UNB Alumni
Telling our #ProudlyUNB stories
UNBeknownst #36: Tosin Ajibola on blending social good with technology in Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 16, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Podcast , Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton
Social and technology entrepreneur Tosin Ajibola (MEng’20) moved from Nigeria to Canada to earn a Master of Engineering degree in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship from UNB. Out of that hands-on program, he and other newcomer classmates co-developed Welkom-U, an innovative online platform that puts newcomers, immigrants, and international students in touch with the things they need to survive and thrive. As CEO of Welkom-U, Tosin is focused on solving problems through...
Business is blooming for Sophie Sharp (BA/BEd'22)
UNB alumni
Posted: January 26, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Saint John , Arts , Education , Inspiring Stories
From Lower Millstream straight to kitchen tables across New Brunswick, life has become a lot more colourful thanks to Sharp Brook Flower Farm. For UNB recent graduate Sophie Sharp (BA/BEd’22), agriculture has always been an important part of her life growing up on a dairy farm. This passion led Sharp and her sister, Ellen Folkins, to open their own space to the community and share their love of locally grown flowers. Launched in the spring of 2021 and named after the brook that runs...
The many ways this nurse practitioner is saving lives in small-town New Brunswick and around the world
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Nursing , Inspiring Stories
When Kelly Dunfield (MN'03, C-NP'03) graduated from UNB’s inaugural class of the nurse practitioner program in 2003, she was thrilled to be back into clinical practice once again.After years of nursing and health care experience in occupational health, surgery and emergency nursing in Saint John and her hometown of Sussex, she had moved into emergency room management and quality risk management. But when the new nurse practitioner program was announced at UNB, she jumped at the chance...
Understanding current and future challenges for Canadian forests
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , FOREM , Inspiring Stories
As Science Director, Forest Health and Biodiversity at the Atlantic Forestry Centre in Fredericton, Christy Arseneau (BScF’97) supports a team that is developing the science and technology to assess and effectively respond to threats to Canada’s forests. As Canadian lead in the development of a North American Blueprint for Wildland Fire Science collaboration, a large portion of her focus is directed towards fire science projects and initiatives. Back when she was a UNB...
Growing the global SABIAN brand in rural New Brunswick
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 18, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Management
While Meductic might not be a place that’s widely known even within the Province of New Brunswick, let alone internationally, the flagship company that calls this small village home certainly is. SABIAN is world-renowned in the music industry, and the company behind it is considered one of the largest manufacturers of cymbals globally, distributing its products to more than 80 countries. The SABIAN brand has been built from the ground up over the past 40 years to reflect the...
Engineering the future of North Shore Mi'kmaq District Council communities
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 28, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , Engineering , UNB Fredericton
Tyler Patles (BScE’09) is a Mi’kmaq professional engineer and member of the Natoaganeg First Nation who feels strongly about giving back to his community. As director of Technical Services for the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council (NSMTC), oversees housing, infrastructure, and emergency management programs for the Tribal Council, which provides services to seven out of the fifteen First Nation communities in New Brunswick. He’s also actively served Natoaganeg First Nation...
Q&A: Julianne MacCallum, UNB Alumni Student Leadership Award
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 24, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , Young Alumni
Recipient of a 2023-24 Alumni Student Leadership Award, Julianne MacCallum is a bio-psychology student on UNB's Saint John campus and has been heavily involved in student life as well as in her community. Julianne is a volunteer with the Promise Partnership Program, the Student Athletic Advisory committee, and the Golden Key Honour Society, and is president of the UNBSJ Global Medical Brigades. She also represents UNB proudly on the Women’s Varsity Soccer Team. What inspired...
UNB Alumni Holiday Gift Guide 2023
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 24, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Insights , Law , UNB Saint John , Kinesiology , Computer Science , Inspiring Stories , Science , Education , Management , UNB Fredericton , FOREM , Engineering , Renaissance College , Arts , Nursing , Young Alumni
Share your UNB pride this holiday season! 'Tis the season for supporting ‘local.’ The 2023 Alumni Holiday Gift Guide highlights products and businesses by our very own #ProudlyUNB alumni around the world. UNB alumni are creating and contributing exciting things to their communities and beyond. Get your seasonal shopping done from the comfort of your home, while discovering the unique items created, written, owned or run by talented UNB graduates, like you. Scotiabank Giller...
Engineering the challenges of the 21st century
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 15, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories
Alex Miller (BScSE’79) is a pioneer in transforming geography and mapping into a 21st-century digital tool used by millions around the world. As president and founder of Esri Canada, the leading geographic information system (GIS) company in Canada, he believes that collecting and using information through a unifying lens helps us see systems within our whole living ecosystem and is crucial to solving our current challenges. “Humanity is at a crossroads as the breakthrough...
Blazing trails for women in rugby around the world
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 14, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Kinesiology , Inspiring Stories
Cristina Flores Justic (BPE’83) describes herself as a bit of a rebel. The daughter of a diplomat, Cristina attended a private French school in Mexico City, but, craving more action and adventure, soon found herself studying at Bishop’s College School in Canada. After finishing high school, she made her way to the University of New Brunswick for an undergraduate degree, flourished during her time in the physical education program. “I loved sports and biology, so it was good...
The technology and science behind sustainable diversity and inclusion
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 13, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Computer Science
Michael Wright (BBA’96, BCS’99) says that lasting and meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts have to be about the science. That’s why he and co-founder Dr. Leeno Karumanchery created MESH/Diversity, a New Brunswick-based company offering software grounded in behavioural science and data, tailored for forward-focused organizations who want sustainable culture change. “The platform we’ve built leverages the power of behavioural science,...
Taking steps toward sustainability through upcycled fashion
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 25, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Insights , UNB Fredericton , Science , Young Alumni
A UNB alum is inspiring others to make sustainable clothing choices and to reduce their impact. Maria Hernandez (BSENR’21), the face behind upcycled clothing line Palo Verde Designs, has combined her love for fashion and her deep commitment to making the planet a more sustainable place. Palo Verde grew out of a longtime love of sewing and started as a side-hobby during her second year at UNB, while completing university courses online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An international...
The Booker Prize, the Scottish Highlands and a love of writing
UNB
Posted: October 19, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Arts , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
It’s been a big year for Sarah Bernstein (MA’12). Her latest novel, Study for Obedience, was published in the U.K. and Canada in the summer of 2023. It’s now shortlisted for both the 2023 Booker Prize (one of six finalists) and 2023 Giller Prize (one of five finalists). And, she was named to Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists 2023 list. Oh, and she’s about to have her first child. But the Montreal-born author, who now lives in the Scottish Highlands, says...
The UNB graduate inside one of the biggest deals in Canadian corporate history
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 13, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Management , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Mergers and acquisitions are exciting to read about –especially when they involve two of the largest entrepreneurial companies in Canadian history: Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications. In April 2023, after over two years of intense negotiations, a regulatory battle, fierce public opinion, and, finally, government approval, the $26 billion transaction that created one national cable, media and wireless company under the Rogers banner was completed. Whatever opinion you held...
Joshua Pickard is shaping the future of manufacturing automation
UNB Engineering
Posted: September 27, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering
In the dynamic world of engineering and innovation, individuals like Joshua Pickard (BScE12’, MScE’14, PhD’18) are making a significant impact. His journey from a small, quiet town in Woodstock, New Brunswick, to becoming one of the "Top 10 Under 40" in the Manufacturing Automation magazine is nothing short of inspirational. While growing up, Joshua demonstrated a passion for automation “My parents would say at an early age I started pairing parts, remote-controlled...
From sales rep to CEO: Habib Dable shares lessons from a career in biotech
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 26, 2023 12:00:00 PM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Management
Taking calculated risks and doing meaningful work is what Habib Dable (BBA’91, MBA’94) says helped him build a successful career. That career is not only successful, it’s impressive. Habib has risen to the highest ranks of the biotech industry, including as former president, U.S. pharmaceuticals for Bayer and former president and CEO of Acceleron Pharma. He says it’s ironic, given where he was in his first term as an undergraduate student at UNB. “I entered...
Get to know your Associated Alumni president: Jennifer Sutherland Green
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 26, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Management , Law , Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton
Jennifer Sutherland Green (LLB'99) has a longtime connection to UNB and to the alumni community. Throughout her combined 14 years of volunteer involvement with both the Alumnae and Alumni Associations, she has become progressively more passionate about UNB. A proud law alum, she brings great commitment to her new role. How did your engagement with UNB Alumni Council begin? I first became involved as the president of the UNB Associated Alumnae Council, which is a group made up of...
Top national cybersecurity expert says music has been the key to her success
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 25, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Computer Science , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Melanie Anderson (BCS’03), a professional in both cybersecurity and classical music, says it’s all about math and logic. Currently the director general of secure solutions and services in the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Melanie and her team are responsible for applied cryptographic research, architecture, engineering and development of secure cryptographic solutions. This includes Communications Security (COMSEC),...
Alumni-owned Ethos Athletics is inspiring the next generation of athletes
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 21, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Management , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Motivated by his own experiences growing up in New Brunswick, UNB alum and professional volleyball player Connor McConnell (BBA’21) is inspiring young athletes one sport clinic at a time, through his business Ethos Athletics. With a lack of advanced sports camps being held across the province, McConnell and his business partner Nathan Brown are now filling this void for up-and-coming athletes. “We’re really trying to inspire the next generation and our goal is to reach small...
UNB engineering student Houda El Hajjaoui receives UNB Alumni Legacy Award
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 30, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Engineering
A University of New Brunswick engineering student has been selected as the third recipient of the Alumni Legacy Award, established and presented by the UNB Associated Alumni. The 2023-2025 recipient, Houda El Hajjaoui, is a shining example of the values outlined by this scholarship. Throughout her time as an international student at UNB, she has shown immense pride for our institution, dedication to her faculty and fellow students, and a commitment to carrying on the UNB alumni...
The value of building connections for young alum Ria Sabitry (BBA'22)
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 21, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , Management , UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John
For 2022 grad Ria Sabitry (BBA’22), attending university was all about fostering and nurturing connections. Through co-op education, experiential learning, and volunteerism, she certainly did just that – and even landed a job before receiving her diploma. Now as a junior accountant (Chartered Professional Accountant candidate) with Irving Oil, Sabitry works and studies full-time through the company’s CPA program. While studying towards her certification, she’s gaining...
Engineering alum Adrian Tout keeps pushing at the edges of computing
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 18, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton
As a kid, Adrian Tout (MScE’97) drove his parents crazy with his curiosity. Turns out, that’s a key driver for changing the world. Adrian, now a product partnership lead at Google with 25 years of entrepreneurial and computing innovation under his belt, says curiosity is fundamental to constantly challenging the status quo and pushing the edges of what we know. “I’ve always been driven by learning and challenging things. It’s led me down the path of...
The Canadian geneticist who isolated the cystic fibrosis gene looks back on the impact of her work
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 26, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Science , UNB Fredericton
When geneticist and senior scientist emeritus Dr. Johanna Rommens (BSc'80, PhD'86) was first featured in Alumni News magazine in 1996, she was riding the high of accomplishing breakthrough research that would change the fate of those diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). It was a few years earlier, in 1989, that Dr. Rommens, as part of a small team at SickKids in Toronto, identified and cloned the CFTR gene, which when mutated, is responsible for causing CF. The lead author of the gene-cloning...
UNBeknownst #30: Teresa Fowler on the need for a reckoning in Canadian hockey culture
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 6, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Podcast , Education , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Dr. Teresa Fowler (MEd’11) is a researcher who is diving into the sexism, misogyny and hypermasculinity of hockey in Canada and who is now working directly with Hockey Canada to try to correct the enduring problems. Teresa is an assistant professor at Concordia University of Edmonton in the faculty of education. Her research focuses on critical white masculinities and the implications of masculinity on men's mental health in hockey culture as well as anti-colonial pedagogic approaches...
