Marcie Jacklin, B.Sc. ’78, received the 2021 Hodgkiss Outdoorsperson of the Year Award for organizing local bird counts and calling for preservation of natural areas around Fort Erie, Ont. Named for the founding president of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the award recognizes a Canadian who has demonstrated an enduring commitment to conservation. Jacklin has spent decades in environmental advocacy and citizen science with organizations in the Niagara Region and beyond, including leading the boards of the Niagara Falls Nature Club, Peninsular Field Naturalists, Buffalo Ornithological Society and Ontario Field Ornithologists.

1970s
David Barker, B.Sc. ’74, studied earth science at U of G. In 2021, he retired as professor of biblical studies at Heritage College and Seminary in Cambridge, Ont. After graduating from U of G, he entered church ministry and was ordained in 1984 He served as interim president, academic dean and vice-president at Heritage, and pastored churches in London, Kitchener and Bracebridge over the past 40 years.

1980s
Guy Gilron, B.Sc. ’84, M.Sc. ’88, received the Coal Association of Canada 2020-21 Award of Distinction. Working with the coal sector, especially in Western Canada, he has helped the association and its members apply environmental science in development of policy, regulation and water science communication.

Dr. Scott Reid, DVM ’87, received the 2022 Golden Life Membership Award from the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association. The award honours a veterinarian who has served the profession for at least 30 years and has made extraordinary contributions to animal welfare and veterinary medicine. During his 35-year career, Reid has practised in Dunnville, Ont.

1990s

Colleen Fitzpatrick, B.Comm. ’91, is executive director of the Rotary Centre for the Arts in Kelowna, B.C. She was named
in 2021 as a Top 40 Over 40 honouree for community collaborations ranging from the local food bank to Festivals Kelowna. Earlier, she earned recognition for community involvement and volunteerism in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., where she was director of convocation and associate director of community relations at the University of Waterloo. Colleen completed a postgraduate diploma program in public relations at the University of Victoria.

Liz Duval, B.Sc. ’95, was inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame, a U.S.-based organization that recognizes outstanding leadership and achievement in individual and team athletics. Duval, who is Métis and who grew up in Penetanguishene, Ont., was captain of the U of G women’s hockey team, which was inducted into the Gryphons Hall of Fame in 2016. She later played in the Central Ontario Women’s Hockey League and
the National Women’s Hockey League before retiring in 2001.

Alison Howard, BA ’95, was named executive director of ABC Life Literacy Canada. She has spent more than two decades in the non-profit sector, including working with the Conference Board of Canada.

Rhett Hawkins, B.Comm. ’96, MBA (Agr.) ’02, became president of Kahntact, a full-service marketing services company in agriculture and food across North America. Earlier, he held senior roles at Farm Journal Media, the largest ag-focused publisher in the United States.

Pam Charlton, B.Sc. (Env. Sci.) ’97, was named general manager of Holstein Ontario. She has worked in the dairy industry for 22 years, running Elm Bend Farms in Brant County as a family farm. Charlton has delivered programs and education through the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Holstein Canada and Brant 4-H.

Ninh Tran, B.Sc. ’99, M.Sc. ’00, was named medical officer of health for Oxford and Elgin counties. Previously, he was associate medical officer of health for Hamilton Public Health Services. Tran studied medicine at Queen’s University after completing graduate degrees in nutritional sciences at U of G and studied health research methodology at McMaster University.

Dr. Cliff Redford, DVM ’98, volunteered in Poland this past spring at refugee shelters near
the Ukrainian border, where he and his daughter, Emily, worked with organizations tending pets of refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Dr. Cliff” owns Wellington Veterinary Hospital in Markham, Ont. A long-time animal rescue volunteer in several countries, he credited his U of G studies for his adaptability and resilience. “Going to vet school and graduating with a DVM grants you a very specific set of skills that allow you to analyze problems and find solutions.”

