Honouring winners of the 2026 President's Award for Service Excellence

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2026 17:36:44 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President's Office is pleased to announce the 2026 recipients of the President's Award for Service Excellence.

APO

Dianna Letts-Piedrahita

Diana Letts-Piedrahita (BHSc ’12), Teaching Centre Educational Developer and Co-Chair of Food for Thought, is the recipient of the 2026 President’s Award for Service Excellence (APO).

Letts-Piedrahita is an exemplary educator. Through her work as an education developer, she creates meaningful space to think critically and engage deeply. Her work ranges from facilitating professional development for graduate students and new instructors, supervising Work2Learn and applied studies to providing tools to help all ULethbridge educators enhance their teaching. Personifying the ideals of liberal education, Letts-Piedrahita leverages new technology and social media often, thinking dynamically to build community.

As the Co-Chair of Food for Thought, Letts-Piedrahita is a resolute advocate for community. She works collaboratively with stakeholders on and off campus to reverse student food insecurity. With food insecurity affecting 20 per cent of ULethbridge students regularly, and 10 per cent daily, she strives to nourish them both physically and mentally. Food for Thought runs initiatives addressing food access and literacy, including the Campus Roots Community Garden, the Bodega, fresh produce deliveries, little library food pantries and educational outreach for food literacy and food-insecurity awareness. Under her leadership, students can gain valuable skills through volunteering, applied studies and Work2Learn placements, spreading knowledge and empowering students to take care of their health and education.

One of Letts-Piedrahita’s most remarkable endeavours sparked from noticing that Indigenous faculty and instructors across campus had few structured opportunities to connect with one another. This observation inspired IN-Practice: Indigenous Scholars Circle of Teaching and Learning, a space for Indigenous faculty and instructors across disciplines and career stages to provide mentoring between educators on campus. Her approach included consultation, communication and profound respect at every step of creation, and recognized the importance and complexity of engaging in reconciliatory work.

Letts-Piedrahita demonstrates the qualities of the best educators. By championing those around her, she raises her community. She leads with gracious humility, endless perseverance, dynamic and innovative thought, and the ability to plant seeds of connection and collaboration wherever she goes.

AUPE

Jenny Oseen

An exemplary administrative professional in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Jenny Oseen, is being awarded the 2026 President’s Award for Service Excellence.

Over the last 20 years, Oseen has provided executive and administrative support within the Faculty of Arts & Science. Her portfolio currently includes the departments of Anthropology, Sociology, History & Religion, as well as the Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT), Institute for Child and Youth Studies (I–CYS) , the Cultural, Social, and Political Thought (CSPT) program, and the Community Bridge Lab (CBL),

Throughout her time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, she has been recognized by colleagues for her strong aptitude to provide quality work and go above and beyond the requirements of her job. Oseen is known in the university community as the ultimate resource for obtaining ULethbridge knowledge and support, exemplified through her prominent role in training new hires.

Oseen has built a reputation for being an outstanding employee and colleague. Aside from her many contributions to the Faculty of Arts & Science, including the departments, programs and institutes with which she works closely, Oseen is known for her willingness to bend over backwards to provide knowledge and support to students, faculty, non-academic staff and community members. Her attention to detail is particularly keen when it comes to event planning for conferences, invited speakers, graduate student theses defences and retirement parties.

Her impact at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge extends beyond the key roles within her job description. She has become a leading expert and highly reliable source of information and advice. Graduate students have identified her as their primary resource for both informational and emotional support. Her unwavering commitment to assisting graduate students includes helping them through their most difficult moments in their studies and celebrating their academic achievements. Faculty have identified her as being an exemplary model of front-line student service.

Oseen is known for her incredibly generous nature, wisdom and the way she consistently exceeds expectations in her work. Together, students, faculty, non-academic staff and community members are unanimous in recognizing Oseen’s knowledge, guidance and service to ULethbridge.

Team

Career Bridge

For its unmatched dedication to long-term student success, the hardworking group at Career Bridge will receive the President’s Award for Service Excellence (Team).

From the moment students arrive at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, many are already thinking about their futures. Career Bridge helps them turn those ambitions into action by connecting learning with meaningful career development opportunities. Through outstanding work-integrated learning programs, experiential learning opportunities and career services, the team plays a vital role in helping students thrive during their time at ULethbridge and long after graduation.

Career Bridge brings together teams in Career Services, My Experience Transcript, Co-operative Education, Applied Studies, and the Niitsitapi Circle of Excellence in Work-Integrated Learning (NCEWIL). Together, they provide exceptional service and support to students, staff, faculty, alumni, donors and industry and community partners.

That commitment is reflected in the breadth of services the team delivers. Career Services offers one-on-one career support for all students and alumni, along with discipline-specific career consultation and information sessions for faculty and staff. The unit also leads southern Alberta’s largest Career Fair twice a year, welcoming more than 200 recruiters and about 2,500 visitors to connect on campus. Alongside the annual Mentorship Gala, these events create valuable connections between students, employers and the community.

Innovation is another hallmark of Career Bridge’s success. With a focus on continuously improving the student experience, the team led the integration of MyExperience Transcript with MyCreds, making ULethbridge the first post-secondary institution in Canada to offer verified experiential transcripts securely through the national digital credential wallet. Students now have one accessible digital platform to share records of both their academic and experiential achievements, helping them stand out in a competitive job market.

Recognizing that career-related outcomes are a key motivation for many students pursuing post-secondary education, Career Bridge has helped advance institutional priorities since the launch of the Experiential and Career Education Plan in 2025.

With ULethbridge boasting a graduate employment rate of more than 95 percent, Career Bridge has made a meaningful contribution to these outcomes. Through innovation, collaboration and unwavering dedication to students, the team is truly deserving of this recognition.

The team consists of: Andreas Banda, Gloria Bucil, Emmanuel Akinlabi, Jason Kirbyson, Susan Roulston, Roberto Bello, Lynette Harty, Shay-Lynn Strikes With A Gun, Mikayla Sawatzky, Quincy Yellow Wings, Verona White Cow, Cora Mack (student), Francine Tshilumba (student).

UNews - Gloria Bucil

Honouring winners of the 2026 President's Award for Service Excellence

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