2018 Graduating Student Leaders honoured at UNB Saint John
Author: Young Alumni
Posted on Apr 13, 2018
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Twenty eight UNB Saint John students have earned Graduating Student Leadership Awards for the remarkable initiative they’ve taken during their time at UNB.
The award recognizes students in their final year of studies, who have made outstanding voluntary and extracurricular contributions to the campus, their academic program, and the university community.
“I am proud to be part of this very important initiative at UNB Saint John,” says Mary Duffley, Alumni Program Manager. “To recognize these students’ accomplishments is an honour for me and the Associated Alumni. We are excited to welcome these incredible graduates into the alumni family.”
The 13th annual awards dinner, held March 28 in their honour, brought together current and former recipients of the award, as well as family, faculty, staff and special mentors. The celebratory event is one of the highlights of the academic year, and the 2018 recipients left guests feeling motivated and inspired.
Given the honours this year were: Gyan Gill, Alexis Harquail, Abby Bryant, Jayme Dixon, Juliet Anumenechi, Lady Vanessa Osam-Duodu, Rachel Friars, and Bruce Savoie, Sarah Tingley, Khoi Thien Dao, Arfan Hajizadeh, Logan Johnson, Danielle Bellefleur, Megan Baisley, Sara Simkins, Alexas Kolyvas, Pape Seck, and Sadaf Anjum, Nicholas McCullum, Andrew Gatien, Patrick Kendall, Tyson Fitzherbert, Kenya Plut, Liam Floyd, Scott Mehan. Allyson McLaughlin, PJ Ward and Kjeld-Mizpah Conyers-Steede.
UNB young alumnus and former Graduating Student Leader, Christos Papadopoulos (BSc’09) addressed the 2018 recipients with an important message on compassionate leadership. A proud alumnus, Papadopoulos stressed the positive impact UNB Saint John has had on his own life and career as a practicing orthodontist.
Special to this year’s dinner was the announcement of new award established by the UNB Saint John Students’ Representative Council (SRC).
The Anthony Enman Unsung Hero Merit Award honours a Saint John campus student who is enrolled in their final year in an undergraduate degree program and has made outstanding contributions to the university and surrounding community. Valued at $1,000, it will be presented annually by the SRC.
The award was created in Enman's name to recognize his many years of tireless generosity, devotion and commitment to the university and its students.
The first recipient of the Anthony Enman Unsung Hero Award was presented to fourth year science student, Arfan Hajizadeh, who has contributed to several initiatives that enhance the lives of students. Hajizadeh served as an outstanding mentor, advocate and champion with The Promise Partnership program and created UNB Saint John’s first Global Brigades chapter.
The UNB Associated Alumni created the UNB Saint John Graduating Student Leadership Award program in 2005 and has since honoured more than 300 alumni.
Photo: Kirsten Stanley Productions
Photo L-R: 2018 Graduating Student Leadership award recipients. Front row Gyan Gill, Alexis Harquail, Abby Bryant, Jayme Dixon, Juliet Anumenechi, Lady Vanessa Osam-Duodu, Rachel Friars and Bruce Savoie. Second row Sarah Tingley, Khoi Thien Dao, Arfan Hajizadeh, Logan Johnson, Danielle Bellefleur, Megan Baisley, Sara Simkins, Alexas Kolyvas, Pape Seck and Sadaf Anjum. Third row, Nicholas McCullum, Andrew Gatien, Patrick Kendall, Tyson Fitzherbert, Kenya Plut, Liam Floyd, Scott Mehan. Allyson McLaughlin, PJ Ward, and Kjeld-Mizpah Conyers-Steede.