Celebrating outstanding members of the U of T community.
Why We Recognize
The University of Toronto ranks among the best universities in the world because of the vital daily contributions of our faculty, staff and students. Valuing and recognizing this reaffirms our commitment to enhancing the employee experience and engaging our talented, diverse workforce.
Openly expressing how much we value one another’s contributions helps to advance a culture of gratitude and inclusion that makes U of T a great place to work and learn.Recognize someone
University employees can use the True Blue Recognition platform for sending instant recognition and staff award nominations.
Our offered programming
We value our community’s accomplishments, performance, commitment, and years of service, and offer an array of awards and recognition opportunities to thank our members for their positive impact.
Our recognition and engagement programs celebrate our community’s dedication to advancing the University’s mission.
Awards
Institutional Awards
Recognition awards and programs for staff and librarians from across the University of Toronto’s tri-campus community.
The prestigious Awards of Excellence (AWEX) program dates back to 1921 with the creation of the John H. Moss Scholarship, awarded to outstanding student leaders. In 1990 the Faculty Award and the Chancellor’s Award were added to the program. Since 1990, seven more distinct awards or scholarships recognizing exceptional students, faculty, librarians and administrative staff members of the University have been launched; most recently, the President’s Excellence Award.
Though the criteria differ for each award, recipients all share a commitment to enhancing the university experience of their peers and leave a significant impact on the University through their efforts.
This award program recognizes staff and librarians who demonstrated outstanding leadership at the University.
The program runs annually and presents three categories of the award. Nominations open in September and close in December. Each recipient receives $1,000, a framed award certificate, and an invitation to the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon, held in the Spring.
This award program recognizes staff and librarians as individuals or teams at any level, for their innovation at the University.
The program runs biennially and accepts nominations in the summer. Each recipient receives an award certificate and True Blue points (2,500 for individual recipients and up to 1,500 per winning team member).
This award program recognizes staff and librarians as individuals or teams, at any level, for their service to the University.
The program runs biennially and accepts nominations in the summer. Each recipient receives an award certificate and True Blue points (2,500 for individual recipients and up to 1,500 per winning team member).
This is an award program that recognizes one to two individuals annually, who contribute to student services at the University of Toronto.
The program accepts nominations in September and announces the recipients in the springtime. Each recipient receives $1,200 and an invitation to the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon.
This award program that recognizes one student, staff, faculty member, or librarian, anually, at the University of Toronto.
The program accepts nominations in September and announces the recipients in the springtime. Each Recipient receives $1,000 and an invitation to the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon.
Recognizing U of T faculty members, librarians, and staff who are celebrating 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 years of service.
The University thrives because of the fabulous faculty members, librarians, and staff who have spent years working at U of T and have been an integral part of our institution’s growth and development. In recognition of this commitment, the University recognizes individuals who have reached significant continuous service milestones across our tri-campus community through the Long Service Award (LSA) program.
This award program recognizes staff, librarians, faculty members, and students for their scholarship, personal service to others, or activities in support of the University of Toronto’s commitment to human rights, and equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The program runs annually and presents three categories of the award. Nominations open in September and close in December. Each recipient receives $1,500, a framed award certificate, and an invitation to the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon, held in the Spring.
This is an award program that celebrates and recognizes staff and faculty members who have contributed to enhancing and re-imagining the undergraduate student learning experience.
The program runs annually and recognizes teams. The team recipients will receive $2,000, along with an invitation to the Excellence in Teaching Reception.
The Pinnacle Awards Luncheon is an annual presentation ceremony to recognize exceptional contributions by administrative staff, faculty members, librarians and students who are the recipients of the Chancellor’s Leadership Award, the President’s Excellence Award, the Jill Matus Excellence in Student Services Award, the Joan E. Foley Quality of Student Experience Award, and the Ludwik & Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize.
This award program recognizes staff and librarians who demonstrated outstanding service to the University.
The program runs annually and presents three categories of the award. Nominations open in September and close in December. Each recipient receives $1,000, a framed award certificate, and an invitation to the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon, held in the Spring.
The University of Toronto celebrates the service and dedication demonstrated by our retiring faculty members, librarians and staff through this annual recognition program.
Retirees receive a retirement certificate from the University as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
The Sustainable Action Awards recognize individuals and teams who make tangible contributions to sustainability at the University of Toronto. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate these contributions and inspire new sustainable action both on and off-campus.
These awards are part of U of T’s goal of embedding sustainability in all it does and becoming a model of sustainability worldwide.
The program runs annually with nominations closing in Winter. Each recipient receives a $200 gift card, and runners up receive a $100 gift card.
Divisional Awards
Recognition awards and programs for staff and librarians within a specific division, Faculty, or college.
Awards include:
- Outstanding Administrative Staff Award
- Outstanding Research Staff Award
This award program recognizes administrative and technical staff members within the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
The program runs annually and presents two categories. Each recipient receives a trophy and an invitation to a presentation ceremony held in the summer.
Awards include:
- Advancement Rising Leader Award
- Advancement Motivational Leader Award
- Advancement Distinguished Leader Award
These awards recognize individuals in the Division of University Advancement.
Three categories of the awards recognize individuals who exhibit extraordinary talent and leadership and who have been vital to the success of advancement at U of T. Each recipient receives a prize of 2,500 True Blue points.
Awards include:
- Caring Community Award
- Emerging Leader Award
- Innovative Service Award
- Collaborative Team of the Year Award
- Innovative Team of the Year Award
This award program recognizes individuals and teams within the Division of Vice-President and Provost.
The program runs annually, presents five categories, and begins accepting nominations in the fall. Individual award recipients receive $1,000 for professional development and teams receive $2,000.
