Alumni Association Award Recipients
Board of Directors
Matthew Rios (’14) Christine Luckasavitch (’11) Sam Zhang (’05) Stephanie Reid (’05) Donalda MacBeath (’75) Barb Anderson (’77) Jeff Aucoin (’96) Paul Black (’00) Carol D’Amelio (’72) Allison Dean (’14) Heather Hickman (’77) Natalie Irwin (’01) Moira MacLean (’85) Ron Malcolm (’82, ’83) Leah McNally (’07) Kyle Power (’13) Véronique Russell (’16) Olivia Shive (’21) Kelton Thomason (’07, ’10) Ted Upshaw (’80) Kierstyn Palmer (ex-officio, ’22) Sophia Blanchard (ex-officio,’23)
Nominations now open for Alumni Association Awards!
Alumni are one of Acadia University’s greatest assets, and the Acadia Alumni Association derives strength from the diversity of our alumni community. As a result, the Association is committed to creating a culture of inclusion and equity in the work they do and encourages nominations from all races, colours, religions, genders, gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, national origins, abilities, or ages as candidates for award consideration.
The Athenaeum and Acadia Alumni Student of the Year Award
Created in 1981, The Athenaeum and Acadia Alumni Student of the Year Award recognizes a student who has excelled at Acadia and embodies the Acadia spirit. The award is presented annually to a nominee who has contributed to the Acadia and Wolfville communities through extracurricular and/or academic activities and has worked to further the Acadia spirit. Nominees must be full-time students. Preference will be given to students who will be graduating in May of the current academic year
Nomination deadline: March 31 annually. Click here for a Nomination Form.
Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award
The Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award is presented in recognition of a staff member who has had a significant positive impact on Acadia, its students and its alumni. The award is an expression of the Alumni Association’s appreciation for an outstanding staff member who has contributed above and beyond job requirements to ensure that Acadia provides an environment that encourages academic, athletic, cultural, organizational and social development. Of greatest importance is the person's ability to foster an environment in which students and/or members of the Acadia community thrive.
Nomination deadline: April 30 annually. Click here for a Nomination Form.
Acadia Alumni Isaac Chipman Award for Excellence in Alumni Service
The Acadia Alumni Isaac Chipman Award for Excellence in Alumni Service recognizes an alum of Acadia University who has had a significant positive impact on Acadia and its alumni. The award focuses on a recipient who has provided consistent support in the form of time, effort and resources to the services and promotion of the advancement of the University and its alumni.
Nomination deadline: May 31 annually. Click here for a Nomination Form.
For more information on other Acadia Alumni Association Awards, please click HERE.
Call for Expression of Interest - Acadia Alumni Association Board
The Nominating Committee of the Acadia Alumni Association invites “Expressions of Interest” from members of the alumni community who wish to be considered as candidates for 2023 vacancies on the Association’s Board of Directors. The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2022. Alumni can also submit at any time for future vacancies.
The Acadia Alumni Association derives strength from the diversity of our alumni community. As a result, the Alumni Association is committed to creating a culture of inclusion and equity in all the work we do. We encourage alumni of all races, colours, religions, genders, gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, national origins, disabilities, or ages to consider this challenging but rewarding volunteer opportunity.
Your Expression of Interest should include a current curriculum vitae, as well as an introductory paragraph or two outlining: 1) your interest in serving on the Acadia Alumni Association Board; 2) what particular skills and perspectives you would bring to the post and; 3) any additional information that would serve to support your ability to represent the diverse alumni population of Acadia University.
All submissions will be reviewed by the Nominating Committee of the Alumni Association and a list of potential candidates developed. Submissions will be kept on file for future consideration (not just 2023 Board vacancies) unless withdrawn by the candidate. Please submit your Expression of Interest to Oonagh Proudfoot ('93, '06), Executive Director, Alumni Affairs at oonagh.proudfoot@acadiau.ca.
Thank you for your interest in Acadia University and the Acadia Alumni Association.
Alumni Association Director Profiles
Kierstyn Palmer (’22)
Kierstyn grew up in the small town of Summerside, Prince Edward Island. She is a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Science in biology. Kierstyn found her place within the Acadia community as a representative of the Biology Society, Vice-President of the Pre-Health Society, and Life President of the Class of 2022.
During her time at Acadia, she was an active volunteer with the Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience (S.M.I.L.E.) program, the Wolfville Farmers’ Market, and the Valley Regional Hospital. In her spare time, she loves to stay active and get outdoors. A few of her favourite pastimes are swimming, hiking, and yoga - especially attending classes at Yogalife Wolfville during her time in the Valley.
Since graduation, Kierstyn has been working as a physician's assistant in a surgical clinic to gain experience in the medical field. In the coming months, she will start her Master's in Health and Exercise Science, researching exercise and pain in patients with spinal cord injury at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. In the future, she hopes to keep drawing from her love for science and get her medical degree. It is her second year serving on the Alumni Association Board of Directors as an ex-officio member, a position she finds great value in holding as a student and now young alum.
Barb Anderson (’77)
Barb Anderson (’77) recently retired as Director of the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at Acadia University, assuming that position in 2009 after a 30-year career with Nova Scotia Public Health. Her research focus is food security, having been involved with Nova Scotia Food Security projects for over 20 years. Barb is interested in working with the local community around healthy food issues and, as a result, through courses she taught, supported the development of a partnership between the Wolfville Farmers’ Market and the School of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Barb was President of the Nova Scotia Dietetic Association, Chair of Dietitians of Canada, and President of the Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research. She is a Fellow of Dietitians of Canada and a Life Member of both the Nova Scotia Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada. She was the ‘nutrition voice’ on the CBC Radio Maritime Noon phone-in program for 20 years and has been an invited speaker at over 40 provincial, national, and international conferences. Barb lives in Wolfville with her husband, Norm.