Each year the McGill Alumni Association (MAA) recognizes alumni, friends, students, faculty, and staff whose commitment has had a significant impact on alumni life, the University and/or the community.

While our traditional awards banquet was cancelled due to the pandemic, the McGill community joins Principal Suzanne Fortier and MAA President Luciano D’Iorio in sending out congratulations to all our 2020 McGill Alumni Association Honours and Awards recipients as we celebrate them and their achievements.

Profiles of 2020 Honourees

Award of Merit
Nahum Gelber, BA’54, BCL’57

A remarkable philanthropist with a passion for art and an enduring affinity for McGill, Nahum Gelber has supported his alma mater and its students for more than six decades. A Montrealer with a distinguished legal career, Nahum is among the Faculty of Law’s most loyal and generous benefactors whose contribution was essential to the creation of the Nahum Gelber Law Library, which stands as a transformative testament to his community leadership and continues to benefit the lives of thousands of students, scholars, lawyers and the Montreal legal community at large.

Beyond McGill, Nahum’s philanthropic vision has made an enormous difference to countless community and arts organizations including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Israel Museum, and the National Gallery of Canada. In 1972, Nahum founded the Gelmont Foundation which contributes to charitable, cultural, and educational organizations including art galleries, universities, hospitals, and Jewish organizations. In 2018, he was named a member of the Order of Canada for his record of philanthropy and service to the community.

A man of diverse talents, Nahum is candid and congenial with an engaging sense of humour and a long-lasting affection for his alma mater. Over 60 years of support, his spirit of generosity and kind heart have inspired – and continue to inspire – our community.

An energetic and engaged member of McGill for over 20 years, Tina Hobday has served on McGill’s Board of Governors, as President of the McGill Alumni Association, as President of the McGill Young Alumni and as a founding member of the Faculty of Law Young Alumni, as well as on a myriad of committees and working groups. She continues to serve McGill as a member of the University’s Pension Administration Committee. 

In the legal community, Tina is recognized as a leader in the fields of pension plan litigation and governance. As a member of the McGill community, Tina’s incisive leadership has been the hallmark of her University involvement, amply demonstrated by her well-deserved Catherine Nance Common President of the Year Award in 2002 (McGill Young Alumni), and her 2012 James A. Robb Award for exemplary volunteer service to the Faculty of Law. Throughout her constant commitment to McGill, Tina has been and will always be the very definition of distinguished service.

D. Lorne Gales Special Recognition Award
Macdonald Stewart Foundation

Since it was established almost 50 years ago, the Macdonald Stewart Foundation has fostered an impeccable tradition of Canadian philanthropy including a steady, generous commitment to McGill. The historic support of the Foundation resonates throughout the University through the creation of Macdonald College, endowed chairs, nearly a dozen buildings on McGill’s two campuses, as well as through the academic success of hundreds of Macdonald-Stewart scholarship students. Executive Director Bruce D. Bolton is responsible for the legacy of the Foundation and continues admirably the spirit and stewardship of the Stewart family’s tradition of philanthropy. Bruce remains strongly connected to McGill, regularly attending events and supporting fundraising efforts on numerous initiatives that have had – and continue to have – a transformative impact on the University.

Read Bruce D. Bolton's Made by McGill story.

E.P. Taylor Award
Paul Marchand, BCL’66, LLM’85

Paul Marchand’s tremendous contributions to McGill span decades and exemplify the notion of giving back. He has volunteered an enormous amount of time and energy and displayed invaluable leadership in helping raise funds in support of McGill.

A generous donor himself, Paul has played a central role in securing major donations, including a visionary $15 million gift from the Doggone Foundation that enabled the creation of the McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity (MI4). The timely initiative harnesses the expertise of more than 250 researchers to tackle pressing health threats such as COVID-19. He also facilitated the Doggone Foundation’s $1 million gift to create the first online Bachelor of Nursing program in Quebec at McGill’s Ingram School of Nursing. To date, the Foundation has pledged $1.8M to the School, including $1.4M to the online Bachelor of Nursing program.

Paul served as his Class of '66 reunion representative for 50 years – a true champion of McGill!

