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. Stand Up and Cheer!

For more information on Acadia Alumni Association Awards, nomination forms and deadlines, please click here.