Acadia University - Outstanding University Service

2024 Recipient – Mr. Brad George

Technology can be confounding and difficult to understand and appreciate for many people. Those with the training and willingness to share their knowledge, however, have the skills to unlock its powers and invariably end up holding a special place in the hearts of anyone who relies on technology to get the job done.

Brad George, recently retired Manager of Hardware Services at Acadia, is one of those people. Over a 30-year career at Acadia, Brad’s patience and outstanding service distinguished him among his peers, going above and beyond with confidence, kindness and always a smile. He was quick to respond with insight and action and for this reason, and many others, the Acadia Alumni Association is delighted to recognize him as the 2024 recipient of the Outstanding University Service Award.

Brad began his career at Acadia as a technician and later became a supervisor. He is unfailingly thoughtful and polite and went out of his way – literally – to deliver top service to employees experiencing technical issues. During the pandemic, for instance, Brad drove to an employee’s house with a new keyboard and mouse. He asked another employee who needed a phone repaired to hang it on their door. He swung by, picked it up, had it repaired and drove it back. He was certainly one of Acadia’s quiet heroes.

Also during the pandemic, employees transitioned to working from home, transitioned back to the office, and others continue to have a hybrid working relationship. Through all these transitions, Brad and his colleagues in Technology Service were there with a positive attitude, great advice, and remarkable customer service.

Easygoing and affable, Brad made staff, faculty, and students feel important, no matter how small the job. He never made anyone feel incompetent or bothersome never, and demonstrated amazing patience when sharing new technical knowledge with others. The Acadia community is better for Brad’s steadfast presence and outstanding work ethic.

The Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award is given in recognition of a staff member who has had a significant positive impact on Acadia. Brad has done just that for more than three decades.

Alumni Association President Christine Luckasavitch ('11) says, “Acadia’s culture is predicated on a spirit of kindness and willingness to help in any situation. Brad George is the epitome of this kind of service above self. He puts people first, values relationships, and supports in the best way possible those who are not necessarily familiar with technology or are perhaps intimidated by it. He makes the difficult seem easy and inspires confidence while outlining best practices and reasonable options. He’s a testament to what Acadia is all about, and the Alumni Association is honoured to celebrate him as this year’s Outstanding University Service Award recipient.”

2023 Recipient – Ms. Melanie Jackson

Humble, fierce, intelligent, and dedicated.

Just a few words that describe Acadia alum Melanie Jackson ('99, '01), this year’s recipient of the Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award.

Passionate and meticulous, Melanie is committed to all things Acadia and exemplifies the University motto, In Pulvere Vinces. She has tremendously deep institutional knowledge coupled with a comprehensive understanding of the Advancement profession that has stood her in good stead while serving the Acadia community over the last 17 years.  

Currently Senior Alumni Officer in the Office of Advancement, Melanie is a two-time Acadia grad, having earned a BSc in biology and a BEd. Like many others in the alumni family, she met her life partner Doug ('99), a former Acadia Alumni Association President, while still an undergrad. Married now for 19 years, Melanie and Doug have two children.

Melanie was involved as a volunteer with the student-alumni organization, Students Maintaining Alumni Relations Through Teamwork (S.M.A.R.T.T.), supporting the work of alumni relations and fundraising staff, affording her first-hand experience in event planning and execution, diplomacy, communications and donor stewardship.

Over the years, Melanie has refined her many talents, surmounting challenges with aplomb and applying order and organization to workflow deliverables in an orderly and methodical manner. She is creative, adaptable and collaborative, working comfortably with colleagues, Board members and senior administrators alike. Her ability to see things as they are and candour in representing that perspective is uncommon and refreshing.

She works tirelessly with the Acadia Alumni Association, supporting 10 committees and sub-committees and the 22 Alumni Association Board members with remarkable skill, tact, insight and diplomacy.  She also works with each graduating Class Executive, advising the Grad Class Life Officers.

Kierstyn Palmer is Life Class President 2022. She notes that Melanie “genuinely wants what is best for students, and her passion for Acadia is blatantly obvious to anyone who has the pleasure to work alongside her. It comes naturally to her to want to go above and beyond for students (and) having such genuine, non-judgmental support to accomplish our goals is what led to our plans for graduation year having so much success. This award is an excellent way of seriously acknowledging the positive impact she has on students, alumni, and the entire Acadia community!”

Sophia Blanchard, 2023 Grad Class President, echoes the sentiment. “Melanie is a truly outstanding member of the University community, and I could not think of someone more highly deserving of the Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award. Her contributions have had a lasting impact on the institution and those who have had the pleasure of working with her, especially myself and the Class of 2023.”

