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Associated Alumni

Graduating Student Leadership Award Recipients

The UNB Saint John Graduating Student Leadership Awards recognize students who have made outstanding voluntary extracurricular contributions to their academic program/department, or to UNB Saint John as a whole.

The awards program was created in 2005 by the UNB Associated Alumni to acknowledge and encourage student participation in university affairs. More than 350 alumni are now members of this exclusive group of ‘UNB Saint John Graduating Student Leaders'.

2023 Graduating Student Leaders

Blake Allen has a passion for helping others and is a strong advocate for UNB. He has volunteered as an orientation leader, as a mentor with The Promise Partnership, and as a founding member of the Discovery Summer Camp Program, organizing learning experiences for school-aged children. During his term as vice president student life for the SRC, Blake organized a number of student events and introduced the GooseChase initiative to campus. 


Jane Campbell is a leader on campus and in the sports community. In addition to being a member of the Seawolves women’s volleyball team, Jane has given back her time as a Wolfpack volleyball coach, as the team representative on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and as a volunteer assisting with recruiting student athletes. Outside of her love for sports, Jane served on the UNB Sexual Assault Policy Review Committee making resources more accessible to students on campus. 


Bertha Debly is a four-year field hockey team athlete, a member of the Women in Business Society and an outstanding leader in the campus community. Her current role as vice president of student life with the SRC has given her opportunities to organize, manage and execute a variety of social and educational events, helping to enhance student life at UNB Saint John.  


Carson Dorcas is a four-year student athlete on the Seawolves men’s volleyball team. During his athletic and academic career at UNB Saint John, he’s shown leadership and volunteerism as a team representative with the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, as a camp coach with Wolfpack youth volleyball, and through various extracurricular activities in the community. 


Mary Gayle is a compassionate and dedicated student within the residence community, along with her volunteer efforts on and off campus. Through her work with the Summer Hotel and as a residence assistant, Mary has been a strong advocate for UNB and UNB students. She is also a member of the Golden Key International Honours Society and has served as a volunteer executive on the African Caribbean Society. 


Amal Koshy George has given back his time to several initiatives on campus. A dedicated volunteer, he has worked to help others and enhance the student experience through his executive and volunteer roles with the Psych Society, The Promise Partnership, the UNBSJ Chess club, the Golden Key Society, Jack.Org, the Green Society and more. 


Emma Higdon has dedicated significant time and effort as a volunteer with The Promise Partnership, the Golden Key Society, and the Learning Communities program. She has also served as an orientation leader, as a teacher’s assistant in her faculty, and as council chair with the SRC, along with representing graduating students as the grad class coordinator for 2022-23. 


Tarandeep Kaur has been a dedicated leader within her nursing faculty, across campus and in the community. As an advocate for mental health and food insecurity issues, Tarandeep is passionate about volunteering her time with The Promise Partnership, Jack.Org, UNBSJ Global Brigades and as current vice president of the Nursing Society. 


Clara Kelly is a leader in her faculty, currently serving of president of the Nursing Society and formerly as the nursing and health sciences representative with the SRC. Outside the classroom and clinical studies, she dedicates her time as team manager for the Seawolves women’s volleyball team, and as a volunteer in the local community. 


Faseeh Khalil has been deeply engaged in the student community. He founded and served as president for the Muslim Student Association, representing and advocating for the interests of Muslim students. Faseeh’s skills also led him to be elected to a number of executive leadership roles, including international student representative, vice president external, and later interim president for the SRC, with which he also currently serves as primary delegate for the NBSA and CASA. 


Karlie Kotsabasakis is an active and engaged volunteer in her faculty, helping to represent other nursing students. As current treasurer for the UNB Nursing Society, Karlie has organized various events and activities in support of the faculty, including fundraising money toward a scholarship for a future UNB nursing student. 


Adam Lambert is a four-year student athlete on the Seawolves men’s basketball team, and throughout his time at UNB he’s been an advocate for athletics. He’s served as a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and as the athletics representative for the SRC. Off the court, Adam has also represented the student body as former SRC vice president external, and has volunteered to support The Promise Partnership. 


Ashley Legacy is passionate about student life on campus. Throughout her five years at UNB Saint John, she has been a proud orientation week leader, peer note taker, residence assistant, tutor, and a writer for The Baron. In addition, she has served in leadership roles as president of the Golden Key Honours Society, first year advisor with the SRC, and as public relations director and co-founder of the Education Society. 


