view . spring 2010
19
A highlight
of the November 2009 Alumni
Association’s Annual General Meeting
was the presentation of the prestigious
Excellence in Mentoring Award to
Dr. Sheila Cameron,
professor emeritus,
Faculty of Nursing.
The Excellence in
Mentoring Award was
established in 2002,
recognizing faculty who
offer personal, academic
and professional guidance to
students, and who contribute
to their development up to
and following graduation.
Dr. Cameron is a leader
and mentor who has
dedicated her entire career to
nursing education, with scholarly research
that spans over three decades. She shares
her knowledge and expertise broadly
and openly with the nursing and health
care community.
Apart from her responsibilities as
they relate to administration, research
and nursing organizations, Dr. Cameron
maintained an open-door policy with students,
faculty and colleagues.
Ontario’s Provincial Chief
Nursing Officer, Vanessa
Burkoski BScN ’84, CNP ’97,
MScN ’02, still carries the
wisdom Dr. Cameron shared
with her over the past 25
years. Now, in her current role,
Burkoski says that she passes
that knowledge on to others.
Even though Dr. Cameron
is now retired, she continues
to make herself available
to review grant proposals,
publications and to
collaborate on research proposals.
This award winner exemplifies all of
the characteristics of a great mentor
with her caring, generosity, kindness and
professional assistance.
FORMER NURSING PROFESSOR AN
EXCELLENT MENTOR
CALLING FOR
NOMINATIONS
Dr. Sheila Cameron,
professor emeritus,
Facutly of Nursing
The Alumni Association is calling for
nominations for the following awards
to be presented in 2010. Honour
a successful graduate or faculty
member who has had an impact on
your life. If you don’t nominate them,
we can’t honour them!
For successful alumni within 10 years
of graduation:
• Odyssey Award recognizes young and
successful alumni in the early stages of
their careers and/or has had a significant
or innovative achievement in their
professional or personal life.
For faculty members who have had
an impact on your education, career,
life and all-around development –
two awards:
• Alumni Award for Distinguished
Contributions to University Teaching,
recognizing distinguished teaching on
campus and providing incentive and
encouragement for achieving excellence in
their field; and
• Excellence in Mentoring Award, presented
to an individual who has demonstrated
excellence by offering personal, academic
or professional guidance to students up to
and following graduation.
For outstanding alumni, the
Association’s most prestigious award:
• Alumni Award of Merit is presented
to a graduate for distinguished
accomplishments, bringing honour to the
University and their community or for
outstanding service to their University.
For nomination forms and further
information on all of the Alumni
Association’s awards and scholarships,
visit
, e-mail
or contact the Office
of Alumni Affairs at 519-971-3618.
Zarine Pavri BASc ’07
A development engineer with Ilmor Engineering (Marine Division), a company best known
for designing, developing and manufacturing high-performance race engines, Pavri began
her career as a powertrain calibration engineer with Chrysler LLC, and was responsible for
calibrating on-board diagnostics on a number of engines.
She participates in a number of activities to mentor and encourage young women to
consider engineering at the University of Windsor as a career choice, including Women
in Engineering panel discussions, Go Engineering Girl events, Professional Engineers of
Ontario, and a program for high school students called FIRST—For the Inspiration and
Recognition of Science.
Laura Elizabeth Pinto BComm ’92, BEd ’94, MEd ’98
Currently with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto,
Pinto has been recognized by the province for her work with both the Partners for Change
and Making a Difference awards. This led her to her role as a curriculum policy-maker for
Ontario secondary school reform where she applied her expertise to improve business
education in Ontario.
Pinto is a well-known author in her field with publications for academic and professional
audiences internationally. Much of her research has been published in top-tier journals and
she has served as a research team member on a number of multi-disciplinary and large-
scale projects.