Two-time alum Haiping Fu (BBA’07, MBA’19) recognized as a woman of inspiration for her career in finance
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 29, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
From the tropical island of Hainan, China to Saint John, New Brunswick, two-time UNB alum Haiping Fu (BBA’07, MBA’19) has established a successful career in finance. Recently recognized by Canadian Immigrant Magazine as one of their 2023 Women of Inspiration in Banking and Finance, Fu has spent the last 15 years growing her business and helping others feel confidant and secure in their financial health. In her role as an associate wealth and investment advisor for RBC Dominion...
Women in Wood co-founder Lacey Rose (BSF’06) connects women in forestry across Canada and around the world
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 29, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: FOREM , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
It’s a Thursday afternoon and so far this week Ontario forester Lacey Rose (BSF’06) has planted trees, dealt with a boundary dispute, collected data and caught up on paperwork. And when she’s not in her dynamic role as the Renfrew County forester, or hosting the international web series Mighty Jobs, Lacey is helping to connect women foresters as the co-founder of Women in Wood. Launched in 2015, Lacey and co-founder Jess Kaknevicius invited about 20 women from the...
Supporting housing in communities that need it most
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 26, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Renaissance College , Inspiring Stories
Catherine Pak (BPhil’11) has a driving mission. As a senior specialist with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), she’s fully invested in the organization’s aspiration to house every individual in Canada by 2030. She says it’s complex and hard work, but extremely rewarding. Catherine has been working with CMHC for five years – on the front lines and now overseeing teams focused on Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut....
UNBers dominate Atlantic Business Top 50 CEO list
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 26, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Law , Inspiring Stories , Kinesiology , Engineering , Computer Science , Management , UNB Fredericton
Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2023 Top 50 CEO Awards were recently announced, and 16 UNB alumni and alumni of the UNB Wallace McCain Institute’s (WMI) Entrepreneurial Leaders Program (ELP) made the prestigious list. In its 25th year, the Top 50 CEO Awards celebrate accomplished business leaders in the Atlantic region. Over the past 25 years, they have recognized 552 Top 50 award winners who have collectively created more than a million jobs and generated almost $1.9 trillion in...
Welcoming the Class of 2023 into the #ProudlyUNB alumni family
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 23, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
This spring we were thrilled to welcome 1,655 graduates into the #ProudlyUNB alumni family! During graduation ceremonies on the Fredericton and Saint John campuses May 17, 18 and 19, UNB celebrated the remarkable accomplishments of 1,322 graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees, 335 receiving master’s degrees, and 20 achieving the PhD. Among the 2023 graduates are five exceptional valedictorians who addressed their classmates during UNB’s encaenia and...
UNBeknownst #29: Lea Nicholas MacKenzie on championing Indigenous human rights
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 11, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Arts , Podcast , Inspiring Stories
Lea Nicholas-MacKenzie (BA’91) is a trailblazer for Indigenous rights: she’s the former special advisor for Indigenous issues to the UN, former chief of staff to then minister of justice and attorney general of Canada, the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, and past chief of staff to the National Chief at the Assembly of First Nations. She also served as director of aboriginal participation and chief of protocol for the Four Host First Nations during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and...
Debbi Amirault has made a big impact in nursing in New Brunswick by bringing clinical experience to the classroom
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 8, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Nursing , Inspiring Stories
Debbi Amirault (BN’78, MN’01) was one of those people who knew from a young age what she was meant to do. Her sister Shannon experienced complex medical challenges from birth and the family spent a large chunk of time at Montreal Children’s Hospital, where Shannon endured over 30 surgeries. The experience for Debbi was eye-opening. “Nursing fascinated me. There was this whole community of healthcare professionals right there at the hospital. I liked hanging out there....
Sponsorship spotlight: Unlock Your Mind Mental Health Conference
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 24, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
The UNB Associated Alumni provides annual sponsorships to a wide range of student organizations, associations, groups, athletic teams and clubs in support of the university and its students. The Unlock Your Mind Mental Health Conference, led by a talented executive team of UNB alumni and students, brought together individuals with personal experience, professionals with clinical experience, expert panelists, workshops, and resource booths, to reduce the stigma around mental...
Providing the joy of entertainment
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 21, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Computer Science
Luke DeWitt (BCS’06) has been known to enjoy a good baseball game along with a craft beer. But what he enjoys even more is building platforms that allow people to be entertained. Luke is the director of web services for REDspace, a software development company in Halifax that builds custom, innovative and scalable platforms for media, entertainment and gaming clients such as Warner Bros., Apple, Turner, MTV, Sony Pictures, IBM, and Nickelodeon. “We build systems like...
Volunteer spotlight: Erin Stafford (BSc'08)
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 17, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
A dedicated and longtime volunteer at UNB and in her community, alum Erin Stafford (BSc'08) enjoys giving back her time as an Associated Alumni councillor, connecting with alumni as a volunteer at chapter events in her province, and supporting incoming and current UNB students. In honour of National Volunteer Week, Erin reflects on her time at UNB and why volunteering is important to her. What are some of your fondest memories from your time at UNB? Spending time at the Science Library...
UNBeknownst #28: Mark Leger on the future of local journalism and its importance in building communities
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 13, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories , Podcast
Mark Leger (MA’11) was editor of Huddle, the popular Maritime online business news publication, from 2017 to early 2023, and was also director of news content for parent company Acadia Broadcasting, which owns and operates 15 radio stations in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A journalist for more than 25 years, Mark began his career as a reporter and editor with the Telegraph-Journal and went on to work for CBC Radio as a reporter and producer. An entrepreneur at heart, he has...
Preserving the past and making connections on the Miramichi
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 29, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Arts , Inspiring Stories
Christine Jean (BA’21) loves to study people and nature – and the connection between the two. An anthropology graduate and current master’s student at UNB, her research focus is on human-nature relationships along the Miramichi River, in particular from Boiestown to Blackville, in the hopes of bettering understanding the community and providing ecologically, socially and economically sustainable ideas and initiatives and environmental stewardship. Christine has also...
UNB Associated Alumni celebrates the UNB Saint John 2023 Graduating Student Leaders
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 23, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
Twenty one graduating students from the UNB Saint John campus have earned 2023 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. The Associated Alumni, in partnership with UNB Saint John Student Services and the UNB-SRC, will...
Q&A: Callum Hunter, UNB Alumni Student Leadership recipient
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 16, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
Recipient of a 2022-23 Alumni Student Leadership Award, Callum Hunter is a Renaissance College student and has been heavily involved in her faculty and in campus life. She has served as a residence proctor, as a member of the Renaissance College Society (RCS), as a volunteer on the UNB Student Union's Student Experience Team, and has represented UNB in the community through her volunteer work with Hospice and L’Arche. What inspired you to enroll in UNB’s Renaissance...
UNBers receive NB government award for excellence in championing gender equality
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 13, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the New Brunswick minister responsible for women’s equality has announced the recipients of the third annual Minister's Awards for Excellence in Championing Gender Equality – VIVE. VIVE is an award that promotes gender equality in our lives, workplaces and government. The VIVE Awards were created as a way to highlight and acknowledge New Brunswick individuals that are forging paths and advancing gender equality. The five...
UNBeknownst #27: Balarama Holness on education, politics and confronting systemic racism
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 9, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Podcast , Education
Balarama Holness (MEd’16) is a former CFL athlete turned social entrepreneur, community organizer and anti-racism activist. A native of Montreal, he played professional football for the Montreal Alouettes, with whom he won the Grey Cup in 2010. He’s also well educated, having earned a master’s in education from the University of New Brunswick and a bachelor of civil law and juris doctor from McGill University. In 2018, Balarama gained political notoriety by gaining support...
Recognizing UNB alumni on International Women's Day
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 8, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
On International Women's Day, March 8, 2023, we celebrate all women, including these incredible UNB alumni who are changemakers, community builders, and who uplift other women in their communities.While this is just a small sample of the incredible work being done by alumni all over the world, we acknowledge these outstanding women and celebrate the impact they are making on our world. Shannon Blanchard (BBA’00) Shannon Blanchard is the director of supply chain innovation at Port...
Carolyn Campbell returned to New Brunswick to operate on the world stage
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 7, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Engineering
When Carolyn Campbell (BScCHE’04) graduated from UNB she jumped from a classroom in her home province to nuclear power plant floors in Ontario. Her 16-month internship with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) was an “eye-opening” experience – she had never even been on a plane prior to traveling to Ottawa and had never experienced big city living or working for a large organization. “Moving out of province was scary for me but it gave me...
Kimberley Clarke is creating solutions for sustainable agriculture
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 6, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton
One of the most pressing challenges in our world today is building a sustainable agriculture industry that will feed a growing population with nutritious food while not harming the environment with toxic chemicals, soil quality depletion, and over-consumption of water and non-renewable energy. The UN estimates that the world population will grow to 9 billion by 2050. To meet this demand, farmers will need to produce more food in the next 40 years than they did in the last 10,000 combined. So...
Q&A: Emma Stephen, Alumni Legacy Award recipient
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 3, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
Reflecting on two years as the Alumni Legacy Award recipient, what has been most rewarding or exciting about your time at UNB? As I reflect on my time as the Alumni Legacy Award recipient, I think about how it has influenced my personal and professional growth. My participation in different organizations has helped me build new connections and develop valuable skills that will serve me in my future endeavors. Being at UNB, I have evolved into a better version of myself because I have been...
A leader in supply chain contributing to community growth in New Brunswick's Port City
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 22, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Shannon Blanchard (BBA’00) grew up in the New Brunswick city built around its harbour and port. Now she goes to work every day as a leader in the supply chain sector, contributing to the community through her role at Port Saint John, one of the primary catalysts for economic development in the region. As Director of Supply Chain Innovation, Blanchard’s responsible for Port Saint John’s container supply chain. She says her team works with port partners and stakeholders to...
From experiential learning at UNB to San Francisco startup success
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 20, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Computer Science , Inspiring Stories
When Spanish-born-and-raised Mikel Cármenes Cavia (BCS’09) landed in Fredericton to begin his undergraduate studies in computer science at UNB back in 2005, he probably didn’t realize just how much the experience would influence his life. Mikel had graduated from an American high school in Dubai and got the itch to go to university in North America. But his mother was having none of it, insisting that he return to Spain. When a recruiter at the high school told him about UNB,...
The mindset shift needed for an inclusive community
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 20, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Kinesiology , Inspiring Stories
Sarah Wagner (MASRS’11) has leaned into a big challenge in New Brunswick. As executive director of Inclusion NB, her task is to take the lead in creating opportunities for people with an intellectual or developmental disability to live full and valued lives in all aspects of society. Sarah says that the non-profit organization is a one-stop-shop in providing support and advocacy for persons with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) and their families on issues such as...
A second career uncovering and retelling history in Atlantic Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 14, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories
Graham Nickerson (MScEng’02, MA’22) is passionate about researching untold Black history in the Maritimes and hopes that one day, “Black history will simply be history.” Nickerson, a native of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, came to UNB for a master’s degree in survey engineering and geology after having graduated from Saint Mary’s University in the same field. After graduating, he worked for many years doing marine surveying and helping to design several...
UNBeknownst #26: Deborah Lyons on being an Ambassador and UN representative in Afghanistan – and why education for women is critical for global stability
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 8, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Arts , Podcast , Inspiring Stories
Ambassador Deborah Lyons (BA’71, DLitt’15) is a diplomat with 21 years of professional experience in political affairs, international cooperation and economic development. Her most recent assignment was as special representative and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, having served prior to that as Ambassador of Canada to Israel and before that as Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Ms. Lyons has held several senior positions with...
Q&A: Houda El Hajjaoui, UNB Alumni Student Leadership recipient
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 1, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni , Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Recipient of a 2022-23 Alumni Student Leadership Award, Houda El Hajjaoui is an international student, studying chemical engineering, who has been actively involved on campus and in the community. She is the Communications Director for Shades of Change, an organization designed to advocate for a kinder and more respectful environment for people of colour. Houda has also taken on many leadership roles such as Events Director and Councilor for the Engineering Society. What inspired you to...