Emma Lynch completed four years as a student athlete on the Seawolves women’s volleyball team and has volunteered in her capacity as an athlete for several initiatives, such as Think Pink Day, Bell Let’s Talk, Run for the Cure and Wolfpack youth volleyball. As a Bachelor of Health student, Emma has also worked to help develop UNB’s new Health Plus certificate program. 


Haley McGaw has made a significant impact in many corners of the campus community. With a passion for helping others, Haley has served as a mentor, tutor and assistant coordinator with The Promise Partnership, as an orientation volunteer, SRC events committee member and formerly as the first-year representative on the Residence Council. 


Hannah Oh is an outstanding biology-psychology student and a member of the Seawolves women’s soccer team. During her athletic career, she served as the community outreach coordinator on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, representing UNB athletes. In addition to her involvement on campus, Hannah is also heavily engaged in the local music community. 


Tanya Paterson has held various leadership roles on and off campus, including serving as the mature student representative for the SRC and as co-founder and president of the Education Society. She has also given back her time as a volunteer with the Learning Communities program, the Promise Partnership, SOAR and orientation.  


Amelia Puñales is an advocate for inclusivity, networking and learning opportunities for students. As current vice president of the Women in Business Society, she works to create collaborative networking events, conferences, and workshops. In addition to her leadership in the faculty of business, Amelia also serves as director of public relations with the Golden Key International Honours Society, and as a member of both UNB’s Green Society and the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee. 


Mattye Robson has played for the Seawolves women’s volleyball team for her entire four-year career at UNB and has served as captain of the team for two consecutive years. Passionate about athletics, she’s the vice president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, organizing various events and fundraisers that have helped to create a positive community of student athletes. 


Orianna Ross contributes her time at UNB Saint John to enhance the student experience and help students feel prepared for the workforce. As the conference coordinator for the Women in Business Society, Orianna has organized a range of networking events and conferences creating opportunities for students to engage with UNB alum and business professionals. She was also a former athlete on the Seawolves women’s soccer team. 


Jillian Smith is a leader on and off the field. As captain of the Seawolves women’s soccer team, she has been a dedicated athlete and a mentor to her teammates. Jillian currently serves as the arts representative on the Students’ Representative Council and has previously volunteered as a mentor with The Promise Partnership and with grad class activities.  


2022 Graduating Student Leaders

Zainab Ali

Zainab is an advocate for student rights with an emphasis on providing a more inclusive campus environment through her work with the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and as founding member of the Student Services Advisory Council.


Simon Anctil

Simon is a five-year dedicated athlete with the men’s volleyball team, who has also volunteered for several community programs and fundraisers that include the Wolfpack club program, Think Pink, and Bell Let’s Talk.


Julia Bennett

A captain of the women’s basketball team, Julia has been a leader on and off the court, supporting her teammates and fellow athletes with several community and Seawolves-sponsored initiatives.


Abigail Bernard

Abigail is a student-athlete with women’s volleyball and a CCAA National Scholar, who also serves the campus community as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Council, and as part of the Saint John Indigenous Health Advisory Circle.


Allee Bezeau

A member of the women’s soccer team, Allee has made a tremendous impact as an athlete in addition to her volunteer contributions to advocacy groups on campus and in the community.


Charlotte Fanjoy

Charlotte is an all-around student leader who has been significantly involved in student government. She has been committed to advocating for students, enhancing campus life, and building space for students with a focus on sustainability. 


Madison Glenn

Madison has volunteered with many organizations on campus, including serving as a mentor with The Promise Partnership, that led her to give back more volunteer time to groups in the local community all while serving as an unofficial ambassador for UNB Saint John.


Joshua Goguen

Recipient of significant awards for both his athletic and academic successes, Joshua is a proud Seawolves soccer player and an active volunteer and athletic ambassador for several activities on campus.


Katie Herrington

Katie has volunteered with The Promise Partnership Program, served as writer and editor of the campus newspaper, and started several student-led drives to support local non-profits in the Saint John area. 


Charlotte Knappe

In addition to her successful soccer career at UNB Saint John, Charlotte has held several leadership positions with groups such as the Women in Business Society, where she led a new campus initiative called, ‘Women of UNBSJ’.


Ashley MacLean

Ashley is committed to promoting and creating mental health awareness on campus. Her work led to the #SeawolvesLetsTalk slogan that continues today. As president of the Jack.org chapter, she has rallied her fellow students to join her in this mission.


Lauren McKinley

Lauren is an advocate for gender equality on campus and in the community. Her work and leadership within the Women in Business Society has led to innovative programming that supports students across campus.