2000s

Bonnie (Speed) Douglas, B. Eng. ’02, is a project coordinator for the Canadian Association for Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology, a nonprofit advocacy coalition for diversity and inclusion in the science, engineering, trades and technology workforce. Recently, Douglas was project manager for the We Are Trades project, an initiative that seeks to help employers create safe and inclusive workplaces for tradeswomen.

Dr. Lisa Waddell, B.Sc. ’02, MSc. ’04, PhD ’16, is senior epidemiologist in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Guelph. As a knowledge synthesis and translation methods specialist, she focuses on policy-relevant public health questions in food safety and infectious diseases including COVID-19.

Dr. Kelly Barratt, DVM ’05, was named as the 2021 Bovine Practitioner of the Year by the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. She is a partner at Heartland Animal Hospital and Veterinary Services in Listowel, Drayton and Mount Forest, Ont., where she is a specialist in dairy herd health. She is the first woman and youngest honouree to receive the award, which recognizes a practising veterinarian for significant contributions to bovine medicine.

Greg Young, B.Sc. ’05, won silver at the World Bench Press Championships, held in Kazakhstan, in May 2022 with a lift of 545.6 pounds. He is an RCMP officer in Tofino, B.C.

Pavla Kazda, MBA ’09, has been appointed dean, business and management, automotive business, at Georgian College. Earlier, she served in management and leadership roles in the food service industry and with the Government of Ontario.

2010s
Andrew Eldebs, B.Eng. ’15, studied environmental engineering and has founded a soil exchange management company called Fillmaps (www.fillmaps.com). Through soil testing, drone surveying, loading and transport, the company helps landowners to divert clean soils from landfills, freeing up space in landfills.

Jason Kelly, MBA ’16, has received the 2022 Certified Hospitality Technology Professional of the Year award for the highest score on the CHTP certification exam. Currently studying for his doctorate in hotel and tourism management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, he studied hospitality and tourism management at U of G and has worked for more than 20 years in the field in Canada.

Jaime Vieira, B.A.Sc. ’16, is the minor league hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. She is the first woman coach hired by the Major League Baseball team. Previously, she was a research and development intern in baseball operations with the Jays. Vieira played and coached softball at the University of Guelph-Humber.

Francine Pauvif, BA ’19, and Aleksandra Spasevski, B.Sc. (Env. Sci.) ’19, are co-founders of the Canadian Youth Biodiversity Network.

Equestrian show jumping brings together grads Dr. Tim Worden, B.Sc. ’10, M.Sc. ’12, PhD ’16, (below) and Sean Jobin, BA ’19, (above) as partners in sport science. A Grand Prix show jumping rider representing Canada, Jobin competes internationally, including competing in the Canadian Championships and the Venice Equestrian Tour. This year, he is signed to the Major League Show Jumping Tour as a member of the Northern Lights team. Worden studied biomedical science and biomechanics at U of G and is a board member of the Equine High Performance Sports Group and the Sport Horse Research Foundation. Based in Toronto, he has consulted for Equestrian Canada and has spoken and written on sport medicine and performance.

The organization is a chapter of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network and connects youth across Canada in biodiversity education and awareness as well as liaison with all levels of government.

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Before the pandemic started, we heard from alumni that lifelong learning and professional development were of great interest. Our goal was to serve as many alumni as possible, although we could not have imagined how quickly we needed to adapt to online delivery.

We’ve learned a lot along the way and are pleased to report that our Improve Life Webinar Series welcomed more than 2,000 alumni participants over the fall and winter, covering topics like how to ace a virtual interview, the science of gratitude and ways to maximize LinkedIn.

Our Improve Life Webinar Series welcomed more than 2,000 alumni participants over the fall and winter

The theme of our virtual Alumni Week is Connecting Communities, and this idea will continue to guide us as we plan for more ways to virtually connect with you over the coming year.

