Wilfrid Laurier University is recognizing eight instructors who have made a significant commitment to elevating students’ educational experiences and inspiring fellow educators.
The Donald F. Morgenson Faculty Awards for Teaching Excellence, Laurier’s most prestigious teaching awards program, was named in memory of Laurier Professor Emeritus Donald Morgenson, a longtime faculty member who passed away in 2017.
“The Donald F. Morgenson Awards shine a spotlight on Laurier faculty members who are the foundation of the outstanding academic experience that students receive at Laurier,” says Trish McLaren, associate vice-president: academic. “Each of this year’s honorees are making a significant difference for their students and colleagues through their exceptional teaching, innovation, and mentorship. Congratulations to them all!”
The recipients of Laurier’s 2025 Donald F. Morgenson Faculty Awards for Teaching Excellence are:
Sustained Excellence (Full time)
When students enter their first class with Steve Risavy to the sound of a Bob Marley tune coming through the speakers, they realize they are about to experience something different. Risavy, who likens the start of class to the feeling a professional hockey player has when stepping onto the ice, sums up his teaching philosophy this way: “If you’re not having fun, then what’s the point?”
In his almost 13 years teaching in the Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management area of the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Risavy has become well-known for creating an inclusive, welcoming and engaging classroom environment where students grow in confidence and feel comfortable taking risks. He is also revered as a generous and approachable mentor, helping current and former students achieve their career-related goals with support and advice.
Risavy’s faculty colleagues regard him as a “go-to person” for teaching advice within the Lazaridis School and praise his leadership and organization as the course coordinator for the core Human Resource Management course. In addition to his teaching excellence, Risavy has a strong record of pedagogical research, publishing regularly in education, teaching and case journals.
Through his dedication to student success, innovative teaching, transformational leadership and generous mentorship, Risavy is making a profound impact on his students and colleagues both inside and outside the classroom.
"I love teaching at Laurier and we have the absolute best students here. They make me want to continue to find ways to elevate my teaching practice while helping others strive for teaching excellence.”
Steve Risavy
Sustained Excellence (Part time)
A practicing lawyer, Jeff Boich brings a real-world perspective to legal studies courses at Laurier. He not only teaches students the conceptual foundations of the law, he inspires them to become advocates and changemakers in their communities.
Boich is central to the Political Science department’s legal course expertise and takes an active and hands-on approach to teaching legal writing and legal advocacy skills. He encourages students to challenge legal precedents and build strong, well-reasoned arguments – an approach that students describe as transformative and empowering.
Beyond the classroom, Boich plays a pivotal role in Laurier Moot Court, a club for competitive oral advocacy where students argue both sides of a set case and respond to questioning from judges. Under his leadership, Laurier’s club has grown into the largest and most successful undergraduate moot team in Canada, winning the prestigious Osgoode Cup in 2024.
"Coaching and mentoring the amazing students who have participated in Laurier Moot Court has been one of the great joys of my life," says Boich. "I am so proud of their many accomplishments.”
During his eight years as a part-time faculty member at Laurier, Boich has taught several students who have gone on to thrive in law school and legal careers, including one former student who now clerks for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.
Boich tells his students that, through the law, they can change the world for the better. His passion for the law is matched by his dedication to his students.
Jeff Boich
Early Career Excellence (Full time)
Christian Danve Castroverde’s students rave about his approach to teaching cell biology and plant molecular biology. Common themes run through their comments: Castroverde makes complex material interesting and exciting to learn about; his use of mnemonic devices and analogies make it fun to learn facts; and he demonstrates both a passion for his field and a deep care for his students.
These comments reflect Castroverde’s exceptional level of thought, care and attention in every aspect of his teaching and mentorship. His philosophy that students are active participants in the learning process is evident throughout his teaching practice. He opens each class with a big-picture question or experimental dataset for students to reflect on and holds journal clubs where students read and discuss research articles. Castroverde integrates Universal Design for Learning principles across his courses and offers classes in-person and virtually, ensuring they are accessible to all learners.
Castroverde was at the forefront of using generative AI as a critical learning tool and introduced a ChatGPT critique assignment that is praised for challenging students to form their own opinions about artificial intelligence.
