This award was set up by Wendy McLean (former First Year Centre Academic Advisor) and recognizes exceptional advising with an award of $500 donated to the UM Food Bank in the recipient’s name.

“As an advisor, Wendy’s greatest joy was to see growth; in both the students she advised and in the staff she mentored. In fact, when I was first an academic advisor in University 1 in 2010, Wendy was instrumental in helping me to see the transformational impact academic advising has on students.”, says Ali Wood-Warren, Director, Student Transitions and Success Centre. “Now as a leader in that same academic advising unit, I know that Wendy’s influence on advising at UM is still felt.”

Nomination Process

Nominees must be current UM staff members in continuing roles which provide direct support of students through academic or student advising, within academic or support units. Any member of the UM community (Faculty, Staff or registered UM Student) can nominate an advisor for this award by submitting the following:

• a completed nomination form
• a letter of support detailing the nominee’s contributions and demonstrating how they meet the award’s eligibility criteria (1 page maximum)
• at least two letters of recommendation from staff and/or learners who can attest to the nominee’s contributions and impact as a mentor, coach, or advisor.

Criteria for Consideration

The selection committee will evaluate nominees based on several key criteria, including:

• Improvements to processes and procedures
• Advancements in collaboration and/or teamwork excellence
• Notable creativity and innovation in advising techniques
• Outstanding efforts with individual students
• High levels of student engagement resulting from innovative practices
• Creative programming for advising students
• Productive use of university or community resources

Student Affairs looks forward to celebrating the exceptional work of UM advisors and supporting their impact on students through this award, says Ali Wood-Warren. “We are so grateful to Wendy McLean as the establishment of this award allows us to both celebrate excellence in advising and provides direct support to the students that we, as advisors serve.”

Application deadline for 2025 award: December 23, 2025
Award presentation: February 2, 2026

For more information, please visit the Wendy McLean Advising Excellence Award SharePoint site.

Charge Ahead program

The Charge Ahead program is designed to support students facing roadblocks in their academic journey. Book a one-to-one consultation with a Charge Ahead mentor, an experienced upper-year undergraduate or graduate student who understands the challenges you’re experiencing. Together, you’ll reflect on your academic journey and develop an actionable plan to move forward. Learn more by visiting the Charge Ahead program page.

Academic advising

Every student benefits from meeting with an academic advisor throughout their degree program, even if they feel confident in their planning and progress. If you feel like you have fallen off track, that is even more reason to book an appointment. The academic advising webpage will help you find the specialized advisor for you, because there are a variety of different advising offices for different students’ needs. Most students can refer to the advising office for their school or faculty, but there are also specialised advisors for Indigenous, international, first year, graduate, and transfer/advanced degree students.

Advisors can review your academic history and help you figure out a new plan with what courses to take or resources to help you succeed in those courses. They aim to get a holistic sense of your experiences and goals to formulate a plan that works for you. In your appointment, you can talk about short-term goals, like succeeding in a class, or long-term goals, like working towards your future academic and career aspirations. Even if it seems that way, you are never out of options, and an advisor can show you what those options are.

Career Services

For more career-specific help, Career Services is also available to all students! Similarly to academic advisors, career consultants aim to understand your unique academic and career journey to give you personalised advice on how to get where you want to go (or even to figure out where you want to go in the first place). Career services can help you takes steps towards your future career goals now through your academics, as well as connecting you with people and resources to start building the skills and networks to develop the foundations of your career now. The Career Services site has all the information about the different services and programs you can take advantage of.

UM Achieve

UM Achieve is a simple digital tool that helps you track your degree progress. You can run a degree audit, which will review your course history to show you what requirements you have completed and what remains to be done for a particular degree program. As well as reviewing your current degree of choice, you can run a “What-If Audit” to see how your current credits may apply to another degree program if you choose to switch (staying flexible throughout your degree and keeping your mind open to all your options is always a good idea). You can find UM Achieve through your New Aurora dashboard. If you look at your audit and are not sure how to meet the requirements you see, that is a perfect time to make an appointment with an advisor.