Melanie is a pivotal member of the Acadia team who has provided during her incredible career an extraordinarily high degree of management-level administrative experience, support and advice to the Alumni Association Board, its members, countless students, alumni and valued colleagues during her tenure.

Alumni Association President Matthew Rios ('14) concurs, noting that Melanie “is always willing to go above and beyond. She is thoughtful, energetic and committed to producing the finest work in the most efficient way possible. She is persistently respectful, considerate and ready without hesitation to roll up her sleeves and pitch in with a wonderful combination of determination, professionalism and caring that has made her an integral part of the Advancement team and the Acadia community. She is an incredible asset, and it is my great pleasure to acknowledge and applaud her as this year’s Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award recipient.”

2023 Recipient – Ms. Kim Vaughan

Kim Vaughan is the Administrative Coordinator for Acadia’s School of Kinesiology and the Centre of Lifestyle Studies. She has a keen eye for detail and her knowledge of University policies and procedures is expansive and impressive. Small wonder she is often described as a driving force behind what happens in the School of Kinesiology.

Kim joined the School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology in 2003 and has been a mainstay there ever since, going above and beyond in every aspect of her role to ensure that faculty, staff, students and alumni are informed, cared for and respected. She gives freely of her time and talent, bakes cookies for students, decorates the lobby at Christmas, and routinely drops everything to help anyone in need. She is an exemplar of what an admin coordinator should be: capable, organized, principled, determined, and always on top of things.

For these and a host of other reasons, the Acadia Alumni Association is pleased to announce that Kim Vaughan is the 2022 Acadia Alumni Association Outstanding University Service Award recipient.

Alumni Association President Matt Rios ('14) says, “Kim epitomizes the term ‘university service’. Her commitment to the many facets of her job have endeared her to the Acadia community, and her incredible dedication to the students she has influenced over the years has added tremendous capacity, insight and compassion to our alumni community. I offer hearty and sincere congratulations, and am delighted to recognize and applaud her remarkable achievements with this year’s Acadia Alumni Association Outstanding University Service Award.”

Kim’s contributions are not confined to the Acadia campus. She continues to have a significant civic impact as the Parker District Co-Commissioner for the Girl Guides of Canada and Contact Guider for the Kentville Brownies and Rangers, among other roles. She has also planned fundraisers for Chrysalis House, which provides a safe and non-judgmental shelter and outreach services for women and children; testicular cancer; blood drives; and has been instrumental in most of the School of Kinesiology’s service-learning programs, including the cardiac maintenance program, Kinderskills, Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience (S.M.I.L.E.) program, Acadia Active Aging program, and the Hannah Miller Memorial hockey tournament.

Acadia grad Megan Beliveau ('14) says, “Kim embodies service leadership in the many roles she finds herself. Through all these roles she goes above and beyond the expectations, doing so with a clear motivation to support the success of others.”

Kim sets a high standard for those around her, supporting and elevating everyone to new and previously unimagined heights. Her dedication to the goals of the University and her colleagues is unparalleled, and why she is the 2022 Acadia Alumni Association Outstanding University Service Award recipient.

2021 Recipient – Ms. Jennifer Veinot

Human Resources Manager Jennifer Veinot is the epitome of skill, kindness and customer service, a consummate professional who makes current staff and faculty, potential employees and new hires feel comfortable and a key part of the team at Acadia.

Her career has been characterized by an unparalleled personal approach to human resource management that has shaped the foundation of Acadia’s success, and a big reason why Jennifer is this year’s Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award recipient.

Handling a daunting caseload as part of a small Human Resources team, Jennifer deals with faculty and staff with aplomb, addressing an array of HR issues in a calm and competent manner. She is an outstanding ambassador, representing Acadia reasonably and well, with an attention to detail and a thoughtful approach that has earned accolades from colleagues across campus.

“Jennifer is always prepared and ready to make a favourable impression,” says Alumni Association President Donalda MacBeath ('75). “She is also quite often an initial point of contact for people interested in working at Acadia and treats everyone with respect, kindness and compassion. That’s incredibly influential and sets the table nicely from an employee perspective for the kind of positive experience we want our students to have when they arrive on campus. It’s also a feeling they will ultimately take with them upon graduation. Employees like Jennifer represent the face of Acadia University, and the Alumni Association is justifiably proud of her remarkable service and the value she brings to all aspects of her job.”

Strategic efforts associated with the University’s Acadia 2025 plan also include an institutional mandate to care for employees. Executive Director, Student Services, James Sanford ('87) says, “Jennifer demonstrates this caring attitude in her work every day.”

Director, Human Resources, Kerry Deveau concurs. “Everyone who deals with Jennifer – i.e., managers, employees, potential recruits – all say the same thing; Jennifer is amazing! She is always prepared and goes above and beyond in helping departments recruit for a position and making potential candidates feel comfortable and excited about working at Acadia. In her 17 years at Acadia, she has consistently displayed these qualities, and it is a privilege to work alongside her.”

