Camosun's 70,000+ alumni are inspiring lives and making a difference in local communities and around the globe. Through determination and hard work, they're revitalizing communities and transforming the way we live, work and play. The Alumni Awards celebrate exceptional Camosun alumni, who we honour at the college’s graduation ceremony each year.
Alumni Award winners
2024 Distinguished Alumni Lesley (Watson) Stav and Promising Alumni Kayleigh McDonald
Recognizing extraordinary alumni
Camosun College is proud to announce its annual Promising and Distinguished Alumni Awards recognizing two extraordinary alumni who have made outstanding contributions in their communities.
Kayleigh McDonald is the recipient of the Camosun College 2024 Promising Alumni Award. She has demonstrated drive, passion and the ability to create her own opportunities.
Lesley (Watson) Stav is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of her 35-year career as a mentor, guide and passionate advocate for the culinary industry.
Award categories
Promising Alumni Award
Recognizes the outstanding service and accomplishments of an exceptional alumnus who graduated within the last 10 years. Nominees will be graduates who demonstrate a real commitment to others through community service and career accomplishments with a clear prediction of future successes.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Honours an alumnus who has distinguished themselves by contributions made in their own particular fields of work and in service to community and who graduated more than 10 years ago.
Eligibility and selection
All persons who completed a program of study at Camosun are eligible for consideration.
The following criteria will be considered, and weighed equally when evaluating nominees for awards:
- Service to the community.
- Professional accomplishment.
- Commitment to increasing their knowledge through lifelong learning.
Nominations are reviewed by the Camosun College Alumni Council who recommends the award recipients to the college.
Only one award per category is given each year.
Timing and required information
The Alumni Awards are celebrated each year at the college’s June graduation ceremony. Award recipients are profiled during the ceremony activities and featured on the college’s website. Unfortunately, Camosun Alumni is not able to provide travel allowances/honorariums for award recipients to attend the graduation ceremony.
The nominee must be aware of the nomination and accept that their name, photo and supporting information may be published.
Nominations for the 2025 awards are now closed.
Past recipients
Distinguished Alumni | Promising Alumni |
|---|---|
John Boehme – 2013 Cheri Wu – 2012 Shelley Zapp – 2011 Dr. Sarah Sampson – 2010 Arthur Vickers – 2010 Nella Nelson – 2009 Dr. Brad Nelson – 2009 Rob Fleming – 2008 Lew Williams – 2007 Nelly Stock – 2006 Dr. Bridget Stirling – 2005 Nancy Martens – 2004 Stephen McCallum – 2004 Adam McBride – 2003 Chief Sophie Pierre – 2003 Art Thompson (posthumously) – 2003 Barry Dodd – 2002
| Savana Walingbear - 2021 Angela Wignall - 2020 Mary-Anne Bowcott - 2019 Don Kattler – 2018 Matthew Vaillant – 2017 Jessica Cruise – 2016 Heather Bray – 2015 Jenny Shaw – 2014 Avery Graham – 2013 Dorothea Harris – 2008 Kyle Weston – 2008 Scott Thomas – 2007 Nzola Swasisa – 2006 Carol Sachowski – 2005 Joseph Gelinas & Sandra Carr (joint award) – 2004 Rob Dunsmuir – 2003 Duane Freeman – 2003 Leanne Montgomery – 2003 Neil Klompas – 2002 Elizabeth Manville – 2002 Troy Sebastian – 2002 Paul Welle – 2002 |