Stephanie Calato takes home Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence Award
Stephanie Calato takes home Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence Award Heading link
Stephanie Calato, MS, LCPC, assistant dean for student affairs at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, took home the Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence Award during the annual University of Illinois Chicago Employee Recognition Award Ceremony in Chicago on Nov. 2.
The CAPE award was established to recognize the demonstrated excellence of academic professional staff members and affirms the university’s highest regard for the contributions of this important community to UIC.
Calato has served as a licensed clinical professional counselor for the past 20 years. She was named UICOMR’s director of student affairs-career services in 2015 and built a longitudinal career advising program to foster medical student success in navigating the competitive residency application process. She became assistant dean for student affairs in June 2022 and now oversees the Office of Student Affairs and provides student support at UICOMR. She monitors student academic progress by reviewing grades, appeals and petitions. She also offers guidance and counseling for students experiencing academic difficulties or personal challenges.
“In the years Stephanie has worked at the College of Medicine Rockford she has been building a career advising program built on trust, collaboration, individuality and data,” says one of her nominators. “The fruits of this labor finally bore out this year when 100% of our graduating M4 students and all of our returning match seniors from the previous year successfully matched into a field of their choosing.”
Reilly Wojciehowski, MD, a first-year family medicine resident, says Calato was a major influence during her transition to residency.
“She demonstrates responsibility and lives and breathes the mission of the university,” Wojciehowski says. “Dean Calato is such a great person to have at the Rockford campus and she’s one of the major reasons why I decided to stay here for my family medicine residency.”
Calato is a leader in navigating the challenges of medical education on the campus, within the College of Medicine as a whole and nationally.
“Stephanie has fostered collaborative relationships with her colleagues on other campuses in developing regional and national presentations at AAMC, ACGME, CGSA and the Generalists in Medical Education meetings,” say Mitch King, MD, associate dean for academic affairs. “These efforts have helped to establish UIC College of Medicine as a leader in the dialogue surrounding future directions in medical education.”