By John-Paul Bonadonna
Leadership, innovation and compassion were celebrated at the University of Windsor’s 2025 People, Equity & Inclusion Awards, held Thursday Oct. 2 in the Alumni Auditorium.
The event was hosted by the Office of the Vice-President, People, Equity and Inclusion, and brought together the Employee Recognition Awards and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Awards into a single celebration.
Among this year’s Employee Recognition Award honourees, Mike McMahon of Lancer Recreation was celebrated as a Healthy Workplace Champion for his energy and commitment to campus wellness, inspiring colleagues to care for both mind and body.
Sandra Ondracka, recipient of the Impact Award for Community Engagement, was recognized for her decades of dedicated service connecting the campus to the broader community through recreation and wellness initiatives.
Innovation took centre stage with Nicholas Vukotic receiving the Impact Award for Innovation for advancing research in drug delivery technologies while mentoring students in inclusive and collaborative ways.
The Sustainability Impact Award went to Nadia Harduar, Shae Harasym and Danny Castellan, whose Bike Shelter Project promotes active, environmentally responsible transportation across campus.
The Inclusive Excellence Award recognized Camisha Sibblis and Melissa Lewis of the Black Scholars’ Institute for cultivating space and mentorship for Black students and faculty.
Natalie Delia, honoured with the Leadership Award, was praised for championing the Black Scholars Hiring Initiative and advancing inclusive curriculum development.
Awards for Service Excellence went to Natasha Wiebe for her compassionate support in research services, and Brooklyn Groves, whose student recruitment and mentorship efforts work to ensure every new Lancer feels welcomed and valued.
The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Awards honoured campus and community members whose efforts advance equity in meaningful and lasting ways.
The categorized recipients were:
- Rachel Aleks and Esentsei Staats Pangowish (faculty)
- Mariah Chandler (staff)
- Vanessa Budimunda (student)
- Kyle Sipkens (alumni)
- Kaitlyn Ellsworth (Aspire)
- Indigenization, Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity Decolonization (IJEDID) Circle (committee/team)
- The Hour-A-Day Study Club (community)
Together, the 2025 award recipients reflect the University of Windsor’s collective vision of a campus where excellence and equity go hand in hand, with each contribution helping to shape a more inclusive future for all.