A community forest of the past and future
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 23, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: FOREM , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Chris Gruenwald (BSF’04) grew up in the forest. Now, he gets to work in one and manage it every day. Chris is the director of forestry for Mission Municipal Forest, a community-managed forest that was the first of its kind in Canada. Since 1958, the City of Mission, British Columbia – about an hour east of Vancouver - has managed its forest resources for the benefit of the community through a municipally held Tree Farm Licence. The area is approximately 10,900 hectares (about 26...
Relationships and hard work led to success for this SIF alum
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 22, 2023 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Management , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Sean McNulty (BBA’07) is principal and co-founder of XIB Financial Inc., a Toronto-based capital markets advisory and asset management business. A BBA graduate member of the Student Investment Fund (SIF) program at UNB’s Faculty of Management, Sean says that his career path was both serendipitous and the result of hard work and building good relationships. “I had top grades and had taken a lot of psychology and HR courses in my first years but by third year at UNB I...
Building the Alumni Office from the ground up. Decades of leading, strengthening and engaging the alumni community.
UNB Alumni
Posted: December 8, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
On Dec. 30, 2022, Mary Duffley will retire from her role as Assistant Director of the UNB Associated Alumni after a nearly 30-year career at UNB. The profound impact she has had on the alumni family, the Saint John community and her fellow UNBers across the province lends to the remarkable legacy she will leave at UNB. Following the proud footsteps of her late mother, who also retired from UNB, Mary began her career on the Saint John campus in 1993 with community relations. A short time...
UNBeknownst #24: Krista Jones on the future of work, the intersection of people with digital transformation, and how Canada can be competitive globally
UNB Alumni
Posted: December 8, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Engineering , Podcast , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Krista Jones (BScEE'88) has been a passionate innovator and builder of technology-based businesses for over 30 years. She leverages her deep entrepreneurial and leadership experience to advise founders, inspire teams and create programs to scale Canada’s most innovative companies. Currently senior vice president of ventures services at MaRS Discovery District, she recently founded MaRS Momentum, an exclusive program that supports the executives of high-growth companies and accelerates...
Q&A: Kate Palmer, UNB Alumni Student Leadership recipient
UNB Alumni
Posted: December 1, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Science , Inspiring Stories
Recipient of a 2022-23 Alumni Student Leadership Award, Kate Palmer is a science student on the UNB Fredericton campus, who is not afraid to tackle uncomfortable topics to improve student life. Kate’s involvement on campus includes advocating for mental and menstrual health. Her community volunteer work includes Liberty Lane, a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. What inspired you to enroll in UNB’s faculty of science? I have been interested in...
New grad Niomi Monteiro (BBA'22) finds employment at JDI after co-op experiential learning
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 29, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John
For fall 2022 grad Niomi Monteiro (BBA’22), volunteer opportunities, experiential learning and co-op education were the highlights of her student experience - and they landed her a job with J.D. Irving Ltd. before even crossing the graduation stage. On top of her already-busy schedule of six to seven courses per semester, Monteiro took three co-op work terms throughout her UNB degree. Two of these were with J.D. Irving Ltd. on their Payroll Compliance team, where she now works full-time...
Sweat Club founder Laura Clendenning (BScKin'12) helps people fall in love with their health and fitness
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 25, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Kinesiology , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
What began as a love for leading a healthy lifestyle and working one-on-one with clients in her apartment complex, has transformed into opening a boutique-style gym in the heart of downtown Fredericton. Sweat Club founder and head coach Laura Clendenning (BScKin'12) says that being a woman in business and a woman in the fitness industry is empowering, but it took her a few career changes to fall into her path as a gym owner. Now, nothing can stop Clendenning from growing and pursuing her...
Lynette DuJohn brings digital twin project to life at Vancouver International Airport
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 23, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
The COVID-19 pandemic hit airports around the world hard. But instead of standing still, Lynette DuJohn (BScCE’87) took the opportunity to innovate. Lynette is the vice president of innovation and chief information officer at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) a role she’s held since 2016. During the peak of the pandemic slowdown, her team began a project to create a virtual digital twin of their facilities on Sea Island. That project, from YVR’s new Innovation Hub, has...
Media Arts and Cultures alumni share their success
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 21, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
One of the first programs of its kind in Canada, Media Arts & Cultures (MAAC) at UNB has offered students a dynamic mix of critical media studies and hands-on creative coursework since 1996. As a MAAC major, students learn about media by making media. They are taught to consider, critique, and engage intellectually with media and also learn the tools and techniques used today to create media content. MAAC combines elements of the liberal arts and fine arts – critical thinking and...
Building an outstanding IT career right here in New Brunswick
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 18, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Computer Science , UNB Fredericton
Mary Goggin (BScCS’82) is very modest about her success in the IT field, but her track record speaks for itself. Mary’s been instrumental in the growth and development of several IT consulting companies, including CGI and the company she co-founded, Accreon Inc. She’s been a sought-after project manager, technology expert and business strategist, having made a significant impact in New Brunswick as part of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Technology, in Fredericton as...
UNBeknownst #23: Donald Savoie on the centralization of power in Western governments, lack of public trust in our leaders, and what government IS good at
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 10, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Podcast , Inspiring Stories , Arts , UNB Fredericton
Donald Savoie (MA’72) holds the Canada Research Chair in Public Administration and Governance at the Université de Moncton, as well as the Clément-Cormier Research Chair in Economic Development. Over his career, he has served as an advisor to federal, provincial and territorial government departments and agencies, the private sector, independent associations, OECD, the World Bank and the United Nations. In 1986, at the request of the Canadian prime minister, he undertook a...
UNB alumni make up a quarter of Atlantic Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 Innovators list
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 4, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Engineering , Management , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 Innovator awards program recognizes young people who are turning their creativity and passion into revenue-generating pursuits. This year’s list includes a diverse group of marketers, scientists, entrepreneurs, inventors, artists and advocates. Eight(!) UNBers were named to the 2022 list. They exemplify what it is to be innovators, carving their own path to success and making a difference in their communities along the...
A 20-year tradition for the Saint John campus Alumni Honour Guard
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 27, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , Young Alumni
A UNB Saint John tradition that spans 20 years has seen hundreds of alumni proudly sporting robes and red sashes, and has become a cherished activity for spring and fall convocation ceremonies. The Alumni Honour Guard was first established in 2002 at fall convocation when UNB President Emeritus Dr. John McLaughlin was being installed at the Trade and Convention Centre in Saint John. The newly-formed Saint John Alumni Office was tasked with pulling together a group of alumni to...
P.R.O. Kids Saint John supporting children’s recreation for 20 years
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 27, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
A charitable program in Saint John is celebrating 20 years of helping children participate in sports and recreation. The P.R.O. Kids (Positive Recreational Opportunities for Kids) Saint John board of directors, which currently includes six UNB alumni volunteers, advocates for children and youth in financial need, with an anticipated goal to support around 2,000 kids in Greater Saint John this year. “It’s a very active and busy committee, and it’s full of very passionate...
Terry Malley rewarded for innovation, lifelong learning and giving back to the community
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 27, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Management , Arts , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
It was a big year for Terry Malley (BA’81) in 1979. Two years into a business degree at UNB, he and his father, A.J. Malley, decided to start a business together by opening a small manufacturing facility in Moncton to build truck caps, campers and van conversions for the recreational market. Two weeks before that, he had met Kathy (BEd’79), his soon-to-be-wife, at a dorm party on the Fredericton campus. He walked her home on a snowy night and the two talked business until early...
Convoy baptism by fire for new Executive Director of Ottawa’s ByWard Market
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 26, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Renaissance College , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
When we last caught up with UNB Renaissance College alum Kalin McCluskey (BPhil’07), she was in crisis management mode as executive director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) in Ottawa drastically shifting the way the organization supported students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cut to January 2022, and Kalin was back in the firepit, this time as the new executive director of the Ottawa ByWard Market - just as the convoy of protestors converged upon the city. The...
Scott Mehan (BA'18) stays at UNB to support students on the Saint John campus
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 26, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
When Scott Mehan (BA'18) completed his studies on UNB’s Saint John campus in the spring of 2018, it was no surprise that he decided to stay and work for the Registrar’s office shortly after. He’d grown to love the tight-knit community of UNB and the city of Saint John, since leaving his hometown of St. Stephen to pursue his studies. Ever since, Scott has played an active role in the UNB community - even working on campus in many capacities throughout the summer months...
First-year tuition contest winner follows in parents' footsteps
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 21, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
When their son Ethan won UNB’s first-year tuition-free contest, Blair (BPE’97) and Krista (MacFarlane, BA’95, MASRA’99) Tucker weren’t just excited that his first year would be paid for, but that he would be attending the university that means so much to them. Blair and Krista met at UNB. Blair, who hails from Newfoundland and Labrador, played varsity soccer, and lived in Aitken House; Krista, originally from Nova Scotia, lived in McKenzie House. They met through...
UNBeknownst #22: Emilie Chiasson on creating human-centered designs and solving big challenges through collective action and gender equality
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 13, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Renaissance College , Inspiring Stories , Podcast , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton
Emilie Chiasson (BPHIL’15) is a design and innovation expert who’s worked with government and NGO organizations to co-create meaningful solutions to persistent problems in developing countries and regions. After graduating from UNB’s Renaissance College, she completed a master's in global affairs from the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, and since then has gained field experience working with vulnerable populations on the traditional...
A history of UNB’s Alumnae Association and the women who led it
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 3, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton
For 112 years, UNB’s Alumnae Association has been supporting female graduates and undergraduates at the university. In celebration of women’s history month, we are re-telling the story of the Alumnae Association and the women who led it.This story was re-published from UNB’s 225 celebration story series.In 1910, the eight female graduates and 11 undergraduates who met in Fredericton on April 26, 1910, had great seriousness of purpose. Having been ignored, marginalized and/or...
The women of UNB: More firsts for the women of UNB
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 3, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John
In honour of Women’s History Month, we are continuing our series of firsts for women at UNB, to share the stories of more of the incredible women from UNB’s history. These women are important figures in our long and storied history. From the first female president of the Associated Alumni, Rebecca Watson, to the first woman dean on the Saint John campus, Shelley Rinehart, the women featured here are inspirations for all UNBers.All images and information were gathered from the UNB...
Pioneering computer science at UNB: the Wasson family bridges technology, business and learning
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 19, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Computer Science , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering
Photo (from 2013): Brad Wasson, Marie-Claire Wasson (Brad & Colettes’s daughter), Colette Gagnon Wasson, Dana Wasson, Jane Wasson, Barbara Wasson, Didrik Wasson Lillehaug (Barbara's son), Svein-Ivar Lillehaug (Barbara's husband) From her classroom at the University of Bergen, Norway, Professor Barbara Wasson (BScCS’82) tells her students that “data is the new gold.” Barbara, director of the national Centre for the Science of Learning and Technology hosted...
Dawn MacIsaac’s roundabout path to software engineering
Dawn MacIsaac’s roundabout path to software engineering
Posted: September 15, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Computer Science , Engineering
Dawn MacIsaac (MScE’99, PhD’04) has a bit of a unique perspective at UNB. As a professor jointly appointed with the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Computer Science, she teaches in and leads one of the few software engineering programs in Canada that blends computer science learning with engineering. Dawn was the lead in bringing the unique program into fruition at UNB in 2001 – making it one of the first in Canada and the only one of its kind (still) in...
Mike Wahl launches Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle show on NTV
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 14, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Kinesiology , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
It was 2009 when a tragic accident changed the course of Dr. Mike Wahl’s (BScKin’00) life. A routine flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland was headed offshore to the White Rose oil field carrying workers for the rigs when the helicopter when down. All but one person died on that flight, and the investigation later identified several variables that may have prevented the tragic deaths: one was the fitness of the workers. Mike – at the time a graduate student at...
International student and alum returns to UNB
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 30, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Management , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
When Sunil Pathak (MBA’18) was working in Delhi as a team manager after finishing his undergraduate degree in India, his dream of doing an MBA overseas kept nagging at him. He’d been to Canada as a tourist and loved the country and its people, so when a friend introduced him to Dr. Devashish Mitra, the Dean of the Faculty of Management at UNB, Sunil was excited to learn more about the program. “I met Dr. Mitra in India and he spoke highly of the campus and the MBA program...