Academic Learning Centre

The Academic Learning Centre (ALC) is a treasure trove of in-person services and online resources, with the singular goal of helping you succeed in your academics. For one-to-one help, you can book an appointment with a tutor. Tutors can help you understand course content or help with your writing or study skills. Specialised tutoring services are even available for graduate students and students with English as an additional language. For group-based programs, the ALC can connect you with group study sessions and academic skills workshops. There are even resources you can access at any time online, including “tip sheets” and video workshops. This content covers nearly all the major areas you need to succeed, from specific tasks like note taking to broad skills like time management. You can find more information about all of the services described here on the ALC’s website.

Just reach out

Finally, one of the best ways to keep your head above water when you feel lost in your academic journey is to reach out and connect with the members of your community at UM. For instance, you can talk to your instructors about any problems you are experiencing in your class, or you could even talk to the head of your program of study for broader questions about whether the program is right for you. Getting in touch with your peers is always smart, too. You will probably find that your classmates have encountered many of the same challenges as you, so they may be able to offer advice, or you can tackle the problem together. If you connect with your faculty or department’s student groups, you might even discover additional academic resources offered by your peers.

If you are trying to bounce back for this winter term, you do not have to face any challenges alone. Each of the resources described above is available to University of Manitoba students free of charge, and the staff and students involved want students to take advantage of these opportunities to help them succeed. Best wishes for the new year and new term, Bisons!

Scheduled Maintenance:
UM Achieve will be offline for regular maintenance on Sunday, December 15, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

If you need assistance with course selection or degree planning, please contact your Academic Advisor.

Additionally, there are many other online resources available to you! Take some time to review the following resources:

• Academic Advising (this page will have the contact information of your advisor, as well as tons of other resources and pages to explore)
• First-Year Planning Centre (an extensive resource for students planning their degrees).
• Academic Learning Centre (for Writing, study skills, tutoring and workshops).
• English Language Centre (helps support and resources to students whose first language is not English).

Stay tuned for further updates regarding Summer Term 2025 Registration.

We recently spoke with Tawana, who has lived at St John’s since 2019, serving as a Senior Don (RA) since Fall 2022. She moved from Zimbabwe to study psychology and learned about the residence through people from her program. In our conversation, Tawana recounted how from the moment she walked into the residence for the first time, she knew it felt like home. Tawana is one of several students who lived at St John’s during the ups and downs of the pandemic: navigating virtual classes, quarantines, and lockdown restrictions, and helping keep fellow residents safe as part of her role as Senior Don, all the while building close friendships that will last a lifetime.  

Brothers Bryan and Neil have likewise lived at St John’s through the pandemic, with Bryan having called St John’s College home for the past three years and Neil joining him in Winnipeg in January 2022. Coming from a small Ghanaian community, these two weren’t sure what to expect when they moved to Canada; however, it didn’t take long for both to jump headfirst into College culture by attending sporting events, getting involved in Residence and Student Councils, applying for scholarships and bursaries, volunteering to enhance their professional development, and enjoying delicious food.  

Speaking of delicious food and events, here are a variety of benefits residence students get as part of life at St John’s:  

• Single occupancy rooms where students can have their privacy and room wifi. 
• Our comprehensive all-you-care-to-eat meal plan offering 19 meals per week including halal meal plan. 
• Access to residence common rooms including our TV lounge and games room. 
• Access to scholarships and bursaries available only to College members. 
• Academic support, including advisory help and access to a dedicated residence study lounge.    
• 24-hour access to the College campus, including after-hours access to classrooms and meeting rooms for studying or working on group projects.   
• 24/7/365 interpersonal support and referral from a committed team of Dons.   

If you are looking for a place to call home as you study at the University of Manitoba this fall, apply now to St John’s residence. 

View the full criteria for the Advising Excellence Award and where to submit your candidacy on the Academic Advising SharePoint site.

This award was set up by Wendy McLean and recognizes exceptional advising with one award of $300, to be used for professional development by full or part-time staff employed as UM Academic or Student Advisors.

