Hamilton-Niagara's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 12
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HAMILTON-NIAGARA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Brock University offers a place for employees to grow
A
manda Villella says
employees often
remark that one of
the best things
about working at
Brock University is the sense of
community.
“We have opportunities for people to work on cross-functional
teams, participate in committees
and come together with people
they may not otherwise work with
every day,” says Villella, acting
associate vice-president, people
and culture.
For example, the planning
committee for National Day for
Truth and Reconciliation included
employees from various faculties,
student services, the library, communications, the Human Rights
and Equity Office, and the Office
of People and Culture.
“We each brought our own
expertise,” she says. “For instance,
Applied Health Sciences faculty
members held an event on how
theatre can help address anti-Indigenous discrimination in the
health system, and the Office of
People and Culture partnered
with the vice-provost, Indigenous
engagement to deliver an employee workshop exploring ways to
bring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
and the concepts of reconciliation
and decolonization into their daily
work. All of these offices came together, met regularly and worked
toward a common goal.”
Monique Beauregard, manager
of Brock’s Black Student Success
Centre, appreciates the university’s
focus on growth, whether it be
for employees or students, and
loves having the chance to see that
growth in action across campus.
One of her favourite experiences
has been helping develop the
Black Student Success Centre.
“This relates to the growth of the
university and creating spaces for
students who have traditionally
been overlooked in academia,
and creating specialized supports,
resources and connection points,”
she says.
Beauregard is also part of the
Black Community Forum at
Brock, which provides an opportunity for faculty and staff to come
together to discuss challenges and
successes. “There are multiple
layers of access points to wellness
at Brock – getting to meet people
in other departments I would not
otherwise connect with, making
friends, solving communal
challenges and providing supports
for students,” she says.
Villella says two areas where
this focus on growth is highlighted
are equity, diversity and inclusion
(EDI) and employee learning and
development. The university’s
EDI initiatives include equity
considerations in hiring processes
and reviewing language in policies
and collective agreements through
an EDI lens. Brock also holds
regular training programs for staff
and faculty and conducted its first
annual equity census in 2023.
fostering an inclusive
environment for everyone
– for faculty, staff and
students – brings out the
best in all of us. We want
to provide an engaging and
supportive environment for
employees to flourish.
— Amanda Villella
Acting Associate VicePresident, People and
Culture
Employees at Brock University come together to mark the organization’s 60th anniversary at an outdoor event
in September.
“Fostering an inclusive environment for everyone – for faculty,
staff and students – brings out
the best in all of us,” Villella says.
“We want to provide an engaging
and supportive environment for
employees to flourish in their own
careers.”
Brock’s leadership and career
development programs include
training for employees who plan
to pursue leadership roles, as well
as training for current leaders.