Alumni Student Engagement Award
Mat Fokas, BEng’79, MEng’87

Mat Fokas epitomizes what it means to remain connected and committed to McGill. For almost three decades, he continues to give back to McGill and its students in many ways. Mat is a loyal donor to the Faculty of Engineering and a leader in galvanizing the support of his graduating class as well as organizing reunions and reunion gifts. Despite the demands of his work, Mat volunteers his time and expertise to McGill’s engineering students. His vast experience in chemical engineering is invaluable in helping student design teams and he generously provides support and even helps them prepare for final presentations. Above all, Mat recognizes how his time at his alma mater shaped his career and he is determined to pay it forward to the next generation of McGill engineers.

Read Mat Fokas's Made by McGill story.

Catherine Nance Common President of the Year Award
Darren Begley, BSc’97 (McGill Alumni Association of Boston)

When Darren Begley moved to the U.S. east coast, he turned to the McGill Alumni Association of Boston (MAAB) to meet new and interesting people. In a short span, Darren went from volunteer to branch president, his involvement motivated by a desire to help McGill graduates in the Greater Boston Area connect with each other and build professional networks. With Darren at the helm, the Boston branch has been one of the most active McGill alumni regions, staging regular events for alumni to connect with each other and with McGill.

Darren served as branch president from 2018-2020. He recruited new volunteers and built connections with other local Canadian university alumni groups. His strong ties to McGill endure – he remains involved with the MAAB (board member) and the McGill Alumni Association’s board of directors (regional director).

Read Darren Begley's Made by McGill story.

Alumni Event of the Year Award
A Brilliant Night: In Support of The Neuro

In its short existence, A Brilliant Night has had a big impact on brain cancer research at The Neuro. A group of dedicated volunteers, most of whom had lost a loved one to brain cancer, launched the annual gala fundraiser for The Neuro’s Brain Tumour Research Centre. The event began on a promising note in 2015, raising $750,000. Since then, it has raised more than $5.2 million for the Centre’s cutting-edge work, which has led to scientific breakthroughs that have changed brain cancer research on a global scale. A Brilliant Night also raises awareness about the disease and the importance of research.

More than 25 committed volunteers are behind A Brilliant Night’s success, including the event’s co-founders Ivan Boulva, MBA’85, and his wife Marie-Claude Lacroix (pictured), Heidi Small, BA’96, Wendy Sculnick and Suzanne Wexler.

Charles H. Peters Alumni Group of the Year Award
McGill Alumni Association of Japan

Thousands of kilometres separate McGill campus from Japan, but ties to the University run deep in the island nation thanks in no small part to the McGill Alumni Association of Japan. The busy alumni branch stages networking, academic and social events, including the popular annual McGill Forum and Shinnenkai (New Year gathering), which features industry leaders offering insights on topical subjects.

Sujit Bedi, MBA’00, who recently stepped down as branch president, has been the driving force behind the alumni group as a dedicated and enthusiastic McGill volunteer. Jean-Pierre Biard, BCom’02, MBA’10, has also played a key role leading the forum speaker event.

The branch created a vibrant online community where alumni can interact and share memories of McGill, with a Facebook group that boasts more than 600 members. The thriving group of alumni plays an instrumental role in fostering a sense of McGill community and pride in Japan.

Robert Fung International Award of Distinction
Peter Guo-hua Fu, Dip Min Hous’91

It was the generosity of McGill alumnus Clifford C.F. Wong that inspired Peter Fu’s lifelong commitment to the University and its students. Peter came to McGill thanks to a Clifford C.F. Wong Fellowship awarded to an outstanding graduate student from China. Although a stranger to Canada and Montreal, Peter was welcomed by the McGill community and excelled in his studies at the School of Architecture. Academic success was soon followed by a remarkable career in China along with an abiding association with McGill through exchange programs for students, his role as a professor of practice, and a landmark $12 million gift to McGill to what is now known as the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture. Throughout his long association with his alma mater, Peter remains humble, grateful and committed to strengthening the links between Canadian and Chinese academic communities.

Read Peter Guo-hua Fu's Made by McGill story.