QA with Mark-Anthony Ashfield: Bringing the Memorial Cup to Saint John
Mark-Anthony Ashfield (BBA'00)
Posted: June 14, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
Mark-Anthony Ashfield (BBA'00) first moved to Saint John from Boiestown to pursue studies in the faculty of business on UNB's Saint John campus. Describing himself as 'sports obsessed,' he now works as a partner with Deloitte, is an active leader in the community, and has dedicated significant efforts to help bring the Memorial Cup to Saint John. Along with a number of community volunteers and supporters, Ashfield prepares for the Memorial Cup to take over the city from June...
UNBeknownst Episode 19: Julia Wright on finding your path through trial and error, and journalism in challenging times
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 9, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , Podcast , Arts , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Julia Wright (BA’07) is host of CBC Information Morning on CBC Radio 1 in Saint John, and is also an award-winning writer and photographer. Born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, Julia was a contributor to Vice, Buzzfeed, and various local and provincial newspapers before taking on radio hosting duties in 2019. Earlier, she founded and edited two independent Saint John creative writing and art zines: Hard Times in the Maritimes and The Tempest. In her spare time, she loves...
UNB alumni among Top 50 CEO award winners
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 30, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton
The Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2022 Top 50 CEO Awards recently recognized 11 UNB alumni. Since 1999, the Top 50 CEO Awards celebrates accomplished business leaders in the Atlantic region. Nominations are submitted by the magazine’s readers and nominees are judged according to corporate, community and industry involvement, as well as company growth and response to various managerial challenges. This year’s list recognizes UNB alumni in New Brunswick, Nova...
Cormac Stewart combined degrees to bring ideas to life
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 25, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Renaissance College , Computer Science , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
It was Spring of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic had just turned the world upside down and seven friends who met at UNB had plans cancelled. One of them was Cormac Stewart (BCS’21, BPHIL’21), who was supposed to be overseas doing an international internship as part of his studies with Renaissance College. Instead, he was home in New Brunswick, ruminating with friends about where to find somewhere to eat and what deals were happening at local restaurants and bars. In fact, a few of the...
Shyla O’Donnell is optimistic about Indigenous rights and culture and a sustainable future for Canadians
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 18, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: FOREM , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Unity. It’s what Shyla O’Donnell (BScF’07) is most proud of. For five years she worked to create and lead The Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick, a non-profit organization formed in 2017 to help coordinate and provide technical support and consultatory advice to the Wolastoqey Communities of New Brunswick on matters that relate to Wolastoqey constitutionally protected Aboriginal and Treaty Rights. “The organization was formed to bring unity to the six Wolastoqey...
Q&A: Edith-Rose Cairns (BN'09)
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 11, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Edith-Rose Cairns BN, RN, CCHN(C), MPH, CTH™, RYT200 graduated from UNB's Saint John campus in 2009 from the faculty of nursing and over the last number of years has been working in Communicable Disease Control. Here she takes a moment to share why she is passionate about healthcare and her career in nursing. Did you always know you wanted to study nursing? It was not until my mid-twenties that I felt the call to nursing. After leaving my hometown of Saint John following a brief stint...
Volunteer spotlight: Amber Corby (BRSS'12)
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 26, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Kinesiology , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Amber Corby (BRSS'12) - Fredericton, NB What is your most memorable moment from your UNB alumni volunteer experience? I was able to share perspectives of both my student and professional experiences through a Ten Thousand Coffees Office Hour webinar on my career in the not-for-profit sector. I was so impressed with the thoughtful and relevant questions from those in attendance which made me so proud to still be a part of the UNB community. Why did you decide to become a first-time...
Volunteer Spotlight: Ian Hardy (BBA'07)
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 26, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
Ian Hardy (BBA'07) - Saint John, NB Tell us about your time at UNB. What extracurricular activities were you involved in as a student? I came to UNBSJ from Ontario and lived on campus for the first two years of attending. While living in residence, I participated in the residence council. In my later years at UNB I was part of the Keith's Club, which ran social events on campus, and was also part of the business administration society. Through the four years of living in Saint John, the...
Volunteer spotlight: Maher Ellaz (BScE'18)
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 26, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Maher Ellaz (BScE'18) - Fredericton, NB, What is your most memorable moment from your UNB alumni volunteer experience at Skill Up for Success connecting with international students at UNB? Meeting new people in my UNB community and offering them a different insight into how to approach their UNB experience. Why did you decide to become a first-time volunteer? I wanted to give back to the UNB community, since my UNB experience has shaped many parts of me as an adult. What are three words...
Maria Sharpe (BScF'07) is helping to improve the culture of wildland fire in Canada as fire science manager
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 26, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , FOREM
Maria Sharpe (BScF’07) didn’t fall far from the tree when she followed in her father’s footsteps to study in UNB’s faculty of forestry and environmental management. Now working as the Fire Science Manager with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) in Alberta, Sharpe is helping to improve the culture of wildland fire in Canada. In her role with CIFFC, Sharpe provides leadership to a diverse group of committee members representing the provinces,...
Janet Lin is transforming retail and financial services technology
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 25, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Computer Science , UNB Fredericton
If you live in Canada, you’ve probably collected PC Optimum points and used or seen the PC Mastercard for your retail purchases. What you probably don’t know is that those products are available because of UNB alumna Janet Lin (BCS’05) and the teams she worked with at Loblaw. Janet has made quite a name for herself in the IT and business worlds. She received the Oracle Global Innovation Award in 2019 while working with Loblaw and Shoppers Drug Mart for introducing the...
Caitlin Doyle (BScKin’11) is supporting chronic health in the community
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 29, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Kinesiology , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
UNB alumna Caitlin Doyle (BScKin’11) didn’t stray far after graduating from UNB’s Faculty of Kinesiology in 2011. As the Recreation Services’ (URec) Clinical Exercise Physiologist on our Fredericton campus, Doyle supports individuals with chronic health conditions in her community, while also collaborating with the faculty that impacted her career. In addition to performing occupational assessments, Doyle is responsible for running URec’s silver series and...
UNB alum building a bridge to Asia for New Brunswick company
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 23, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Management , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton
Jay Yang (BBA’16, MBA’18) is a prime example of why recruiting international students is a good growth strategy for New Brunswick. After working in a plywood export company in China, Jay decided to study in Shanghai, where he ran into a teacher from Montreal who had spent time in Oromocto. He encouraged Jay to apply to UNB for a business degree program, and Jay ended up travelling around the world to a place he hadn't heard of before. While studying for his BBA on the Fredericton...
UNB Associated Alumni celebrates the UNB Saint John 2022 Graduating Student Leaders
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 22, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Twenty one graduating students from the UNB Saint John campus have earned 2022 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. The Associated Alumni, in partnership with UNB Saint John Student Services and the UNB-SRC, will...
Q&A: Reid Sutherland, UNB Alumni Student Leadership recipient
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 21, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Science , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Recipient of a 2021 Alumni Student Leadership Award, UNB Fredericton student Reid Sutherland shares how the award has positively impacted her UNB experience, how she contributes to student life on campus and why she enjoys studying in the faculty of science. Throughout her time on campus, Reid has immersed herself in campus activities, starting as a peer mentor in the Faculty of Science, serving as hall proctor in residence, and participating on UNB’s women’s rugby team....
UNB alumnae strive to #BreakTheBias
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 7, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton
On International Women's Day, March 8, 2022, we celebrate all women, including these incredible UNB alumnae who are changemakers and community builders, and who strive to #BreakTheBias. While this is just a small sample of the incredible work being done by alumni all over the world, we acknowledge these outstanding women and celebrate the impact they are making on their communities and our world. Honourable Jill Balser (BSc’08, C-BA’10) Nova Scotia...
UNB Menstrual Health Society bolstering program with support from UNB Alumnae Association
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 7, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
The UNB Menstrual Health Society is a brand-new society working to reduce period poverty on the UNB Fredericton campus and in the community. The society was co-founded by UNB students Caroline Stephen and Kate Palmer. Their vision is to promote safe and inclusive spaces on campus by working to eliminate stigma around menstruation through promotion, initiatives, and projects. The Society’s main work focuses on the UNB Menstrual Product Project, aiming to install free menstrual...
UNBeknownst Episode 14: From Artsy to Shopify, Ash Furrow on compassionate software development and separating yourself from your work
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 3, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Computer Science , Podcast , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
Ash Furrow (BCS’09) is a compassionate software developer from the small town of Woodstock, New Brunswick. He started building iPhone apps in 2009 while still a computer science student at UNB, which launched his career as a mobile software developer. After graduating, Ash and his partner moved to Toronto, then Amsterdam, and then New York, where he joined Artsy as it was just beginning to grow into the world’s largest online marketplace for art. He finally moved home to New...
WeAreUNB: Q&A with alumnus Reg Woods (BSF'03)
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 23, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: FOREM , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Why did you decide to study forestry? It was an easy decision because I grew up with it. My father was a forester from UNB, and we spent every waking hour we could in the woods, whether it was tagging along with him at work or working on the weekend in our private woodlots. It was a natural extension of what I loved to do from a very young age. That really drove home where I wanted to end up. I guess you could say it was in the genes. If you could give incoming students one piece of advice,...
Chris Ryan (BPhil’05, MEd’18) is working on integrating a model of community centered education in the NB public school system
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 22, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Two-time alumnus and current UNB PhD student Chris Ryan (BPhil’05, MEd’18) spent thirteen years of his career inside the classroom as a New Brunswick teacher. So there is no better fit for this educational leader to help explore change in the province than through his recent appointment as research associate with the Mount Allison University Research Partnerships for Education and Community Engagement (R-PEACE) Group. Awarded a three- year New Brunswick Innovation Foundation...
Renaissance College alumni spotlights
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 22, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Renaissance College , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
Over the past couple of years, UNB’s Renaissance College has posted a collection of alumni spotlights on their Instagram page, celebrating some of their incredible grads. Renaissance College is a program at UNB developing leaders that inspire positive change in their communities and beyond. These alumni are just a few of the inspiring grads, making their mark on the world. All stories were originally posted on the Renaissance College Instagram page (@renaissance_college). Alec...
Driving road safety in Costa Rica
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 11, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering
Javier Zamora-Rojas (MScE’11) came to the University of New Brunswick from Costa Rica in 2009 to complete a master’s degree in the globally recognized transportation engineering program. He came for the program, but loved the whole experience. “It was a thrill to come from the tropics to the snow. I loved it, and I loved the city and the university and the people. It was wonderful to study under Eric Hildebrand and others in the department focused on road safety.”...
Deep learning at Amazon
Deep learning at Amazon
Posted: February 9, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Computer Science , UNB Fredericton
You probably don’t always think about all the work that goes on behind the scenes when you’re searching for that must-have book, latest gadget or feel-good movie on Amazon. Weiqi Zhang (MCS’13) does. Since 2015, Weiqi’s been one of the software developers and managers behind the fancy technologies that bring the right products in front of your eyes at the right time. He worked on search technologies and customer experience for six years - first in China, then in...
Ryan Bennett (BSc'08) provides healthcare to New Brunswickers as Physician Assistant
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 25, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
When Ryan Bennett (BSc’08) walks through the doors of the emergency department at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton, he knows he’s fulfilling his dream of caring for others. As one of only two civilian Physician Assistants (PAs) practicing in New Brunswick, Bennett can treat anything in the run of a shift from a sore throat to broken bones, or serious trauma if called upon. Bennett attended the University of Manitoba’s Master of Physician Assistant...
Fine tuning resilience beyond neurosurgery
Cynthia Percival
Posted: January 13, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Kinesiology , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Written by Cynthia Percival (BPE'78) After graduating from UNB with a Physical Education degree in 1978, I coached downhill skiing for 40 years. Living in rural Ontario I participated in ongoing outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and both XC and downhill skiing in winter. My lifestyle was (and is) about making healthy choices and enjoying vigorous social relationships. I never fathomed that at age 57 I would suddenly become gravely ill. During my...
