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On April 5, at a gala event in Saint John, the University of New Brunswick’s Associated Alumni will celebrate the achievements of six alumni and one alumni group, and name UNB President Eddy Campbell and the late Diane Campbell honorary alumni.

Among the UNB graduates being honoured are a critical care physician who was at the forefront of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, a nationally and internationally rated baseball and basketball official and clinician, and a reunion group that went above and beyond to give their classmates a Homecoming to remember.

“Our alumni are doing great things. Near and far, we are so proud of our graduates,” says Jill Jollineau, UNB Associated Alumni president. “The Proudly UNB Awards gala is our opportunity to pay tribute to alumni and to honour some truly outstanding individuals who are making a difference professionally and within their communities, while inspiring fellow and future alumni.”

The 2019 Proudly UNB award recipients are:

Alumni Award of Distinction

Dr. Robert Fowler (BSc'91) is a critical care physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Rob’s distinguished career has focused on caring for the critically ill, disease transmission and containment, and examining differential access to care. While volunteering on an international team with the World Health Organization in 2014, Rob played an important role treating patients in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia on the threshold of the Ebola virus outbreak. Rob helped promote a new model of more aggressive patient care in West Africa, which has subsequently been associated with substantially reduced Ebola mortality rates.

Carl Fraser (BBA'74) is an investment advisor and one of four founding partners at Aligned Capital Partners Inc. A longtime community leader, Carl has devoted countless volunteer hours supporting local initiatives, such as the St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation, the J.L. Grightmire Market Arena expansion project and the Beverly Charity Classic, which started in 1998 and has raised funds for charities. An enthusiastic member of UNB Saint John’s first graduating class, Carl has since held a very special place in his heart for the university. He established the Carl Fraser Student Award, funding 10 bursaries annually that support students who contribute to the campus and their community.

Francis McHugh (BPE'61, BEd'72) has made a world-class impact on the sports community. Beginning as a star athlete and growing into a 60-year career as an official, Fran has a number of athletic achievements to his name. Nationally and internationally rated as a baseball and basketball official and clinician, Fran is the only sports official to represent Canada internationally in both sports. He also has the unique distinction of having participated in the Canada Games as a player, coach and official. A retired teacher, Fran held an exemplary 34-year career at St. Malachy’s Memorial High School in Saint John.

Susan Porter (BSc'80) is nationally and internationally regarded for her contributions to graduate education. She is currently the dean and vice-provost of graduate and postdoctoral studies at the University of British Columbia. Throughout her career, she has been devoted to helping create the conditions that would holistically prepare students to make positive contributions after graduation. Recognizing that graduate education needed to be re-envisioned for the 21st century, Susan launched the Public Scholars Initiative, which has since been acknowledged as groundbreaking by many peers and universities worldwide.

Young Alumni Achievement Award

Kenneth Fox (BBA'07) credits much of his success to the transformative experience he received at UNB. As a student, Ken enrolled in the Fredericton business faculty’s Student Investment Fund, which sparked his interest in a career in finance and introduced him to exciting opportunities in the investment industry. Throughout his 10-year career with TD Securities, and in the short time since graduating from UNB, Ken has worked in TD’s offices in Calgary, Toronto, London, UK, and Houston, most recently in the position of director of investment banking. He continues to maintain ties with UNB’s Centre for Financial Studies by providing advice and guidance to current students.

Krystle Steeves (BScKin'05) is a passionate and devoted physical therapist. Following intensive training on the Ponseti Method for clubfoot treatment, she established Canada’s second therapist-led clubfoot clinic at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. Since the clinic’s opening in 2013, Krystle and her therapy team have treated more than 200 families with high-quality casting and long-term bracing. Recognized for her contributions and expertise in pediatric rehab, she was invited on three volunteer trips to Ecuador with the Canadian Association of Medical Teams Abroad to perform orthopedic surgeries.

Group of the Year

The Class of 1967 reunion organizing committee went above and beyond to create a memorable 50th anniversary celebration during Homecoming 2017. Proud to maintain connections with their UNB classmates, the group was dedicated to creating a memorable reunion experience. Comprised of alumni representatives across faculties, the committee met regularly and went to great lengths encouraging classmates to return to campus and renew past friendships.

More than 140 classmates and guests gathered for a successful weekend of events, which included faculty reunions, a luncheon at Government House and a video presentation portraying campus life in the 1960s. They were the first class to support the Alumni Legacy Scholarship by encouraging classmates to make a gift to the fund. Today, the Class of ’67 Committee continues to challenge future 50th anniversary groups to give back to the scholarship as well. The Class of ’67 reunion committee was Al Brien, Kathie Brien, Pam Campbell, Jim Morell, Greg Sprague and Richard Tingley.

Honorary Alumni: Eddy Campbell and the late Diane Campbell

Eddy Campbell is the 18th president and vice-chancellor of UNB, an internationally recognized professor of mathematics and a visionary. Diane (Brennan) Campbell was a practicing nurse for several years and taught at St. Lawrence College and Memorial University.

Upon arriving at UNB in 2009, the Campbells immediately embraced their new roles. Eddy jumped into the development of a strategic plan that built on UNB's rich tradition of teaching, research and community service, but with a vision to go above and beyond in innovation and entrepreneurship. In 10 years, he’s accomplished many great things for UNB, and become a friend to all he’s encountered.

Diane tirelessly and quietly gave to the university in so many ways. She opened her heart and her home, graciously planning and hosting many dinners and events with students, alumni and dignitaries. She spent countless hours attending university events, both on and off campus; and her behind-the-scenes work in support of Eddy and the university can be credited for much of the success in advancing UNB over the past 10 years.

For more information on the Proudly UNB awards and this year’s recipients, visit unb.ca/proudlyunb.

Media contact: Tina Madore