged in group conversations, brought depth and breath to our discussions while displaying curiosity and passion for the topic. He was an exemplary group member, working diligently to help support his group members in both informal and formal projects. As an audience member, Marko went above and beyond, asking a question of every presenter so they could show off their expansive knowledge and critical reflection on their subjects. |
| Sophie Wilhelm | ENGL 347 | Chad Wriglesworth | Sophie made outstanding contributions to this course on every level. She offered thought provoking insights on the readings and completed assignments that were refreshingly quirky and highly attentive to matters of literary form. Each submission left me with new ways to consider the text in question. |
| Ivy Wu | ENGL 193 | Jessica Van De Kemp | I am just so proud of Ivy! It was a total joy watching her skills grow week by week. She really pushed herself to reach that next level and it all clicked so perfectly in her oral presentation video. She has a real talent for making science feel accessible and engaging. Seeing that kind of progress is exactly why I love teaching! |
| Helena Xu | ENGL 200A | Fraser Easton | Helena's work in this course was consistently excellent and often outstanding, and she met all challenges and exceeded all expectations in her work. |
| Elise Zeineddine | ENGL 193 | Carolyn Eckert | Elise consistently demonstrates the qualities of a natural leader. She maintains excellent attendance, arrives early, fully prepared, and completes all assigned and in-class work to a high standard. Academically strong, she produces thoughtful, creative, and engaging contributions that enhance the learning environment. Her peers frequently recognize her for the quality of her feedback and her willingness to support others. She is friendly, collaborative, and highly receptive to feedback, using it to continuously strengthen her work. Overall, she exemplifies dedication, initiative, and a strong commitment to learning. |
Fall 2025
| Student | Course | Instructor | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoe Achim | English 406/492 | Andrew McMurry | An exceptional student in terms of her written work (an original term paper--‘You Can’t Take Our Country–and You Can’t Take Our Game’: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Trump Administration’s Response to the Four Nations Face-Off"), but maybe her most outstanding work was simply her thoughtful comments in the seminar (Rhetoric of Fascism). Many students seemed to take their cue from her remarks, which were always timely, on-point, and demonstrated deep understanding of the course material. |
| Zoe Achim | ENGL 262 | Andrew Deman | I am nominating Zoe for Outstanding Contribution to class discussion. Despite operating in a class of 60 students and within a topic that generates enthusiastic discussion (manga), Zoe routinely carried and advanced our classroom discussions with personal insights, critical thinking, literary expertise, and exceptional open-mindedness. She spoke considerately and conscientiously to her instructor and classmates and, in overall consequence, deeply enriched the learning experience of all involved (including myself). |
| Bavithra Amuthalakan | ENGL 309A | Norm Klassen | Bavithra did outstanding coursework in ENGL 309A, especially the mid-term, which asked a single question, What does Augustine mean by the inner word? She answered this question with reference to pre-modern ontology (shared by Greeks, Romans, and Christians alike), to Plato's concern for what Gadamer called the rhetorical "demonic technologization" of the Sophists and erroneous flight from language, to Gadamer's own insistence that "a word has a mysterious connection with what it 'images'; it belongs to its being," and ultimately to the insights of Augustine in the second half of his great work On the Trinity to which the western rhetorical tradition is indebted (and which Gadamer has helped to recover). |
| Madeleine Dunlop | ENGL 363 | Alysia Kolentsis | Madeleine's work in this course was outstanding. She was a vital voice in our class discussions, offering sharp insights on the plays we were studying and forging key connections among the texts. For her final close reading project, Madeleine produced a brilliant assessment of Volumnia's language in the play Coriolanus, suggesting that this formidable mother figure should be considered as tragic a character as her son. Madeleine's accomplishments in the course are all the more commendable because she is not an English student but rather a Psychology major; her work shows the value of interdisciplinary work, as she brought the skills honed in her home discipline to bear on literary analysis. |
| Alex Friesen | ENGL 251 | Kenneth Graham | Alex was the top student in an exceptionally strong class. His written assignments were remarkable: critically insightful, linguistically creative, theoretically astute, and above all deeply rooted in central human values. |
| Fizzah Haider | ENGL 193 | Jessica Van De Kemp | Fizzah Haider produced consistently high-quality work! In ENGL 193 (Section 008), she paid close attention to detail, remained focused in class, and clearly put real effort into all her tasks. She also seemed genuinely keen on developing and strengthening her professional communication skills, something that showed in the precision of her mock job application. I am happy to acknowledge her with an Outstanding Course Performance Award. Congrats, Fizzah! |
| Elisa He | ENGL 101C | Randy Harris | Ms. He was thoughtfully, actively, and critically engaged in class discussion, group activities, and online commentary. She mastered the readings, rapidly became an excellent analyst of rhetorical figures, and wrote steadily improving exams that culminated in a superb final. I was particularly impressed and pleased with how she more than once probed concepts in class that I thought were settled and widely understood, ensuring I gave more detailed and careful explanations. Those moments were very helpful to me as an instructor and I know they benefited the class as a whole. |
| Svetlana Hricko | ENGL 193 | Megan Selinger | Svetlana exemplified the values of critical engagement alongside exceptional classroom presence. In group work, she was clear leader, but in a supportive and encouraging manner - helping others to voice their own thoughts and opinions on the materials. Her written work was carefully drafted, consciously written, and meticulously reviewed. |
| Matthew Johnston | ENGL 191 | Jay Rawding | This Outstanding Course Performance Award goes to Matthew Johnston for his consistently high quality of work and professionalism throughout the term. His recommendation report in particular was a first-rate submission. Friendly, organized, and patient, Matthew led by positive example in every class. Great work, Matthew! |
