Experiential Learning Award
The Experiential Learning Award celebrates UM students and recent alumni for their personal and professional development through participating in UM-recognized co-curricular experiences and meaningful self-reflection. Award recipients are given formal recognition and a chance to receive one of three $100 UM Bookstore gift cards.
The Experiential Learning Award provides students the opportunity to:
Award Perks
Experiential Learning Award recipients will receive a certificate, a notation on their Experience Record, and a chance to get one of three $100 UM Bookstore Gift Cards.
The list of Experiential Learning Award recipients will be published as the first installment of a UMToday article series and promoted through UM’s official social media channels.
This will be followed by individual articles featuring students among the recipients who expressed interest in the Involvement Highlight campaign. Participants will be selected using a lottery-based system and will be contacted to share their stories about their involvement experience.
Prize Draw Rules and Regulations
Eligibility and the Application Process
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Experiential Learning Award, you must:
- Be an undergraduate or graduate student in any University of Manitoba faculty, school, or degree program or be an alumnus who recently graduated (within 6 months before the application opened, on or after October 1st, 2024).
- Have participated in a co-curricular experience found in the Experience Catalogue.
Application Process
Eligible students must complete an Experiential Learning Award application. The application contains questions asking you to identify and reflect on one co-curricular experience you participated in. If you participated in multiple opportunities, we recommend selecting one that you can recall more accurately and write about in greater detail.
You will need to log-in to your UM Microsoft account to access the application form, and only one application can be submitted per account. You will be able to edit your responses after submitting an application, until the form closes on the deadline. To do so, simply access the application form and log-in using the account you used to submit your initial application.
Application closes on: Friday, May 2nd, 4:30 PM (CDT)
If the experience you participated in is not in the Experience Catalogue
If the experience you have in mind is not listed in the Experience Catalogue, we are happy to provide support on how this experience may be listed in the Catalogue. Please reach out to us at involvement@umanitoba.ca
Alternative forms of reflection
We welcome and celebrate diverse forms of reflection that resonate with students. Applicants may submit alternative formats that better express their thoughts, either as a supplement to or a replacement for the written reflection. The application will still be evaluated based on how well the responses meet the outlined criteria for each question. Some examples include:
- Video or audio responses to the reflection questions (ex. Recorded interview style – no more than 10 minutes in length)
- Artistic representation alongside a written response to the reflection questions
If you have any questions about alternative forms of reflection, please contact us at involvement@umanitoba.ca.
Application Questions
Disclaimers:
Please don’t provide any personal information that you are not comfortable sharing.
These questions are intended as a starting point for your reflection. Numerical requirements and word count limits in each question ensure consistency in the evaluation process of the applications. Outside of the application, we encourage you to continue reflecting beyond the restrictions to make the most of your experience.
Reflection Questions Section 1: What?
Please provide the name of the UM-recognized, co-curricular experience and position you participated in.
Please provide the name exactly as it appears in the UM Experience Catalogue.
Ex. University of Manitoba Orientation Volunteers - Ask Me Table Volunteer
Please attach the published description of the experience from the Experience Catalogue.
In 150 - 200 words, objectively describe your participation on the experience. Please outline what you did, your role, and your responsibilities in the experience.
Other prompting questions for you to think about include:Who did you interact with? How did others respond to what you did?
What were some of the results from your participation?
Reflection Questions Section 2: So What?
In 100 - 150 words, identify and explain at least one goal or expectation you had for the experience. Did you meet your goal or did the experience meet your expectations? Why or Why not?
Example responses:
I joined the experience because I wanted to ...
I was / wasn't able to do ... because ...
In 200 - 250 words, identify and describe at least two separate and specific instances in which the experience helped you learn more about your interests, personality, strengths and/or values.
Example responses:
I realized I liked ... when I was asked to ...
I felt drained when I did ... which made me realize how much energy I need to do it.
I don't like getting involved with ... because one time ...
Using the UM Competencies Framework, select one competency area you developed through this experience.
Some examples include: a competency area you improved in the most, developed unexpectedly, or applied immediately in another context.
In 75 - 100 words, identify at least one specific instance in the experience that helped you develop in the competency area you selected.
Example response:
I developed ... when I was asked to / when I was doing...
UM Competency Framework
Reflection Questions Section 3: Now What?
In 150 - 200 words, having gone through the experience once, what is one advice you would give your previous self who would be participating in the experience for the first time? Why?
