Alumni Awards

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

Promising Alum Shae-Lynn Mellors (left) and Distinguished Alum Neil Klompas (right)

Promising Alum Shae-Lynn Mellors (left) and Distinguished Alum Neil Klompas (right)

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. 

Shae-Lynn Mellors is the recipient of the Camosun College 2023 Promising Alumni Award. She has made a significant impact in supporting vulnerable children within her community.

Neil Klompas has made a strong impact in the fields of healthcare, finance, and biotechnology throughout his career; for this reason, he was the recipient of the Camosun College 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award.

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 2024 awards are now being accepted.

Past recipients

Distinguished Alumni

Promising Alumni

Neil Klompas - 2023

Mike Randall - 2022

Daniel Law - 2021

Mark Lovick - 2020

Gowan Armstrong - 2019

Grace Salez – 2018

Phil Venoit – 2017

Clayton Stark – 2016

Ellen Mahoney – 2015

Len Wansbrough – 2014

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

 

Shae-Lynn Mellors - 2023

Robin Adams - 2022

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