| Jade Labelle | ENGL 108P | Anna McWebb | Jade Labelle deserves an outstanding course performance award for enthusiastic participation in ENGL108P (Popular Potter). Jade was eager to share thoughts on and critical insights into the literature we were reading, and went above and beyond in both group and individual assignments to produce creative and engaging work. Jade's commitment to the learning journey is admirable, and I hope Jade's creativity and imaginative thinking continue to sustain endeavours at school, and outside of it. |
| Joyce Lau | ENGL 100A (02) | Dorothy Hadfield | Joyce participated consistently and thoughtfully in class, but she especially shone in her essay assignment. She used feedback on a draft to almost completely refocus her paper and submit a solid and stylistically elegant comparison of first-person narrators that was a real pleasure to read. |
| Tristan Lee | ENGL 230 | Fraser Easton | Tristan's performance was outstanding in all aspects of ENGL 230, "The Pleasure of Poetry." His contributions to class discussions and the many class exercises were especially notable. Tristan brought a genuine and authentic love of poetry to this class on our responses to poetry, enriching it for all students. |
| Nykin Leskiw | ENGL 192 | Heather Love | Awarded for: in-depth engagement with the course's overall approach to studying and practicing engineering communication by exploring the "socio-technical system" underpinning a common technological tool; excellent work collaborating with peers to produce and present a compelling and clearly designed "Map" of the social, ethical, and environmental impacts of the Arduino R4 microprocessor; and a compelling and insightful final project exploring the significance of his research on the Arduino Map within the context of engineering education. |
| Adrian Mariach Hinojosa | ENGL 193 | Megan Selinger | Adrian was a phenomenal addition to our classroom environment. He was ready and willing to interrogate the material, eager to learn, and genuinely curious about the topics. His final presentation was polished and enthusiastic, demonstrating both excellence and passion for the field. |
| Victoria Martin | ENGL 200A | Alysia Kolentsis | Victoria's skills as a close reader are remarkable. Her presentation on George Herbert's poem "The Collar" was brilliant in its careful and convincing analysis. Victoria also demonstrated wonderful teaching ability in leading her audience through the nuances of the poem and linking those details to wider themes in early modern literature. Her work on the term tests for the course was similarly advanced and impressive. |
| Chris Masterman | ENGL 310B | Norm Klassen | Chris was a model student, always present (in the full sense of the word), engaged, inquisitive. She even responded to LEARN announcements, which I consider a very nice, humane thing to do. Chris did consistently good work throughout the term and helped set a high standard for everyone's participation in the world of The Canterbury Tales. |
| Lauren Muscat | ENGL 193 | Jessica Van De Kemp | Lauren Muscat brought steady positivity and enthusiasm to ENGL 193 (Section 006)! She supported her peers, stayed attentive, and added thoughtful contributions. Her oral presentation video stood out, as she explained a science topic she cared about in a clear, engaging way for non-experts; this strong moment showed real growth in her communication skills. I am delighted to present her with an Outstanding Course Performance Award. Keep shining, Lauren! |
| Christine Pellar-Kosbar | ENGL 100A | Dorothy Hadfield | Christine's comments and questions helped to spark real discussion in class--exchanges of ideas and insights among students rather than just isolated responses. She followed that up with high-quality written work for all assignments. What a delight to have her in the course. |
| Alex Peng | ENGL 109 | Allyson Conrad | I am nominating this student for their outstanding work in their narrative essay. Alex was an attentive student with excellent contributions to class discussions and thoughtful contributions to peer reviews, but he stood out the most in his narrative writing which told a story of experiencing racial discrimination as a young child and how it motivated him to work hard and prove their kindergarten teacher wrong. The writing was gripping, a bit shocking and will make some readers laugh out loud. Alex's raw and honest approach to narrative writing significantly impacts the reader and his brash humour adds a unique voice to the story. For his excellent prowess in this particular genre of writing, I highly recommend Alex for this award. |
| Blake Pizzimenti | ENGL 193 | Jessica Van De Kemp | Blake Pizzimenti made such a strong impression this term! In ENGL 193 (Section 007), he put in consistent effort, encouraged his peers, and grew even more confident in sharing his ideas. For instance, he was a confident public speaker during his group’s poster presentation at the Science Communication Showcase event, which clearly showed his progress. I am very pleased to recognize him with an Outstanding Course Performance Award. Well done, Blake! |
| LJ Robinson | ENGL 432 | Danielle Deveau | LJ created exceptional work during this term. They also took care to enhance the learning environment, acting as a supportive mentor and leader to their fellow students. The audio production work that LJ completed in this course, both individually and as part of a team, was of an excellent quality and demonstrated creativity and ambition. Fantastic job this term, LJ! |
| Julianna Rutledge | ENGL 251 | Chad Wriglesworth | Julianna made outstanding contributions to class discussion and submitted assignments that showed an exceptional ability to integrate complex theoretical thinking with a high level of interpreting a wide range of primary texts. |
| Sophie Wilhelm | ENGL 344 | Heather Love | Awarded for a brilliant final project that mobilized audio-visual modalities to creatively and insightfully braid together course themes, primary and secondary text quotations, and critical commentary on the ways in which modernist American literature offers "lessons for" our contemporary, technology-saturated culture. Sophie wrote lyrics, composed melodies and harmonies, and then recorded and produced final versions of four original songs, which worked together to communicate a clear and compelling perspective on the ways in which vision (literal sight, as well as the broader category of "perception") can become distorted through technological mediation. |