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:
The 2026 Experiential Learning Award will start accepting applications on Monday, April 6th, 2026, at 8:30 am.
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 Giveaway Rules and Regulations
2025 Experiential Learning Award Recipients
The following are 42 of the 45 recipients of the 2025 Experiential Learning Award:
- Arshia
- Adriel Ocampo
- Anu Oluwawande
- Anuoluwapo Omotosho
- Ayesha Sultana
- Bunmi Adeyemi
- Claire Flaminiano
- Darshan Singh
- Diwan Oulai
- Emerson O'Reilly-Matthes
- Emmanuella Nti
- Fareedah Ganiyu
- Gurpahul Kaur
- Halah Lamouni
- Haylyn Agacer
- Isanka Gimhani
- Jay Macey
- Justin Langan
- Kemashalini Kirusnaruban
- Kylene Wupori
- Laleema Senanayake
- Leata Goulet
- Malcolm Disbrowe
- Mariam Yusuf
- Mary Kristin Rosfel Lozano
- Maryam Islam
- Mayah Duque
- Michael Uzochi Orodo
- Natalia Nguyen
- Okikioluwa Opaleke
- Pablo Misael Contreras Barron
- Rabia Shuaib
- Sagar Sagar
- Sanjana Grover
- Sonja Stone
- Temi Oyewole
- Titilola Noah
- Treasure Johnson
- Vida Dana
- Vinuri Mendis
- Vivian Pinheiro
- Waziha Reha
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 (on or after June 2025).
- Have participated in a co-curricular experience found in the Experience Catalogue in the last 2 years (on or after May 1st, 2024).
We encourage previous ELA recipients who remain eligible to apply again and build on or revisit their earlier applications. Please note that reused responses from past submissions will not be accepted.
Application Process
Eligible students must complete an Experiential Learning Award application. The application contains questions asking applicants to identify and reflect on one co-curricular experience they participated in in the last 2 years (on or after May 1st, 2024). If you participated in multiple opportunities, we recommend selecting one that you can recall more accurately and write about in greater detail.
Applicants will need to log in to their UM Microsoft account to access the application form. Only one application can be submitted per account. Accessing the application form through an account that has submitted a response will allow the user to edit that response until the deadline passes.
The application period for the 2026 Experiential Learning Award opens on Monday, April 6th, 8:30 am, and closes on Friday, May 15th, 4:30 pm.
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 ExperienceRecord@umanitoba.ca.
Application Reflection Questions
Here are the reflection questions applicants should expect in the application.
A statement on the use of generative AI:
The Experiential Learning Award (ELA) recognizes the diverse experiences of UM students and celebrates their developments and achievements. To do this, the application process for the ELA encourages intentional reflection and the sharing of personal experiences, goals, knowledge, and learning to surface individual journeys. Because of this, applications are not assessed on perfection in grammar, spelling, or formatting, but rather on the insight and integrity of reflections that demonstrate thoughtfulness and making personal meaning from experiences.
GenAI can be a tool to generate ideas but should not be used to create responses to reflection questions, as this misses the point of the meaning-making process of reflection. Applicants are also welcome to use whichever form of externalization (written, video, audio, artistic submissions) helps them convey their thoughts more clearly and genuinely. If you have any questions, reach out to involvement@umanitoba.ca.
Reflection Questions Section 1: What?
What is the name of the one UM-recognized, co-curricular experience and position you participated in and wish to reflect on?
Please provide the name exactly as it appears in the UM Experience Catalogue.
Ex. University of Manitoba Orientation Volunteers - Ask Me Table Volunteer
What is the published description of the experience and position from the Experience Catalogue?
When did you participate in this experience?
For one-off experiences, please enter a specific date. For prolonged involvement, please enter a date range.
In 150 - 200 words, objectively describe your participation in the experience. Please outline what you did, your role, and your responsibilities in the experience.
Prompting questions for you to think about include:
What did you do?
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 thought the experience would be more ... rather than ...
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 ... when I did ... which made me realize ...
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.
If you have an alternative framework that you would like to use, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at involvement@umanitoba.ca.
UM Competency Framework
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...
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?
If you have an alternative framework that you would like to use, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at involvement@umanitoba.ca.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?
If you have an alternative framework that you would like to use, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at involvement@umanitoba.ca.
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.
Alternative Forms of Reflection
We welcome and celebrate diverse forms of reflection that resonate with students.
Applicants may submit their application in alternative formats that better externalize their reflection, either as a supplement to or a replacement for the written reflection. The application will still be evaluated based on whether the responses meet the outlined criteria for each question.
Some examples include:
- Video or audio responses to the reflection questions (ex. recorded responses / interview)
- Artistic representation alongside a written response to the reflection questions
Applications in alternative formats should be submitted via the application form as an attachment in the appropriate question. If you have any questions about alternative forms of reflection, please contact us at involvement@umanitoba.ca.
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, 2026.
- 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 mid to late June.
Evaluation Process
- During the application period, applications reflecting on experiences not in the Experience Catalogue will be flagged, and the applicant will be given notice that they must use an experience that is recognized in their application.
- 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 that are not selected to receive the award will undergo a secondary and final review by the ELA Coordinator.
- Applications that are evaluated as meeting award criteria but include a non-recognized experience will be marked as “Pending Experience.” Once the experience is recognized, the award will be granted. The deadline to submit an application to have an experience recognized is May 15 (the May Experience Record Application cycle deadline). If the experience is not recognized following the completion of the May Application Cycle, the award will be forfeited.
Members of the Selection Committee
To be announced!
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