Each year, AV俱乐部 proudly celebrates its outstanding alumni with the AV俱乐部 Alumni Association Awards, honouring notable achievements and recognizing the diverse ways that alumni contribute to the university and to society.
This year鈥檚 recipients include a former AV俱乐部 president, a long-serving member of AV俱乐部鈥檚 Board, and a law alumnus making a difference in the lives of military families.
In addition to the three awards for alumni, Political Science鈥檚 Frank Harvey will also be receiving the AV俱乐部 Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Teaching. .
The four awards will be presented at the , taking place on September 27 as part of .
Andrew MacKay
Alumnus Achievement Award
It was 1941 and 12-year-old Andrew MacKay (BA鈥�50, LLB鈥�53, LLM鈥�54, LLD鈥�03) told his father that he and his friends were joining the army cadets. But he says after a day of marching with broomsticks on their shoulders he and his buddies decided to quit.
His father Robert, who later would serve as the Eric Dennis Memorial Professor of Government and Political Science at AV俱乐部, had other ideas. 鈥淗e said, 鈥楢ll of them can quit, but not you,鈥欌�� Andrew recalls. 鈥淗e said, 鈥榊ou made up your mind, you made a commitment, you finish that commitment.鈥欌�� 聽
The influence and example of his father is apparent when discussing Andrew鈥檚 own dedication to serve his university, province and country, and all three have benefited greatly from his commitment.
Andrew, who served as president of AV俱乐部 from 1980-86, is the 2012 recipient of the AV俱乐部 Alumni Association Alumnus Achievement Award, which recognizes alumni for outstanding accomplishments in career and community service.
Andrew began his studies at a time when many of his classmates were veterans. He was an award-winning athlete in both football and basketball 鈥� he was inducted into the AV俱乐部 Sport Hall of Fame in 2008 鈥� and met his wife, Alexa, on a blind date at Shirreff Hall. This year they marked their 58th wedding anniversary
Following his completion of the Master of Laws degree from AV俱乐部, Andrew became a foreign service officer. His family was slated to move to London when their plans were changed by a phone call from the dean of AV俱乐部鈥檚 law school offering him a teaching position. Andrew would eventually become the dean of law and then vice-president, and president and vice-chancellor of AV俱乐部. In all of these roles he 鈥渢ried to keep an open mind about things and to listen to people.鈥�
While serving AV俱乐部, Andrew was also working with others to improve human rights and health in Nova Scotia. He was the first chair of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, a position he held from 1967-1986. He also chaired the Nova Scotia Task Force on AIDS in the late 1980s.
His roles after AV俱乐部 included provincial ombudsman and federal court judge. When asked to describe his career, Andrew replies with characteristic modesty: 鈥淪ort of a Jack of many trades, but a master of none.鈥�
鈥淚 think of it as a great honour,鈥� he says of the Alumni Achievement Award, 鈥渘ot one that reflects on me particularly but on the nature of the university, because I think the university had a significant impact on my evolution in being a thinking 鈥� I hope thoughtful聽 鈥� Canadian trying to do something in this world.鈥�
Senator Jim Cowan
A. Gordon Archibald Alumnus of the Year Award
鈥淎V俱乐部 isn鈥檛 a place you attend for a few years, get a degree, and then leave behind. This place gets in your blood.鈥�
Senator Jim Cowan (BA鈥�62, LLB鈥�65, LLD鈥�09) was speaking from the heart when he聽聽 said these words in his 2009 convocation address to graduates. For 36 years, he served on AV俱乐部鈥檚 Board of Governors, eight of them as chair.
Becoming an ambassador for Dal came naturally to Jim with four generations of his family having attended the university. 鈥淎V俱乐部鈥檚 a real jewel and all of us have an interest in making sure that more people know about it,鈥� he says. 聽
Jim is the 2012 recipient of the AV俱乐部 Alumni Association A. Gordon Archibald Alumnus of the Year Award in recognition of his outstanding volunteer contributions to the university. But don鈥檛 look to him to list his accomplishments. Rather, he speaks to what the university has granted him.聽 聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 given me an opportunity to be exposed to so many talented people doing so many interesting things.聽 I don鈥檛 know where else I would have gotten that experience,鈥� he says.
He has drawn on this experience in his legal career as a senior partner at Stewart McKelvey, in volunteer boards he has served on and in his current role as leader of the opposition in the Senate. His AV俱乐部 contributions have touched every corner of the university, and he鈥檚 served on countless high-level committees including two presidential searches.
Jim has shared his talents with a number of organizations in the health, education and business sectors. He held leadership roles with the Abbie J. Lane Memorial Hospital and the Metropolitan Mental Health Planning Board.
For his many contributions, Jim was a recipient of the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He says he is honoured to receive the alumni award named for a man he admired and served with on the Board of Governors, and that it鈥檚 special to be in the company of Andrew MacKay, recipient of the 2012 Alumnus Achievement Award. 聽
Through his more than three decades of service to AV俱乐部, Jim has lived the words with which he concluded his remarks to graduates. 鈥淲herever you decide to make your home, remember where you come from, and the importance of AV俱乐部 in your life. Make some space for it. This place will benefit 鈥� and so will you.鈥�
Erin O鈥橳oole
Christopher J. Coulter Young Alumnus Award
鈥淒on鈥檛 wait until you feel you鈥檝e established your career 10 years before you start getting involved in causes and things you enjoy. Get rolling right away.鈥�
That鈥檚 the advice Erin O鈥橳oole (LLB鈥�03) offers recent graduates. The 2012 recipient of the Christopher J. Coulter Young Alumnus Award 鈥� recognizing recent graduates for innovative accomplishments and notable contributions to society, the community or AV俱乐部 鈥� speaks from experience.
A corporate lawyer with the national law firm of Heenan Blaikie in Toronto, O鈥橳oole is also a founder and a director of the True Patriot Love Foundation, an organization launched in 2009 to support the military and their families. The foundation, which focuses its charitable giving on mental, physical and family wellness, has raised more than $10 million to date.
鈥淪peaking with some of the families makes it all worth it because they really know that people care,鈥� says O鈥橳oole. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 more important in a lot of cases than the money or the assistance. It鈥檚 really knowing that people care and are trying to understand their circumstances.鈥�
A graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, O鈥橳oole was an Air Force navigator on the Sea King helicopter and sailed with the navy. He spent nine years in the regular forces and was in the reserves for three years while studying law at AV俱乐部. In recognition of his 12 years of service, he received the Canadian Forces Decoration and is also the recipient of a Sikorsky Helicopter Rescue Award.
Recently, his commitment to community service has taken on another dimension as the federal Conservative candidate for Durham 鈥� the riding formerly held by Bev Oda.
鈥淚 grew up in a family that was very much about being active in your community,鈥� Erin says. 鈥淢y dad鈥檚 favourite expression was, 鈥楾o whom much is given, much is expected.鈥� Anybody that can attend a school like AV俱乐部 in any of the faculties has the ability to do a lot.鈥