The MUFA Award for Outstanding Service provides annual recognition for faculty and professional librarians who have made an outstanding contribution to the mission of the University through the provision of exceptional service to faculty, librarians, staff and/or students.
The 2026 awards winners are Alex Adronov, Mandeep Malik, and Stacey Ritz. A reception honouring this year’s award winners took place at the MUFA Annual General Meeting on April 29th.
Professor Mandeep Malik, this year’s recipient of the MUFA Award for Outstanding Service, has made an extraordinary impact on students, colleagues, and the broader McMaster community through more than two decades of leadership, mentorship, and innovation in experiential learning at the DeGroote School of Business.
A few weeks ago, Mandeep said something to me that really stayed with me. After more than 20 years at McMaster, he told me that he still genuinely looks forward to coming to work every day. Knowing how much he admires Simon Sinek, it immediately made me think of the idea that “working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” I think that perfectly captures Mandeep. That energy, passion, and sense of purpose comes through in everything he does.
What stands out most about Mandeep is that his service is never just about fulfilling a role. Everything he does is driven by a genuine commitment to students and to creating opportunities that have a lasting impact.
Over the years, he has built three experiential learning initiatives that have become nationally recognized and have transformed the way students experience marketing education at McMaster.
The first is ELITESEAT, which gives first- and second-year students early exposure to real industry professionals and real-world challenges. For many students, it’s their first opportunity to see themselves as future marketing professionals.
Then there’s MARS Apprentice, now in its twentieth year. More than 200 students have launched their careers through this program. What I find especially meaningful is that many of those former students come back year after year as mentors, judges, and sponsors. That says a lot about the kind of impact Mandeep has on people.
He also created the Canadian Marketing League, which has grown into Canada’s largest national marketing case competition. It brings together students and industry leaders from across the country and has helped elevate McMaster’s reputation on a national stage.
At the same time, Mandeep has taken on the demanding role of Area Chair of Marketing. In that position, he’s known for being approachable, thoughtful, and incredibly steady. People trust him because he listens carefully, treats colleagues fairly, and always focuses on solutions. He’s helped create a collegial and supportive environment within our area, and that kind of leadership matters enormously.
What I think truly defines Mandeep, though, is his mentorship. Students constantly seek him out for advice – not just about academics or careers, but about life. He invests in people. He helps students build confidence in themselves, and many of those students go on to become leaders and mentors themselves.
Across everything he does, Mandeep has consistently created inclusive opportunities that bring students from different backgrounds together and help them succeed. His impact has been lasting, wide-reaching, and deeply meaningful.
It is wonderful to see those contributions recognized through the MUFA Award for Outstanding Service.
Chris Ling Assistant Professor Marketing Area DeGroote School of Business