Eleven staff members of the University of Manitoba were recognized for their outstanding community involvement through Outreach Awards at a special reception on Monday, December 7, 2009. This year, recipients included individuals who: worked within Winnipeg’s Inner City; coached young athletes; and helped University of Manitoba students reach for the stars.

The recipients for 2009 are:

Mario Tenuta, soil science, for his advocacy work with agriculture producers and industry, young people and northern communities. A promoter of science and agriculture, he has mentored students in the Aventis Biochallenge Science Fair and the Manitoba Science Academy in Pinawa, engaged with children in the Churchill Northern Studies Program and has played an integral role in securing multi-million dollar funding for the new Churchill Northern Studies Program building.

Mark Lawall, Lea Stirling and John Tamm, classics, serve as the governance team for the Classical Association of Manitoba and the Archaeological Institute of America (Winnipeg Society). Their efforts have made Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba a hub of classical and archaeological studies, and have forged strong, positive relationships between alumni, the community at large and the University.

Rick Freeze, educational administration, foundations and psychology, is a key player in initiating the Campus Life Program at the University of Manitoba. He has helped people with disabilities find a valued place on the campus and advanced the University’s mission to create a barrier-free campus. His efforts include working with teachers and families to recruit potential students; seeking funding from community and corporate sources; and spending countless hours promoting the program.

Witold Kinsner, electrical and computer engineering, is recognized for his work with the 2009 Space Adventure Camp and Careers in Space Workshop. The program featured lectures, hands-on projects, computer simulations, rocket launches, radio tracking and a question and answer session, via radio link, with one of Canada’s astronauts. Through this and other events, he has launched the imaginations of young people and raised the profile of the University, thereby enlarging and enriching the contacts between the University and all segments of the community.

Lena Horne, textile sciences, is recognized for her tireless efforts in promoting the textile sciences program of the University. As vice-president of the Institute of Textile Science, she has worked alongside representatives from industry, government, and other universities, to strengthen the bonds between industry and the academy, to encourage the exchange of knowledge regarding textile science and to support research and development activities related to textile science and technologies. She is also recognized for her leadership in moving the clothing and textiles hallway museum based in the Faculty of Human Ecology to the Dugald Costume Museum which is part of the Costume Museum of Canada.

Ken Bentley, Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, is recognized for: his involvement as a leader in the area of sport development and coaching at the local and provincial level; mentoring female Junior Bison Club Volleyball coaches; increasing the number of females participating and coaching at the elite level in the Province of Manitoba; and his continued efforts to increase the skill and competitive level of young female athletes and teams through his coaching at both the Club and University levels.

Ganga Dakshinamurti, A.D. Cohen Management Library, is recognized for her work with various Indo-Canadian organizations such as the Mahatma Gandhi Centre of Canada, the India Association of Winnipeg and the Hindu Society of Manitoba. Her efforts have led to fundraising initiatives for the Victoria General Hospital and the Learning Enrichment Program for inner city youth, as well as the establishment of Mahatma Gandhi Day and an exhibit and seminar on Gandhi held in the University of Manitoba Archives, and the establishment of an Academy of Hindu Studies housed in the Hindu Temple in Winnipeg.

Muriel St. John, E.K. Williams Law Library, is recognized for her involvement in the Community Legal Education Association, the Pro Bono Students Canada local chapter and l’Association des juristes d’expression française du Manitoba. In all three cases, she has used her skills to enrich the contacts between both the legal and lay communities and the University, with particular emphasis on training others in legal research strategies and methodologies so as to improve access to the Libraries’ resources. She has also worked with the student group Christian Legal Fellowship, providing advice on matters related to legal research and lifestyle mentoring.

Roanna Hepburn, Inner City Social Work Program, is recognized for her community efforts in the Point Douglas area of Winnipeg and is committed social activist in Winnipeg’s North End, helping to make positive social change in that area. She was instrumental in the development of Powerline, a program in cooperation with the City of Winnipeg Police, which supports neighbours to look out for each other against unlawful and dangerous activities. She is a tireless advocate for social justice, working to improve the treatment of students, inner-city residents, and others who suffer the consequences of social and economic marginalization.