UNB Alumni
Telling our #ProudlyUNB stories
UNBeknownst #32: Sara Taaffe on the tension between economic progress and sustainability
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 19, 2023 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni , UNB Fredericton , Podcast , Renaissance College
“Knowing that there are a lot of people who really care and are working every day to make change, and seeing more and more policies and corporate behaviour changing, it leaves me feeling optimistic that we’re doing better than we were doing a year ago. There is hope and people have power.” ~ Sara Taaffe (BPHIL'15) Sara Taaffe (BPHIL’15) is a senior project manager with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership in London, England. After...
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....
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...
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...
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...
UNBeknownst Episode 15: Alexandra Pope on Canadian Geographic, life balance and the polarization of media
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 25, 2022 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Renaissance College , Podcast , UNB Fredericton
Alexandra Pope (BPhil’06) graduated from UNB Renaissance College's bachelor of philosophy in leadership program and went straight to work in social media and journalism for local newspapers. She jumped to The Weather Network and then joined Canadian Geographic as digital editor – a dream job. Recently, she was named editor-in-chief of Canadian Geographic magazine and its sister publication, Canadian Geographic Travel. Although much of her time is spent behind a desk editing other...
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...
UNBeknownst Podcast Episode 2: Jason Goldlist - Wealthsimple, Venue and an unusual path to tech entrepreneurship
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 23, 2021 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Podcast , Renaissance College
UNBeknownst Podcast Episode 2 Jason Goldlist - Wealthsimple, Venue and an unusual path to tech entrepreneurship Jason Goldlist (BPHIL’06), graduated from UNB with a bachelor of philosophy in interdisciplinary leadership from Renaissance College and is currently CEO and co-founder of Venue, an online platform for virtual special events that inspire and engage. He’s also co-founder of TechTO and has an impressive resume, including as head of marketing and...
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...
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...
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...