Kinesiology alumnus part of recovery crew for returning astronauts
UNB
Posted: January 13, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Kinesiology , UNB Fredericton
When a student graduates from UNB, the world is truly in the palm of their hands. Where a UNB grad may end up can stretch far across the globe and out of this world. This is the case for kinesiology alumnus, Mike Harrison (BScKin'02, MSESS'05), who had the opportunity to be part of the SpaceX recovery team monitoring the physical health of four astronauts once they landed back on earth and stepped out of their space capsule for the first time after a five-month long space mission. The...
Four UNBers appointed to the Order of Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 13, 2022 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 135 appointments to the Order of Canada. The new appointees include two Companions (C.C.), 39 Officers (O.C.), one honorary Member and 93 Members (C.M.). The Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest civilian honours. Its Companions, Officers and Members take to heart the motto of the Order: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM ("They desire a better country"). The four UNBers listed below...
From China to British Columbia, Brandon Zhan (BBA'06) paves his way to becoming retail franchisee
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 22, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
For UNB alumnus Brandon Zhan (BBA'06), the most challenging aspect of being a store franchisee also happens to be the most rewarding part of his career. “It’s the people," he says. Zhan is the owner of a No Frills supermarket in Vancouver, BC, where his employees cross over four generations. He says learning how to connect, communicate and support his employees differently, while working together as a team, has been a challenging but wonderful learning experience. “They...
Volunteer Spotlight: Nathan Munroe
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 22, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , Young Alumni
When two-time alumnus Nathan Munroe (BBA’12, MBA’14) reflects back on his time at UNB, he says it was the volunteers who made the student experience even more special. From coaches to guest lecturers in the classroom, Munroe was inspired to give back his time to current UNB students, just as others did for him. Throughout his short time as a graduate of UNB, Munroe has stepped up in many ways as a dedicated volunteer. He coached the Seawolves men’s volleyball team for four...
From exercise science to habit-forming tech, Darren Steeves is committed to helping people
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 18, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Kinesiology , Education , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Darren Steeves (BEd’94) never imagined when he graduated from UNB with an education degree majoring in physical education and minoring in mathematics that he’d end up as an entrepreneur in the tech arena. But that’s exactly where he is now, as co-founder and CEO of JackHabbit, a Growth Management System that he calls “the next evolution beyond learning management.” Based in Halifax, Darren wanted to take his years of experience and success in sport science and...
Q&A: Katie Herrington, UNB Alumni Student Leadership recipient
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 15, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Recipient of a 2021 Alumni Student Leadership Award, UNB Saint John student Katie Herrington shares how the award has positively impacted her UNB experience, how she contributes to student life on campus and why she enjoys studying in the faculty of arts. Throughout her seven years on campus, Katie has volunteered with The Promise Partnership Program, served as writer and editor of the campus newspaper, and initiated several student-led drives to support local non-profits in the Saint John...
UNBers inducted into New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 15, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Kinesiology , UNB Fredericton , Law
The New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame Inc. was established in 1970 to recognize and honour those athletes, teams and builders who have achieved outstanding success, and those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of competitive sport in this province. On October 15, 2021, seven UNBers were inducted into the NB Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021. Mike Flannery (BSc’74) and Chuck Kingston...
Four young alumni named in Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 list
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 4, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Engineering , Management , Law , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
In its second year, Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 awards program recognizes young people who are turning their creativity and passion into revenue-generating pursuits. They may be entrepreneurs; they may have yet to achieve personal commercial success; and/or they may be employed by someone else. The 2021 list is a diverse group of marketers, scientists, entrepreneurs, inventors, artists, and advocates. The four...
James Stewart protects companies from artificial intelligence hackers as CEO of Saint John startup, TrojAI
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 27, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , Computer Science
UNB alumnus James Stewart (BScDA’97, MCS’99, PhD’17) is on a mission to protect artificial intelligence from malicious attackers. He’s working toward this as CEO and co-founder of new Saint John startup TrojAI, a company focused on building solutions for robustness and security of AI. The company was first formed in June 2019, alongside co-founder and fellow UNB alumnus Stephen Goddard (BBA'98). While Stewart was working as SVP of video analytics for Toronto-based...
Local surgeon reflects on his UNB experience as former two-time recipient of the Alumni Student Leadership Award
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Though no day is ever the same for Saint John orthopaedic surgeon Brendan Sheehan (BSc’05), each is driven by his passion for helping to restore a patient’s function back to doing the activities they love. When he’s not at home caring for his two children, Brendan can either be found in his office reviewing referrals, and talking to his patients about their injuries, treatments and diagnoses, or in the operation room at St. Joseph’s Hospital where he may perform up to...
Saint John developer Percy Wilbur (BA’93) helps bring revitalization and growth to the uptown core
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
UNB Saint John arts alumnus Percy Wilbur (BA’93) wants the city’s uptown core to be vibrant and to grow with working class people. So he takes some of Saint John’s “eyesores” that have been sitting in disrepair and brings them back to life as developments that fit with the community. One of his current projects, a building commonly known as the “old Woolworths,” has sat vacant on King Street for the last ten years, but his plans to transform it...
A wonderful start for The Wonder-Full Box
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
Meet The Wonder-Full Box! A new product in Saint John, New Brunswick that has everybody snacking. What started as a simple idea to sell charcuterie boards to their friends and family over the Christmas holidays, has transformed into an exciting business venture for a current UNB nursing student and a two-time UNB alumna. Now approaching their first year in business and recently marking their 1000th box sale, Loren Flood-Waugh and Mary Frances Boyle (BAM'15, BBA'18) have been busy - and...
Four UNB alumni named to the Order of New Brunswick
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton
Four UNB alumni have been named to the Order of New Brunswick for their outstanding work in the province. The Order of New Brunswick was established in 2000 to recognize individuals who have demonstrated a high level of excellence and achievement in their field. Since 2002, more than 170 accomplished individuals have been invested with the order for their dedication and service to the province, its people and communities. Congratulations to the four alumni recipients: David Christie (BSF'66),...
The women of UNB: Recognizing UNB firsts for Women’s History Month
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Law , Engineering , UNB Saint John
In honour of Women’s History Month, we dug into the UNB Archives, with help from Archives & Special Collections staff members and alumnae Patti Auld Johnson (BOM’91) and Leah Grandy (MA’04, PhD’10), to share the stories of some of the women from UNB’s history. These women are trailblazers and important figures in our long and storied history. From the first female graduate of UNB, to the university’s first librarian,...
BBA alum joins forces with current business students to increase recruitment and retention of newcomers
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 19, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Management , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Young alum Nicole Andrade (BBA’20) has only just begun her career, but she's already doing exciting and meaningful work as part of FLIP, the Fredericton Local Immigration Partnership. Not only is she using the skills she learned in the sales accelerator program in the Faculty of Management, she’s also drawing on her own experience of being a newcomer to New Brunswick. Nicole moved to Fredericton in 2016 from Quito, Ecuador to study business, after encouragement from her mother to...
An alumnus and former co-op student comes full circle
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 29, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Computer Science , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Fredericton native Mike Harrington (BScSwE’15) instantly loved software engineering when he began the program at UNB. During his time as a student, he took part in five co-op work terms to gain experience while studying. “My goal was to try out different jobs to see what I liked. I worked with one company on a pricing app, then went to IBM for two terms and worked on software applications, then found Populus. It was a very small team of only five or six people, so I got to work on...
Get to know your Associated Alumni president: Jill Jeffrey
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 27, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Raised in Fredericton, N.B., Jill Jeffrey has a lifelong connection to UNB and is a proud alumna, along with several members of her immediate and extended family. She has served on the Associated Alumni Council since 2016 as an incredible ambassador strengthening connections with our alumni around the world and helping future students discover our university. She brings great passion and commitment to her new role as president. What is the best thing about being an alumna...
Ray Gracewood brings pride and celebration to New Brunswick through AREA 506 music festival
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 27, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Photo: Mathieu Savidant (BBA'19) Ray Gracewood (BBA'01) is a music lover, a fierce Saint John community supporter and a proud New Brunswicker – so it is no surprise that he is also one of the faces behind the ever-growing AREA 506 Music Festival. It all began in 2015 when, at the time, Gracewood was working for Moosehead Breweries overseeing the commercial team for Atlantic Canada. He was also serving on the board of Discover Saint John, where one of his priorities was to get an...
UNB nursing student Emma Stephen receives UNB Alumni Legacy Award
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 17, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John
A University of New Brunswick nursing student has been selected as the second recipient of the Alumni Legacy Award, established and presented by the UNB Associated Alumni. The 2021-2023 recipient, Emma Stephen, is a shining example of the values outlined by this scholarship. Throughout her two years at UNB, she has shown immense pride for our institution, dedication to her faculty and fellow students, and a commitment to carrying on the UNB alumni legacy. Valued at two-years of tuition and...
Nicole Leblanc (BBA’00) is helping build sustainable cities and diverse tech startups one investment at a time
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 12, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
Nicole LeBlanc (BBA’00) isn’t just any investment professional working in the venture capital industry. The UNB Saint John business grad is a builder of ecosystems, a proponent of sustainable cities, an advocate for diversity in venture capital, and a voracious supporter of Atlantic Canada. Oh, and she’s currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Nicole grew up in the small seaside town of St. George, New Brunswick and originally enrolled in science at UNB but quickly realized...
Shelley Francis challenges us to understand the historical context of Indigenous Peoples in Canada
Shelley Francis
Posted: June 15, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , Nursing , UNB Fredericton
This story is part of the Voices of UNB Alumni series and is written by Shelley Francis (BN'91), UNB alumna and current master of nursing student.It is critical for all Canadians to understand the historical context of Indigenous People for there to be true reconciliation, peace, and friendship between Nations. I have spent my entire nursing career lifting the voices of Indigenous Peoples, providing non-judgmental, culturally safe, and compassionate care to all citizens. I have...
Professional backcountry snowboarder Geoff Brown (BSc'02) takes on his next big adventure
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 20, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
Photo (left): Vanessa Chan | Photo (right): Luke McDowall New Brunswick may not be surrounded by the towering mountains and snow-packed slopes that are home to our western provinces, but it was exactly here that professional backcountry snowboarder Geoff Brown (BSc’02) first caught a glimpse of the sport that has since fueled his dreams and passion. “We were a tennis and a skiing family,” says Geoff. “I remember being on a family trip on the ski...
Vice-President Saint John, Dr. Petra Hauf, shares UNB's ambitious vision for the new Integrated Health Initiative
Dr. Petra Hauf, Vice-President Saint John
Posted: May 18, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
The Integrated Health Initiative by Dr. Petra Hauf, Vice-President Saint John Growing up in a small town and being raised by a village, a sense of belonging and deep commitment to community is part of my DNA. The shared value of community is exactly what drew me to UNB and the opportunity to serve as the campus vice-president in Saint John. There is much to like and admire about UNB Saint John, especially its longstanding relationship to the community. Being responsible for both the...
Jennifer Splane (BSc'11, BN'15) creates her path as a nurse practitioner and healthcare researcher
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 17, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Nursing , UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
Jennifer Splane (BSc'11, BN'15) is a current MN.ANP candidate and soon-to-be three time UNB alumna. She recently defended her thesis "Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult Healthcare: Exploring the Practices and Needs of Care Providers" and takes a moment to share why she is passionate about healthcare. Did you always know you wanted to study nursing? I actually did not know that I would end up in this field. I was always interested in science, in particular the human sciences. It...
UNB alumni recognized by Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2021 Top 50 CEO Awards
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 14, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John
The Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2021 Top 50 CEO Awards recently recognized 11 UNB alumni. Since 1999, the Top 50 CEO Awards celebrates accomplished business leaders in the Atlantic region. Nominations are submitted by the magazine’s readers and nominees are judged according to corporate, community and industry involvement, as well as company growth and response to various managerial challenges. Non-Profit/Not-for-Profit or Industry AssociationDr. Bernard Lord,...