Awards include:
- Agnes Kaneko Citizenship Award
- Harpreet Dhariwal Emerging Leader Award
- Catherine Gagne Sustained Excellence in Leadership Award
- Innovation Award
- Barbara McCann Quality of Student Experience Award for Frontline Staff
- Quality of Student Experience Award for Behind-the-Scenes Staff
This award program recognizes individuals within the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.
The award program runs annually and presents six categories of awards. The program accepts nominations in the winter, closing in February. Each recipient receives a commemorative award and a cash prize of $500 for individual recipients or $2,000 per team.
Awards include:
- Dean’s Student Life Award
- Dean’s Outstanding Technical Service Award
- Dean’s Outstanding Administrative Service Award
- Dean’s Distinguished Long Service Award
This award program recognizes individuals within the Faculty of Arts and Science.
The annual program presents four award categories. Each recipient receives a prize of $500, a certificate, and an invitation to a ceremony held in the spring.
This award program recognizes individuals within the Faculty of Dentistry and celebrates those who have demonstrated excellence in their work and have earned their colleagues’ respect through their professionalism, teamwork and positive attitude.
The award program runs annually. Recipients will receive a prize, and an invitation to the Summer Luncheon hosted by the Dean.
This award program celebrates administrative staff within the Faculty of Information and recognizes those who have made a positive contribution and are held in high regard by their colleagues, faculty members and/or students.
The award program runs annually, and accepts nominations at the end of October. Each recipient will a receive a gift with a maximum value of $500, an invitation to the December award ceremony, and a plaque.
This award program recognizes staff members at the Rotman School of Management. The recipients of this award have supported the School’s vision, colleagues, student community and alumni network.
This award runs annually, and each recipient receives a $500 prize, a certificate, and an invitation to the luncheon in the spring.
Awards include:
- Cultivating Community Award
- Dr. Claire Alleyne Staff Excellence Award
- Leadership Award
- Innovation Award
These awards recognize individuals and teams within the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) for their service to create and foster a community of care and collegiality at the school.
This program runs annually, there are four categories of awards, and nominations are accepted from January to February.
Each Recipient receives a plaque and an invitation to a ceremony in April. The recipient of the Dr. Claire Alleyne Staff Excellence Award also receives $500.
Awards include:
- Living our Values Award
- Emerging Leader Award
- Distinguished Contribution Award
- Distinguished Contribution – Team of the Year Award
An award program that recognizes individuals and team awards from the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture (PSEC) and the Divisional HR Offices.
The program runs annually each fall and presents four categories of the award. Each recipient receives a certificate and 750 points on the True Blue Recognition Platform.
An annual award program that recognizes individuals within the President’s Office, the Division of the Vice-President & Provost, a Vice-Presidential Division (where the Vice-President is a member of Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidents), or the Office of the Governing Council.
The program accepts nominations each winter and announces annual recipients each spring / summer. Each recipients will receive a framed certificate and 1,250 True Blue points.
Awards include:
- Exemplary Leadership Award
- Emerging Leadership Award
- Excellence in Innovation and Creativity Award
- Fostering an Inclusive Environment Award
- Service Excellence in Laboratory Research Environment Award
- Administrative Excellence Award
- Community Contribution Award
- Engagement Champion Award
This award program celebrates administrative, technical and research staff members or teams at the Temerity Faculty of Medicine and recognizes contributions to the Faculty’s vision and strategic priorities.
The program has eight award categories, and nominations close in September. Each recipient receives a certificate, a framed print by Lisa Boivin and an invitation to a reception at Hart House.
This program acknowledges staff who have made outstanding contributions to the University of Toronto Mississauga.
The program runs annually each fall. Each recipient receives $750 towards their professional development, an invitation to the fall award ceremony, and a trophy.
Awards include:
- Leadership (individual)
- Emerging Leadership (individual)
- Creativity and Innovation (individual)
- Community Engagement (individual)
- Enhancing the UTM Experience (individual or team)
- Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (individual or team)
- Sustainability/Green Initiatives (individual or team)
- Well-being (individual or team)
This program acknowledges staff at the University of Toronto Mississauga.
The program runs annually each fall and there are eight categories of awards. Each recipient receives $250 towards their professional development OR $250 in True Blue points, along with a trophy and an invitation to a ceremony to receive their prize.
This award program recognizes individual staff, faculty members, or students who contribute to the University of Toronto Scarborough.
The program runs annually and nominations close in April. Each recipient receives a framed certificate and an invitation to the annual Celebration of Distinguished Services.
The Patrick Phillips Award for Staff Service is awarded to a deserving staff member in recognition of selfless duty and dedicated service to the University of Toronto Scarborough.
The award program runs annually, and nominations close in April. Each recipient receives a framed certificate and an invitation to the annual Celebration of Distinguished Services.
Awards include:
- Distinguished Service Excellence Award
- Accomplished Service Excellence Award
- Emerging Leader Excellence Award
- Inclusive Excellence Service Award
This program recognizes administrative staff at the Univeristy of Toronto Scarborough campus. Four categories of the award are presented annually. The program supports the Univeristy’s mission of inclusion, championing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, supporting professional development, and leadership values.
The program runs annually with a celebration in the fall and its winners receive a framed certificate.
Awards include:
- OREP Individual Impact Award
- OREP Team Impact Award
This award program recognizes individuals and teams of administrative staff members within the University Operations & Real Estate Partnerships portfolio.
Two categories of awards are presented annually. Nominations open in April and close in May. Each recipient receives a physical award that is presented at the annual OREP summer BBQ.