James G. Wright Awards 
Chantal Czerednikow, DMD’13, Cert in Gen Prac Residency’14

Known for her remarkable ability to put patients at ease, Chantal Czerednikow is on a mission to make dental care more accessible. Shortly after graduating, she launched a clinic for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) at the Montreal General Hospital, where she also trains McGill residents in special care dentistry. Through her work with professional associations, NGOs, hospitals, and McGill’s Faculty of Dentistry, Chantal is building a community of practice dedicated to improving dental care for people with special needs.

When she’s not at the hospital or her private practice, Chantal organizes dental screening events for young athletes with ASD/ID in collaboration with Special Olympics Quebec. She also volunteers at McGill as a mentor and guest lecturer and was recently named Chair of Education for the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health.

Read Chantal Czerednikow's Made by McGill story.

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, MDCM’18

When COVID-19 hit seniors’ residences in Quebec in spring 2020, Super Bowl champion Laurent Duvernay-Tardif stepped up to help the most vulnerable. The McGill-trained doctor and offensive lineman with the Kansas City Chiefs worked on the front lines at a long-term care facility, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently honoured him for his efforts with a display that includes his scrubs and lab coat. In July, he opted out of the upcoming NFL season. “If I am to take risks,” he said in a statement, “I will do it caring for patients.” He began online studies at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and returned to work at the long-term care facility.

Being a role model is nothing new for Laurent, who has served as an ambassador for a Quebec campaign to encourage young people to stay in school. Moreover, the Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Foundation encourages physical activity and creativity among youth and organizes events that promote a balance between sports, arts and studies.

Read Laurent Duvernay-Tardif's Made by McGill story.

Honorary Life Membership Award
Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper’s acumen in investments has earned him an unmatched career in the financial sector in Canada and Europe. When asked if he might share his considerable expertise with the Desautels Faculty of Management, Stephen not only agreed but also embarked upon a long association with the Faculty. Over the years, he has offered advice on the Honours in Investment Management (HIM) program, joined the Investment Management Global Expert Panel, mentored students, delivered guest lectures, and supported the Dobson Cup as a donor and judge. His unbridled energy and enthusiasm remains a driving force for Dobson students and his intrepid fundraising efforts continue to pay dividends for McGill’s budding entrepreneurs.

Chancellor Gretta Chambers Student Leadership Awards
Maude Dagenais, BSc(AgEnvSc)’14, PhD in progress

After 12 years as a student-athlete, including a three-year stint as a Martlet, Maude Dagenais was an expert in time management. Now retired from basketball, she is pouring all of her extra time into community service as she works on her PhD in Parasitology.

Keen to give graduate students an opportunity to present their research, Maude founded the Annual Montreal Parasitology Symposium which brought together over 100 researchers for its inaugural event in 2019. She has also chaired the student-run Agora Speaker Series since 2017.

She has been involved in groups such as Mac Campus Women in Science and has served as a graduate student representative for the Institute of Parasitology, the Macdonald Campus Animal Care Committee, as well as for the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee. Maude also enjoys giving back through off-campus organizations like Beyond Me, a mentorship program for children with disabilities.

Read Maude Dagenais's Made by McGill story.

Alyshia Guan, BSc(NutrSc)’21

Dietetics student Alyshia Guan has found many ways to use her complementary interests in nutrition and healthcare to support her community. Since starting her degree in 2016, she has been active in student life on Macdonald Campus, including as founder and editor-in-chief of Ignite Magazine, founder of TheBreakfastClub, and council member for the Macdonald Campus Student Society. She is also the VP of social media for MedSpecs, a McGill group that connects students to opportunities in medicine.

Off-campus, Alyshia is involved with the Clinique Interprofessionelle Montréalaise Étudiante, an interdisciplinary team that provides health services to asylum seekers in Montreal. As the organization’s dietetics director, she leads nutrition workshops and helps recruit other dietetics students.

In addition to her extracurricular pursuits, Alyshia has completed several internships in her field and excelled academically, winning the Chandra Madramootoo Scholarship in 2018.

Read Alyshia Guan's Made by McGill story.

Balarama Holness, BCL/JD'21

Former pro football player Balarama Holness is an outstanding student who has used his legal training, his background as an educator, and his interest in public policy to launch important conversations about social justice on campus and throughout the city.

During his first year of law school, he ran for mayor of Montréal-Nord to help find solutions to pressing issues like racial profiling and affordable housing. He then founded the human rights organization Montreal in Action and successfully petitioned the city to hold a public consultation on systemic racism and discrimination, mobilizing many in the McGill community to participate.