Nicki MacPherson (BN’14, BScKin'14) chooses to use her skills to provide care and education for students at UNB
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 12, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Nursing , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Nicki MacPherson (BN’14, BScKin'14) is a registered nurse who currently works at the UNB Student Health Centre on the Fredericton campus and has been instrumental in the COVID-19 student-isolation project since the pandemic began. She took a beat to talk to us about her journey to get here and what it means to her to support students. Did you always know you wanted to be a nurse? I knew I wanted to be a helper of some kind and thought it would be between teaching or nursing. My mom was...
A non-traditional path for Joan Kingston (BN’78) where nothing is unattainable
Dr. Lorna Butler
Posted: May 7, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Nursing , UNB Fredericton
Written and submitted by Dr. Lorna Butler, Dean of UNB's Faculty of Nursing. Joan Kingston's (BN’78) career pathway as a Registered Nurse is neither linear nor traditional. Rather it reflects her character and the results of numerous initiatives that not only changed peoples’ lives but altered the landscape of their communities so others could thrive. Her career accentuates the power of what being a Registered Nurse means. Ms. Kingston began as a staff nurse and continued to...
UNB alumnae make shortlist for 6th annual New Brunswick Book Awards
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
The shortlisted titles for The New Brunswick Book Awards have been announced and members of the UNB alumnae community are recognized in each of the four categories. The 6th annual awards ceremony will take place virtually on Thursday, May 6, at 7 p.m. All nominated books were published in 2020 (2019 and 2020 for the children’s book category) and penned by New Brunswick authors. The New Brunswick Book Awards are co-administered and co-sponsored by The Fiddlehead: Atlantic...
Alumnus hopes to improve immunization rates in seniors
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Science
Older adults living in long-term care homes and retirement residences are increasingly vulnerable to COVID-19, the flu, pneumonia, and other diseases. Proper tracking of immunizations is important for knowing who is protected and when a booster is needed. This is where Dr. Kumanan Wilson (BSc’92) comes in. In 2011, Dr. Wilson founded ImmunizeON, a digital immunization tracking system for parents to stay up to date with their children’s vaccinations, which expanded...
Volunteer Spotlight: Camila Ugarte
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 20, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Camila Ugarte (BPhil'08) - Saint John, NB What is your most memorable moment from your UNB alumni volunteer experience? I loved how supportive and encouraging the experience was in addition to how well organized everything was. I felt comfortable going into the experience and passionate about the subject matter. Why did you decide to become a first-time volunteer? The opportunity to represent my organization, but also speak on behalf of a topic I feel so passionate about. I loved...
Volunteer Spotlight: Shawn Quinlan
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 20, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Management , UNB Fredericton
Shawn Quinlan (BBA'94, MBA'96) - Fredericton, NB What is your most memorable moment from a UNB alumni volunteer experience? My most memorable moment was when I realized that a new hire at my office was a student I first met while serving as a table panelist during a Career Talks event at the Wu Centre. What are some of the volunteer roles you have participated in with UNB? I was on the advisory board of the Faculty of Administration for approximately 15 years and more recently I have...
Volunteer Spotlight: Chris Weir
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 19, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Chris Weir (BA'93, BEd'95) - Saint John, NB What is your most memorable moment from a UNB alumni volunteer experience? My most memorable moment from a UNB alumni volunteer experience is the time I was asked to give a talk on effective communication and that moment led (eventually) to the creation of the Business Development and Professional Sales Stream in the MBA Program. You never know where volunteering will lead. Giving back can have a big impact! What are some of the volunteer...
Volunteer Spotlight: Haley Bungay
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 19, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Management , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton
Haley Bungay (BBA'13) - Fredericton, NB What is your most memorable moment from a UNB alumni volunteer experience? My most memorable moment from my alumni volunteer experience definitely has to be the first Career Talks I attended! Being able to share a bit of my career experience with students currently attending UNB was incredible. I’ve always enjoyed being able to connect with students attending UNB to support them in their education and their future careers. Meeting with them...
Volunteer Spotlight: Hansika Gunaratne
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 19, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
Hansika Gunaratne (BSc'12, BA'13) - Toronto, ON What is your most memorable moment from a UNB alumni volunteer experience? My most memorable moment from a UNB alumni volunteer experience was presenting to a group of prospective students at the Transition to UNB event held in Toronto in 2016. It was great to reminisce and share details of my wonderful experiences at UNB with some of the youth considering joining the UNB family. What are some of the...
Virtual celebration recognizes UNB Saint John Graduating Student Leaders
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
Twenty four graduating students from the UNB Saint John campus have earned 2021 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. Although recipients can't gather in person for the annual UNB Saint John Graduating Student...
Returning to New Brunswick to propel entrepreneurs to great heights
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 16, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Renaissance College , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Kathryn Lockhart (BPHIL ’04) has an MBA from Harvard Business School and has worked around the world - from Toronto to Munich to St. John’s – but feels that coming back home to New Brunswick is where she can make the biggest impact. Growing up in Bath, N.B. with parents who met at UNB and siblings that attended UNB, Kathryn thought she’d break the mould by accepting a scholarship to the science program at Queens University and the Royal Military College. But after...
Q&A: Hannah Sharpe, UNB Alumni Student Leadership Recipient
UNB student, Hannah Sharpe
Posted: March 15, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Recipient of a 2020-21 Alumni Student Leadership Award, UNB Fredericton student Hannah Sharpe shares how the award has positively impacted her UNB experience and how she contributes to student life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout her time on campus, Hannah has thoroughly enjoyed her studies in the environmental geochemistry program and is excited to be starting her Masters this summer at UNB. What inspired you to enroll in UNB Fredericton’s environmental geochemistry...
From hardware to software: proof that skills are transferable
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 10, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Computer Science , Engineering , UNB Fredericton
When Lan Liu (MScEE’03) and her husband Richard Liu (MCS’02) came to Fredericton from Beijing, it was a bit of a culture shock. “We flew in on a tiny plane from Montreal and all I saw was trees,” Lan laughs. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into! It was a hot summer week when we arrived, and in China we often use an umbrella to shade ourselves from the sun on hot days. When I walked on the sidewalks of Fredericton with my umbrella, people looked at me...
Learning technical and soft skills in a multi-cultural environment through co-op
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 10, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Computer Science , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
We chatted with 2nd-year computer science graduate student Priyal Chandrakant Jawale, who has been working at an 8-month co-op term with Teledyne-CARIS in Fredericton since September 2020, to find out more about her experience. Q1. Why did you choose to study CS? As a child, I loved solving puzzles and playing board games. During high school, I developed an application on a large scale using basic programming languages such as Java and MySQL, which was a spark of dedicating my...
A flavourful journey for Christina Jeffrey
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 9, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
The first thing you see when you visit the Urban Baker Co. website is the adage “Every flavour tells a story.” The owner of this artisanal online shop, Christina Jeffrey (BBA’96), has a story too. Christina grew up in Woodstock, New Brunswick and learned to cook from her mother, who loved to entertain and serve very flavourful food. Christina started cooking family meals and baking, and soon her mom’s friends began asking her to bake cakes for their family...
UNB alumnae #ChooseToChallenge
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 8, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Management
On International Women's Day, March 8, 2021, we celebrate all women, including these 10 incredible UNB alumnae who are changemakers and disruptors, and who #ChooseToChallenge. While this is just a small sample of the great work being done by alumnae all over the world, we acknowledge the work of these women and celebrate the strides they have recently been making in their fields. Jenica Atwin (BA'09, MEd'15) Member of Parliament for Fredericton and the first Green Party MP...
Community fuels great projects and even greater dreams
Thandiwe McCarthy
Posted: February 16, 2021 12:00:00 PM AST
Category: Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Kinesiology
My name is Thandiwe Jelani McCarthy and I graduated from UNB in May 2020 with a degree in Recreation and Sport Studies with a major in Community Wellness. I think my graduation was unique in that due to the pandemic outbreak myself and many other students didn’t get to have one. Not only that but moments after finishing my degree in recreation and community wellness the entire recreation sector was shut down. Communities were being fined hundreds of dollars if they were caught...
A voice for Black history in New Brunswick
Dr. Mary McCarthy-Brandt
Posted: February 16, 2021 10:00:00 AM AST
Category: Education , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
I write this essay with much pleasure and feelings of gratitude. I am a 2007 graduate from UNB Master's of Education in Critical Studies program. I am also a Black woman, 6th generation and my roots go back before the province was formed, to 1783. The province was formed in 1784. Taking the Critical Studies program and writing my thesis was a very gratifying and important time in my life, and perhaps I could even say one of multiple intersections in my life. My MEd thesis named...
Education is the first step toward doing better
Olive Ozoemena
Posted: February 15, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
My name is Olive Ozoemena and I am from Nigeria where I worked in the banking sector. I received my Master's degree in Human Resource Development in the United States and then in 2015, I moved to Saint John. I firmly believe that business ultimately boils down to human capital management. Because of this, I began searching for an MBA program that was relatively affordable, but most importantly, a shorter year-long program. The University of New Brunswick popped up during my search. I had not...
From the Backyard Book Club to the Promise Partnership
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
“Huge things can happen, even when you start with a small idea.” That’s what UNB alumni Dr. Leah Richardson (BSc’10), Dr. Taryn O’Neill (BSc’10, MSc’12) and Stephen Stone (BSc’10) say as they reflect on the 10th anniversary of UNB Saint John’s Promise Partnership, a program that sprouted from a summer book club and has evolved into a successful community initiative. It all began when then undergraduate students Dr. Richardson and Dr....
Volunteer spotlight: Travis Bergin
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
One of the most challenging tasks Travis Bergin (BScCE’02, D-TME’02, MScCE’04) is faced with as a UNB Associated Alumni councillor, also happens to be the one he values and cherishes most of all. He says serving as chair of the scholarships and awards’ committee, and learning about the remarkable accomplishments of UNB students and alumni, has been one of greatest highlights of his time on council. A three-time UNB alumnus and Fredericton native, Bergin has...
UNB PhD candidate helps develop Black history resource for New Brunswick teachers
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 26, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
Alicia Noreiga-Mundaroy (BEd’11, MEd’16) came to New Brunswick from Trinidad and Tobago in 2018 to pursue her PhD in education at UNB. Two years later, she says that she could see herself making the province her new home. “It’s so quiet and peaceful here.” She does admit though, that moving to New Brunswick did, and still does, have its challenges for her as a...
Alumnus Jason Goldlist takes the road less travelled to tech success
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Renaissance College , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Jason Goldlist (BPHIL’06) has always been someone who wanted to do things differently. It was the reason he chose to leave Toronto and head to New Brunswick for university when his friends were going to Western or McGill. He was looking for a different kind of program, and the new bachelor of philosophy in interdisciplinary leadership at Renaissance College fit the bill. “I’ve always been one to go against the grain, so this program was perfect for me. It was...
Proudly UNB legacy: My family's connection to UNB
Christos Papadopoulos (BSc'09)
Posted: January 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
This is the story of my UNB family. Back in 1973, my father Nicolas immigrated to Canada at the age of 17 from Greece. Having no family in New Brunswick, he worked multiple jobs to pay for his university studies and attended both the UNB Saint John and Fredericton campuses. In 1980, he graduated with his electrical engineering degree from UNB. Throughout my childhood, he and my mother Rosa taught my sister Vasiliki and me the values and importance of hard work, education, and family. In 2009,...
John Gonzales follows entrepreneurial path to grow rehabilitation brand in New Brunswick
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John
For physiotherapist John Gonzales (BSc’00), people and building connections are at the heart of everything he does. It’s this concept that he lives by everyday as CEO and founder of his New Brunswick-based business, Rehab1 Performance Center. Launched in 2016, Rehab1 offers core services of physiotherapy, massage, and chiropractic, in addition to nutrition, counselling services, women’s health and concussion management. In the short time since launching, Gonzales has...
