The nominations for the Rick Hutson Mentorship Award are now open! The deadline is December 6, 2024 at 11:59PM ET.
Rick Hutson was a great contributor and mentor to students looking to enter the mining industry and was a highly valued member of the mining community. He had immeasurable energy where students were concerned and he worked with many universities and student groups speaking, listening and sharing his enthusiasm for mining. Rick Hutson was very active with Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) and Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), and was a board member of Women in Mining Canada. He passed away in 2014. Further to his passing, a decision was made to honor Rick Hutson’s memory and all of the work he did in helping young women in particular to enter the mining industry, and the Award was created.
Women in Mining Canada would like to recognize the mentors and coaches who have supported, encouraged, guided, and advised women along their journey in the Canadian mining industry, either in school or in their careers. Breaking into a new field is a daunting task at best, and the mining world presents numerous complexities. Our mentors have been here at different times and through different stages to coach us all the way and cross the finish line with success.
Nominees for the Rick Hutson Mentorship Award can be of any gender and must be nominated by women either studying and looking to join the Canadian mining industry upon graduation, or currently working in the Canadian mining industry. Nominators must be Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents. Nominees can have any relation (e.g. parent, sibling, employer, friend, professor, colleague, etc.) to the Nominator. Nominators and Nominees do not need to be a member of Women in Mining Canada or a member of a regional Women in Mining Chapter; however, they are encouraged to become a member through the Women in Mining Canada website (wimcanada.org) or regional Women in Mining Chapter websites. Current Women in Mining Canada board members are not eligible, nor are previous winners of the Rick Hutson Mentorship Award. Persons who are currently employed or contracted by Women in Mining Canada are not eligible for consideration for the Rick Hutson Mentorship Award, and may only be eligible after one year following their employment or contract period has ended. However, winners of other awards in the Trailblazer Awards Series are eligible, provided they meet all other criteria.
Nominators must highlight the Nominee’s role in mentoring or coaching the Nominator, in their choice to pursue a career in the Canadian mining industry and/or during their career in the Canadian mining industry. Furthermore, Nominators are invited to describe the Nominee’s personal character as a mentor or coach. For example, comments may include any of the following personal characteristics: leading by positive change, disruptor and innovator, visionary thinking and innovative approach to the industry, collegiality and team building, supportive, authenticity and transparency, integrity and ethics, business acumen, etc. Other details, such as the estimated duration of the mentorship relationship, are also encouraged.
Nomination Guidelines
Fill out the present form to submit a Nominee for consideration for the 2025 Women in Mining Canada Rick Hutson Mentorship Award.
Each nomination will include:
- Nominator and Nominee contact information
- Cover letter describing the Nominee’s role as a mentor as described above (max 2 pages)
- Up to three letters support
- These letters can either be collected from individuals familiar with the Nominee (e.g. current or former mentees, colleagues, etc.) or collected from individuals familiar with the Nominator’s experience with the Nominee.
Additional Information
Selection of the Women in Mining Canada Rick Hutson Mentorship Award recipient will be made by the Rick Hutson Mentorship Award Selection Committee and will subsequently be approved by the Women in Mining Canada Board of Directors, whose decision will be final. Selection will be based solely on the documentation submitted.
All results will be made public at the end of the month of February 2025, and candidates will be informed accordingly. Recipients and the Awards will be celebrated at the 2025 Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) annual convention.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at awards@wimcanada.org.
The deadline is December 6, 2024 at 11:59PM ET.