²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù

June 20, 2019

U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù community makes its mark at annual city awards night

Faculty and alumni honoured at ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù Awards on June 12
Leighton Wilks, instructor with the Haskayne School of Business, accepts the Community Achievement Award for education at the 2018 ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù Awards.

Leighton Wilks accepts the Community Achievement Award for education at the 2018 ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù Awards.

The City of ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù

From community connectors to innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs, U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù’s family is filled with change-makers leaving their mark on the intellectual, physical and cultural landscape of our vibrant city.

On June 12, U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù community members, including faculty and alumni, were honoured at the  for their exceptional achievements and outstanding leadership over the past year.

As a long-standing tradition of more than 20 years, The City of ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù’s annual ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù Awards celebrate a select number of remarkable individuals, corporations and community groups for their impact throughout the preceding year.  

Nihal Potdar, centre, is awarded the U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù sponsored Youth Award, presented by Councillor George Chahal, left, and Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Nihal Potdar, centre, is awarded the Youth Award, presented by George Chahal and Naheed Nenshi.

U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù community honoured for outstanding accomplishments

Community Achievement Award recipients:

  • Education – Leighton Wilks, instructor and PhD candidate at U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù’s Haskayne School of Business
  • Community Advocate Individual – Peter Oliver, BSC’05
  • Heritage – Irene and Walt DeBoni, MBA‘80
  • Grant MacEwan Lifetime Achievement – Jenny Belzberg, honorary degree recipient and member of the Cumming School of Medicine’s Community and Partners Advisory Committee for the Libin Cardiovascular Institute
  • Citizen of the Year – Bill Ptacek, member of the ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù Institute for Humanities Advisory Council in the Faculty of Arts
  • City of ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù W. O. Mitchell Book Prize – Marcello Di Cintio, BA’97, BSC’97 and former Markin-Flanagan Canadian Writer-in-Residence (2009-10)

U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù sponsors youth award for more than a decade

For the 11th consecutive year, U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù has also supported the awards as a gold-level sponsor for the youth category, a volunteer and community development award presented to a young Calgarian whose exceptional achievements have culminated in recognition of, or improved, the quality of life in ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù.

This year’s Youth Award recipient, Nihal Potdar, a graduating student at Western Canada High School, is currently working alongside Dr. Frank Maurer, PhD, associate dean of innovation and strategic partnerships in the , to develop an internship program that enables high school students to conduct cutting-edge tech research in U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù labs.