From UNB to Dragon’s Den and beyond
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 20, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Engineering , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
Curtis Kennedy (BScME, DTME) has been busy in the last few years. He recently pitched his product, Vertiball, on CBC’s Dragon’s Den and accepted a deal from dragon Arlene Dickinson. But there’s been a lot more going on behind the scenes. Curtis has been working since 2017 to develop and pitch his simple idea to ease chronic pain. “It’s been a lot of work and long hours but I hope that it’s helping people. It’s been a really exciting...
Mother-daughter renaissance college alumni tackle systemic discrimination in Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 18, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Renaissance College
Josie McKinney (BPHIL’04) came by her dedication to community and Indigenous issues naturally. Her mother, Patsy McKinney (BPHIL’07), has always been a passionate organizer and advocate in the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet communities, and Josie had grown up taking part in daily conversations around the kitchen table in her Harvey, N.B. home about politics and rights issues. “My whole extended family have been leaders in Indigenous issues. My upbringing has been the driving force...
Materials engineer goes digital
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 15, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories
Fredericton native Donna Dykeman (BScME’99, MScME’01) always enjoyed the sciences, so when she started her undergraduate degree at UNB she chose Mechanical Engineering because she discovered she enjoyed learning about and working with structural materials for mechanical design. “I remember enjoying the project work we did in undergrad where we were designing for the real world. Our visits to plants and production operations and having alumni speak to us in class opened my...
An unexpected career path for a mechanical engineering alumnus
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 11, 2021 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Young Alumni
Who knew that a mechanical engineer could end up in an innovation role at one of Canada’s big banks? Malcolm Nwokotubo (BScME’16, DTME’16) sure didn’t when he first came to study at UNB. Growing up in Nigeria, Malcolm was always interested in problem solving, math and engineering. He decided he wanted to study in Canada because of the country’s reputation for being welcoming and friendly. Although he’d never heard of New Brunswick, he won a scholarship that...
Volunteer spotlight: Jennifer Forbes (BBA'12)
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 25, 2020 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
Among the 28 mentors who joined us this month on Zoom, for our annual Career Talks student alumni networking event, was UNB young alumna Jennifer Forbes (BBA’12). A remarkable alumna volunteer, Forbes leaves a lasting impact on students having volunteered much of her time and talent to supporting the next generation of alumni over the last number of years. Since her own time as a UNB Saint John business student, Forbes has strived to live by a ‘say yes’ mentality by giving...
Q&A: Hanna Grossman, UNB Alumni Student Leadership Recipient
UNBSJ student, Hanna Grossman
Posted: November 24, 2020 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
Recipient of a 2020 Alumni Student Leadership Award, UNB Saint John student Hanna Grossman shares how the award has positively impacted her UNB experience and how she contributes to student life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout her time on campus, Hanna has been a proud member of the Seawolves women's basketball team, a tutor with the Promise Partnership, as well as president of the Student Athletic Advisory Council. What inspired or influenced you to enroll in UNB Saint...
NB Chiropractors Association recognizes UNB young alumna
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 24, 2020 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni , Kinesiology , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
This month, UNB young alumna Dr. Maria Boyle (BScKin'16) was recognized by the NB Chiropractors Association with the Recent Graduate Award. This award recognizes the tremendous contributions of a recent graduate under five years, who has demonstrated success transitioning from school into practice, as well as a commitment and dedication to advancing the profession or their community. "I was shocked and honoured to get recognized this early in my career," says Dr. Boyle. "When I first...
Innovating the restaurant of the future
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 19, 2020 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Management
Everyone knows restaurants are a tough business in the best of times. These are not the best of times. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the restaurant industry globally, and New Brunswick is no exception. When the lockdown happened in March of 2020, the owners of Pomodori Pizzeria in Saint John worked quickly and innovatively to be able to not only stay afloat but turn out even more of their delicious Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas. Being innovative is nothing new for co-founders...
Returning to New Brunswick to work from home
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 18, 2020 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Management , UNB Fredericton , Kinesiology
There’s an interesting trend happening these days. Real estate in New Brunswick is a hot commodity and there’s a migration of young people into the province instead of out. The COVID-19 work-from-home movement, along with the safe reputation of the Atlantic Bubble and housing prices that are affordable, have created the perfect storm that’s attracting many New Brunswickers back home again. One of those is Nathan White (BBA’05). Nathan grew up in Fredericton as a big...
Volunteer spotlight: Beverly Guimond
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 28, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton
For UNB Saint John alumna Beverly Guimond (BBA’04), volunteering time to her alma mater as treasurer of the Associated Alumni has been a positive and rewarding experience. A chartered professional accountant in Saint John, Beverly first moved to Canada from her home in Zimbabwe to travel and study abroad in the faculty of business at UNBSJ. Though there are many things she treasures about her UNB experience, one of those is reflecting on the early days of her academic career - from...
Q&A: Brianna Forbes, UNB Alumni Student Leadership Recipient
UNB student, Brianna Forbes
Posted: October 26, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
UNB Saint John biology-psychology student, Brianna Forbes, is a strong leader on campus and in her community. She has served as student representative on the UNB Board of Governors, as well as SASE representative on the Students’ Representative Council, and has also been an active member of UNB MEDLIFE, UNB World University Service of Canada and UNB Global Brigades. A three year-member of the UNB REDS Track and field program, Brianna’s dedication to the sport has been recognized...
The future of surgical robotics is here - and this alumnus is creating it
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 23, 2020 2:00:00 PM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , Engineering , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Jason Currie (MSE’15) may be working from his San Francisco Bay Area home these days because of the pandemic, but he’s still hugely excited to log in each day and tackle his current project – a general-purpose surgical robot. Jason is a senior robotics and controls engineer with Auris Health, Inc., now owned by Ethicon, part of Johnson & Johnson’s medical devices companies. Since 2018, he’s tackled this technical lead role within a huge team working on...
How a UNB alumnus became the official rink engineering consultant of the NHL
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 23, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering
When Ian Storey (BScME’96) left UNB with a mechanical engineering degree in hand, he never imagined he’d become an entrepreneur. Ian had developed an interest in energy efficiency and energy systems early on in his bachelors’ program and geared his courses toward a career at an energy utility. But after graduation, with few prospects for that kind of work available, he took a job in the aerospace industry managing international engineering contracts. After a few years of...
The fast-paced world of transportation cybersecurity
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 23, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Computer Science , UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Inspiring Stories
When we think about cybersecurity, we typically think of our phones, computers and personal data being hacked. But Mike Vanderveer (BScCMPE’02) says heavy vehicles carrying dangerous goods are also a big cybersecurity concern. Mike, who graduated from UNB with a degree in computer engineering, is a transportation cybersecurity consultant with his own firm, Deep Micro, in Ottawa. He says that it is not easy to hack into our cars and car company security systems are continually improving....
UNB Saint John data scientist pioneering in occupational health informatics
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 22, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Computer Science , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
UNB Saint John alumnus Hongchang (Gary) Bao’s (BScCS’19) undergraduate research in occupational health informatics has been published in a leading peer-reviewed journal for digital medicine and health, and has garnered interest from national organizations, such as CanPath and the National Cancer Institute. While a student in the computer science department, Bao collaborated on a research project through the campus’ certificate of data analytics program. A dedicated and...
A rising star’s journey from Trinidad to Fredericton to Toronto
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 21, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Management , Young Alumni
When Cilise (Legendre) Connell (BBA’12) made the move from her home in Trinidad and Tobago to Fredericton in 2009, her goal was to finish her business degree at UNB – (which she began through the UNB-ROYTEC partnership program) then return home to the small Caribbean Islands to find work. Eleven years later, she’s still in Canada. “I had such an amazing experience in Fredericton and at UNB that I didn’t want to go home,” she recounts. “I went back...
Renaissance College alumna advocating for post-secondary students amid COVID-19 pandemic
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 23, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
UNB alumna Kalin McCluskey (BPhil’07) discovered her love for public policy through her education at Renaissance College. Since now working in the post-secondary space as Executive Director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) in Ottawa, she has applied the learning outcomes studied in the program to help her adapt as the COVID-19 pandemic drastically shifted the way they work to support students. CASA is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization composed of student...
Greater Moncton's Top 20 Under 40 recognizes three UNB alumni
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 22, 2020 4:00:00 PM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
Three UNB alumni were celebrated virtually on Sept. 17 as winners of the 2020 Greater Moncton Top 20 Under 40. Organized by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton and the Hub City Young Professionals Network, the program highlights 20 individuals making a difference in the community. The winners were selected by an advisory board of judges from a list of 120 nominations.Meet the UNB alumni recognized as Top 20 Under 40 winners. Chad Blakney (BScE’07), has...
Internship program sparks strong mentorship between UNB student and alumna
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 22, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
When alumna Kate Ross (BPhil’05) first recommended Renaissance College to now-UNB student Callum Hunter, little did she know they would later become reconnected through the college’s Canadian internship program. Throughout the eight-week placement this summer, the two shared a positive learning experience and developed a strong mentor-mentee relationship that they look forward to growing throughout Callum’s academic career at UNB. Challenged to find an internship during the...
UNB alumni recognized by Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2020 Top 50 CEO Awards
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 21, 2020 12:00:00 PM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
The Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2020 Top 50 CEO Awards recently recognized seven UNB alumni. Since 1999, the Top 50 CEO Awards celebrates accomplished business leaders in the Atlantic region. Nominations are submitted by the magazine’s readers and nominees are judged according to corporate, community and industry involvement, as well as company growth and response to various managerial challenges. This year’s list recognizes UNB alumni in New Brunswick, Nova...
Young alumna brewing a new marketing strategy at Picaroons Brewing Company
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 17, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Management , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton
Experience counts when you’re developing growth and marketing strategies for companies. Kate McPherson (BBA’19) has it – even though she’s only 23. Kate graduated with a business degree from UNB’s Faculty of Management in 2019 with a ton of experience under her belt. First, she opted to take advantage of the exchange program and studied at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore for a year, doing a lot of focused market research directly with Asian-based...
UNB alumna Jordyn Chevarie receives award of excellence
UNB Alumni
Posted: July 17, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
UNB young alumna, Jordyn Chevarie (BHS’19), has received an Award of Excellence from the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) for achieving the highest aggregate mark in Canada on the 2019 certification exam for radiological technology. CAMRT is the national professional association and certifying body for radiological, nuclear medicine, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists and radiation therapists. Chevarie graduated with distinction in 2019 from UNB...
New UNB grad offers help to Saint John students during pandemic
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 30, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Clariza Bergeron (BBA’20), moved to Saint John from the Philippines six years ago to live with her Canadian boyfriend and become a part of the nursing community. With a master’s degree in nursing in hand, she unfortunately found that the process to become qualified to practice in Canada was too long and cumbersome. So, she switched gears to take advantage of having UNB in her backyard and enrolled in the business degree program. She had always been mathematically-minded, so chose...
Recognizing the 2020 UNB Saint John Graduating Student Leaders
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 30, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Eighteen graduating students from the UNB Saint John campus 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. Although we couldn’t be together for our annual UNB Saint John Graduating Student Leadership awards...
LuminUltra to supply COVID-19 test chemicals across Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 30, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
New Brunswick’s LuminUltra Technologies, headed by Patrick Whalen (BScChE’03, left), is increasing its production to supply chemicals for essential COVID-19 testing across the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on April 15 that LuminUltra is one of the companies that has signed a contract with the Canadian government to provide supplies needed in all provinces. Many regions have faced testing backlogs as they lacked certain chemicals needed to complete the tests. "We...
Management students hitting experiential learning out of the park
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 30, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Management , Young Alumni
It may have been one of the strangest and most challenging semesters at UNB because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the winter 2020 term ended with some good news for students in the Master in Quantitative Investment Management (MQIM) program. Just as exams were ending, they learned two of their teams placed high in two global competitions: one team tied with Rutgers for third place out of 58 universities in the MATLAB competition, hosted by the Professional Risk Managers’ International...
