The Alumni Tribute Awards remain one of Memorial’s most meaningful traditions, honouring graduates who exemplify leadership, service, innovation and the spirit of Memorial University.
This year’s recipients represent a remarkable spectrum of achievement, their work spanning community advocacy, scientific advancement, youth leadership and philanthropic impact, each contributing to Memorial’s legacy distinctly and powerfully.
Alumnus of the Year: Dr. Proton Rahman
Memorial University’s Alumnus of the Year Award recognizes graduates whose lives embody the university’s enduring commitment to excellence, service, discovery and a profound responsibility to improve the lives of others.
Few embody those values more fully than Dr. Proton Rahman (BMS’88, MD’90), whose groundbreaking contributions to medicine, research, education and public service have transformed lives in Newfoundland and Labrador and far beyond.
A brilliant researcher who quietly developed a cutting-edge style, Dr. Rahman has combined scientific excellence with a deep commitment to patient care for more than 25 years. The internationally renowned rheumatologist advanced the understanding of inflammatory arthritis through pioneering genetic research, helping uncover disease-associated genes and contributing to therapies that now benefit patients around the world. As clinical chief of rheumatology with Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services and as the John Lewis Paton Distinguished University Professor at Memorial, he is shaping both the future of health care and the next generation of medical leaders.
Through visionary leadership, including his work during the COVID-19 pandemic and his role in building world-class research capacity in the province, Dr. Rahman has elevated Newfoundland and Labrador on the global stage. His appointment to the Order of Canada and the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador reflects a career dedicated not only to discovery, but also to service, compassion and the pursuit of a healthier future for all.
J.D. Eaton Award: Garrett Doyle
While building an intern ational career marked by innovation and business success, Garrett Doyle (BA’93) never lost sight of the university that launched his path. His dedication and volunteerism to Memorial demonstrate the essence of the J.D. Eaton Award.
Over the past 25 years, Mr. Doyle has built a distinguished career as an entrepreneur, investor and technology executive, creating and scaling businesses across technology, software and digital media on both sides of the Atlantic.
In the United Kingdom, Mr. Doyle co-founded Dreamtek before launching The Virtual Forge, where he now serves as co-CEO. Under his leadership, the company has grown internationally, serving clients across the U.K. and North America. He is also a director of Boundless Immersive and an investor and non-executive director of Line Up Polo, advising founders and management teams on strategy, innovation, investment and growth.
Throughout his success abroad, he remained deeply connected to Memorial. As a director and active chair of the Board of MUN (UK) Ltd., he has spent countless hours mentoring and advocating for Memorial’s students, supporting their academics, immersing them in the real world of business, creativity and start-ups, and guiding them along their way. As one of the most visible and credible advocates for Memorial’s international mission, he is an alumnus who has woven investment in future generations of alumni into his practice.
Outstanding Community Service Award: Gemma Hickey
Few individuals have shaped the social landscape of Newfoundland and Labrador as profoundly as Gemma Hickey (BA’03).
Their recognition with the Outstanding Community Service Award highlights a life’s work that rests on a simple conviction: lived experience can become a catalyst for change beyond the self.
A multi-award-winning international author, humanitarian and advocate, their work has advanced human rights, equality and social justice for more than two decades. As national president of Egale Canada and later pflag (national organizations that support and advocate for LGBTQ+ people and their families), they helped advance marriage equality, reform blood donation policies and, as a survivor of conversion therapy, contributed to securing its ban in Canada. In 2017, Mx. Hickey successfully challenged the law to obtain Canada’s first non-binary birth certificate.
Deeply connected to Newfoundland and Labrador, they have expanded access to housing, education, employment and support services for marginalized communities at home. A survivor of clergy abuse, in 2013 they founded the Pathways Foundation to support survivors of religious institutional abuse and their families. In 2015, they walked across the Island of Newfoundland to raise awareness and funds; their memoir, Almost Feral , recounts that journey. In 2023, they became the first transgender recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case, among Canada’s highest honours for advancing equality.
Today, as president of Ending Clergy Abuse, Mx. Hickey helps lead a global movement for accountability and reform across more than 30 countries.
Horizon Award: Dr. Matthew Downer
The Horizon Award recognizes alumni 35 years of age or younger whose achievements signal extraordinary accomplishment. Born and raised in St. John’s, Dr. Matthew Downer (B.Sc.(Hons.)’17, MD’25) has built an exceptional career spanning rehabilitation medicine, neuroscience research and health policy.
At Memorial University, Dr. Downer distinguished himself as a scholar, researcher and community leader, earning numerous honours during his undergraduate and medical degrees, including a Fulbright Killam Fellowship and the Captain Bartlett Convocation Award for Science.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Michelle Ploughman, he completed several projects on neurorehabilitation interventions for patients living with neurological disabilities.
He founded a student group to raise awareness of Newfoundland and Labrador’s opioid crisis, earning a National Medical Student Leadership Award. Throughout his studies, he volunteered for the Special Olympics St. John’s as head coach for hockey and golf programs.
Named a 2019 Rhodes Scholar, he completed a master of science degree and a doctor of philosophy degree at the University of Oxford. There, he published multiple studies on stroke outcomes, co-authored stroke clinical practice guidelines, led multiple Canadian health policy reports and worked on Canada’s COVID-19 pandemic response, all before the age of 35. He also served as captain of Oxford’s hockey team.
Today, he is a resident physician and post-doctoral researcher in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Toronto, continuing a career defined by leadership, service and impact.
A celebration of legacy and leadership
Together, the four honourees’ achievements in science, community leadership, advocacy and public service demonstrate how Memorial graduates continue to shape Newfoundland and Labrador and contribute globally.
“Our 2026 Alumni Tribute Award recipients represent the very best of leadership, innovation, generosity and service,” said President Janet Morrison. “Through their actions and work, they have created meaningful change and brought distinction to our university. We are incredibly proud to celebrate their achievements and the lasting impact they are making in Newfoundland and Labrador, across Canada and around the world.”
The 2026 ceremony will take place on Nov. 19, 2026.
