The University of Windsor Alumni Association will honour five of its own—and a mentor to students and graduates—during its annual general meeting and awards presentations, Thursday, November 19.

The event will open with a reception at 5 p.m. in the Ambassador Auditorium, CAW Student Centre; the formal program begins at 6 p.m.

Health educator Andrea Baumann (BScN 1967) and research chemist Raphael M. Ottenbrite (BSc 1958, MSc 1962) will be this year’s recipients of the Alumni Award of Merit, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments which have brought honour to the university, for contributions to the community, or for outstanding personal service to the university.

Dr. Baumann is associate vice-president for global health and scientific director of the Nursing Health Services Research Unit at McMaster University’s School of Nursing. She serves the World Health Organization in two capacities: as director of its Collaborating Centre in Primary Health Care and Nursing Education, and the coordinator of Pan American Collaborating Centres. She is widely published in a variety of academic books and journals and was also co-director of the Canadian International Development Agency in the area of Development of Women’s Health Professionals in Pakistan.

Dr. Ottenbrite, professor emeritus of chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University, has published articles in more than 250 journals and has had over 30 patents issued or pending. His research has taken him to several areas of the science world, including the development of polymers which activated cells to inhibit cancer growth in animals. His pioneering work relating to high temperature polymers for spacecraft earned him five citations from NASA. He is also the co-inventor of antimicrobials that are very effective against highly resistant microbes—including SARS.

Three grads early in their careers: Fabio Costante (BComm 2007, MBA 2008, JD 2013), Omar Raza (BSc 2007, LLB 2010) and Adam Vasey (BA 1999, LLB 2002, MSW 2008), will receive Odyssey Awards in recognition of their successes in career endeavours, notable achievements in their local community or the University, or significant or innovative achievement in their professional or personal lives.

Costante, who practices law in the area of civil, administrative and constitutional litigation, is a trustee on the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board and a sessional instructor at the Odette School of Business. He has founded two non-profit initiatives that have grown in both size and impact. Enactus Windsor is a student club focused on creating economic opportunities for residents of Windsor-Essex through entrepreneurship. Our West End is a grassroots organization working to develop the community through resident engagement and empowerment.

Raza works as chief of staff to Ontario’s Minister of Children and Youth Services. In this position, he is responsible for oversight, management and controls over a broad operating budget and has worked extensively in the area of strategy management. He previously held the position of director of policy and stakeholder relations for the ministry and was also senior advisor to Windsor-West MPP Teresa Piruzza. One of significant projects Raza worked on during that time was the $1.4 billion Windsor Essex Parkway infrastructure project.

As director of Pathway to Potential, an organization dedicated to reducing poverty in Windsor-Essex County, Vasey has leveraged his training in both law and social work for the betterment of the community. He has also been an active volunteer for numerous local agencies, including Citizen Advocacy, the Alzheimer’s Society and the Ontario Association of Social Workers. Vasey has won awards from both the Ontario Association of Social Workers and the Law Foundation of Ontario, and is an instructor with the University’s MSW/JD program.

UWindsor chemistry professor Stephen Loeb will receive the 2015 Excellence in Mentoring Award in recognition of his personal, academic and professional guidance of students, and contribution to their all-round development up to and following graduation.