Andrew Arida Distinguished Service Award
Named in recognition of ARUCC Past President Andrew Arida, whose contributions to the Canadian registrarial and admissions professions were numerous, the Andrew Arida Distinguished Service Award recognizes members or associate members who have exemplary records of service to the Association, have contributed to the advancement of the Canadian registrarial profession significantly, and continue to be actively employed by a member or associate member institution/organization. Nominations can be made by any ARUCC member or associate member. Nominations can be made by any ARUCC member or associate member.
ARUCC award recipients from prior years are welcome to request a digital award badge by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
2022
Alison Pickrell (University of Saskatchewan)
Alison Pickrell will be familiar to many ARUCC members. She is known provincially, regionally, and nationally as a skilled senior student affairs professional with almost 40 years of experience in the postsecondary sector. Alison is retiring from the University of Saskatchewan in July 2022. In recognition of her long and distinguished career, the University of Saskatchewan staff would like to nominate her for the Andrew Arida Distinguished Service Award, as we know she wishes to remain connected to the profession after her retirement.
Alison began her long and distinguished career in the Registrar’s Office at the U of S in 1982 while still a student and transitioned to being a full-time employee in 1985. Since then, she has held progressively more responsible positions in registrarial areas, both at the U of S and at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Arts and Science (SIAST, now SaskPoly). This includes service as Registrar at SIAST from 2003-6, Associate Vice-President, Student Affairs, SIAST, 2006-11, Director of Enrolment, U of S, 2011-2017, and Assistant Vice-Provost, Strategic Enrolment Management, U of S, 2017 to present.
Throughout her career Alison has shown a dedication to her colleagues, profession, and to students that has been admirable. She has made a tremendous contribution in areas such as strategic enrolment management and enrolment planning, policy formulation, student mobility and education credential portability, Indigenous and International recruitment and retention, technological advancements and implementations, and learning pathways. In recognition of her considerable contributions to the profession, we think she would be a worthy recipient of the Andrew Arida Distinguished Service Award.
Beth Cann (Dalhousie University)
Beth Cann, Associate Registrar and Director, Academic Systems and Services, has been a member of the Dalhousie community for more than two decades, occupying increasingly senior roles within Project Management, Information Technology Services, and most recently, the Registrar’s Office. Throughout her tenure, Beth has consistently demonstrated the highest levels of service, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. She has led countless critical transformations, both at Dalhousie and in the Atlantic region (as chair of the Atlantic Registrar Council and executive member of AARAO), which demonstrate her tremendous skill, experience, and capacity as a registrarial leader.
Past Andrew Arida Distinguished Award Winners
(This award was created in 2021. The first winners of this award will be announced in 2022)
Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award
This award honours forward thinking ARUCC member/associate members or teams that have demonstrated leadership, perseverance and innovation in visioning and implementing strategies, processes and best practices to better support underrepresented students from prospect to graduation and beyond within a registrarial context.
ARUCC award recipients from prior years are welcome to request a digital award badge by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
2022
Team: “Comité pour l’inclusion de la diversité sexuelle et de genre” (Committee for the Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Diversity), Université de Sherbrooke
Chair: Kim Lagueux Dugal
Team
- Kim Lagueux Dugal, Registrar’s Office
- Christine Hudon, Rector’s Office
- Andréa Bergeron-Fréchette, Registrar’s Office
- Danièle Caron, Facilities’ Management
- Julie-Christine Cotton, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Luc Sauvé, Student Life
- Pierre McCann, Student Life
- Bruno Paradis, Human Resources
- Chantal Roy, Communications
- Denis Dinel, Information Technology
- Joanny Raby, Student
- Florian Meyer, Faculty
- Loïc Bizeul, Student
The achievements of the Committee for the Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Diversity, chaired and coordinated by Kim Lagueux-Dugal, Registrar, accurately capture UdeS’ commitment to do more about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Policies regarding first name, last name and gender selection and the institutional implementation of an annual Rainbow Week for the Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Diversity are two examples of innovative achievements that reflect this committee’s impetus. Each of its initiatives has been supported by the desire to do more for non-visible and racialized minority communities. Each of its actions is well-considered and operationalized in accordance with the distinctive aspects of each group. And each accomplishment radiates throughout the community. In this way, the group contributes to creating a fairer and more inclusive society.
Team: “Discover University of Alberta Award and the Turtle Spirit Pathway Award for FNMI Students”, University of Alberta
Fiona Halbert
Team:
- Fiona Halbert, Assistant Registrar, Student Financial Support
- Trevor Phillips, Manager, Indigenous Recruitment
- Brett Buchanan, Team Lead, Student Financial Support
- Allen Wolfe, Specialist, Student Financial Support
- Shari Klassen, Specialist, Student Financial Support
- Rachel De Leon, Bursary Coordinator, Student Financial Support
- Hailey Markowski, Loans Coordinator, Student Financial Support
- Michael Watmough, Financial Aid Coordinator, Student Financial Support
- Lindsay Moores, Financial Aid Coordinator, Student Financial Support
- Melissa Rodenburg, Awards Coordinator, Student Financial Support
- Lindsay Hennessey, Awards Coordinator, Student Financial Support
- Kirsten Darling, Awards Coordinator, Student Financial Support
- David Goertzen, International Financial Support Coordinator, Student Financial Support
The University of Alberta developed the Discover University of Alberta Award and the Turtle Spirit Pathway Award for FNMI Students, to address the equity gap and remove barriers to accessing education at the UofA. The program was initiated and executed by the Student Financial Support team in the Office of the Registrar with incredible detail and dedication to supporting equity-deserving students. Through research, collaboration, and consultation, the team successfully launched a new awards program geared to supporting students who demonstrate financial challenges and barriers to attending university.
Christina Coakley, Manager, Operations and Special Projects, Registrar's Office, Dalhousie University
Christina Coakley, Manager, Operations and Special Projects with the Registrar’s Office at Dalhousie, has been an EDIA champion through her work to design and implement inclusive Convocation ceremonies. Of particular merit has been her leadership on a major, community-wide project to decommission and re-design Dalhousie’s ceremonial mace – a process through which a new and inspiring symbol of place and belonging was developed, and a new approach and ethos for Convocation was solidified.
Past Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award Winners
2021
Lydia Gill, University of Toronto