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• Cherryl Fredette Receives Sharon A. Ling Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement by a Staff Member

Cherryl Fredette Receives Sharon A. Ling Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement by a Staff Member

Western Engineering is proud to announce Cherryl Fredette, program assistant in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), as the 2024 recipient of the Sharon A. Ling Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement by a Staff Member.

Presented annually, the Sharon A. Ling Award recognizes a staff member who has demonstrated excellence in supporting Western's academic mission. This year, Cherryl stood out for her exceptional leadership, proactive problem-solving and unwavering commitment to the ECE department and the broader Faculty of Engineering.

“Cherryl is the heart and soul of ECE,” one faculty nominator wrote. “She possesses a remarkable gift in her ability to solve people’s problems. To me, it’s a superpower. To our department, it’s an essential service.”

Reflecting on the recognition, Cherryl shared, “It feels wonderful to be recognized, but awards like this cannot happen without a team and I am very lucky to have many great teams that I work with in Engineering.”

From accreditation logistics to student support and process innovation, Cherryl has left a profound mark across multiple facets of departmental life. She played a critical role in the department’s recent accreditation review, mastering the new Tandem system and helping the team overcome numerous technical hurdles.

“Cherryl had to learn very quickly all about Tandem,” a colleague shared. “Besides inputting all ECE program data, which by itself was a daunting task, she had to deal with all the pain as a first-time user and point out glitches to be corrected.”

Another faculty member added, “The accreditation review the department completed in November would have been far less successful without the benefit of Cherryl’s diligent work.”

Beyond accreditation, Cherryl’s influence is felt in nearly every corner of the department—from mentoring new staff and organizing major student events, to improving digital tools and streamlining course outline procedures. One colleague highlighted her innovative solution to an annual challenge:

“She suggested placing the boilerplate course outline text on a single website and simply linking to it from each course outline. It was revolutionary in its simplicity and saved so much time and effort.”

Her dedication is deeply rooted in a passion for student success—something that has guided her throughout her career.

“I worked in the elementary school system for 26 years before I came to Western,” she explained. “And my main inspiration in both jobs has been the students. Any one of the students who comes to our office could be one of the 4-year-olds I taught many (many) years ago. It is inspiring to see who they are and who they will become.”

Cherryl’s ability to anticipate and solve problems has earned her widespread respect and admiration. One professor shared a story that captures her incredible attention to detail and care:

“During a term when I was tasked with organizing a midterm exam for a class of nearly 250 students split across two sections, Cherryl took on this responsibility single-handedly. She meticulously reviewed each student’s schedule, iterated through countless options and ensured a flawless plan.”

Cherryl is also a tireless advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion. As co-lead of the Undergraduate Subcommittee of the EDID Steering Committee and a volunteer on the Faculty Culture Committee, she has helped maintain momentum even during times of transition.

“Thanks to Cherryl’s efforts, the committee has remained active and productive,” a faculty co-chair noted. “She’s dedicated to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone in the faculty.”

Her excellence is not just in what she does but in how she does it—with warmth, integrity and care. A nominator beautifully summarized her impact:

“There are two lenses through which you can view Cherryl’s contributions. One is helping people simply because it’s the right thing to do. The other is more pragmatic—her compassion and empathy directly benefit the university. She identifies and resolves issues early, often quietly, with great care and heart.”

In a department with one of the most extensive undergraduate and MEng programs at Western Engineering, Cherryl leads with humility, skill and grace. She offers support wherever needed, never hesitating or complaining—just getting things done.

“From her first day, Cherryl has been a true pleasure to work with,” a colleague concluded. “Over the past three years, her reach has extended beyond our department to build strong connections across the Faculty of Engineering.”

When asked what advice she would offer others hoping to make a similar impact, Cherryl said, “My best advice in a role like mine is that no matter how it feels, nothing is ever urgent. Sometimes, getting the job done right rather than right away is more important.”

Please join us in congratulating Cherryl Fredette on this well-deserved recognition. Her contributions are a shining example of the excellence, collaboration and leadership celebrated by the Sharon A. Ling Award.