“As an advisor, Wendy McLean was focused on engaging with students to achieve academic success, right from their first experiences as students at the University of Manitoba,” says Brigitte Wiebe, Advising Services Coordinator.

“She understood the many connections and opportunities that advisors create to empower students and is excited to contribute to advising excellence by providing this award. As advising moved from a face-to-face experience to the virtual world in the last half year, UM advisors made big changes and adapted to the virtual world, incorporating their knowledge base to a new environment. This award offers an opportunity to develop professionally in this time of sometimes overwhelming, but always captivating, change.”

Candidates must submit a letter outlining how they have shown excellence in advising over the past year, with three letters of support also required. 

UM Achieve is easy to use, accessible 24/7 and can lay out your education progress quickly and clearly. To ensure you still have this software available, we have made a quick guide on the new way to access UM Achieve. 

Step 1

Go to umanitoba.ca, select Current Students and look for the new button – UM Achieve

Step 2

Once on the UM Achieve page, look for the UM Achieve: Student Login button

Step 3

You will be directed to the sign in screen where you will be prompted to use the Multi-factor authentication (MFA) process. From there you will be able to run an audit just like you did before.

You might’ve heard of UM Achieve, but you may be uncertain about what it is and the many ways you can use it. A good place to start is with some of the common questions asked by students in regard to UM Achieve here:

WHY WOULD I USE UM ACHIEVE?

UM Achieve allows you to look at a snapshot of the courses you’ve completed and determine where you can go from there.

At some point of their education, all students have had questions about their progress and have needed some help answering important questions. UM Achieve can lay it out for you quickly and clearly.

It can help answer questions such as:

• How far along am I in my degree?
• What else do I need for my degree?
• Can I use my courses for other degree programs?
• Did I register correctly?
• Am I ready to graduate?
• What minor/concentrations/options can I take?

WHAT DOES UM ACHIEVE DO?

• Run a degree audit – This will show you your current progress in the program you’re registered in. In order to review your own audit, click on ‘Run Declared Program.’ Students who started their programs prior to Fall 2015 should work with an Academic Advisor to determine whether or not degree requirements are being met.
• Explore programs – UM Achieve will generate an audit for any UM degree program you might be interested in exploring. After running a ‘What-if Audit,’ you should meet with an Academic Advisor to review the results. For help reading your audit, watch this video tutorial.

WHEN SHOULD I RUN A DEGREE AUDIT?

Any time! UM Achieve is available 24 hours a day, meaning it has the most up-to-date information from your student record. Some important times to run your audit are:

• Before you register for courses, to determine the courses you need in the future.
• After you register, to see how your completed courses fit in your program.
• Whenever you make changes with your program/degree, major, minor and/or concentration.
• Before the VW deadline or when you plan to make a change to your registration.
• If you’re planning to graduate, run an audit to check if everything is blue and
• If you’re comparing different UM programs.

As you navigate the platform, don’t be intimidated by any of the technical terms! Here are some definitions and explanations:

The catalog year in UM Achieve identifies the set of degree requirements for that academic year. Each student is assigned a catalog year by their faculty which is based on their admission year or declared year of their major. Degree requirements must be followed for the academic year your faculty assigned to your program. For details or more information on your catalog year, please contact an academic advisor in your faculty.

When you’re using UM Achieve, if you’re trying to get into a program, choose the newest available Catalog Year. If you’re thinking about adding a minor or concentration, use your own Catalog Year. Your own Catalog Year is listed when you log into UM Achieve.

WHAT DO ALL OF THESE CODES MEAN?