A supervisor at the undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral levels, as well as a participant in the SHAD Laurier program for high school students, Castroverde is dedicated to mentoring young scientists. In just five years at Laurier, he has made a remarkable impact.
“Teaching is about my lifelong commitment to the success of all students and a profound acknowledgement that students are active participants in their individual learning journey. I believe that learning is fun – so my goal is to share that with my students.”
Christian Danve Castroverde
Early Career Excellence (Part time)
In his five years as a part-time faculty member in the Department of Criminology, Tandeep Sidhu has earned a reputation among students for fostering critical thinking and writing skills, as well as challenging traditional notions of what is considered valid knowledge. Several students credit him for encouraging them to pursue graduate studies, which in some cases they had not considered before.
Sidhu uses case studies and multimedia to actively engage students in issues of race, colonialism and social justice in his courses. Having completed the Decolonizing Education Certificate, Sidhu integrates his learning into course design and teaching practice. As a racialized scholar, Sidhu is committed to mentoring students from underrepresented groups, including helping them navigate graduate and law school applications and address barriers to higher education.
Students credit Sidhu’s essay writing workshop as a transformative resource that makes a difference in their academic success, well beyond the walls of his class. Despite teaching courses on multiple campuses at Laurier and other institutions, as well as pursuing his own research agenda, Sidhu takes the time to mentor and develop his students as individuals. His exceptional teaching evaluations so early in his career show that Sidhu’s approach is making a lasting impact on Laurier students.
"I extend my most sincere gratitude and appreciation to the students I have instructed over the last five years. The opportunity to have been part of your academic journey has been the experience of a lifetime," says Sidhu. This award is also the culmination of the mentorship and support I received from many of my colleagues at the departmental and faculty levels."
“The commitment and dedication of my students continually inspire me to foster a collaborative learning environment that prioritizes student engagement, critical thinking, and skills development."
Tandeep Sidhu
Innovation in Teaching
In his 12 years teaching Economics at Laurier and as director of the Master of Arts in Business Economics program, Christos Shiamptanis has become renowned for his commitment to experiential learning and curriculum transformation. He has pioneered courses on economic forecasting and policy advising that use real-world data, forecasting models and simulations to mirror industry practices.
Under Shiamptanis’s leadership, Laurier has fielded the most successful teams in the ten-year history of the Bank of Canada Governor’s Challenge, a national competition in which students demonstrate knowledge of monetary policy by making interest rate recommendations. Laurier has won twice and reached the finals a remarkable seven times. Students describe the experience as life-changing and credit it with inspiring their future career success.
An early adopter of teaching technology such as Gradescope, iClicker Cloud and hyflex learning models, Shiamptanis brings economic theory to life with game-based assessments and competitions.
Concerned by the underrepresentation of women and Indigenous students in the field of economics, Shiamptanis removed barriers and encouraged participation through mentorship and outreach. One Indigenous student credits Shiamptanis’s influence for his decision to pursue a master’s degree and later a job as a data analyst for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Shiamptanis’s commitment to experiential learning, technology, curriculum innovation and student success has transformed the study of Economics at Laurier and helped advance its reputation as one of the best economics programs in Canada.
“Knowing that my teaching has a profound impact on students is the greatest reward of all," says Shiamptanis. "Witnessing those "a-ha” moments, when something clicks or when a student begins to build confidence, I am reminded why this work truly matters. Thank you to the students for their curiosity, their questions and their trust."
"It’s a real joy to work with such bright and curious minds. Students inspire me to innovate and keep striving to make the learning process more engaging and meaningful.”
Christos Shiamptanis
Excellence in Internationalization
In her 24 years in the Sociology department, Lucy Luccisano has shaped international education and elevated Laurier’s global reputation through curriculum innovation, cross-border partnerships, student mentorship and groundbreaking teaching.
