Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues – September 2025, Issue 3

We are thrilled by the incredible response to the launch of Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues! Our first full month of the program saw another 31 incredible submissions—each one highlighting the generosity, dedication, and positivity that make our University such a special place. 

Because of this tremendous response, we are sharing the submissions regularly in Campus Connector. Read the third set of submissions for September 2025 (organized in alphabetical order) below.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your stories and celebrate your colleagues. It is inspiring to see our community come together to shine a spotlight on the people who go above and beyond every day.

Submissions for next month are now open! Share your note of recognition by the last Friday of the month, and let’s continue celebrating the amazing colleagues who make our campus shine. For more details on the program, including links to past issues and details on how to make a submission, please click here.

David Ross, IT Systems and Services (Two submissions!)

He has been such a great help with setting up the new Grad stipends payment process! - Halley Halliwell

Over the past months David has been working with the Graduate Studies team on a revised process for paying graduate student stipends and has been instrumental in graduate students being paid out their stipend funds for the past two semesters. On a very, very fast and last minute turnaround, David created assets to enable a 'for now' process that was able to automate processes to ease the workload for all those involved, which ensured that students were able to receive their stipend payments for the summer and fall terms. While this has been serving its purpose for now, he has been further working with the Grad Studies team to develop a replacement process that will relieve 75% or more of the manual workload and frustrations on graduate supervisors, while still ensuring due diligence checks (e.g., recipients are registered, proper authorization of spending funds). The work David is completing is some of the most leading edge at UPEI. Automating processes across teams is itself remarkable and deserving of this recognition. But even more deserving is the way that David has gone about this work—consultative, making complicated technical explanations easy to understand and accessible, and doing it all with a dry wit and humour that has humanized an intimidating technical process. Along the way, he has equipped the Grad Studies team with the ideal balance of information and know-how so that we will be confident when we begin running the process ourselves. I am confident that with Dave's approach we won't be left with a stagnant tool that we won't know how to use, run, fix, or evolve as it is needed. His work is immeasurably appreciated. 

Beverly Roy, Security Services

Beverly Roy works at UPEI Security Services and is a leader among her peers. Beverly has helped countless members of the UPEI community with tasks such as investigating incidents, retrieving evidence to support police investigations, and enforcing parking violations so that the rest of the permit holders can find a place to park. Most notably, Beverly has been a leading support for medical aid on campus. She regularly responds to medical situations involving students. She provides both first aid throughout the episode and after-care to individuals, showing her heart is in the right place. On September 23, 2025, Beverly responded to a medical call of an individual who required life-saving first aid. Beverly did not hesitate to respond and assisted paramedics with providing chest compressions. Her actions and the ability to remain calm throughout this critical event led to stabilizing the individual for transport by EMS. Beverly Roy is a role model within Security Services and someone the entire campus should be thankful for having among our staff. - Scott Gosse

Anja Salijevic , Faculty of Science

The Health Research Network, located in the lower level of the Steel Building, is a fully grant-funded consortium of researchers, staff, faculty, and students working to enhance our understanding of health to develop enhanced well-being for all. Anja is the GLUE in our Network. Anja comes to work every day with a positive attitude that is infectious and intentional. She is always engaged despite life's challenges, and she is always ready to lend a hand to support individuals in the network. Anja is a valued colleague in the Health Research Network who helps us move on a positive trajectory. - William Montelpare

Stephen Scully, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science    

Stephen continues to do an amazing job to keep the Department of Chemistry running. From assisting with the redesign of all the Inorganic Chemistry labs to troubleshooting with researchers, to volunteering as chair for the Science Health and Safety Working Group, Stephen always puts in 110% to making sure the job gets done. The Department of Chemistry is working towards a sustainable development grant, and Stephen always makes time to bring new insight and suggestions for sustainable alterations that can be made to the undergraduate and research labs, working to meet UPEI’s sustainability goals. Time and time again I am impressed with his ability to manage such a large workload in the Department, always providing helpful insight to advance our research and teaching.

Daniel Smith and his team at Facilities Management       

Daniel’s Facilities team has been instrumental in helping Nursing resolve space challenges within the Health Sciences Building through a strategic reallocation process. This involved moving numerous items between offices—often multiple times. We are truly grateful for their patience, flexibility, and hard work throughout this transition. Their dedication and teamwork have made a significant impact on our department and our growth.

Dr. Rhoda Speare, Health, Safety, and Environment

Rhoda works incredibly hard to keep the biosafety program at UPEI running smoothly and effectively. As our Biosafety Officer, she plays a key role in making sure UPEI stays a safe place to work and learn. She has a wealth of knowledge and is always learning and staying up to date in biosafety standards and guidelines, and she is great at sharing that knowledge with others in a clear and supportive way. Rhoda is approachable, easy to work with, and always ready to tackle problems head-on. Thanks to her attention to detail and strong awareness of safety protocols at UPEI, she has helped make real improvements to our biosafety practices. Big thanks to Rhoda for her dedication and the positive impact she has made—UPEI is very fortunate to have her as their Biosafety Officer.                      

Jerry Wang, Recruitment, First-Year Advising and International Student Office

For the past seven years, I’ve had the incredible fortune of working with Jerry as my direct supervisor. His leadership is rooted in humility, integrity, and a genuine commitment to empowering others. One of my favourite things he says when I introduce him as my boss is, “I am a colleague.” That mindset has shaped our team culture—one where ideas are welcomed, growth is encouraged, and everyone feels valued. Thank you, Jerry, for leading with heart and purpose. - Richelle Greathouse

Kathy Weatherbie, Development and Alumni Engagement        

I'm proud to recognize Kathy Weatherbie for her remarkable contributions in her new role (Senior Development and Donor Relations Officer) over the past ten months, and for her longstanding impact over the past 11 years on campus.

Kathy’s genuine love for UPEI shines through in all that she does. She has strengthened relationships with our donors, improved processes, and embraced opportunities to collaborate across campus with colleagues in every corner of the University. Her ability to work seamlessly with others has created stronger connections, better outcomes, and a shared sense of purpose that benefits the entire University community.

Kathy's positivity, warmth, and team-oriented approach make her not only a valued colleague but also a source of encouragement and inspiration for those around her. She is an outstanding ambassador for UPEI, and we are grateful for her dedication, her collaborative spirit, and the energy she contributes every day. She is truly an asset to UPEI. - Anthony Gill      

Paul Young, Chief Operating Officer, Faculty of Medicine         

An inspiring senior leader, Paul handles situations and sometimes controversy with calm decisiveness, always putting his team first. He empowers others to lead with their expertise while remaining accessible for guidance and a sober second thought. He has inspired a team that works hard together, considers the bigger picture and its impact on stakeholders, and makes it fun to come to work. His steady support, clear direction, and commitment to collaboration have fostered a respectful and cohesive team united in shared goals.