The codes in UM Achieve can reflect various activity on your student record. Here is a legend of the codes you may come across:

• IP = In Progress
• LPIP = Letter of Permission in Progress
• LPDN = Letter of Permission Denied
• VW = Voluntary Withdrawal
• VWS = Voluntary Withdrawal Strike
• AW = Authorized Withdrawal
• CR = Block Transfer Course (only used in designated programs with transfer credit agreements)
• DW = Deferred Writing in Progress
• DX = Deferred Writing Complete
• F 22 = Fall Term 2022
• W 22 = Winter Term 2022
• S 22 = Summer Term 2022
• Audit = A report that shows how far along you are in a program
• Program = all the requirements needed to get a degree
• Exception = any change to a requirement in a program

WHY DOES MY COURSE HAVE ZERO CREDIT HOURS?

A course will have 0 credit hours when:

• The course is 6 credit hours and are attached to the other half of the course (e.g., PSYC 1200 (Part A) 6 cr, PSYC 1200 (Part B) 0 cr).
• You’re repeating the course.
• You’ve registered for or completed an equivalent course.
• You’ve registered for or completed a mutually exclusive course.
• The course is Pass/Fail with no credit given.
• If none of the above applies to you, please contact your home faculty Academic Advisor.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY UM ACHIEVE AUDIT DOESN’T MATCH WITH THE REGULATIONS IN THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR?

The online UM Academic Calendar is the official document. Consult with an Academic Advisor for assistance in interpreting your audit and degree requirements. Don’t forget to use UM Achieve in addition to other resources, whether that’s the Academic Calendar, First Year Planning Guide, or guidance from your Academic Advisor.  All of these tools are designed to set you up for academic success.

Take a look at UM Achieve for more information, and be sure to see the tutorials which include step-by-step video instructions and a comprehensive student guide if you need them.

It’s normal to feel concerned about what’s next and it’s important to continue using the resources and tools available to support you at UM. From virtual advising appointments and online webinars to tips from current students, there are many resources available to you to support you with your studies during this time.

First Year Centre

Remains open and ready to help out! Your go-to resource for everything you need to know about being a first-year student at UM.

As a first-year student in U1 or any degree program, the First Year Centre can:

• Answer questions about program and degree requirements, as well as university policies and procedures
• Review your progress, evaluate your academic plans and connect you to campus resources as needed
• Provide assistance for support if you experience challenges or difficulties that affect your studies
• Discuss the impacts of decisions before you take action

The First Year Center is currently offering drop in advising through Microsoft Teams, which all UM students have free access to. Contact the First Year Centre.

Virtual Advising Help Centre

Have questions? Not sure who to ask? The Virtual Advising Help Centre is a team of Student Service Navigators who can point you in the right direction. They’re here to help you find the answers you need when you need them – seven days a week!

Our Student Service Navigators are available for chat, phone calls and to respond to your submitted questions. Connect with a Student Service Navigator here.

Academic Learning Centre

The Academic Learning Centre remains open with tutoring services, group study sessions and virtual study hall still running. There are a few scheduled workshops that have been cancelled however most one-on-one tutoring and study group sessions remain available.

Please be advised, during Fall Break, the Centre will have a reduced tutoring schedule and no group study sessions or virtual study hall, this is not strike related.

Consult the Academic Learning Centre’s website for more and updated information. The following supports remain available to all students:

• Tutoring services
• Group study sessions
• Helpful tip sheet handouts
• Academic Success Workshops
• Virtual Study Hall

GradSteps – please note that some workshops may be cancelled. Efforts will be made to notify registrants via email as soon as possible upon cancellation.

Tutor Training – please note the two-day workshop scheduled for the week of November 8th has been cancelled.

Libraries

Elizabeth Dafoe, Sciences & Technology, and Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Libraries continue to be open for students with continued adherence and adaptations as required by COVID health and safety protocols. Archives and Special Collections is currently closed.

Collections will be available online and through contactless pickup. Consult the Libraries’ website for more and updated information.

• Physical materials can be requested for contactless pickup at the pickup lockers at Elizabeth Dafoe Library (Fort Garry Campus) and Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library (only accessible for Bannatyne campus students, staff, and faculty who have swipe card access).
• Libraries online information resources are available 24×7. Begin your search here.
• Need help? Use our Ask Us online chat service to ask any questions you have. Check our Ask Us hours.

