From teachers to doctors, LGBTQ advocates to international volunteers, business leaders to mentors, Memorial University celebrates its alumni locally, nationally and internationally with the annual Alumni Tribute Awards.

During the past four decades, numerous deserving individuals have been recognized with the highest honour Memorial can bestow upon its alumni: the Alumni of the Year Award, the Horizon Award (achievement under the age of 35), the Outstanding Community Service Award and the J.D. Eaton Award (for service to Memorial University).

Deserving of recognition

Members of the Memorial alumni family who go above and beyond for the benefit of others should be applauded – perhaps now more than ever.

Over the next month, the alumni office will remember and applaud a selection of previous Alumni Tribute Awards recipients.

First up: the J.D. Eaton Award, which recognizes exceptional volunteer contributions to Memorial.

Dr. John Crosbie (Hon. LLD’99)

A robust, celebrated and entertaining political figure, the late former lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland and Labrador and chancellor of Memorial was the 2012 J.D. Eaton Award recipient.

Dr. Crosbie’s stalwart presence at many Memorial alumni events, whether as a speaker or attendee, always brought an air of regal mischief into the room.

In his 2012 nomination package, his friends Tim Power and Leo Power wrote: “Dr. Crosbie was a prolific fundraiser in his days as chancellor. He never stopped looking for resources to help Memorial students and faculty . . . have the best educational opportunities available. A tomb would not do justice to chronicling all that Dr. Crosbie has done.”

Dr. Janet Gardiner (Hon. LLD’98)

The 2008 J.D. Eaton Award recipient became Newfoundland and Labrador’s first female chartered accountant in 1956.

Since that time, Dr. Gardiner’s contribution to Memorial’s Faculty of Business Administration has been pivotal to its many successes.

In 2013 Dr. Gardiner made a major contribution to Memorial’s Dare To capital campaign, designated to undertake renovations and purchase state-of-the-art classroom equipment to create a dedicated accounting classroom in the business faculty.

In a 2015 article, she wrote: “My family and I have had a long-standing relationship with the business faculty and with Memorial University for many years. I’m pleased to be able to provide accounting students at Memorial with an inviting place to learn and pursue their studies as they work towards embarking on their careers.”

Acknowledging greatness

Follow along with Memorial’s alumni office on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter over the next few weeks as it looks back into its archives of previous Alumni Tribute Award recipients!

Still to come: the Alumni of the Year Award, the Horizon Award and the Outstanding Community Service Award. A full list of previous award recipients can be found here.

Nominations for 2021 recipients are open until March 15. Individuals nominated after March 15 will be considered for the 2022 Alumni Tribute Awards.