Luccisano has played a pivotal role in establishing Laurier’s international partnerships, particularly in Mexico and the United States, co-leading two North American Mobility Programs and facilitating 72 student exchanges and six faculty mobility opportunities. She has opened doors for students to access international research, language learning and service-learning opportunities, including by securing significant funding. She has also worked tirelessly to facilitate international mobility for Indigenous students. A pioneer of virtual teaching, Luccisano implemented cross-border virtual classrooms nearly a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic.
A co-founder of Laurier’s innovative North American Studies program, Luccisano has played a key role in its curriculum and provided sustained service to the program since its inception. She has also integrated global perspectives into a range of courses, from first-year to graduate level. A widely known and respected leader in Latin American studies in Canada, Luccisano has raised Laurier’s profile in the field.
Through passion, leadership and a commitment to equity-driven internationalization, Luccisano has earned a reputation at Laurier and beyond as a profoundly generous and innovative scholar and educator.
"I’ve always had the good fortune of being surrounded by like-minded colleagues who are intentional about structuring opportunities that connect students to transformative educational opportunities both within and beyond Laurier,” says Luccisano.
“My story of teaching is one of collaboration, animated by a deep sense of excitement and energy arising naturally from the possibilities within the field of internationalization."
Lucy Luccisano
Faculty Mentoring Award
In an academic setting where reason and logic are the norms, students and colleagues express gratitude for Maryam Khan’s deeply personal, student-centred, caring and holistic mentorship.
During her six years at Laurier’s Faculty of Social Work, Khan has directly supervised and mentored more than 37 graduate students and research assistants, helping them navigate academic, professional, and personal challenges. Beyond conventional teaching and academic support, Khan’s mentorship fosters an environment where students feel heard, valued and open for growth and learning.
Khan created a peer mentorship program to provide structured peer support, ensuring students never feel isolated in their academic journey. In particular, she is devoted to mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds and ensures her classrooms are inclusive, student-driven spaces where diverse learning styles are honoured.
By ensuring her classroom is a safe space, Khan fosters authentic engagement with complex discussions on topics such as decolonization, anti-racism, intersectionality and ethical dilemmas in social work. Creative assignments such as Photovoice storytelling, critical reflexivity exercises and real-world case studies engage students and help them bridge social work theory and practice.
Through compassionate mentorship, critical pedagogy and a dedication to equity, Khan has helped reshape social work education and inspired students to pursue meaningful careers in advocacy and service.
“Thank you for recognizing my labour of love for BIPOC and disabled LGBTTIQA+ students," says Khan. "I mentor and supervise students through care, kindness, and professional love through creative, transparent and reflexive teaching processes to share power with students."
"The impetus of my philosophy is that each student is a ‘knower’ and brings with them compelling life experience to graduate school. I try to empower each student through suitable channels to voice their emotions, mind and spirit in meaningful and critical ways.”
Maryam Khan
Dr. Leo Groarke Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Laurier Brantford
Colleagues and students identify the challenge of walking across Laurier’s Brantford campus with Lisa Kuron: you have to leave extra time because Kuron will inevitably run into people who are keen to chat and share ideas with her. It’s a testament to how well-known and respected she is as an educator and community builder.
In her seven years teaching Leadership, Kuron has built a reputation for creative and interactive teaching practices that incorporate role-playing, simulations, case studies and gamification. Alternative assessment methods such as creative projects and reflective assignments allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in diverse ways.
Kuron’s commitment to experiential learning is evident in her work with the Collegiate Leadership Competition (CLC), a fourth-year capstone experience that challenges students to apply leadership theories as part of real-world problem-solving exercises. Her teams consistently rank among the top Canadian competitors and one student was awarded the CLC Emerging Leader Award, a testament to the transformative power of Kuron’s mentorship.
Kuron’s proposed research project for the Dr. Leo Groarke Award seeks to gain an understanding of how in-person, virtual and hybrid modes of course delivery impact student course choices, learning outcomes, sense of belonging and retention. Her research will bridge the gap between pedagogy and student experience, ensuring that course delivery at Laurier Brantford continues to be responsive, inclusive and effective.
“Laurier Brantford is a special community and I am grateful to be a part of building it within and outside of the classroom. It makes such a difference to the teaching and learning experience.”
Lisa Kuron
