Distinguished Alumni Award Winner 2024
April 24, 2024
Since 2014, the BCIT Faculty & Staff Association has partnered with BCIT and the BCIT Alumni Association for the Distinguished Awards by honouring an exceptional BCIT alumnus who returned to the Institute as an FSA member. The FSA’s Board of Directors is thrilled to officially announce Donabel Santos as the winner of our 2024 FSA Distinguished Alumni Award.
The Board was extremely impressed by Donabel’s nomination package, submitted on her behalf by a number of colleagues. The list of Donabel’s professional achievements in the two-plus decades since finishing her education at BCIT is indeed remarkable. Among other accomplishments, she’s authored textbooks and training guides on SQL Server, PowerShell, and Business Intelligence with Tableau; delivered advanced technology training to more than 2,500 BCIT students through Part-time Studies; demonstrated leadership and career success in a field where women role models are scarce; and continues to produce award-winning online educational content.
Donabel’s referees are even more effusive when praising her generosity, character, and coaching abilities. “She is not only an excellent instructor,” one writes, but “wants to give back to the [BCIT] community that gave her a career.” Another says that “Donabel has long been regarded as one of BCIT’s best Flexible Learning instructors… her generosity and commitment to helping others, and to help lift them up, has been admired locally by her students and the data intelligence community, but also far beyond by her international following.” “Not only is Donabel able to explain complex concepts more clearly than anyone around,” writes a third referee, “she puts in so much time and care with her work that every detail serves its purpose.”
The FSA Board is honoured to award the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award to Donabel, and we look forward to celebrating her success publicly at the BCIT Gala this fall.