The most important voice of York is the one who makes the first contact with a visitor or community member. The quality of responsiveness and the genuine desire to assist in the most difficult or sensitive situations is essential to York’s reputation. Nominees for the President’s Voice of York Award are employed as front-line staff and have regular interaction with the York community. This award was established in 1999 by President Emerita Lorna R. Marsden.
The winner will receive a small commemorative plaque, have their name engraved on the award display in Vari Hall, and be recognized on an annual plaque that will be showcased in the winner’s home department for one year.
Criteria
- Nominee goes beyond the call of duty to provide assistance to the community in a manner that exemplifies York’s values
- Nominee demonstrates enthusiasm and is viewed by others as an ambassador for York
- Nominee possesses exceptional interpersonal skills
- Nominee possesses extensive knowledge of ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ
- In a front-line capacity, the nominee regularly deals with difficult situations effectively, professionally and with compassion
Eligibility
- Nominee is a permanent staff member working 25 hours or more in a week at York
- Nominee has been continuously employed for 2 years as of December 31, 2025
Nomination File Requirements
The Chief Nominator is responsible for putting together a nomination file that consists of:
- Three Letters (3) Maximum
- One (1) lead nomination letter from the chief nominator
- Two (2) letters of support
- Employment Background
- The nominee's C.V. or work history at ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ
- The job description of the nominee's current position
Please feel free to download this checklist to help you compile the nomination file and to ensure you have met all of the requirements before completing the online nomination form. NOTE: This checklist does not need to be uploaded on the nomination form and is for your reference only.
Nomination Guidelines
- One of the letters must be from the nominee’s current Manager
- The chief nominator and one supporting nominator, OR two (2) of the supporting nominators must be from outside of the nominee’s home department
- Each letter is from an individual author (multiple authors on a letter are not permitted)
- Self-nominations are not permitted
Letter Formatting and Content Guidelines
- Each letter does not exceed a total of three (3) pages, and the total number of pages of ALL letters combined does not exceed nine (9) pages
- Specific examples are used to describe how the nominee:
- Contributes to the goals and objectives of their office, division and/or the broader York Community
- Meets or exceeds each of the award criteria
- Quotations from other persons are not permitted
- No acronyms are used in the letter
- Do not include any references or confidential documents such as employee performance ratings or evaluations
Excellence is everywhere at York. We encourage you to consider nominating someone from outside your home department.
The deadline for submitting a nomination is March 6, 2026