Acadia Alumni Dinner

April 28, 2022 (6:00 pm - 9:30 pm)


On April 28, we invite you to celebrate our collective strength, resilience, and indomitable Acadia spirit as we gather in person to honour two inspirational people who embody our motto: ‘In Pulvere Vinces’: ‘Through effort, you will succeed’.

The last couple of years have certainly been challenging and it has been quite a while since members of the Acadia alumni community have come together to reminisce with old friends, make new ones and celebrate the incredible contributions of our alumni community. Join us in acknowledging our Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Dr. Trevor Jain (’93), and Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient, Lucas Oickle (’13).

DATE: Thursday, April 28, 2022

LOCATION: Pier 21, 1055 Marginal Rd., Halifax, N.S.

TIME: 6 – 9:30 p.m.


Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

Dr. Trevor Jain (’93)

Dr. Trevor Jain (’93) is an avid lifelong learner whose curiosity and passion for knowledge has allowed him to forge an enviable career as a trauma physician and disaster medicine specialist.

Dr. Jain is a 34-year veteran and Lt. Col. in the Canadian Armed Forces, a strong community advocate and teacher whose commitment to the health and well-being of others has been acknowledged through numerous awards and accolades. He is currently completing a PhD in disaster medicine at the University of Brussels and continues to serve in the army as the 36th Canadian Brigade Group Surgeon.

In high school, Dr. Jain joined the Canadian Armed Forces as an infantry soldier, later earned a BSc in biology from Acadia and continued his studies in Halifax, where he obtained an MD from Dalhousie Medical School. He was seconded by the military on Sept. 3, 1998 while still a student to design, set up and run the morgue as the pathology operations officer in the aftermath of the Swissair Flight 111 disaster off Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. He received the Meritorious Service Medal of Canada for his efforts by the Governor-General in 1999.

Of the many accolades he has earned throughout his career, perhaps the most noteworthy is the Order of Military Merit (officer level), awarded in November 2018. It’s the second highest military honour presented by the Governor-General to recognize outstanding military service, and of the 26,000 people enlisted in the Canadian military at that time, Dr. Jain was one of only five to receive the clasp. To make it even more poignant, he was nominated for the honour by members of his own brigade.

He has also received the 2021 Canadian Medical Association John McCrae Memorial Medal, which recognizes current or former clinical health services personnel of the Canadian Armed Forces for exemplary service, noting that winners have demonstrated compassion, self-sacrifice or innovation beyond the call of duty, and their efforts have greatly benefited the health or welfare of military personnel or civilian populations.

The Acadia Alumni Association applauds his remarkable commitment to public service and is pleased to add another accolade by naming Dr. Trevor Jain as its 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

Dr. Jain’s Acadia roots run deep. His father, Dr. Nirmal Jain, was a long-time Acadia employee and librarian in the Vaughan Memorial Library and his mother, June, an Annapolis Valley educator, is a two-time Acadia graduate (‘78, ’93). His sister, Teresa Pelley, is also an Acadia graduate, earning a master’s in 2007.

Dr. Jain is a married father of two and lives with his wife Kara in picturesque Stratford, PEI.


Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient

Lucas Oickle (’13)

To say that Acadia University’s Lucas Oickle (’13) has hit all the right notes during his career before and after graduation would be an understatement.

A gifted and talented composer and educator, Lucas obtained a Bachelor of Music from Acadia in 2013, studying with JUNO and East Coast Music Award-winning composers Dr. Derek Charke and Dinuk Wijeratne, and a Master’s of Music in Composition in 2015 from the University of British Columbia.

As an undergrad at Acadia, Lucas composed a dizzying array of more than 25 works during four short years of study and participated in the Gamelan Ensemble under the direction of Acadia School of Music instructor Ken Shorley. He composed an exciting piece for the ensemble that was workshopped and premiered in 2012, which Shorley characterized as “fresh, energetic and intriguing. This piece pays homage to traditional Sudanese music while forging a sound territory all its own.”

Shorley also engineered and produced a recording of new work for cello and harp written by Lucas for India Gailey (’17), another dynamic Acadia graduate.

Since graduating from Acadia, Lucas has composed over 30 new works and had numerous commissions and performances by professional ensembles. His continued success as a composer has brought great pride to Acadia and is one of the reasons why he is the 2022 recipient of the Alumni Association’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Outside of composing, Lucas is a certified English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructor through the University of Toronto, specializing in teaching business English and test preparation courses. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Vancouver Pro Musica and Sound of Dragon Society.

Currently an associate composer at the Canadian Music Centre, Lucas now resides in the Kansai area of Japan with his wife, daughter and two cats.


Thanks to our generous sponsors:

Presenting sponsor

TD Insurance logo


Chancellor's Sponsors

Irving logo

Crombie REIT logo


President's Sponsors

BMO Bank of Montreal logo

McInnes Cooper logo

Mattatall Signs logo


Red and Blue Sponsors

IA Financial Group

Stevens Group logo


Friend of Acadia Sponsors

Sodexo Campus logo

BMO Mastercard logo

Coach Atlantic/Maritime Bus logo


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