Our traditional Awards of Excellence Gala has been transformed into an online celebration of alumni excellence. We will honour our incredible alumni winners during a “Three Cheers Celebration” as part of the virtual Alumni Week (June 21-26) lineup. Congratulations to:

• Mark Lautens, B.Sc. ’81, D.Sc. ’16 (Alumni of Honour Awards)
• Bill Laidlaw, BA ’74 (Alumni Volunteer Award)
• Yvonne Su, BA ’11, PhD ’20 (Young Alumni Award)

You make your alma mater proud.

If you haven’t been receiving our email notifications about upcoming events and professional development opportunities, be sure to update your contact information at alumni.uoguelph.ca/update. Have a safe and enjoyable summer – and let’s continue to celebrate our U of G connections throughout 2021.

Christina Crowley-Arklie, B.Comm. ’09, President, UGAA, and proud donor to U of G

Jason Moreton, BA ’00, Associate Vice-President, Alumni Advancement, and proud donor to U of G

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More than 500 students, staff and faculty tuned in to this year’s Last Lecture, featuring Catherine Dang, B.Eng., biological engineering (Class of 2021); Dr. Matthew Demers, Department of Mathematics and Statistics; and Susan McDade, BA ’86, renowned Canadian economist and energy expert.

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Sunny Nakra, B.Comm. ’18, and Samuel Boylan-Sajous were inspired to create a Black Lives Matter app to empower and educate the world about Black history, slavery and segregation. Lang School alumnus Tony D’Amato Stortz, B.Comm. ’20, used his extra time during the pandemic to build gardens for his neighbours to alleviate food-driven anxiety while giving back to his community. And Anne-Marie Connor, MA ’04, who was already battling Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when COVID-19 erupted, was offered a flight home in April but gave up her seat to someone else.

Despite uncertain circumstances, our alumni community stepped in to help Improve Life for students during #GivingTuesdayNow in May. With students in need of funding for food and emergency relief, the University of Guelph Alumni Association issued a matching challenge, and you responded – resulting in almost $30,000 in support of the campus food bank. In total, our appeals for emergency student support this year raised $84,000. More recently, $350,000 for student awards was donated and doubled by the University’s Awards Matching Program. You have responded with the utmost care, kindness and generous support during a time of great need for our students. Thank you.

You inspire us – we continue to hear about alumni bringing food to others, donating personal protective equipment, making masks for others, pivoting your businesses to respond to the unique demands of the pandemic and providing financial support to those in need. Your response speaks volumes about how much you care. Thank you for meeting U of G’s call to action. You Improve Life every day and we are beyond proud of our alumni family.

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Congratulations to the 2019 winners:

• Director’s Award of Distinction: Valerie Davidson, University Professor Emerita
• Medal of Achievement: Robert Adams, B.Sc.Eng. ’83
• Award of Excellence: RWDI
• Mid-Career: Tej Gidda, B.Sc.Eng. ’96, M.Sc. ’97, PhD ’04
• Outstanding Volunteer: Janey Piroli, B.Sc.Eng. ’96
• Young Alumni of Honour: Kendra Sakaguchi, B.Eng. ’08

Engineering Co-Op Employer of the Year: Baylis Medical The Medal of Achievement – the highest honour awarded by the School of Engineering – went to Robert (Rob) Adams (B.Sc.Eng. ’83), in recognition of his lifetime achievement and commitment to excellence.

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Ghanimat Azhdari and Milad Ghasemi Ariani lost their lives in the Ukraine International Airlines disaster on Jan. 8. The airliner was shot down by the Iranian military during heightened political tensions, killing all 176 on-board, including 57 Canadians.

Both Azhdari and Ariani were international graduate students from Iran, and both were returning to Guelph to resume their studies following family holidays in their native country.

U of G president Franco Vaccarino expressed the collective grief of the campus community.

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of two of our students,” he says. “Our thoughts go out to the families of these two students and to anyone else affected by this tragedy. Any loss to our campus community touches all of us.”