UNB young alumna supports local businesses impacted
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 30, 2020 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Even in a time when we are physically separated from our families and peers, many people are bringing their communities closer together through support and acts of kindness. UNB young alumna, Niki Burnham (BBA ’15), is one of those people. When she saw how small businesses in the Saint John region have been impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak, she looked for a way to support the community through her own side-business, Homegrown Vintage - an Instagram-based shop that...
A life in service to vulnerable children
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 16, 2020 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Management
James Gitau (BBA’87,MA'89) has never been one to shy away from a challenge. In 1982, Kenya was embroiled in an attempted coup, which led to the indefinite closure of the sole University of Nairobi. James’ high school advised students who could afford it to seek further studies abroad. He was given a list of potential universities in Canada, the U.K and the U.S: James and his family chose to apply to Canadian Universities. Based on his ‘A” levels examination...
UNB Associated Alumni awards the inaugural Alumni Legacy Scholarship
Young Alumni
Posted: July 17, 2019 4:00:00 PM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Management , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories
A University of New Brunswick student was announced as the inaugural winner of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, established and presented by the UNB Associated Alumni. This year’s recipient, Laura Palmer, is an outstanding example of the values outlined through the scholarship – fiercely proud of the institution, dedicated to making a difference on campus and committed to carrying on the UNB alumni legacy for years to come. Valued at two-years of tuition and fees, the scholarship...
Coming 'back home' was a step forward for this engineering alumna
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 1, 2019 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Engineering
Anna Robak (BScCE’01) is a proponent of always moving forward and conquering new things. So the decision to move ‘back home’ to Fredericton from New Zealand, where she had spent the last thirteen years working in global asset management, was not made lightly. A Fredericton native, Anna had gone through UNB’s civil engineering program concentrating in transportation and economics. “I wanted a career that was versatile and offered many opportunities,” she...
Nation votes UNB young alumna into the Big Brother Canada House
UNB Young Alumni
Posted: March 9, 2019 2:00:00 PM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
A surprising twist announced during the season seven premiere of Big Brother Canada tasked our country with the power to vote one of two "secret assets" into the game as the 15th house guest. On the March 7 episode, UNB young alumna Cory Kennedy (BSc’12) was successfully revealed as our nation’s choice. A Sussex-local, Kennedy studied marine biology and chemistry at UNB Saint John, graduating in 2012. Now working as an elementary school math teacher, Kennedy's Big Brother Canada...
Meet the 2019 Proudly UNB Young Alumni Achievement Award recipients
Alumni Office
Posted: March 7, 2019 3:30:00 PM AST
Category: UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
The 2019 Proudly UNB Awards will recognize six distinguished alumni, two honorary members and one alumni group at an award's dinner on April 5. In the short time since graduating from UNB, Krystle Steeves (BScKin ’05) and Kenneth Fox (BBA’07) have both taken the world by storm in their respective fields of physical therapy and finance, and will be celebrated with Young Alumni Achievement Awards for their outstanding service and accomplishments. As a physical therapist,...
Amazing stories of humanitarianism around the globe
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 6, 2019 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
You would certainly be correct in calling Eugene Lewis (BScEE’64) an engineer, a professor and an entrepreneur. But beyond all of those things, the title that seems to truly fit him is humanitarian. Dr. Lewis, who taught at UNB for 37 years and Chaired the Electrical Engineering Department for 22 of them between 1980 and 2006, spent many years guiding students to think critically and problem-solve. All the while, he was applying those skills himself to solve pressing problems around the...
Young alumna showcases local entrepreneurs through curated gift boxes.
UNB Young Alumni
Posted: November 2, 2018 10:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
UNB young alumna, Ingrid Munroe (BA ’13), combines the many business ideas of New Brunswick entrepreneurs into one small package – the NB Box. Dedicated to supporting local business owners, these curated gift boxes offer unique, high quality products like kitchen items, household goods, and bath, body or baby products from small businesses in New Brunswick. Munroe’s boxes are available for purchase online, as well as in various local craft fairs and farmers markets. “I...
Problem-solving in an exciting high-profile career
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 24, 2018 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering
Ian Naish (MEng’71) has a face that might seem familiar. That’s because as a transportation consultant and former director at the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, he’s a media go-to spokesperson for train derailment and other major transportation news stories. Ian’s been in the transportation field since 1969 when he came to UNB fresh off a civil engineering degree from the University of London. One of his professors in London told him that transportation...
2018 Graduating Student Leaders honoured at UNB Saint John
Young Alumni
Posted: April 13, 2018 5:00:00 AM ADT
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....
Recognizing exceptional young alumni with Proudly UNB Awards
Young Alumni
Posted: March 13, 2018 5:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Two remarkable young alumni will be celebrated at this year’s Proudly UNB Awards dinner on April 6 for their outstanding service and achievements. In the short time since graduating, Kaitlyn Adair (BN’11) and Firat Güder (BScCMPE'06) have taken the world by storm in their respective fields of nursing and engineering. Kaitlyn Adair graduated from UNB's Faculty of Nursing in 2011 and went on to pursue her passion for harm reduction and social justice. Soon after...
CAMH Difference Makers in Mental Health: Lee Thomas
Young Alumni
Posted: November 14, 2017 4:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) launched a cross-Canada call for nominations of people influencing change in mental health and recently announced their 150 Difference Makers, a list which includes recent UNB grad, Lee Thomas (BA'15). As a student, Lee started the #MyDefinition campaign at UNB, which is a mental health anti-stigma poster campaign. Now, Lee is an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker on mental health and stigma reduction, an instructor for Mental...
Young alumna places ninth in the Grand 2 Grand Ultra marathon
Young Alumni
Posted: October 31, 2017 5:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
UNB young alumna Kelsey Hogan (BPhil'16) placed second among women and ninth overall in last month's Grand 2 Grand Ultra Marathon (G2G). Facing her toughest ultra marathon to date, Hogan tackled the 273 kilometres from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to the summit of the Grand Staircase as not only one of eight Canadians, but also as the race's youngest competitor. The Grand 2 Grand Ultra is a six stage, seven day footrace through the Utah and Arizona desert, and is the...
UNB grad takes on the Toronto Independent Film Festival and the Atlantic Film Festival with screenings of his short film
Young Alumni
Posted: September 11, 2017 5:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
Film director and UNB young alumnus Gordon Mihan (BBA ’15) will participate in the Toronto Independent Film Festival Tuesday Sept. 12, and again later this week at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, with screenings of his short film The Wakefield Will. The Toronto Independent Film Festival and the Atlantic Film Festival showcase the creative talents of micro and no-budget films from around the world. “I love having a vision and getting a group of people together to help...
12th UNB alumnus to receive YMCA Leader to Watch Award: John Fitzpatrick
Young Alumni
Posted: April 10, 2017 5:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
Since the YMCA Leader to Watch Award was created in 2002, 12 UNB alumni have been among the recipients, including this year's award winner John Fitzpatrick (MBA '12). Fitzpatrick will receive the honor alongside Arthur Irving, 2017 Red Triangle Award recipient, at an awards gala on May 4 at the Saint John Regional YMCA. The Leader to Watch Award recognizes young individuals who demonstrate leadership and enthusiasm in their work, in educational settings and as a volunteer in the...
The stars are aligned for UNB alumnus vying to become Canada s next astronaut: Alex Delorey
Young Alumni
Posted: February 9, 2017 4:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , Engineering , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
Childhood dreams of space travel may very well become a reality for UNB young alumnus, Alex Delorey (BScE’07), who has earned his spot as one of 72 candidates still in the running to become the next Canadian astronaut. Last summer, 3,372 applications were submitted to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for two astronaut positions that will be filled this year. The latest shortlist was announced last week, leaving Delorey, a Riverview New Brunswick native, excited and eager for what’s...
Fredericton native making waves in the Canadian film scene
Young Alumni
Posted: December 5, 2016 4:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories
UNB young alumnus, Ryan O'Toole (BA '13), is attracting the attention of the Canadian film industry with his talent and creativity. O'Toole recently participated in the 16th annual Silver Wave Film Festival with screenings of his short films, Sour World and Brookside Mall, included in the event-filled weekend. This year's festival was held Nov. 3-6 in Fredericton and has grown to become an important cultural event for Atlantic Canada, featuring films and documentaries shot in the...
UNB alumna named NB Young Humanitarian of the Year
Young Alumni
Posted: December 5, 2016 4:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
Innovator, leader, entrepreneur – just three of the many words that represent New Brunswick’s Young Humanitarian of the Year, Jessica Brennan (BPhil ’15). For her commitment to helping foster leadership and volunteerism in youth, Brennan received the much deserved honour by the Canadian Red Cross on Nov. 9, alongside Humanitarian Award recipient Mahesh Raju. The Canadian Red Cross awards one Humanitarian Award and one Young Humanitarian Award annually in each of the four...
Fredericton to Rio: Alumna blogs her volunteer experience at the 2016 Olympics
Young Alumni
Posted: August 22, 2016 5:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Engineering , Young Alumni
While most of the country spent the past few weeks with eyes glued to the television, this was not the case for UNB young alumna, Olivia Babcock (BScEng '16), who experienced the thrill of the games up close and personal as a volunteer at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. From beach volleyball and men's soccer, to Sugarloaf Mountain and Dois Irmaos, Babcock documented her 20 day Brazilian experience in a blog, Without & About, that will surely make you want to...
Supporting the international community
Young Alumni
Posted: August 11, 2016 5:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni , UNB Saint John
It takes passionate individuals like UNB young alumna, Li Song (BA, BEd ’08), to drive change in our communities. Since moving from China to Saint John in 2002 as an international student, Song has spent countless hours supporting multiculturalism in Saint John and giving back to the international community at UNB. As the Newcomer Assistant for the Saint John Multicultural & Newcomers Resource Centre (SJMNRC), Song works with non-francophone newcomers helping them transition...
Craig Bell Estabrooks named 2016 YMCA Leader to Watch
Young Alumni
Posted: April 8, 2016 5:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Inspiring Stories
With a strong sense of pride for his hometown and province, UNB young alumnus Craig Bell Estabrooks (BA '08) was announced the YMCA of Greater Saint John's 2016 Leader to Watch for his commitment and volunteer efforts within the community. He will be honoured alongside John K.F. Irving, the recipient of this year's Red Triangle Award, at an awards gala on May 3 at the city’s new YMCA. As part of the YMCA's Red Triangle Awards program, the Leader to Watch recognizes...
From the V-Reds to the Maple Leafs: Young alumnus makes his mark
Young Alumni
Posted: February 11, 2016 4:00:00 AM AST
Category: Management , Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton
What began as a marketing project in the BBA program became much more for UNB young alumnus, Andrew Brewer (BBA '08). As Assistant Coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brewer works on and off the ice in a hockey career he has always dreamed of. From the Aitken Centre, to the Olympic stage and now the NHL, the Fredericton native is making his mark on the sport. Brewer joined the Leafs in June of 2015, alongside Coach Mike Babcock, where he brings an eye for detail to the team. Analyzing...
Young alumna helping Syrian refugees immigrate to Canada
Young Alumni
Posted: February 11, 2016 4:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton , UNB Saint John , Inspiring Stories , Young Alumni
Two-time UNB young alumna, navy Lieutenant Sheena Teed (BA ’06, BN ’13), has taken her nursing degree across the globe to Beirut, Lebanon. As a Nursing Officer for the Canadian Armed Forces, navy Lt. Teed oversees the lab section of an immigration medical exam clinic, which processes tests for Syrian refugees immigrating to Canada. Patients entering the clinic receive blood and urine testing, and undergo behavior analysis as part of the immigration...
Young alumna raises mental health awareness through clothing line
Young Alumni
Posted: November 12, 2015 4:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories , UNB Fredericton , Young Alumni
From the classroom to the runway, UNB young alumna Kayley Reed (BPhil ’14) and Kyle MacNevin have given fashion a new meaning through their clothing line Wear Your Label (WYL). Launched in the summer of 2014, WYL is turning passion into impact with clothing designs that spark positive conversations around mental health. The brand includes a collection of t-shirts, sweatshirts and leggings, which sport phrases such as “Sad But Rad” and “Self-Care Isn't...