Distinguished Alumni Awards 2023
Celebrate UM graduates who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in their professional and personal lives, are inspiring fellow alumni, current students and the broader community, and have made significant, transformative contributions to society.
Award categories
Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA) nominations open annually and mark an excellent opportunity to recognize UM alumni who are an inspiration to fellow alumni, current students and the community, both close to home and around the globe.
Nominations are now closed. For more information, please contact Roslyn Dally.
Lifetime Achievement
This award recognizes graduates who have shown personal and professional achievements and leadership throughout their lifetime and continue to make significant and transformative contributions to their profession, their community and the University of Manitoba.
Nominees must demonstrate a lifetime of:
- Outstanding contributions that made a transformative impact within their community
- Exemplary achievement throughout their lifetime
- Service to the University of Manitoba
Professional Achievement
This award recognizes graduates who have made exemplary contributions to their profession and have previously received recognition from within their discipline. The focus of this award is professional achievement that is non-academic in nature. (see Academic Innovation Award below)
Nominees must demonstrate:
- A standard of professional excellence throughout their career that has inspired their colleagues and peers with an emphasis on their professional achievements in the last three to five years
- Exceptional leadership in their profession
- Outstanding and transformative achievements recognized by the nominee’s professional community
Academic Innovation
This award recognizes graduates who have made exemplary contributions to their academic career and have previously received recognition for their innovation, research excellence and mentoring in academia.
Nominees must demonstrate:
- Outstanding innovation and research achievements and excellence in academia that have had a major, transformative impact on the community and society to help make for a better world, with an emphasis on their academic innovation and research achievements in the last three to five years
- Excellence in academic mentoring and publishing
- Exceptional leadership in their area of academic innovation and research
- At least 51% of their current or past employment (if retired / emeritus) in academia at a recognized post-secondary institution(s)
Community Service
This award recognizes graduates who have had a transformative impact on those in their community, either at the local, national or international level.
Nominees must demonstrate:
- Extraordinary efforts that have made a positive impact on their community
- Community service or volunteer work that has engaged and inspired others
- Community service that is clearly outside of or above and beyond their professional discipline in a voluntary, charitable and non-paid capacity
Outstanding Young Alumni
This award recognizes graduates who are under the age of 35 before the close of nominations who have demonstrated significant contributions and leadership to their field of endeavour, their community and the University of Manitoba.
Nominees must demonstrate:
- Inspiring achievements in their field
- Contributions that have had a transformative impact in their community
- Service to the University of Manitoba, both while as a student and ongoing as an alum
Eligibility Restrictions
Alumni who have received an honorary degree bestowed by the University of Manitoba have received the institution’s highest honour and therefore are not eligible for nomination.
In addition, the following alumni cannot be nominated:
- Those who currently hold political office at a local, provincial/state, national, or Indigenous government level
- Members of the Distinguished Alumni Awards Selection Panel or Award Category Pre-Selection Subcommittees
- Members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors
- Members of the University of Manitoba Board of Governors
- Members of the University of Manitoba's senior leadership team, specifically for the Academic Innovation Award, including Deans, Associate Deans, Vice-Presidents and Vice-Provosts
Distinguished Alumni Awards 2022 recipients
Lifetime Achievement
Dr. Arnold Naimark [BSc(Med)/57, MD/57, MSc/60]
For his lifelong commitment to promoting health care research funding and education in this province and at the University as former Dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, distinguished service as former UM president and vice-chancellor, and significant volunteer service with numerous organizations.
Professional Achievement
Charlie Spiring [BComm(Hons)/80]
For his unparalleled business accomplishments, changing the face of Winnipeg’s investment community, as Founder of Wellington West Holding Inc. and current Founder and Chairman of Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.
Academic Innovation
Dr. Peter McPherson [BSc(Hons)/86, MSc/88]
For his world-renowned research in the field of membrane trafficking, the process by which molecules enter or exit a cell and are distributed within it, at McGill University and at the Montreal Neurological Institute.
Community Service
Pam Klein [MEd/83]
For her lifelong volunteer commitment serving as founder, chair or member of over 30 organizations and events, including as chancellor of the University of Regina, Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, and the “Power of Pink,” a bi-annual event that raises funds and awareness for breast cancer.
Outstanding Young Alumni
Dr. Carly McLellan [BA/16, MD/20]
For her incredible leadership in both Indigenous health and rural medicine, volunteer service for the Winnipeg Inter-Professional Student-run Health Clinic at Mount Carmel Clinic, and as a contributor to the Indigenous Health course review in the University of Manitoba medical school curriculum.
Past recipients
Contact us
Roslyn Dally
Alumni Outreach & Engagement Lead
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6 Canada