enSEMble
2025: A New Year for Milestones and Growth

Dwayne Benjamin
Vice-Provost, Strategic Enrolment Management — *Dwayne Benjamin*
*Vice-Provost, Strategic Enrolment Management*

Dwayne’s World: Reflecting on Milestones

One of the themes of this edition of EnSEMble is “milestones”, with a focus on the remarkable long service (25-55 years) of U of T staff. Several of our colleagues were acknowledged for their tenures by the University this year. As someone who falls into this category – marking 35 years of service – I’ve been reflecting on milestones in a broader sense, especially as we step into a new calendar year. While we continue to emphasize our collective institutional and project-related milestones, it’s equally important to celebrate individual accomplishments. Work anniversaries, professional achievements, promotions and role changes (to name a few) are not just milestones of progress and success – they also provide meaningful opportunities to reflect on our personal journeys and future paths. For those of us in the long service club, that reflection may feel particularly poignant!

As the new year begins with its usual energy and pace, I want to express my gratitude to each of you for your ongoing contributions to the VPSEM portfolio.

25+ Years at U of T: Stories, Growth, and Lessons Learned

Over the years, the passing of time saw many changes for VPSEM and the University of Toronto, from the look and feel of campus, to new programs and initiatives that enhance the student experience. As the semesters, school years and decades passed, they ushered in new transformations.

We caught up with some of the longest-serving VPSEM staff to hear first-hand how the campus and VPSEM have evolved over the course of their time here.

Dwayne Benjamin (DB): I started at U of T as an undergraduate student in 1980! I lived in residence at Victoria University and studied Economics & Quantitative Methods (no surprises there!). I then completed my PhD at Princeton and returned to U of T in 1989 to take a faculty position in the Department of Economics. I’ve been here ever since.

My path to VPSEM began with a series of academic administrative roles I took on within the Economics department – starting as Associate Chair Graduate, then Associate Chair Undergraduate, and ultimately, becoming Chair of the department. I was then appointed Vice-Dean Graduate in the Faculty of Arts & Science, a role which focused on the budgetary and programmatic administration of A&S graduate programs. I didn’t realize it at the time, but in all of these roles, I was “doing” and learning strategic enrolment management – overseeing domestic and international enrolment levels, budgets, and financial aid dollars. Another key part of these roles was working closely with academic departments and other organizational units at U of T (e.g., the Arts and Science Dean’s office and SGS) to conceive of ways that the institution could improve the student experience.

In 2020 Cheryl Regehr, who was the Provost at the time, approached me about setting up a new portfolio focused on strategic enrolment management, and it seemed like an exciting and fulfilling idea.

Mytrang Ong (MO): I started out as a casual in Admissions (back when we were called Admissions & Awards) assessing applications and working at the front desk/phones; what was supposed to be a 6-month term turned into a full-time continuing position and here I am 26 years later! For many years, front desk work involved answering all sorts of enquiries from admissions to financial aid and awards to comparative education (when CES was part of Admissions). Can’t say I haven’t learned a lot!

Bonnie Vincze (BV): I was first hired by U of T in Student Accounts (Financial Services) during the summer of 1989 through a temp agency. There were students lined up around the block and up the stairwell –we were on the third floor– to make their fee payment. If you can imagine, this was pre-online banking, pre-email and pre-ROSI. Most of Student Accounts moved over to URO’s office a few years ago. I moved over to URO in 2022.

DB: Junior faculty members can sometimes be overly focused on their research programs and their graduate students – and as a result, less engaged with undergraduate students. This has changed for the better in recent years – there’s been a sea change in the culture, as the institution has become more student-centric and more value is placed on quality undergraduate teaching. I have had amazing undergraduate students over the years, and I would have advised my younger self to appreciate and cultivate, from the very beginning, connections with undergraduate students.

On a somewhat related note, I would have told myself to focus more on a person’s character and integrity, rather than their perceived status or professional accomplishments. The latter can seem impressive, particularly when you are young, but as I reflect on my career, what has really stuck with me over the years is the kindness of certain colleagues. In the end, being a decent human is the most important thing.

MO: Join the pension plan! I didn’t think I’d be staying in the same office for that long but before I knew it, the years flew by…26 years later, I’m still here, and enjoying what I do, with a pension waiting for when I decide to retire one day.

BV: Stick with U of T. It’s a great place to work, especially for young people. Since it’s such a large institution with three campuses, there are many opportunities to grow and progress in your career.

DB: My honest answer is helping to build the VPSEM portfolio. This work has been very fulfilling. The “special sauce” of being a faculty member is that you have the ability, in different stages of your career, to take on new roles without having to change employers. The mandate of VPSEM – to provide students with a transformational experience while they are here – is closely connected to the most aspirational motivations that many of us who work in higher ed have when we join the profession. It is also gratifying to know that the work we do is highly regarded by the institution – this is something that I hear on a regular basis, with colleagues across the university praising the work of our teams. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to learn from and work collaboratively with such a diverse group of colleagues with a shared sense of mission and purpose.

Another initiative I enjoyed was working with teaching-stream faculty in Economics during my tenure as Associate Chair to modernize the department’s programs and to improve its teaching culture. There was a stubborn perception in the discipline that to maintain an academically rigorous program you had to make it difficult for students to succeed. Some took pride in keeping students out of the program. We worked to introduce a more student-centric pedagogy, and to develop supports to help students do well.