2020 Recipient – Cheryl MacDonald ('00)

The Acadia Alumni Association is proud to announce that long-time Acadia employee Cheryl MacDonald is this year’s recipient of the Acadia Alumni Outstanding University Service Award.

If anyone at Acadia epitomizes the term, ‘university service’, it’s Cheryl. Currently Administrative Manager, Dean of Arts, Cheryl has devoted herself to the University for more than 40 years in a variety of different positions and capacities, greeting the public, alumni, students, faculty and staff with consistent kindness and professionalism.

She has an encyclopedic knowledge of Acadia’s administrative structures, personnel and institutional culture that she shares regularly with Chairs, Directors and Coordinators in the Faculty of Arts, and her tremendous commitment has left an indelible mark that will stand as a benchmark of service excellence for years to come.

“Cheryl represents the very best of what Acadia is all about,” says Alumni Association President Donalda MacBeath ('75). “Since her arrival at Acadia in July 1979, she has been engaged on many levels, working in a front-line role that involves staff, students, alumni, the public and members of Acadia’s administration. Her institutional knowledge, genuine caring and general goodwill has characterized the Faculty of Arts for more than four decades. We are delighted to acknowledge her long-standing service and considerable contribution to Acadia’s reputation, and congratulate her on this achievement."

Dean of Arts Dr. Laura Robinson ('88) says, “from small (but so important) gestures like having dog treats at the ready for visiting canines and a bowl of candy on her desk for human visitors to larger competencies, such as her knowledge of the operations of the Faculty of Arts and the collective agreement, Cheryl makes a real difference every day. With her compassion, good humour, and readiness to dig in to get the job done, Cheryl embodies and transmits the Acadia spirit.”

Interestingly, Cheryl is also a member of Acadia’s alumni community. She began a BA in sociology part-time in 1991 and completed the degree in 2000.

The Outstanding University Service Award is an expression of the Alumni Association’s appreciation for a staff member who has contributed above and beyond job requirements to ensure that Acadia provides an environment that encourages academic, athletic, cultural, organizational and social development.

2019 Recipient – Eric Cederberg ('94)

Eric Cederberg ('94) arrived on the Acadia campus as a student-athlete in 1988 and never left, transitioning from the football field to coaching the Axemen part-time under the legendary Sonny Wolfe to employment in Acadia’s Department of Athletics.

Currently Manager of Communications and Programming, Cederberg has pretty much done it all over the past 24 years of his working career. He started out managing the Athletics Service Desk, and his responsibilities since then have grown to include Athletics programming, communications (coordinating the website, social media, webcasts and print material) and marketing Acadia Athletics.

It was perfectly fitting then that on June 13, 2019, he received the newly reconstituted Outstanding University Service Award from the Acadia Alumni Association. The Award, which was last presented in 2008, acknowledges a staff member who has had a significant positive impact on Acadia, its students and alumni. It is also an expression of the Alumni Association’s appreciation for an outstanding staff member who has contributed above and beyond the requirements of their job to ensure that Acadia provides an environment that encourages academic, athletic, cultural, organizational and social development of the Acadia community.

In presenting the Award, Alumni Association Vice-President Donalda MacBeath ('75) said Cederberg had mentored hundreds of student employees during his career, promoting and encouraging the involvement of those on and off campus in Acadia Athletics endeavours.

Cederberg was out of the country when the Service Award announcement was made, but said afterward that it took him by surprise. He got off the plane in Halifax and his phone was blowing up with congratulatory messages. He didn’t really know what was going on.

“I’ve never been comfortable getting awards,” he added. “I’m in a position where I’m not part of the limelight.” More often he’s the guy taking the photo rather than the one in it.

However, “I appreciate it a lot. It’s recognition of the work I’ve done over the past 24 years and, more importantly, the people I’ve worked with. We’ve always had a unique group determined to reach our department’s goal to give our student-athletes the best experience possible. We’re like a team; everybody knows their role and we’re all focused. We want to provide student-athletes with an experience they can look back on down the road, and I think it’s important to engage with the student body, hire them to do jobs, tap into their talent and create opportunities.”

Cederberg was looking for a small school experience when he came to Wolfville to pursue a Bachelor of Physical Education and he has since immersed himself in Acadia’s culture and the surrounding community. He is a fixture at every Acadia sporting event and a powerful voice on the Athletics Department’s various social media channels. The students, coaches and the job itself continues to keep him young, he says, and he’s looking forward to this year’s season with excitement and anticipation.

Cederberg lives in Wolfville with his wife, Renata Verri ('94), and their two sons.