Alumni Association announces 2018 Parkland Region Alumni Award recipients

Assiniboine Community College's Parkland Alumni Region Committee has just announced the four recipients of this year's Parkland alumni awards, to be presented at the annual Parkland Region Alumni Celebration dinner in Dauphin on April 26, 2018.

This year's recipient of the Parkland Distinguished Alumni Award is David Mansell. the award is presented annually to a graduate of the college, in the Parkland Region, who has distinguished themselves in both their chosen profession and their community.

Despite having to overcome some challenges of his own, Dave Mansell has spent his career giving back to young people and the community. He has a passion for the underdog, as witnessed by his work on behalf of Manitoba Corrections with inmates, youth in care of Michif Child and family Services and Metis people. He graduated from both the Motor Vehicle Mechanics program at Assiniboine in 1991 and the Applied Counselling program at Assiniboine in 2006 and has worked for Michif Child and Family Services for the past nine years.

Nicole Yunker, Human Resource Management, class of '06, will receive the Parkland Community Service Award, which recognizes a graduate of the college, from the Parkland region, who has positively impacted the quality of people's lives through the service of others. Nicole has a passion for the underprivileged, especially those at risk. In early 2007, after hearing about the plight of orphans and poor people in Ukraine, she co-founded the Boxes of Love Ukraine Project. this organization has collected and sent more than $150,000 worth of donated items to two facilities in Nadvirna, Ukraine over the past 10 years.

Kevin Giesbrecht is this year's recipient of the Parkland One to Watch Award, which honours a graduate, from the Parkland region, who is 30 years of age or younger and has made exceptional achievements and significant contributions to his or her profession and community. Kevin is a graduate of both the Land & Water Management and Agribusiness programs (2010 and 2012) who hangs his diplomas proudly in his office at Catalyst Credit Union. Last year, Kevin volunteered for 60 hours at various events throughout the Dauphin community, including the Kinsmen Business Expo, Canada's National Ukranian Festival parade and the Dauphin Ag Society Fair Parade.

The Excellence in Teaching Award honours a faculty member from the Parkland campus, for extraordinary contributions to teaching and hte student experience. Business Administration instructor Laura Chartrand is the recipient of this year's award. Laura herself is an alumnus of the program she now instructs in, having graduated with a specialization in Accounting in 2000. Laura started her career as an educator in 2008 as an instructor in the Assiniboine's Aboriginal Community Development program. She was instrumental in the change from that program to the current Social Service Worker program in 2015, having developed, along with her colleague, 22 of the 30 new courses that would comprise the Social Service Worker diploma.

Award recipients will be formally recognized at the Parkland Alumni Celebration dinner on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the Lions Den in the Dauphin Recreational Centre in Dauphin, MB.

Those interested in event details or tickets may contact Lisa Huston, Alumni Relations Coordinator at 204.725.8700 ext 7124.