MO: There have been many projects that I’ve been a part of, all of which have allowed me to work with great staff from different teams. But I think being part of a team that manages to assess over 100,000 applications every year is something to be proud of.

BV: It’s hard to choose because over the years, although my role isn’t project based, I’ve worked on many that are geared towards improving the student experience. Most recently, I’ve been contributing to the project to integrate the Student Accounts website content into the new URO website. The new site should create a better student experience with clear language and improved navigation, especially for students looking for important information about their accounts, refunds and payment deadlines.

DB: I can’t point to a single memory or moment, but looking at the span of my career, what gives me the most satisfaction is watching my PhD student develop and succeed, within the program and once they graduate. The relationship between a supervisor and a PhD student is unique – you spend 5-6 years working closely with them in the program, and it can be a lifelong relationship, particularly if they continue working in academia. As a bonus, if they are successful, you can bask in their reflected glory.

MO: Ice cream trucks, holiday parties, getting to know all the casual staff we used to hire and working with them, seeing them grow and move on to other U of T offices. Those have all created great memories to reflect on.

BV: Wow, that’s a tough one. There’s so many. From campus events to watching all the action on a movie set. The nice thing about a big campus like U of T is that there’s always something being filmed or happening somewhere.

DB: Aside from my retirement (though not yet) and finally getting decent HVAC at 172 St. George (likely a pipe dream)? Well…what I look forward to is the ability to implement some of the more strategic dimensions of what we do in VPSEM. As I mentioned earlier, it is already the case that we are viewed as a centre of excellence and expertise for enrolment management activities at U of T. But in the current moment, our work is often driven by enrolment pressures in a time of tight budgetary measures. I would like to get to a point where we can focus our attention on longer-term projects and objectives. One example would be employing our data to build more evidence-based supports for students, like we did with the redesign of the UTAPS program, which has improved the need assessment process and the timing of funding distribution to students.

This type of work is also a personal passion of mine because it allows me to integrate my research interests in the economics of higher education with the practical work of the portfolio, and that is very rewarding.

MO: A new water filling station! (Just kidding) A new building! (Again, kidding)

But seriously, I have a high schooler heading to university in a few years, so I’m excited to see all the changes on campus at U of T and all the new opportunities available to students. On the work side, I look forward to being part of the continued improvement of the admissions process to ensure we conduct assessments fairly and support underrepresented applicants as well as continue to build strong ties with our divisional partners.

BV: I’m excited to see the launch of the new URO website after contributing to the Student Accounts content that will be on it. It’s been years in the making, and it will be great to finally see it launch and go live.

Dwayne Benjamin at the Graduate Economics Union Dinner in April 2000.

Dwayne Benjamin handing out awards at the 2014 Undergraduate Economics Awards Ceremony.

Dwayne Benjamin, Vice-Provost, Strategic Enrolment Management (back row, middle) with other long-serving U of T staff at the 2024 Long Service Awards Reception and Presentation.

Other VPSEM Staff with Milestones

Congratulations to all VPSEM staff marking milestones this year.

40 years

Nympha Naval
Service Coordinator, Admissions

25 years

Carmen Blanco
Student Accounts Advisor
Ly Lu
Admissions Counsellor

20 years

Tony Amaro
Technical Co-Pilot, LSM
Adam Lotesto
Recruitment Officer, UAO
Angela Sellitto
Frontline Service Coordinator
Deepika Tayl
DBA Developer Analyst, LSM

15 years

Helena Bruno
Scheduling Officer

10 years

Janette De Guzman
Client Services Advisor
Ammar Ijaz
IT Support Specialist
Min Kim
Business Operations Lead
Pauline Ramirez
Admissions Counsellor
Mariaveronica Sayewich
Assistant Manager, Information Systems
Jean Yoo
Admissions Specialist

5 years

Amy Beaulne
Student Accounts Advisor
Marsha Malcolm
Communications Writer
Marika Mayfield Dundas
Services Coordinator, Client Services
Swati Naidu
Instructional Support Coordinator, Tech2U Program
Ji Min Yoon
Financial Aid Counsellor
Jon Santiago
Tech2U Technical Co-Pilot

Adam Lotesto, Recruitment Officer, UAO (middle) smiling with colleagues in December 2005.

Marika Mayfield-Dundas, Services Coordinator, Client Services (left) is all smiles with colleague Nympha Naval at a Client Services training workshop in August 2023.

Mariaveronica Sayewich, Assistant Manager, Information Systems, and her furry companion Valkyrie visit campus on a snowy day in 2019.

Marsha Malcolm, Communications Writer (left), enjoying the photobooth with a colleague at a 2019 Faculty of Dentistry alumni event.

Welcoming New Additions to VPSEM

A warm welcome to our new VPSEM colleagues on the University Admissions and Outreach team.

**Abdullah Dwyer**, Recruitment Officer – Equity, Outreach and Support, University Admissions and Outreach team

**Kwame Diko**, Assistant Director, University Student Recruitment Equity and Outreach, University Admissions and Outreach team

Sustainable Holiday Decor

The Admissions Sustainability Committee hosted a gift wrapping and card making station at the Admissions team holiday party. In addition to sustainable decorating, holiday hangman was also a big hit.

enSEMble January 2025

enSEMble2025: A New Year for Milestones and Growth