Delaram Mirshamsi

As an international student, Delaram knows firsthand the challenges of transitioning to a new home, so she has been committed to supporting her fellow students through the learning community program and by serving as a loyal volunteer with The Promise Partnership.


Niomi Monteiro

Niomi has spent her years at UNB Saint John helping where needed, whether within the residence community, as an SRC committee member or as co-chair with the Student Services Advisory Council. 


Ashlee Morrell

Ashlee received numerous prestigious awards for her contributions to the campus community. Whether it be through her advocate work for mental health wellness or serving as an orientation leader, she strives to make a positive difference.


Kathryn Nason

Kathryn has been actively engaged on campus and has contributed to enhancing the student experience through her involvement with several initiatives, including representing her faculty as an arts representative on the SRC and her long-time volunteer involvement with The Promise Partnership. 


Sophie Sharp

Ria has a passion for being involved in her community and at UNB Saint John. She was active in student government, where she represented the international student community as a councilor and was former president of the Multi-cultural Association. 


Kaitlyn Sears

Kaitlyn is a member of the women’s volleyball team and, as such, has been a tremendous ambassador for her sport through the Wolfpack club program, refereeing in the community, and raising funds to support worthy charities. 


Sophie Sharp

Through her volunteer efforts with the Student Athlete Advisory Council, fundraising for charity, and five-years as a varsity player with the women’s basketball team, Sophie has positively impacted both her own student experience and that of others.


Mila Veljanovska

Mila likes to bring people together to create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive for all students, faculty, and staff. In her first year, she founded the UNBSJ Chess Club and continues to serve as the club president. 


Benjamin Wilson

Ben is a varsity athlete with the Seawolves volleyball team, who has generously given his time to The Promise Partnership, serving as VP of the Student Athlete Advisory Council, and coaching the Wolfpack club program. 


2021 Graduating Student Leaders

Ariel Arthurs

An advocate for LGBTQ+ members on the Saint John campus, Ariel has been committed to ensuring safe and inclusive events for the student community. She has been a long-time executive member of the campus LGBTQ+ club, and is a member of the equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) committee. Her time at UNB Saint John has been spent helping to promote an inclusive culture on campus and encouraging active engagement from students. Ariel collaborated with other student leaders on planning campus events and mentored young children through the Promise Partnership.


Jessica CookJessica has been described as a leader and as a mentor to her peers since first entering the nursing program at UNB Saint John.  She has been an active member of the nursing society and with the Tucker Parker Interprofessional Collaboration, organizing events with UNB, NBCC and DalMed. Jessica was a member of a research team examining nursing students and clinical placements in long-term care facilities, and has co-authored three peer-reviewed papers from this work, with one additional paper in review.  Her clinical work was recognized in 2019 with a FutureReadyNB student excellence award.


Maria CummingsThrough her experiences on campus and while studying abroad in France, Maria was inspired to make an impact at UNB Saint John. She, along with a fellow student, started the Women in Business Society in 2019, to empower and educate students. Through their work, they have informed their peers about inequality issues and provided resources to tackle the inconsistencies and barriers women continue to face in the workforce. Maria was also a student-athlete in her first year and represented her faculty as a business representative on the SRC.


Chloe Dallon

At UNB Saint John, Chloe discovered a passion for serving her community and especially for helping children. The recipient of several prestigious scholarships, Chloe has shown incredible leadership and an eagerness to make a difference in the lives of youth in our community. Through her work with the Promise Partnership, Let's Talk Science, and Swimming with a Mission, she has dedicated her time outside of the classroom to encourage and support children in Saint John. Chloe was also the VP Logistics and a founding player for the UNBSJ Women's Field Hockey Team, and assumed volunteer roles with her faculty at both the annual Math Competition and Science Fair. The Associated Alumni also recognized Chloe’s outstanding campus contributions with the Alumni Student Leadership Award in 2020.


Janet DeblyJanet believes in giving back and supporting her fellow students. Her friends describe her as hard-working, diligent, and considerate. These qualities are evident in how she contributes to the campus community and the ways in which she supports her peers. As current president of the Golden Key Society, she has worked tirelessly to create a sense of inclusion and support for the members, always striving to set a positive example and use this experience to enhance her leadership skills. As a long-time tutor and mentor with the Promise Partnership, Janet is intent on teaching others though her experiences.


Emily Fitzpatrick

A respected member of the Seawolves basketball team, Emily spent her five years on campus as a student-athlete with the program. She demonstrated a commitment to her team and through the program was involved with fundraising efforts like the ‘Think Pink’ campaign.  The Faculty of Business recently recognized her contributions by awarding her the Vincent Georgie Marketing Master Award. Emily also served as VP, Finance with the Women in Business Society and was a volunteer with the MEDLIFE campus chapter.


 Brianna ForbesBrianna immersed herself into the campus community, becoming very involved in all aspects of student life. It is part of her nature to try her best to make an impact and help others along the way. As a senior member of the UNB Reds track and field team, Brianna has led by example and has been a mentor to her younger teammates.  Her roles with the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), UNB MEDLIFE, and Global Brigades has tremendously impacted and inspired Brianna to continue serving her community beyond UNB Saint John.  Her campus contributions also included serving as the S.A.S.E Councilor on the SRC as well as a student representative on the UNB Board of Governors. The Associated Alumni also recognized Brianna’s outstanding campus contributions with the Alumni Student Leadership Award in 2020.


Hanna GrossmanHanna is a fourth-year veteran and team captain of the Seawolves women's basketball program. An incredible student leader, Hanna has balanced success in the classroom, competitiveness on the court, volunteerism, and involvement. She is highly respected by her peers and teammates. A two-time CCAA National Scholar Award recipient, Hanna has given back to her campus community as a mentor with the Promise Partnership, as vice president of the Golden Key Society, and as a member of MEDLIFE. She also serves as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory committee. The Associated Alumni recognized her outstanding campus contributions with the Alumni Student Leadership Award in 2020.


Lauren Hartland

An ambassador for science, technology, engineering and math, Lauren has inspired and engaged youth, as a volunteer with UNB’s Let’s Talk Science initiative, helping them to discover the relevance of science.  Her interest in mentoring youth also led to her involvement with the Promise Partnership, and SWAM Saint John, a swimming program that teaches children with disabilities how to swim and to become more comfortable in the water.  Lauren has proven to be committed and engaged in student life at UNB Saint John also serving as an executive member of the Global Brigades program on campus and as a volunteer with Relay for Life.


Patrick HickeyThere are few others who are as passionate and proud of UNB Saint John than Patrick. As president of the SRC for two terms, one while leading through a pandemic, he has been a positive and effective leader within the student community. He is well-deserving of the respect he has earned throughout his time at UNB Saint John. He is a strong advocate for all students, as evidenced by his work as chair of the Board of Directors for the New Brunswick Student Alliance. Always displaying a high level of professionalism, Patrick took his role as the voice of the students at UNB Saint John very seriously, representing their interests on the Board of Governors, Saint John Senate, Associated Alumni Council and numerous campus committees.


Max LaheySeen as both a positive role model and an engaged student within the science faculty, Max served as former vice-president of the UNBSJ Global Brigades chapter, participated in several research projects at the university, and was a volunteer with the Horizon Health Network.  For three years, he has been a loyal and inspiring mentor with the Promise Partnership. His eagerness and commitment to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged youth is commendable.


Allyson LamontAllyson’s volunteer focus has been on mental health, supporting fellow students by giving her time to the Peer Support Centre at UNB Fredericton. There, she provides virtual and free peer-based support to all UNB students. Allyson also mentors with the Promise Partnership and is a member of UNBSJ's mental health advocating group, Jack.org.  She is also committed to improving the quality of the student experience though her work as a Learning Community Leader, providing educational sessions to first-year students and acting as an upper-year student advisor.


Jennifer Lord

An avid contributor to many organizations at UNB Saint John, Jennifer’s most notable role has been with the Let’s Talk Science initiative. She was responsible for taking the program to communities in Charlotte County and sharing her love of science to children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to participate. Her work contributed to enhanced interest from educators in the area to bring the program into their classrooms.  Jennifer was recognized for her ingenuity and named Volunteer of the Year at UNBSJ and as a finalist for the Let's Talk Science National Outreach Volunteer of the Year Award. She has also volunteered and been a strong advocate for mental health through the Jack.org platform, representing UNBSJ at the national summit in Toronto.


Sobana MSobana has been a tremendous ambassador and positive influence within the residence community. Always going above and beyond in her role as resident assistant, Sobana consistently aims to improve and enrich the student experience in residence by creating a warm and welcoming environment. She has also been a supportive volunteer outside of residence helping fellow students as a peer note taker for the last two years.


Jordan MacDonaldJordan’s struggles early on in his academic program only made his experience at UNB Saint John more impactful. He felt compelled to give back to a place that supported and encouraged him to succeed. For two years, he worked as editor of The Baron, taking it from a declining newspaper to one he and his fellow students are proud of. Jordan also assumed the role of unofficial ambassador to international students, helping to acquaint them to the local community. Jordan’s eagerness to share his time and inspire others drove him to volunteer with the Promise Partnership. It is no surprise that Jordan’s contributions were recognized this past year when he received the Sir Howard Douglas Award in March 2021.