Considering what you learned from participating in the experience, what competency area (select one) related to your professional (academic and/or career) development are you looking to grow next in?
In 75 - 100 words, share at least one specific action you will take to improve in the competency area you’ve identified related to professional development.
Considering what you learned from participating in the experience, what competency area (select one) related to your personal development are you looking to grow next in?
In 75 - 100 words, share at least one specific action you will take to improve in the competency area you’ve identified to personal development.
Application Questions
Here is the set of all the questions applicants should expect in the application.
Disclaimers:
Please don’t provide any personal information that you are not comfortable sharing.
These questions are intended as a starting point for your reflection. Numerical requirements and word count limits in each question ensure consistency in the evaluation process of the applications. Outside of the application, we encourage you to continue reflecting beyond the restrictions to make the most of your experience.
Reflection Questions Section 1: What?
Please provide the name of the UM-recognized, co-curricular experience and position you participated in.
Please provide the name exactly as it appears in the UM Experience Catalogue.
Ex. University of Manitoba Orientation Volunteers - Ask Me Table Volunteer
Please attach the published description of the experience from the Experience Catalogue.
In 150 - 200 words, objectively describe your participation on the experience. Please outline what you did, your role, and your responsibilities in the experience.
Other prompting questions for you to think about include:Who did you interact with? How did others respond to what you did?
What were some of the results from your participation?
Reflection Questions Section 2: So What?
In 100 - 150 words, identify and explain at least one goal or expectation you had for the experience. Did you meet your goal or did the experience meet your expectations? Why or Why not?
Example responses:
I joined the experience because I wanted to ...
I was / wasn't able to do ... because ...
In 200 - 250 words, identify and describe at least two separate and specific instances in which the experience helped you learn more about your interests, personality, strengths and/or values.
Example responses:
I realized I liked ... when I was asked to ...
I felt drained when I did ... which made me realize how much energy I need to do it.
I don't like getting involved with ... because one time ...
Using the UM Competencies Framework, select one competency area you developed through this experience.
Some examples include: a competency area you improved in the most, developed unexpectedly, or applied immediately in another context.
In 75 - 100 words, identify at least one specific instance in the experience that helped you develop in the competency area you selected.
Example response:
I developed ... when I was asked to / when I was doing...
UM Competency Framework
Reflection Questions Section 3: Now What?
In 150 - 200 words, having gone through the experience once, what is one piece of advice you would give your previous self who would be participating in the experience for the first time? Why?
Considering what you learned from participating in the experience, what competency area (select one) related to your professional (academic and/or career) development are you looking to grow next in?
In 75 - 100 words, share at least one specific action you will take to improve in the competency area you’ve identified related to professional development.
Considering what you learned from participating in the experience, what competency area (select one) related to your personal development are you looking to grow next in?
In 75 - 100 words, share at least one specific action you will take to improve in the competency area you’ve identified to personal development.
Selection Process
Each application will be evaluated by at least one member of the Experiential Learning Award Selection Committee based on the following criteria:
- The experience and position identified in the application must be listed in the Experience Catalogue by May 15, 2025.
- The applicant has answered all questions in the application, either through a written submission or an alternative reflection method.
- Each response meets the minimum required details (e.g., instances, actions, competency areas) specified in the question.
All decisions regarding Experiential Learning Award recipients are final. Recipients will be announced at the end of May.
Evaluation Process
- During the application period, applications reflecting on experiences not on the Experience Catalogue will be flagged and the applicant will be given notice to get the experience published in the Catalogue.
- Once the application period closes, all applications (including flagged applications, see point 1) will be compiled with identifying information removed and distributed equally to members of the Selection Committee.
- Members of the Selection Committee will review the applications they received. They will have 15 business days to complete their review.
- Applications evaluated not to receive the award will undergo a secondary and final review by the ELA Coordinator.
- Applications evaluated to receive the award but was flagged for a non-recognized experience will be marked “Pending Experience", until their experience is recognized in which they will receive the award. The deadline to submit an application to get the experience recognized is the May Experience Record Application cycle deadline (May 15th), after which the award will be forfeited if the experience is not recognized.
Members of the Selection Committee
Coming soon!
Contact Us
Student Experience and Development
225 UMSU University Centre, 65 Chancellor Circle
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
204-474-9093
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday