Fall 2025
Curiosity drives change, fuels new ventures, and pushes us to rethink what’s possible. In this issue of Alumni News, we celebrate the dreamers, builders, and risk-takers who took their curiosity to the next step and turned ideas into impact.
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In this issue
David Thibodeau (BPhil’16) is a big believer in the power of sport to improve personal well-being, community, and even public policy.
Turning dreams into reality
Research Entrepreneurship Turning dreams into reality
Being surrounded by innovators inspired Alexander Tree (BScE’21, MTME’25) to create something of his own.
Where purpose meets practice
People Entrepreneurship Where purpose meets practice
When Julia Dharma Long (née Dutkiewicz, BBA’90) graduated from UNB, she left campus with more than a degree.
Rewriting the narrative
People Entrepreneurship Rewriting the narrative
As founder of The Publishing Pad, Chisom Ezeh (MBA'22) is helping authors share their stories and their voices with the world.
Seema Sanghavi (BEd’06) is cooking up change through her transformative social enterprise, Cooks Who Feed.

Explore your favourite features 

Editor's Letter

Hither & Yon    In Memoriam    Bookshelf
Leading a creative shift
People Arts Leading a creative shift
Ben Scott (BA’06, C-FPD’07) is redefining how creative work happens in an ever-evolving marketing agency. As creative director at SALT XC, he brings passion, leadership and imagination to his role.
Trailblazing market-ready solutions
People FOREM Trailblazing market-ready solutions
Mike Kennedy (BScF’03, MScF’06) shares how data is at the intersection of economic growth and environmental management.
Alumni president's letter
People Computer Science Alumni president's letter
Andrew Martel (BCS'15) shares his first letter as president of UNB's Associated Alumni.
A legacy of leadership, learning and growth
People Engineering A legacy of leadership, learning and growth
The incredible impact of Merv Symes (BScEng'81) on New Brunswick.
They dance together
People Community They dance together
In September 2025, Canada’s first professional Indigenous dance school welcomed its inaugural cohort, due in large part to Natasha Martin-Mitchell (C-LS’16, BIS’16, MEd’18).
Big impact, tiny tech
People Entrepreneurship Big impact, tiny tech
Kumaran Thillainadarajah's (D-TME’08) tech became a global leader in productivity solutions for food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.
UNB honorary degree recipients
People Contribution UNB honorary degree recipients
John (Jack) Little (MA’70, DLitt’25), Cherrill Edwina Shea (BA’69, LLB’72, LLD’25) and Pascal Siakam (DLitt’25) received honorary degrees in fall 2025.
IBME at 60
Research Entrepreneurship IBME at 60
When a Fredericton rehabilitation centre turned to UNB for help, nobody imagined the request would spark decades of breakthroughs in prosthetic technology and rehabilitation science.
The road less travelled to tech success
People Renaissance College The road less travelled to tech success
Jason Goldlist (BPhil’06) has always been someone who wanted to do things differently.
From our readers
What I learned while kayaking the Aleutians
Learning Things I Learned What I learned while kayaking the Aleutians
Brian Craig (BScE’81) reflects back on his adventures while kayaking the Aleutians.
Pulling threads
People Entrepreneurship Pulling threads
Scott Rinehart (BA'00) tells the story of the discovery he made while wandering through his favourite second-hand bookstore.
Support for students
UNB Alumni Student Legacy Award
Students UNB Alumni Student Legacy Award
Recipient of a 2025-2026 Alumni Student Legacy Award, Jack Bailey has been deeply involved as a UNB student leader.
Alumni Student Leadership Award
Students Alumni Student Leadership Award
These recipients of the 2025 Alumni Student Leadership Award demonstrate outstanding leadership on campus and in their communities.
Online exclusives
Sarah Giroux is helping others to find the light
People Nursing Sarah Giroux is helping others to find the light
Sarah Giroux (née Theriault, BN’10) says that the first time she realized the depth of her commitment to mental health nursing was working at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital.
Leading a miraculous turnaround in a time of national crisis
People Management Leading a miraculous turnaround in a time of national crisis
As chair and CEO of OTE Group in Greece, Michael Tsamaz (BBA’84), transformed a failing former state-owned telecom into a modern digital services giant that helped turn Greece’s economy and culture around.
Rising to the top
People Kinesiology Rising to the top
When Pat Cormier (BScKin’17) first stepped onto the soccer field as a student-athlete at UNB, he didn’t know he was laying the groundwork for a career that would take him around the world.
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