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• Samantha Roach receives Sharon A. Ling Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement by a Staff Member

Samantha Roach receives Sharon A. Ling Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement by a Staff Member

Samantha Roach, Western Engineering’s director of experiential learning and student support, is the 2022 recipient of the Sharon A. Ling Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement by a Staff Member.   

The award is presented annually to recognize staff members for their contributions and support to the academic mission of Western. 

“I was humbled and surprised by the announcement,” said Roach.  “It was not something I expected, and I was almost moved to tears. I could not have achieved this without my team's support, and I appreciate all their hard work and support.” 

Roach joined the Faculty of Engineering in January 2022 during a province-wide lockdown resulting from a surge in COVID-19 cases.  Through this challenging time, she demonstrated a significant commitment to the overall mission of the faculty and worked to support a wide range of students, staff and faculty to adapt to the ever-changing requirements and needs of the university and workplace. 

Her intuition to lead with compassion and understanding meant more enhancements to the student experience while improving efficiency and service delivery. Students returned to pre-pandemic levels of engagement in experiential learning activities and campus traditions in a safe manner. 

One of her many initiatives was the implementation of a new Kuali-based process for managing student clubs, team events and competitions. The system creates a workflow for all student activities and streamlines approvals, fosters collaboration and captures reports and lessons learned after the events for continuous improvement. 

Roach has also been hailed as an exceptional leader and mentor by her peers.

“When the Recruitment and Outreach Teams were severely short-staffed over the Fall 2022 semester, including lacking a Manager, Samantha stepped in unquestioningly to support them,” said Madeleine Freedman, human resources and facilities assistant at Engineering. “This act ensured the continued progress towards the faculty’s strategic goals, only attainable through successful outreach and recruitment efforts.” 

Freedman added: “In only her first year with Western Engineering, Samantha has passionately dedicated her time and energy to the betterment of the faculty, often working long hours, staying late into the evening and coming in on weekends to support our students.” 

“Samantha truly values the professional and career development of the individuals on her teams,” said Sarah Innes, manager, experiential learning at Engineering. “In addition to the day-to-day work that is so important, she finds time to have conversations about her team members' goals and aspirations, assists in creating opportunities for them to embrace challenges and take on new opportunities and projects.”

“This is truly impactful for her team members and the faculty and has resulted in many creative projects and efficiencies that ultimately impact the faculty and student experience. Samantha is truly deserving of the Sharon A Ling Award of Excellence,” she added.

Her colleagues contend that Roach continually questions why things are done a certain way and is dedicated to improving service delivery and the student experience. She has moved the needle in key areas towards our mission to “provide transformative and inclusive learning experiences that build our students’ knowledge, skills, and competencies, and shape the person they will become.” 

“The faculty is doing an amazing job as it relates to the student experience, and it gives me great joy to be part of a team helping to build and enhance the Western Engineering student experience,” said Roach.  “Together, we must ensure that our students get the experience of a lifetime so they can fondly recall the time they spend here and be inspired to give back and contribute to the advancement of the faculty.” 

Western Engineering is thrilled to celebrate this outstanding achievement with Samantha Roach and will honour her and other award recipients on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at the Faculty, Staff and Alumni Awards Gala.