Born in southwestern Iran, Ghanimat Azhdari, 36, was from the nomadic Indigenous Qashqai tribe. She was internationally recognized for her dedication to protecting Indigenous peoples and their land. She was a graduate student in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, where she studied mapping and cataloguing of Iran’s Indigenous nomadic communities.

Azhdari was described by her PhD supervisor, Prof. Faisal Moola, as a “firecracker” with an “effervescent personality.” Prof. Noella Gray says “her energy and her positivity were infectious.”

Ariani was pursuing a PhD in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies. He was not only dedicated to excellence in his own studies but also committed to helping his classmates succeed in theirs. Prof. Towhid Islam noted that he was always willing to counsel and motivate fellow students.

“He was very friendly, he was easygoing,” Islam says. “He had a very bright future.”

Several hundred people attended a commemorative vigil held Jan. 10 at tragedy War Memorial Hall that included remarks from friends and colleagues.

“How will we continue without your beautiful laughter, your big heart and your amazing spirit?” said Emily Smit, a classmate of Azhdari’s.

The University established new scholarships to honour both students. Fundraising initiatives will begin to support them, and U of G will match donations up to $100,000. The scholarship honouring Ariani will come through the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics and will support an international graduate student. The scholarship named for Azhdari will be offered through the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences and will assist an Indigenous graduate student.

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Students, staff and faculty can pitch their project idea (think Dragons’ Den) and apply for funds to help make it a reality. Following panel judging of many novel ideas, the first finalists in 2020 have been chosen. All projects focus on increasing wellness, support and awareness in the U of G community:

• A post-doc researcher in the Department of Integrative Biology received funds to support programs that will raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community at U of G, specifically in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Queer in STEM: LGBTQ+ Awareness in the Workplace program will help build an LGBTQ+ professional network at the University.
• A student wellness program called Mind the Gap received funds for research intended to shorten wait times and reduce no-shows for students who want to see a mental health counsellor. This program was pitched by a physician in Student Health Services and supports a growing body of initiatives on campus that focus on mental health and well-being of our students.
• With a plan to decrease stress and improve student well-being, staff members in Student Housing Services won support to build a home-grown therapy dog program at U of G. Students will have more opportunities to reap the therapeutic benefits of time spent with a furry friend.

To learn more about the Gryphons Care program, visit alumni.uoguelph.ca/ gryphons-care.

Richard Horne, BA, President, UGAA, and proud U of G donor
Jason Moreton, BA, Associate Vice-President, Advancement, and proud U of G donor

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Imagine This…

You’re a student studying for exams in the campus library, and the stress is mounting. Then out of nowhere, someone delivers a gift right to you…just because.

Gryphon Gifts

Katrina Bell, a staff member in Alumni Affairs and Development (AAD), heard about an initiative elsewhere that gave students treats to help with exam stress, and she wanted to bring the idea to U of G. She and AAD staffer Kaitlyn Edwards pitched “Gryphon Gifts” to Gryphons Care, a staff and faculty group that helps fund community initiatives. They received funding from that group, as well as support from Student Health and Well-Being and Interhall Council.

200 Special Deliveries

As exams began this past April, Gryphon Gifts was promoted to students through social media channels with the help of campus partners. Volunteers set up shop in the University Centre and began taking requests from students via Instagram. And they delivered – literally! Over four days, the team responded to hundreds of student requests by ordering, picking up and dropping off everything from pizza and coffee to poutine and burgers.

The UGAA board was so impressed by this grassroots and heartfelt student wellness initiative that we plan to support Gryphon Gifts during April 2020 exams.

Become a Volunteer

To volunteer for Gryphon Gifts, please contact ugaa@uoguelph.ca. You may also make a gift to the University’s Highest Priority or the Mental Health and Well-Being Fund at www.uoguelph.ca/give.

Please watch your email around Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3), as we will offer alumni a way to support students during the upcoming exam period.

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Richard Horne, BA, President, UGAA, and proud U of G donor
Jason Moreton, BA, Associate Vice-President, Advancement, and proud U of G donor

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