Indigenous Achievement Award

Purpose

As part of The Indigenous Professional Association of Canada’s (IPAC) founding pillars, recognizing excellence includes sharing success stories from Indigenous professionals and students across Canada. The IPAC Indigenous Achievement Award is designed to recognize leadership achievements in the Indigenous professional community. The recipients will represent the positive attributes of Indigenous leadership and will have contributed to helping to inspire Indigenous success.

Eligibility

The award is limited to members of the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada (IPAC) who have been previously recognized in IPAC’S Recognizing Excellence program. Award winners from previous year(s) are ineligible.

Criteria

Nominees will have demonstrated several examples of exceptional leadership. We understand that every organization is unique and has distinct experiences and policies. Thus the proposed content for each of the recorded criteria below are only given as outlines (not necessities) of conceivable criteria. We urge you to discover cases of your organization’s practices that best represent each, or any, of the recorded criteria.

Professional

  • Leadership in Career: Member has shown continued commitment to their desire to achieve success in their chosen career path while motivating and inspiring the people around them to achieve greater accomplishments;
  • Ability to be a Role Model: Member is in good standing in their professional and personal endeavours and sets a positive example for the Indigenous community;
  • Commitment to Community: Member has demonstrated their commitment to give back to the Indigenous community; and
  • Demonstrating Resilience: Member has uniquely demonstrated the ability to cope well with pressure, adversity and uncertainty while remaining positive and optimistic despite criticism or set backs.

Student

  • Leadership in Post-Secondary Studies: Member has shown continued commitment to their desire to achieve success in their chosen educational path while motivating and inspiring the people around them to achieve greater accomplishments;
  • Ability to be a Role Model: Member is in good standing in their professional and personal endeavours and sets a positive example for the Indigenous community;
  • Commitment to Community: Member has demonstrated their commitment to give back to the Indigenous community; and
  • Demonstrating Resilience: Member has uniquely demonstrated the ability to cope well with pressure, adversity and uncertainty while remaining positive and optimistic despite criticism or set backs.

Nomination Process

Current members of the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada (IPAC) can submit nominations. Self-nominations will be accepted and all nominations will be confidential. Nominations will be forwarded to the Awards Review Committee, consisting of representatives from the board of directors, corporate sponsors, and IPAC staff.

All award nominees will be notified of their nomination and successful recipients will be notified.

Committee Review

The IPAC Indigenous Professional Achievement Award nominees will be presented to an award selection committee for review. The nominees will be selected from IPAC’s Recognizing Excellence Program during the last fiscal year. The committee will evaluate, rank and select the award winner. IPAC reserves the right to use the Award winners’ names in communication material regarding the Award.

Award Presentation

In honour of Indigenous History Month in June, IPAC celebrates Indigenous leaders within our community at the annual IPAC Indigenous Professional Achievement Award Ceremony. With a corporate partner, we will be awarding 2 remarkable individuals (previously recognized in IPAC’S Recognizing Excellence Program) with an Indigenous Professional Achievement Award. Award winners will be entered into the IPAC Hall of Excellence.