Deadline: March 3, 2026
The annual Graduate Student Recognition Awards are a way to celebrate the achievements, accomplishments and contributions of our grad community members beyond their personal academic successes. This is about the graduate community and acknowledging those amazing individuals who have helped to create a wonderful space for living and learning.
Deadline for nominations and applications: March 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Members of the graduate community, as well as undergraduate students, have an opportunity to nominate individuals, although each award may have more specific requirements. Once they are available, please review the nomination packages for more information.
Review instructions for the nomination process for each award and upload all materials, using the naming convention and links for each award upload.
New this year: The Dean’s Award for Outstanding Leadership and Contributions to the International Graduate Student Community and the Millennium Award applications will be completed in AwardSpring. More details available under the individual awards below.
These awards are administered by the School of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Students Association.
Nominations for the President’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision will open early in 2025 and close in early summer 2025. Recipients from the past four years are not eligible to receive the Graduate Supervision award. Please review past winners prior to nomination. This award will be presented at Fall Convocation in November 2025.
The Dean’s Award for Outstanding Leadership and Contributions to the International Graduate Student Community is offered each year, recognizing up to 3 graduate students who have made a difference in the international student community.
This is a self-nominated award.
To be eligible for this award, the applicant should have engaged in activities that have/had a significant and positive impact on the experiences of international graduate students at McMaster. Faculty are not eligible to receive this award.
Applicants must be current international graduate students at the time of application.
Up to 3 awards of $500 each.
Students can apply for this award by going to AwardSpring, which is accessed through the tile on the Mosaic Home page. With AwardSpring, a student completes one application to be matched with awards for which they may be eligible. This award should appear on your dashboard once you complete your general AwardSpring application. Please click on the award for further instructions on how to submit your application.
Statement of application: Describe your impact on the experience of international graduate students. For example, how did your work and efforts contribute to the spirit, morale, quality of life and/or positive outcomes for your international peers? Remember that the reader only knows what you tell them, so give them enough context that it will make sense.
Two Letters of Support: Confidential letters from McMaster University international graduate students.
For the above documents, please review AwardSpring for more information, including format and maximum word count of each requirement.
This award will not be presented in 2026 due to a change in timing for the annual GradFlix competition.
The award will be back in 2027!
Awarded to the top three finalists in the annual GradFlix video competition.
GradFlix opens in January – don’t miss this fantastic skills-building opportunity!
Finalists also win cash prizes and bragging rights!
Learn about GradFlix
Up to 2 awards of $250 each. A GSA-funded award, coordinated through the School of Graduate Studies.
The Millennium Award was established in 2001 by the Graduate Students Association through its contribution to Canada’s “Our Millennium” Project, to recognize the impact of volunteerism by members of the graduate student community.
Volunteer Summary: You must clearly indicate what organizations you have volunteered for and in what capacity. Consider this as a CV/Resume for volunteering. Make sure that your summary includes the activities that you performed. See AwardSpring for format and maximum word count.
Reflection Statement: Describe why you chose to volunteer in any of the activities listed in your summary, and what you have gained from the experience(s). Remember that the judges only know what you tell them. If something is important or has significance to you or someone else, then be sure to explain that clearly.
Two Letters of Support from volunteer organizations: These confidential letters should indicate the length of time involved with the organization as a volunteer and any comments.
For all details and application information, please visit the Graduate Students Association website.
Up to 3 awards of $375 each.
Up to 2 awards of $200 each.
Recipients
Recipient
Nominees
Mai Yamamoto Shawn Hercules Vi Dang
Nominee
Three of the Graduate Student Recognition Awards have been named in honour of individuals who made a difference at McMaster University.
The Keith Leppmann Teaching Assistant Excellence Award was established by the family and friends of Keith Leppmann, following his tragic death in a car accident in 1989.
A graduate student in Engineering Physics, Keith was a teaching assistant for a demanding course in digital logic and computer systems. His honours thesis project was the deisgn of a software package which allowed students in this course to simulate and troubleshoot their use of the NOVA lab computer on their own PC’s at home.
The Keith Leppmann Teaching Awards were established to honour Keith’s commitment to the role of teaching assistants in McMaster’s learning enviornment. They are awarded to TA’s who have been recognized by their students and peers for their similiar commitment to teaching.