Congratulations to Chavah Avraham, Tim Son, and Téa Tankurt on receiving the 2024 Dean’s Award for Staff Excellence.
The Faculty of Arts presents an annual award to recognize exceptional staff contributions in administrative, technical, and other specialized areas. The Dean’s Award for Staff Excellence is open to all staff members in the Faculty of Arts. Recipients receive $1,500 and an engraved plaque in recognition of their valuable contributions.
Chavah Avraham, Academic Advisor, Arts Academic Advising
Chavah has contributed to every area of Arts Advising through the various positions she has held during her almost 25 years with the unit: Office Administrator / Graduation Coordinator, Senior Advisor, Assistant Director, Associate Director, and currently, Academic Advisor. Whether working with students to help them move forward when they are feeling challenged or facing barriers, mentoring new colleagues and giving them the confidence to share their diverse perspectives, or stepping forward for various committees to support students and other advisors, “Chavah goes above and beyond, always.”
“Kind”, “caring”, “encouraging”, “knowledgeable”, and “committed” are words repeatedly used to describe Chavah and her leadership—qualities that speak to her dedication to making situations better for others and ones particularly vital during the transition from SISC to Workday. “Everything that Chavah does comes from a genuine care for others and a strong belief in everyone’s potential.”
Tim Son, Graduate Program Coordinator, Department of Philosophy
Tim has been a calm and reassuring presence in the Department of Philosophy for over eight years. In all of the roles he has held in the department, Tim has “maintained his capacity to empathize with students and go above and beyond to help them resolve their issues, even if it is outside of his scope of responsibility.”
Tim’s ability to help students in crisis situations has been described as nothing less than heroic, while one student stated, “Many of us owe our academic lives to Tim.” Tim’s empathy, warmth, and commitment are cited in every letter of support. He is truly a gift to everyone he comes into contact with.
Téa Tankurt, Administrator, Department of Political Science
Since joining the Department, Téa has combined her “exceptional leadership and innovative problem-solving skills” with creativity and compassion to revamp finances and bring new direction to the staff team, tackling head-on many complex organizational challenges.
Recognizing that change and innovation can lead to uncertainty amongst co-workers, Téa used her “unparalleled interest in listening to and championing her team” to successfully transform the department’s operations and enhance its overall well-being. Colleagues and students alike cite her commitment, collaboration, and enthusiasm as key reasons why not only Political Science, but all of the Faculty of Arts is lucky to have her.
