Pete Self - President's Award

Congratulations to Assistant Cross Country and Track coach Pete Self in winning the President's Award for his outstanding contributions to McMaster University.

Peter Self with McMaster President Dr. Patrick Deane - Photo Credit: Ron Scheffler

Individual Award Description

The purpose of this award is to provide an annual recognition for individual employees who have made an outstanding contribution throughout the year beyond that normally expected for their position to the mission of the University through:

• the provision of exceptional service to staff, faculty, students, alumni, donors or visitors;
• the identification of measures which contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of University operations; and
• a direct or indirect contribution to the community or the University which impacts the reputation of McMaster.

Peter Self
Assistant Dean, Graduate Student Life and Research Training
School of Graduate Studies

Now the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life and Research Training in the School of Graduate Studies, Peter Self has served McMaster in a variety of paid and volunteer capacities in the last decade and a half.

During Peter’s tenure as Assistant Dean, one of his signature accomplishments is building McMaster’s relationship with Mitacs, an important not-for-profit research funder. Beginning with just a small connection, Mitacs has now provided training to more than 600 McMaster graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Peter also established a strong partnership with the Hamilton Community Foundation in creating the Eastburn Fellowship and he launched an innovative relationship with Theatre Aquarius to provide improvisation training to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Peter worked with the Centre for Leadership in Learning to expand Graduate Student Day and he acts as the key University liaison with the Graduate Students Association in all GSA issues including the relocation of the Phoenix. Peter connected his professional and volunteer roles by working with the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Student Success Centre to launch a two-day volunteer fair that also served as the kick-off for McMaster’s United Way campaign. Peter co-chaired the United Way campaign in 2011 and was instrumental in helping the committee set a record for funds raised, showcasing McMaster’s campaign as the largest workplace campaign in the region.

Peter has long been involved as a coach of McMaster’s cross country and track team and he is actively engaged in a number of diversity-related programs including the Women in Science and Engineering student group. He helped develop new policies around graduate student supervision and maternity leave along with a scholarship aimed at aboriginal graduate students.
Biography taken from here

Pete with Graduate students and McMaster runners James Harrington and Andrew Bysice - Photo Credit: Ron Scheffler

 All photos from here