Career Month

November is Career Month! All students can benefit from attending one or more of the 22+ virtual events including the Employer Advice-Career Café, Volunteer Fair, and Arts Career Round Table. Register today to take advantage of the Career Month programming.

FAQs

We’re sure you have many questions during this time, and we are doing our best to answer them – students, staff and faculty are encouraged to visit UM’s strike information webpage and check back regularly for updates.

Lee, who is the key contact for the undergraduate pharmacy program, was selected for her wide-reaching contributions to the college and its students since 2008.

“Cheryl connects with students even before they’re admitted,” says Lavern M. Vercaigne, associate dean (academic). “She helps organize our recruitment events and many of our students initially apply because of an interaction with Cheryl Lee.”

Once they are admitted, pharmacy students quickly come to know Lee as their go-to person.

“Cheryl connects students with the help they need which, at times, has truly been lifesaving,” says Vercaigne. “She provides direct support to the entire student body and refers to other members of our university community when additional help is required.”

“My number one priority in my position has always been to put student needs first,” says Lee.  “I’ve seen students dealing with many difficult problems over the years and some life-changing situations, but I always want to ensure they feel supported and know who they can turn to. I do whatever I can to help make their lives a little bit easier.”

Lee’s efforts go far beyond advising. When the new PharmD program launched in 2019, she was instrumental in helping assemble the new curriculum. She worked with faculty to ensure evaluations were spaced out, contacted banks to discuss increased loan amounts for students in need and ensured the increased course load still allowed for breaks. When the pandemic hit, Lee helped transition courses to a virtual format and facilitated regular virtual meetings between student leaders and the Dean’s Office to keep students informed.

“Although the students and staff in the College of Pharmacy are the direct beneficiaries of Cheryl’s insights, abilities, and energy, so also are the larger advising and student populations,” says Brigitte Wiebe, University Advising Services coordinator. “The entire university is enriched by the strengths she brings to her role.”

Recipients of the Advising Excellence Award receive $300 to put towards professional development.

Advisors can help students make decisions throughout their academic journey. Whether you’re deciding on specific courses to take, considering a different program, looking for advice on what to do next, or if you’re simply asking questions that are relevant to your progress as a student, academic advisors are equipped to support you.

“It’s not about telling someone what to do,” says Brigitte Wiebe, the University Advising Services Coordinator. “It’s about helping with their understanding of a degree program and the opportunities, requirements and expectations within it to help students figure out how they can move forward.”

Students experience varying degrees of uncertainty and hesitation when they venture through university. Navigating the university system and understanding terminology around it can be intimidating. Advisors can also inform students about new processes and help them grow more comfortable in this environment.

Most importantly, academic advisors can help students feel empowered to make decisions in their academic pathways based on what students feel is best for their own goals and circumstances.

“Advisors help students build better academic experiences for themselves,” Wiebe adds. “They guide students to other learning experiences including work-study positions, experiential learning opportunities, practicum placements, or other options for students to develop their skills.”

Although advisors are distributed amongst faculties, colleges and service units at UM, all advisors work from a consistent blueprint of what academic advising looks like. Advisors within each academic program are knowledgeable about the programs and courses, allowing students to gain valuable insight from well-versed professionals. At this time, students can meet with their faculty advisors through virtual appointments.

Additionally, students can use UM Achieve to run audits and track their progress in their academic programs. This online degree audit tool, coupled with insight from an advisor, will help you determine the next steps towards completing your degree as well as explore alternative options when considering other programs. Students can access UM Achieve at any time through JUMP.

The ability to give advice, however, is not limited to specialized advisors from a particular unit. Since its launch on March 15^th, the Virtual Advising Help Centre (VAHC) has been helping UM students navigate University services, policies, or processes with the help of Student Service Navigators. Peer-to-peer student supports can be extremely beneficial as the Navigators approach each inquiry from fellow students’ perspectives and experiences at the university.

More information on academic advising at the University of Manitoba, such as contact information for your academic or service unit advisors and other interactive or self-directed resources, can be found on here.