At the Faculty of Law, he helped organize a conference on systemic racism and education in 2019. His most recent undertaking is a CTV W5 documentary that explores systemic racism and discrimination in Canada, and his mission to tackle injustice through collective empowerment via education, law and democracy.

Read Balarama Holness's Made by McGill story.

Maxime Lakat, BCom’21

Managing for Sustainability student Maxime Lakat launched a movement at McGill and beyond that is transforming the way business is taught and practiced.

During his first year at McGill, Maxime revived the Desautels Sustainability Network (DSN), which is working to bring sustainable business practices into the mainstream. Under Maxime’s leadership, the DSN has grown into a nationwide network encompassing over 2,000 event participants, 300 alumni, 100 industry leaders and 60 youth organizations. With his DSN team and two other student organizations at Concordia University and HEC Montréal, Maxime helped co-create the first Montreal Youth Summit on Sustainable Business in 2020, gathering 500 participants and 45 speakers over two days.

For his role as Founder and Chair of the Canadian Business Youth Council for Sustainable Development, Maxime was recently named one of Corporate Knights’ Top 30 under 30 in sustainability in Canada. The youth council's most recent initiative is the “Our Future, Our Business" manifesto, Canada’s largest youth-led movement to change the way we do and teach business. With fellow McGill students, he also co-founded the Montreal Social Value Fund, Quebec’s first student-led impact investing group.

Read Maxime Lakat's Made by McGill story.

Khando Langri, BA’20

During most of her Honours degree in Anthropology and Political Science, Khando Langri was the only Tibetan student at McGill. She used this unique perspective, as well as her experiences as a hard of hearing person, to explore the connections between identity, disability, language, and colonialism. Her passion for Tibetan rights led her to conduct research for the Canada Tibet Committee, complete a summer internship with Machik, an NGO run by Tibetan women, and volunteer with the Chyssem Project, a community effort to celebrate the stories of Tibetan-Canadians.

To help create a network of mutual support between different marginalized peoples, Khando got involved with McGill’s Indigenous and Palestinian groups. She also served as print editor for The McGill Journal of Decolonial, Postcolonial and Anticolonial Studies, and as member of the Arts Undergraduate Society and Anthropology Students’ Association.

Read Khando Langri's Made by McGill story.

David Johnston Faculty and Staff Award
Victoria Kaspi, BSc’89

Though her pioneering research on neutron stars has shed light on some of our universe’s greatest mysteries, world-renowned astrophysicist Victoria Kaspi remains firmly grounded in her community.

When she’s not using powerful radio and x-ray telescopes to search for pulsars, the McGill Space Institute (MSI) director dedicates much of her time to public outreach, often sharing her expertise and love of space with McGill alumni. She is also a loyal and enthusiastic supporter of the Faculty of Science and helps fundraise for the MSI and other student-focused initiatives.

In addition to her role as Lorne Trottier Chair of Astrophysics and Cosmology, she was recently named a Distinguished James McGill Professor – the University’s highest honour. With too many accolades and prizes to name, Victoria has brought international acclaim to McGill and sets an inspiring example for women in STEM.

Honora Shaughnessy McGill Ambassador Award
Ginette Lamontagne

Ginette Lamontagne worked at McGill for 35 years, including as Director of Government Relations – the first person to hold such a position at a Quebec university and one of the first in Canada – and subsequently co-founded the Government Relations Officer’s Network which links people in similar posts across the country.

Now in retirement, Ginette continues to inspire others with her enthusiasm, vision, diplomacy, tenacity and hard work as founding President of the McGill University Retiree Association (MURA) – an association that resulted from a collaborative effort by McGill’s major staff and faculty associations and unions, which welcomes members from all employment categories. Now in its sixth year, MURA continues to benefit from the active support of these organizations, as well as the senior administration.

MURA hosts a number of activities, including an annual Homecoming reception and concert, and a popular book club that Ginette, MURA’s president, has hosted in her home.

Read Ginette Lamontagne's Made by McGill story.

The MAA gives sincere thanks to TD Insurance, our long-standing Honours & Awards Banquet partner.