Eleven added to UVic’s Distinguished Alumni list

Eleven members of the University of Victoria alumni community will be honoured with Distinguished Alumni Awards on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Hotel Grand Pacific as part of Alumni Week 2015 celebrations.

Individual faculties, divisions and the university libraries selected the recipients for their economic, social or cultural contributions to their communities.

“Alumni Week highlights thinkers, changers and difference-makers—UVic alumni here and around the world who are having an incredible impact,” says Dale Henley, BA ’71, UVic Alumni Association president. “The Distinguished Alumni Award winners are great examples of that theme.”

This year’s recipients are:

• Victoria Wells, Grad. Cert. ’13 (Continuing Studies): Indigenous language revitalization proponent.
• Anne Tenning, MA ’10 (Education): First Nations education leader.
• Josh Blair, BEng ’95 (Engineering): Chief corporate officer and executive vice-president, Telus.
• Mercedes Bátiz-Benét, BFA ’02 (Fine Arts): Artistic director, Puente Theatre.
• Kim Henderson, MPA ’02 (Human and Social Development): Deputy minister, office of the premier.
• Lucas Aykroyd, MA ’97 (Humanities): Travel and sports journalist.
• Douglas S. White, LLB ’07 (Law): Treaties and reconciliation advocate.
• Dr. Tom Rimmer, BSc ’89 (Medical Sciences): Community-leading physician.
• Robert Beecroft, BSc ’84 (Science): Founder/CEO, ImmunoPrecise Antibodies.
• Susan Cartwright, BA ’79 (Social Sciences): Diplomat and federal civil servant.
• David Day, BA ’76 (UVic Libraries): Best-selling author and journalist.

The eighth annual Alumni Week concludes Feb. 7 with Chancellor Shelagh Rogers and Stewart Butterfield, BA ’96 (web innovator; co-founder of Flickr and the startup, Slack) “In Conversation” in the University Centre Farquhar Auditorium. It’s a free public talk, with advance tickets available from the UVic Ticket Centre (250-721-8480).

The full list of Alumni Week events is at alumni.uvic.ca. Follow the #UVicAlumniWeek hashtag.

-- 30 --