Kathleen (Kate) MacNeillFrom the beginning of her nursing degree, Kate has taken on leadership roles within the department. As class representative and as an active member of the nursing society, she has been a passionate student advocate and leader amongst her peers. She earned the respect and admiration of faculty in the nursing department for her leadership abilities and contributions to student issues.  In the clinical setting, Kate excelled and was an ambassador for UNB, recently participating in a video aimed at helping to prepare year one students entering the clinical setting for the first time.  Her volunteer experience on and off campus is extensive and includes such activities as the Promise Partnership, peer-note taker, and medical missions to Haiti and Ethiopia.


Kimberly MazerolleKimberly has been an engaged member of the campus community, volunteering for various events on campus like Shinerama, and serving as an executive or committee member for various organizations and societies. She is proud of the contributions she made through her time with the Psychology Society, Jack.org and the SRC equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) committee.  Along with her academic roles in research, Kimberly is grateful for her involvement and experience on campus.


Harold Oh

An outstanding and well-rounded student citizen, Harold has proven his athleticism on the field as a member of the soccer team, in addition to being very involved on campus and in the local community. He is a two-time recipient of the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association's (CCAA) National Scholar Award and was recognized for his campus contributions with the UNB Saint John SRC Student Leadership Award in 2020. Harold values opportunities to inspire his mentees as part of the Promise Partnership program and to represent his sport on the Student Athletic Advisory Council. Throughout his time at UNB Saint John, Harold has continuously shown himself as a leader, whether it be on the field, in the classroom or in the community.


Logan PerryLogan is dedicated to making his campus and community a better place. Recognized as one of the most talented soccer players in the country, Logan was one of two UNB Saint John athletes who received the CCAA's coveted Academic All-Canadian Award for being among the best in Canada, while maintaining a high academic standing. His personal highlight is his involvement and leadership with the Global Brigade chapter, an organization that enables students to travel to various developing countries to provide public health support and water services. Logan served as president of the campus chapter and most recently as campus chairperson. Through his experiences, Logan is determined to give nothing less than his absolute best efforts towards his volunteer commitments and leadership initiatives.  

Lauren PurdyUpon returning to UNB to complete her degree, Lauren did not anticipate she would have the kind of experience she has enjoyed these last two years. Her mindset shifted from just finishing her degree to making the most of her time on campus. As a volunteer assistant with the faculty, she has felt personally rewarded by the interactions and impact she has had helping fellow students. Her role meant countless hours advising, mentoring and tutoring students. Lauren also spent time as a peer note taker and was a member of the SRC finance committee.

Keshaun SkeirBoth as a leader in residence and as a student-athlete, Keshaun has had a positive impact on the residence and campus community.  For five years, he has lived in residence and during that time served as vice-president and resident assistant.  Both roles involved providing a safe and comfortable home for students, and creating activities to support residence students.  In addition to being a member of the Seawolves varsity basketball team, Keshaun is also an active leader on the Student Athletic Advisory Council, advocating for his fellow athletes and promoting sport to youth in the local community.

Sarah SmitSarah is quite simply one of UNB’s top undergraduate students. Her achievements academically are incredible, but Sarah still manages to dedicate time outside of the classroom to serve others as a mentor/tutor with the Promise Partnership, as a member of the executive with the Golden Key Honour Society, and as a volunteer with several other local organizations. She is a strong ambassador and student advocate within her faculty, assisting and conducting research, and enthusiastically participates in several aspects of student life.

Hannah ThorneHannah is a shining example of a student-athlete who shows dedication to her academics, has tremendous pride for UNB Saint John and strives to enhance her community. As captain of the women’s varsity soccer team, Hannah has shown tremendous leadership, always going above and beyond for her teammates.  At all times willing to immerse herself into extracurricular activities, Hannah has been an active student leader during her time on campus. She is an executive member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, a mentor with the Promise Partnership and current vice president of the Women in Business society.

Ryan WalshRyan managed to squeeze a lot into his two years at UNB Saint John.  He impacted the student culture within his faculty through volunteering as vice-president of the business society and working as chair of the council for the SRC. The pandemic created challenges, but Ryan was committed to connecting his fellow students virtually as much as possible. In Ryan’s role with the business society, he facilitated a multitude of events that helped augment the student experience, often collaborating with other student groups. As the chair of the SRC, he advocated on students’ behalf and was part of a decision-making process that will impact the student community for years to come.